Good As Gold - Ability ID 576

In-Game Description

"Immune to all Status moves, unless whole field is affected."

Extended In-Game Description

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

Good As Gold grants immunity to all status moves that directly target this Pokémon. The Pokémon remains vulnerable to status moves that affect the entire battlefield, such as Haze or Aromatherapy. This selective immunity creates strategic depth.

Character count: 286

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

Core Mechanics

• Primary Effect: Complete immunity to status moves that target the Pokémon directly
• Exception: Field-wide status moves (that affect all Pokémon) can still affect the user
• Targeting Check: Uses battler != attacker logic to determine move targeting

Activation Conditions

• Triggers when a status move targets this Pokémon
• Does NOT activate for moves that target the user themselves
• Does NOT activate for moves that affect the entire field

Technical Implementation

constexpr Ability GoodAsGold = {
    .onImmune = +[](ON_IMMUNE) -> int {
        CHECK(battler != attacker) CHECK(IS_MOVE_STATUS(move));
        *immunityScript = BattleScript_SoundproofProtected;
        return TRUE;
    },
    .breakable = TRUE,
};

Move Categories Affected

Blocked Status Moves (Examples):

• Sleep Powder, Spore, Hypnosis
• Thunder Wave, Glare, Stun Spore
• Toxic, Poison Powder, Will-O-Wisp
• Confuse Ray, Sweet Kiss, Swagger
• Taunt, Torment, Disable
• Leech Seed, Mean Look, Spider Web

NOT Blocked (Field-Wide Examples):

• Haze (affects all Pokémon's stat changes)
• Aromatherapy (heals all team members)
• Heal Bell (heals all team members)
• Entry hazards like Stealth Rock (affect switching)

Interactions with Other Abilities/Mechanics

• Mold Breaker/Turboblaze/Teravolt: Can bypass Good As Gold immunity
• Magic Bounce: If both Pokémon have status immunity abilities, interactions depend on move priority
• Substitute: Good As Gold protects the actual Pokémon, not the Substitute
• Priority: Immunity occurs before the move hits, so priority doesn't matter

Strategic Implications

Offensive Uses:

• Allows setup sweepers to avoid status disruption
• Enables safe switching into predicted status moves
• Creates opportunities for free setup turns

Defensive Applications:

• Hard counters status-based stall strategies
• Forces opponents to use direct attacks instead of status
• Provides utility in formats with heavy status move usage

Common Users

• Typically found on legendary or pseudo-legendary Pokémon
• Gholdengo is the most notable canonical user
• Often paired with setup moves or sweeping sets

Competitive Usage Notes

• Singles: Extremely valuable for setup sweepers and anti-stall
• Doubles: Less impactful due to fewer targeted status moves
• Format Impact: Can significantly shift metagames away from status-heavy strategies

Counters

• Direct Damage: Physical and special attacks work normally
• Ability Suppressors: Gastro Acid, Simple Beam remove the immunity
• Mold Breaker: Bypasses the immunity entirely
• Field Effects: Weather, terrain, and entry hazards still affect the user

Synergies

• Setup Moves: Pairs excellently with Dragon Dance, Nasty Plot, etc.
• Substitute: Can set up safely behind Substitute
• Recovery Moves: Allows time to heal without status interruption
• Choice Items: Prevents status moves from forcing switches

Version History

• Introduced in Generation IX (Pokémon Scarlet/Violet)
• Elite Redux Implementation: Uses standard immunity framework
• Current Status: Fully implemented with field-wide move exception noted in description

Notes

• The ability description mentions field-wide move exception, though current code implementation may need verification for moves like Haze
• Uses the same battle script as Soundproof for immunity messages
• Marked as breakable by Mold Breaker and similar abilities