Illuminate - Ability ID 35

In-Game Description

"Grants a 1.2x accuracy boost."

Extended In-Game Description

For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (280-300 chars max)

Illuminate increases the accuracy of all moves used by the Pokémon by 20% (1.2x multiplier). Additionally, when this Pokémon is in the lead position of your party while exploring, it doubles the wild encounter rate, making it easier to find wild Pokémon in tall grass, caves, and water.

Character count: 296

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

ILLUMINATE is a utility ability that provides both battle accuracy enhancement and overworld encounter rate modification.

Battle Mechanics:

• Trigger: Every move used by the Pokémon with Illuminate
• Effect: Multiplies move accuracy by 1.2 (20% increase)
• Calculation: Applied as a multiplicative modifier to the move's base accuracy
• Priority: ACCURACY_MULTIPLICATIVE priority in the accuracy calculation chain

Overworld Effects:

1. Wild Encounter Rate:
   • Doubles the base encounter rate when the Pokémon is in the lead party slot
   • Effect: encounterRate *= 2
   • Applies to: Tall grass, cave encounters, surfing encounters
   • Does not stack with other encounter rate modifiers

Accuracy Calculation Details:

• Base move accuracy is multiplied by 1.2 before other modifiers
• Examples:
  • 80% accuracy move becomes 96% accuracy (80 × 1.2)
  • 85% accuracy move becomes 102% accuracy (capped at 100%)
  • 70% accuracy move becomes 84% accuracy (70 × 1.2)
  • 90% accuracy move becomes 108% accuracy (capped at 100%)

Interaction Rules:

• vs Accuracy Stages: Applied before accuracy stage multipliers
• vs Evasion: Applied before evasion calculations
• vs Other Accuracy Abilities: Stacks with other accuracy-modifying abilities
• vs Weather: Works independently of weather-based accuracy changes (Sand-Attack, etc.)

Technical Implementation:

constexpr Ability Illuminate = {
    .onAccuracy = +[](ON_ACCURACY) -> AccuracyPriority {
        *accuracy *= 1.2;
        return ACCURACY_MULTIPLICATIVE;
    },
};

Wild Encounter Implementation:

// In wild_encounter.c
else if (ability == ABILITY_ILLUMINATE)
    encounterRate *= 2;

Competitive Analysis:

• AI Rating: 0/10 (considered worthless by battle AI)
• Battle Value: Very low - minimal accuracy boost rarely decisive
• Utility Value: High for exploration and Pokémon hunting
• Common Users: Early-game Pokémon, utility Pokémon for catching

Related Abilities:

• Compound Eyes: Also boosts accuracy (1.3x vs 1.2x) but no encounter rate effect
• No Guard: Guarantees 100% accuracy for both user and opponent
• Keen Eye: Prevents accuracy reduction but doesn't boost base accuracy

Pokémon That Learn This Ability:

• Often found on Electric-type Pokémon (Lanturn line, Ampharos line)
• Some Psychic-types and light-themed Pokémon
• Typically as a hidden or secondary ability

Practical Applications:

1. Exploration: Lead party member for increased wild encounters
2. Catching: Slight accuracy boost helpful for status moves
3. Niche Strategies: Minor benefit for low-accuracy high-power moves
4. Competitive: Generally replaced by more impactful abilities

Version History:

• Gen 3-4: Wild encounter rate boost only
• Gen 5+: Added accuracy boost in battle
• Elite Redux: Maintains both effects with 1.2x accuracy multiplier