Weather Control (Ability #354)

In-Game Description: "Negates all weather based moves from enemies."

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

Core Mechanics

Weather Control provides complete immunity to moves flagged as FLAG_WEATHER_BASED in the game's code. This is a hardcoded list of 18 specific moves, not a dynamic weather interaction. The ability shares its implementation with Delta Stream, using the same onImmune function.

Code Implementation

Located in /Users/joel/Github/eliteredux/eliteredux-source/src/abilities.cc at line 3741:

constexpr Ability WeatherControl = {
    .onImmune = DeltaStream.onImmune,
    .breakable = TRUE,
};

The immunity logic (shared with Delta Stream) at line 2043:

.onImmune = +[](ON_IMMUNE) -> int {
    CHECK(gBattleMoves[move].flags & FLAG_WEATHER_BASED)
    CHECK_NOT(GetBattlerBattleMoveTargetFlags(move, attacker) & MOVE_TARGET_USER)
    *immunityScript = BattleScript_SoundproofProtected;
    return TRUE;
},

Implementation Details

• Hook: Uses onImmune (same as Delta Stream ability #191)
• Trigger: When opponent uses a move with FLAG_WEATHER_BASED flag
• Effect: Complete immunity - move fails with "It doesn't affect [Pokémon]..."
• Battle Message: Uses the same "protected by its ability" message as Soundproof
• Self-Exception: The user's own weather-based moves are unaffected (prevents self-immunity)
• Breakable: Can be bypassed by Mold Breaker and similar abilities (breakable = TRUE)

Complete List of Blocked Moves

1. Bleakwind Storm - Ice-type special move
2. Blizzard - Ice-type special move (normally gets accuracy boost in hail)
3. Depletion Beam - Normal-type special move
4. Eerie Spell - Psychic-type special move
5. Fire Pledge - Fire-type special pledge move
6. Grass Pledge - Grass-type special pledge move
7. Hurricane - Flying-type special move (normally gets accuracy boost in rain)
8. Ominous Wind - Ghost-type special move with stat boost chance
9. Revival Blessing - Normal-type status move (revival)
10. Sandsear Storm - Ground-type special move
11. Sheer Cold - Ice-type OHKO move
12. Solar Beam - Grass-type special move (normally charges faster in sun)
13. Solar Blade - Grass-type physical move (physical Solar Beam)
14. Springtide Storm - Fairy-type special move
15. Thunder - Electric-type special move (normally gets accuracy boost in rain)
16. Water Pledge - Water-type special pledge move
17. Weather Ball - Normal-type special move (changes type with weather)
18. Wildbolt Storm - Electric-type special move

What It Does NOT Block

• Weather-setting moves (Rain Dance, Sunny Day, etc.)
• Moves that get power boosts from weather (Water moves in rain, Fire moves in sun)
• Moves with weather-dependent secondary effects (Morning Sun healing varies)
• Any moves not in the above list of 18

Comparison to Similar Abilities

• Delta Stream: Also blocks these 18 moves PLUS sets Strong Winds weather
• Cloud Nine/Air Lock: Suppress weather effects but don't block specific moves
• Magic Guard: Prevents weather damage but doesn't block weather moves
• Soundproof: Similar immunity mechanism but for sound-based moves
• Bulletproof: Similar immunity mechanism but for ball and bomb moves

Pokémon with Weather Control

Based on the species data, Weather Control appears primarily as an innate ability on the following Pokémon:

Water-Type Weather Masters

• Psyduck - Duck Pokémon with psychic weather control
• Golduck - Evolved form with enhanced weather mastery

The Weather Pokémon

• Castform (all forms) - Normal, Sunny, Rainy, Snowy, and Shadow forms
  • Base Castform and all weather-transformed variants
  • Thematically perfect fit as the Weather Pokémon

Legendary Weather Controllers

• Dragonite - Pseudo-legendary dragon with weather influence
• Forces of Nature Trio:
  • Tornadus (Incarnate and Therian forms) - Cyclone Pokémon
  • Thundurus (Incarnate and Therian forms) - Bolt Strike Pokémon
  • Landorus (Incarnate and Therian forms) - Abundance Pokémon
• Rayquaza - Sky High Pokémon that controls atmospheric conditions
• Enamorus (Incarnate and Therian forms) - Love-Hate Pokémon

These Pokémon typically have Weather Control as one of their three innate abilities, alongside other powerful abilities that complement their legendary status and weather theme.

Strategic Implications

Weather Control is a defensive ability that hard-counters specific moves rather than weather conditions. It's particularly effective against:

• Rain teams relying on Thunder's perfect accuracy
• Sun teams using Solar Beam/Solar Blade for instant charging
• Hail teams with Blizzard's enhanced accuracy
• Storm move users wielding the powerful signature Storm moves
• Weather Ball abusers who rely on type/power changes

The ability name is somewhat misleading - it doesn't control weather conditions but rather blocks a specific set of moves that happen to be weather-related in theme or function. This makes it a specialized defensive tool rather than a weather manipulation ability.