Mycelium Might - Ability ID 510

In-Game Description

"Status moves ignore immunities but go last."

Extended In-Game Description

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

Mycelium Might allows status moves to bypass all immunities and type resistances but forces them to move last in their priority bracket. Status moves ignore abilities like Limber, type immunities, and terrain effects. Only affects status moves targeting opponents, not self-targeting moves.

Character count: 290

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

Core Mechanics

Mycelium Might is a unique ability that trades move priority for immunity bypassing power. It fundamentally changes how status moves interact with defensive mechanics.

Activation Conditions

• Move type requirement: Only affects status moves (non-damaging moves)
• Target requirement: Only affects moves targeting opponents (gBattleMoves[move].target != MOVE_TARGET_USER)
• Self-targeting exception: Moves like Swords Dance, Rest, etc. are unaffected
• Priority modification: Status moves always go last in their priority bracket

Technical Implementation

// Macro definition for affected moves
#define MYCELIUM_MIGHT_AFFECTED(battler, move) \
    (BATTLER_HAS_ABILITY(battler, ABILITY_MYCELIUM_MIGHT) && IS_MOVE_STATUS(move) && gBattleMoves[move].target != MOVE_TARGET_USER)

// Sets hitmarker when ability is active
if (BattlerHasAbility(gBattlerAttacker, ABILITY_MYCELIUM_MIGHT, FALSE)) 
    gHitMarker |= HITMARKER_MYCELIUM_MIGHT;

// Speed calculation modification
speedValue.goesLastNegation += MYCELIUM_MIGHT_AFFECTED(battler, GetChosenMove(battler));

Immunity Bypassing Effects

The ability bypasses numerous defensive mechanics:

Status Condition Immunities:

• Type immunities (Electric-types vs paralysis, Fire-types vs burn, etc.)
• Ability-based immunities (Limber, Water Veil, Insomnia, etc.)
• Terrain protection (Misty Terrain preventing status)
• Safeguard protection
• Hold item immunities (Pecha Berry auto-cure, etc.)

Status Move Specific Bypasses:

• Powder moves hit Grass-types and Overcoat users
• Sleep moves work on Electric Terrain and Insomnia users
• Paralysis moves affect Electric-types and Limber users
• Burn moves affect Fire-types and Water Veil users
• Poison moves hit Poison/Steel types and immunity abilities

Priority Mechanics

• Speed modification: Affected moves are forced to go last within their priority bracket
• Priority preservation: Base move priority is maintained, but speed is set to go last
• Lagging Tail effect: Functions similarly to Lagging Tail held item
• Quash interaction: Quash timer takes precedence over Mycelium Might
• Trick Room: Still goes last even in Trick Room conditions

Important Interactions

Status Move Examples Affected:

• Thunder Wave (bypasses Ground-type immunity and Limber)
• Sleep Powder (bypasses Insomnia and Electric Terrain)
• Will-O-Wisp (bypasses Fire-type immunity and Water Veil)
• Toxic (bypasses Poison/Steel immunity and Immunity ability)
• Spore (bypasses all sleep immunities)

Moves NOT Affected:

• Self-targeting status moves (Swords Dance, Calm Mind, etc.)
• Healing moves targeting self (Recover, Rest, etc.)
• Damaging moves (never affected regardless of secondary effects)
• Status moves with MOVE_TARGET_USER flag

Strategic Implications

Advantages:

• Guaranteed status application: Can status any opponent regardless of type/ability
• Utility maximizer: Makes status moves incredibly reliable
• Team support: Enables consistent status spreading for team support
• Meta breaking: Bypasses common status immunities that define the meta

Disadvantages:

• Speed penalty: Always moves last, making user vulnerable to KO before acting
• Priority loss: Loses first-move advantage that status moves often rely on
• Predictable timing: Opponents know when status moves will hit
• Setup window: Gives opponents time to set up or switch out

Competitive Usage Notes

Ideal Pokemon Types:

• Bulky support Pokemon who can survive hits before moving
• Pokemon with natural bulk to tank attacks while setting up status
• Pokemon with recovery moves to maintain longevity
• Slow Pokemon who already move last anyway

Team Compositions:

• Stall teams benefiting from guaranteed status application
• Support builds focusing on status spreading
• Teams countering specific immunity-based strategies
• Builds utilizing Trick Room to potentially move first despite the penalty

Counters

Direct Counters:

• Priority moves: Attack before status moves can be used
• Taunt: Prevents status move usage entirely
• Magic Bounce/Magic Guard: Reflects or prevents status effects
• Substitute: Blocks most status effects
• Fast attackers: KO before status moves can be executed

Ability Interactions:

• Mold Breaker: Ironically, Mold Breaker ignores Mycelium Might
• Neutralizing Gas: Suppresses the ability entirely
• Simple Beam/Worry Seed: Can replace the ability
• Skill Swap: Can transfer the ability away

Synergies

Supportive Strategies:

• Trick Room: Potentially allows moving first despite the penalty
• Follow Me/Rage Powder: Protects user while they prepare status moves
• Screens/Aurora Veil: Reduces damage taken while moving last
• Protect/Detect: Can scout opponent's move before committing to status

Move Synergies:

• Thunder Wave: Guaranteed paralysis on any target
• Toxic: Reliable badly poisoned status on any opponent
• Sleep moves: Consistent sleep application regardless of type
• Burn moves: Universal burn application for physical attackers

Pokemon Distribution

Based on the code analysis, Mycelium Might appears on:

• Fungal/mushroom-themed Pokemon (thematically appropriate)
• Pokemon with Infiltrator as another ability option
• Pokemon with Adaptability in some configurations
• Some Pokemon have it as an innate ability alongside other effects

Unique Properties

• One of the few abilities that trades speed for reliability
• Creates a risk/reward dynamic unique in Pokemon battles
• Fundamentally changes the timing and reliability of status warfare
• Represents a design philosophy of powerful effect with meaningful drawback

Version History

• Introduced in Elite Redux as ability ID 510
• Part of the expanded ability roster beyond Generation VIII
• Designed to create new strategic options for status-based gameplay
• Balances powerful effect (immunity bypass) with significant cost (speed penalty)