Mind's Eye - Ability ID 535

In-Game Description

"Hits Ghost-type Pokémon. Accuracy can't be lowered."

Extended In-Game Description

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

Mind's Eye allows Normal and Fighting-type moves to hit Ghost-type Pokémon with normal effectiveness, bypassing their typical immunity. Additionally, this ability prevents the user's accuracy stat from being lowered by opposing moves or abilities like Sand Attack or Intimidate.

Character count: 295

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

Mind's Eye is a dual-purpose ability that provides both offensive and defensive benefits:

Core Mechanics

1. Ghost-type Immunity Bypass:

   • Normal and Fighting-type moves used by the Mind's Eye user can hit Ghost-type Pokémon
   • These moves deal normal (1.0x) effectiveness damage instead of having no effect (0.0x)
   • Uses the same mechanism as Scrappy ability's onTypeEffectiveness function

2. Accuracy Protection:

   • Prevents the user's accuracy stat from being lowered below its starting value
   • Protects against moves like Sand Attack, Mud-Slap, Flash, Smokescreen
   • Protects against abilities that lower accuracy
   • Does NOT protect against evasion boosts on the opponent

Technical Implementation

constexpr Ability MindsEye = {
    .onTypeEffectiveness = Scrappy.onTypeEffectiveness,  // Ghost immunity bypass
    .breakable = TRUE,
};

Accuracy Protection Code:

// In battle script commands - prevents accuracy lowering
if (BATTLER_HAS_ABILITY(battler, ABILITY_MINDS_EYE) && statId == STAT_ACC) {
    // Trigger ability popup and prevent stat reduction
    gBattleScripting.abilityPopupOverwrite = ABILITY_MINDS_EYE;
    // Ability prevents the accuracy drop
}

// In accuracy calculation - ignores negative evasion stages
if (BATTLER_HAS_ABILITY(battlerAtk, ABILITY_MINDS_EYE))
    evasionStage = min(evasionStage, DEFAULT_STAT_STAGE);

Activation Conditions

1. Ghost-type Bypass: Activates when using Normal or Fighting-type moves against Ghost-type targets
2. Accuracy Protection: Activates when opponent attempts to lower the user's accuracy stat

Affected Moves (Accuracy Lowering)

Mind's Eye protects against accuracy-lowering effects from:

• Sand Attack, Mud-Slap, Muddy Water
• Flash, Smokescreen, Octazooka
• Any move with secondary effect that lowers accuracy
• Abilities like Tangling Hair (when it affects accuracy)

Interactions with Other Mechanics

• Mold Breaker: Mind's Eye is breakable, so Mold Breaker bypasses both effects
• Foresight/Odor Sleuth: Mind's Eye provides the same Ghost-hitting effect as these moves
• Clear Amulet: Item-based accuracy protection stacks with Mind's Eye
• Keen Eye: Similar accuracy protection but different implementation

Strategic Implications

Offensive Benefits:

• Allows Normal and Fighting-type attackers to threaten Ghost-types
• Particularly valuable for physical attackers using moves like Body Slam, Close Combat
• Enables STAB Normal/Fighting moves to have universal coverage

Defensive Benefits:

• Maintains consistent accuracy throughout battle
• Counters accuracy-dropping strategies
• Valuable against Pokemon that rely on evasion tactics

Common Users

Based on the codebase analysis, Mind's Eye appears as an innate ability on certain Pokemon, providing consistent utility throughout battle.

Competitive Usage Notes

• Offensive Role: Best used on physically offensive Normal or Fighting-types
• Anti-Evasion: Counters opponents who rely on accuracy drops for survivability
• Consistent Performance: Ensures reliable hit rates for powerful moves
• Ghost Coverage: Provides crucial coverage against Ghost-type switch-ins

Counters

• Mold Breaker: Completely bypasses both effects
• Type Resistances: Ghost-types can still resist the attacks (just not be immune)
• Other Stat Drops: Doesn't protect against Attack, Speed, or other stat reductions

Synergies

• High-power Normal/Fighting moves: Body Slam, Close Combat, Double-Edge
• Accuracy-dependent moves: Focus Blast, Dynamic Punch benefit from consistent accuracy
• Physical attackers: Pairs well with strong physical movesets
• Choice items: Maintains accuracy while locked into moves

Version History

Mind's Eye was implemented in Elite Redux as ability ID 535, combining the Ghost-hitting effect of Scrappy with the accuracy protection similar to Keen Eye, creating a unique dual-purpose ability for balanced offensive and defensive utility.