Liquid Voice (Ability #396)

Basic Information

• Ability Name: Liquid Voice
• Internal ID: 396 (ABILITY_LIQUID_VOICE, enum value 204)
• Type: Sound/Water Enhancement
• Introduced: Generation VII equivalent

Extended In-Game Description

For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (IMPORTANT: exactly 280-300 chars counted WITH spaces)Game Description: "Sound moves get a 1.2x boost and become Water if Normal."

Extended Description: Sound-based moves receive a 1.2x power boost and Normal-type sound moves are converted to Water-type. This ability enhances vocal attacks through aquatic resonance, making sound-based strategies more versatile and effective in combat.

Technical Implementation

Source Code Location

• File: /Users/joel/Github/eliteredux/eliteredux-source/src/abilities.cc
• Implementation Lines: 2213-2223
• Ability Table Entry: Line 9056

Code Implementation

constexpr Ability LiquidVoice = {
    .onOffensiveMultiplier =
        +[](ON_OFFENSIVE_MULTIPLIER) {
            if (IsSoundMove(battler, move)) MUL(1.2);
        },
    .onMoveType = +[](ON_MOVE_TYPE) -> int {
        CHECK(moveType == TYPE_NORMAL)
        CHECK(gBattleMoves[move].flags & FLAG_SOUND)
        return TYPE_WATER + 1;
    },
};

Mechanics Breakdown

1. Sound Move Boost: All sound moves (identified by IsSoundMove() function) receive a 1.2x power multiplier
2. Type Conversion: Normal-type moves with the FLAG_SOUND flag are converted to Water-type
3. Triggering Conditions:
   • Move must have sound-based properties (FLAG_SOUND)
   • For type conversion: Move must be Normal-type initially

Pokemon with This Ability

Regular Ability Holders

• Mega Lapras: All three ability slots (Triple Liquid Voice)
• Wailmer: One of three regular abilities (alongside Stamina, Drizzle)
• Tympole: Hidden ability option (alongside Hydration, Soundproof)
• Palpitoad: Hidden ability option (alongside Damp, Sand Song)

Innate Ability Holders

• Wailord: Innate ability (permanent passive effect)
• Brionne: Innate ability (permanent passive effect)
• Primarina: Innate ability (permanent passive effect)
• Mega Primarina: Innate ability (permanent passive effect)

Strategic Analysis

Competitive Viability: Medium Tier

Liquid Voice offers solid utility for sound-based movesets with both offensive enhancement and type flexibility.

Strengths

1. Power Enhancement: 1.2x multiplier applies to all sound moves regardless of type
2. Type Coverage: Converts Normal sound moves to Water-type for better coverage
3. STAB Synergy: Water-type Pokemon gain STAB on converted moves
4. Broad Application: Works with any sound-based move

Weaknesses

1. Move Dependence: Limited to sound-based moves only
2. Moderate Boost: 1.2x multiplier is decent but not overwhelming
3. Type Restriction: Only converts Normal-type sound moves
4. Situational: Effectiveness depends on moveset composition

Optimal Usage

• Water-type Specialists: Pokemon like Primarina benefit from STAB on converted moves
• Sound Move Sets: Pokemon with multiple sound moves maximize the power boost
• Mixed Coverage: Provides Water-type coverage on otherwise Normal sound moves

Related Abilities

Similar Type-Converting Sound Abilities

Liquid Voice is part of a family of abilities that convert Normal sound moves to different types:

1. Sand Song (Ability #274): Converts to Ground-type

   • Found on: Palpitoad as regular ability
   • Implementation shares LiquidVoice.onOffensiveMultiplier

2. Banshee (Ability #540): Converts to Ghost-type

   • Implementation shares LiquidVoice.onOffensiveMultiplier

3. Snow Song (Ability #624): Converts to Ice-type

   • Implementation shares LiquidVoice.onOffensiveMultiplier

4. Power Metal (Ability #657): Converts to Steel-type

   • Implementation shares LiquidVoice.onOffensiveMultiplier

Other Sound-Related Abilities

• Soundproof: Immunity to sound moves
• Punk Rock: Enhanced sound moves (1.3x boost) and sound move resistance
• Amplifier: Found on Brionne/Primarina, likely sound-related enhancement

Competitive Applications

Team Building Considerations

1. Sound Move Synergy: Pairs well with Pokemon that learn multiple sound moves
2. Water-type Teams: Enhances mono-Water team strategies
3. Coverage Options: Provides unexpected Water-type attacks from Normal moves

Counter-Strategies

1. Soundproof: Complete immunity to sound-based attacks
2. Water-type Resistances: Grass and Water-types resist converted moves
3. Sound Move Disruption: Abilities or moves that prevent sound attacks

Notable Move Interactions

• Hyper Voice: Normal sound move → Water-type with 1.2x boost
• Boomburst: Normal sound move → Water-type with 1.2x boost
• Round: Normal sound move → Water-type with 1.2x boost
• Echoed Voice: Normal sound move → Water-type with 1.2x boost

Conclusion

Liquid Voice represents a balanced approach to sound-based enhancement, offering both power and utility through type conversion. While not game-breaking, it provides solid strategic value for Pokemon with appropriate movesets, particularly Water-types that can leverage STAB bonuses on converted moves. The ability's design fits well within Elite Redux's philosophy of providing meaningful but not overpowered enhancements to existing mechanics.

The shared implementation pattern with similar elemental sound conversion abilities (Sand Song, Banshee, etc.) demonstrates good code design while maintaining consistent mechanics across related abilities.