Kunoichi's Blade - Ability ID 460

In-Game Description

"Technician + Skill Link."

Extended In-Game Description

For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (IMPORTANT: exactly 280-300 chars counted WITH spaces)

Kunoichi Blade combines Technician and Skill Link effects. Moves with 60 BP or less get a 1.5x power boost, while multi-hit moves like Bullet Seed and Rock Blast always hit the maximum number of times (5 hits). Perfect for multi-hit builds with guaranteed consistency and offensive power.

Character count: 288

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

Core Mechanics

Kunoichi's Blade is a unique hybrid ability that combines two distinct offensive enhancement effects:

1. Technician Effect: Boosts the power of moves with 60 base power or less by 1.5x
2. Skill Link Effect: Forces multi-hit moves to always hit the maximum number of times

Activation Conditions

Technician Component

• Power threshold: Only affects moves with 60 base power or less
• Damage calculation: Applied as a 1.5x multiplier to base power
• Move examples: Bullet Seed (25 BP → 37.5 BP per hit), Rock Blast (25 BP → 37.5 BP per hit)
• Timing: Applied during damage calculation phase

Skill Link Component

• Multi-hit moves: Forces moves that hit 2-5 times to always hit 5 times
• Affected moves: Bullet Seed, Rock Blast, Icicle Spear, Bone Rush, Pin Missile, etc.
• Guaranteed consistency: Eliminates RNG from multi-hit move damage

Technical Implementation

constexpr Ability KunoichiBlade = {
    .onOffensiveMultiplier = Technician.onOffensiveMultiplier,  // 1.5x for ≤60 BP moves
    .skillLink = TRUE,  // Multi-hit moves always hit max times
};

// Technician component
if (basePower <= 60) MUL(1.5);

Synergistic Power

The combination creates powerful synergy:

• Multi-hit moves typically have low base power (≤60 BP)
• Technician boosts each individual hit
• Skill Link guarantees maximum hits
• Result: Consistent high-damage multi-hit attacks

Move Power Calculations

Example with Bullet Seed:

• Base power: 25 BP per hit
• With Technician: 25 × 1.5 = 37.5 BP per hit
• With Skill Link: Always 5 hits guaranteed
• Total effective power: 37.5 × 5 = 187.5 BP
• Compared to normal Bullet Seed: 25 × (2-5 random hits) = 50-125 BP average

Optimal Move Coverage

Best moves for Kunoichi's Blade:

• Bullet Seed (Grass): 25 BP → 187.5 total effective BP
• Rock Blast (Rock): 25 BP → 187.5 total effective BP
• Icicle Spear (Ice): 25 BP → 187.5 total effective BP
• Pin Missile (Bug): 25 BP → 187.5 total effective BP
• Bone Rush (Ground): 25 BP → 187.5 total effective BP

Other Technician-boosted moves:

• Moves ≤60 BP that aren't multi-hit still get 1.5x boost
• Quick Attack, Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, etc.

Strategic Implications

• Consistency: Eliminates multi-hit RNG, providing reliable damage output
• Type coverage: Access to multiple types through different multi-hit moves
• Breaking substitutes: Multi-hit moves break Substitute and Sturdy
• Focus Sash counter: Multiple hits bypass Focus Sash protection
• Disguise/Ice Face: Can break disguise effects with guaranteed multi-hits

Important Interactions

Power Boosting Effects

• STAB: Applied after Technician boost (37.5 × 1.5 = 56.25 BP per hit)
• Life Orb: Stacks with both components for massive damage
• Choice items: Provide additional multipliers on top of ability effects
• Weather boosts: Sun/Rain boost compatible move types further

Defensive Interactions

• Sturdy/Focus Sash: Bypassed by guaranteed multi-hits
• Substitute: Broken by first hit, remaining hits damage the Pokémon
• Rocky Helmet/Iron Barbs: User takes damage for each hit (5× recoil)
• Contact moves: Multi-hit contact moves trigger contact effects multiple times

Common Users and Team Roles

Ideal Pokémon characteristics:

• High Attack or Special Attack stats
• Access to multiple multi-hit moves
• Good Speed or bulk to use the ability effectively
• Diverse movepool for type coverage

Team roles:

• Wallbreaker: Consistent high damage breaks through bulky threats
• Sweeper setup: Can break through Focus Sash users reliably
• Substitute breaker: Handles Substitute strategies effectively
• Anti-stall: Consistent damage output pressures stall teams

Competitive Advantages

• Damage reliability: No RNG in damage output
• Breaking defensive strategies: Counters common defensive items/abilities
• Type flexibility: Multiple multi-hit moves provide coverage options
• Setup potential: Consistent damage makes setup more viable

Potential Weaknesses

• Rocky Helmet users: Take 5× contact damage from multi-hit contact moves
• Rough Skin/Iron Barbs: Similar recoil multiplication
• Ability suppression: Mold Breaker negates both components
• Move PP: Multi-hit moves often have lower PP, requiring PP management

Synergistic Abilities and Items

Team support:

• Speed control: Tailwind, Trick Room depending on user's Speed
• Stat boosts: Attack/Special Attack boosters enhance damage further
• Entry hazard support: Weakens targets for guaranteed KOs

Held items:

• Life Orb: Massive damage boost with ability effects
• Choice items: Lock into powerful multi-hit moves
• Focus Sash: Ensures at least one turn of guaranteed multi-hit damage
• Wide Lens: Unnecessary due to Skill Link removing miss chance concerns

Counters and Checks

Direct counters:

• Mold Breaker: Ignores ability completely
• Wonder Guard: Only weak to super-effective hits
• Magic Guard: Immune to indirect damage, but not direct damage

Checks and pressure:

• Priority moves: Bypass Speed issues
• Status conditions: Burn halves physical damage
• Intimidate: Reduces physical Attack stat
• Defensive typing: Resist common multi-hit move types

Version History

• Elite Redux exclusive: Custom ability combining two existing effects
• Design philosophy: Rewards skillful move selection and team building
• Balance considerations: Powerful but requires specific move investment

Advanced Applications

• Choice item synergy: Lock into a devastating multi-hit move
• Setup sweeping: Use after stat boosts for overwhelming power
• Anti-meta role: Counters common defensive strategies in competitive play
• Team building: Central ability requiring specific move and item support