Appearance
Sweeping Edge Plus - Ability ID 590
In-Game Description
"Sweeping Edge + Keen Edge."
Extended In-Game Description
For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (IMPORTANT: exactly 280-300 chars counted WITH spaces)
Sweeping Edge Plus combines the power of both Keen Edge and Sweeping Edge abilities. All Keen Edge moves gain 30% damage boost, perfect accuracy, and hit both opposing Pokémon in double battles. This transforms single-target slicing moves into devastating multi-target blade attacks.
Character count: 285
Detailed Mechanical Explanation
For Discord/reference use
Core Mechanics
Sweeping Edge Plus (also known as "Blademaster") is an upgraded combination ability that merges the effects of two powerful abilities: Keen Edge and Sweeping Edge. This creates a supremely powerful offensive ability for Pokémon that rely on slicing attacks.
Technical Implementation
cpp
// From src/abilities.cc - Sweeping Edge Plus definition
constexpr Ability SweepingEdgePlus = {
.onOffensiveMultiplier = KeenEdge.onOffensiveMultiplier,
.onAccuracy = SweepingEdge.onAccuracy,
};
Ability Effects
Sweeping Edge Plus provides three distinct enhancements to Keen Edge moves:
- 30% Damage Boost: All Keen Edge moves deal 1.3x damage (inherited from Keen Edge ability)
- Perfect Accuracy: All Keen Edge moves become unable to miss (inherited from Sweeping Edge ability)
- Multi-Target: In double battles, Keen Edge moves hit both opposing Pokémon instead of just one (inherited from Sweeping Edge ability)
Activation Conditions
- Move requirement: The move must have the
FLAG_KEEN_EDGE_BOOST
flag - Always active: All three effects apply automatically when using eligible moves
- Battle format: Multi-target effect only applies in double battles where there are two opponents
Keen Edge Move Categories
Keen Edge moves are slicing, cutting, or chopping attacks that have been designated with the FLAG_KEEN_EDGE_BOOST
flag. All moves affected by the base Keen Edge and Sweeping Edge abilities are enhanced by Sweeping Edge Plus:
Physical Slicing Moves:
- Slash - High critical hit ratio, now hits both foes with 30% boost
- Leaf Blade - Grass-type blade attack with perfect accuracy and damage boost
- Dragon Claw - Dragon-type slashing move, enhanced for multi-target
- Night Slash - Dark-type blade attack with guaranteed hits
- Psycho Cut - Psychic-type cutting move with multi-target capability
- Cross Chop - Fighting-type crossing attack with perfect accuracy
- Karate Chop - Fighting-type chopping attack, boosted and multi-hit
Special Slicing Moves:
- Air Slash - 30% flinch chance + 30% damage boost + perfect accuracy + multi-target
Battle Interactions
- Double battles: Keen Edge moves hit both opposing Pokémon with full damage and accuracy
- Single battles: Provides 30% damage boost and perfect accuracy
- Accuracy bypass: Completely ignores accuracy reductions, evasion boosts, and weather effects
- Critical hits: Each target is calculated independently for critical hits
- Contact moves: Contact effects can trigger from both targets independently
- Damage calculation: Each target receives the full 30% damage boost
Strategic Applications
- Ultimate offensive ability: Combines three powerful enhancements into one ability slot
- Double battle dominance: Transforms single-target moves into devastating spread attacks
- Accuracy independence: Never misses regardless of battlefield conditions
- Damage maximization: Effectively increases damage output by 30% while doubling targets
- Moveset flexibility: Encourages diverse Keen Edge movesets for maximum coverage
Comparison to Component Abilities
vs. Keen Edge (ID 271):
- Sweeping Edge Plus adds perfect accuracy and multi-target effects
- Same 30% damage multiplier for eligible moves
vs. Sweeping Edge (ID 421):
- Sweeping Edge Plus adds the 30% damage boost
- Same perfect accuracy and multi-target effects
Combined Power:
- Takes the best aspects of both parent abilities
- No drawbacks or limitations beyond those of the individual components
- Represents the pinnacle of slicing-based offensive abilities
Example Damage Calculations
Leaf Blade (90 BP) in Double Battle:
- Without ability: 90 BP to one target
- With Sweeping Edge Plus: 117 BP effective (90 × 1.3) to BOTH targets
Air Slash (75 BP Special) in Double Battle:
- Without ability: 75 BP to one target, can miss
- With Sweeping Edge Plus: 97.5 BP effective (75 × 1.3) to BOTH targets, always hits
Competitive Usage Notes
- Elite tier ability: One of the most powerful offensive abilities in Elite Redux
- VGC dominance: Extremely powerful in double battle formats
- Immediate impact: No setup required, effects apply instantly
- Type coverage: Works across multiple move types with slicing motions
- Crit synergy: Many Keen Edge moves have high critical hit ratios
Common Users
This ability is typically found on:
- Elite-tier Pokémon with access to multiple Keen Edge moves
- Physical attackers with diverse slicing movesets
- Pokémon designed for double battle formats
- Late-game or legendary Pokémon with enhanced ability sets
Important Interactions
- Priority moves: Keen Edge priority moves maintain their speed tier
- Multi-hit moves: Each hit gains perfect accuracy and damage boost
- Protection moves: Each target's Protect/Detect is calculated separately
- Abilities that trigger on hit: Abilities like Static or Rough Skin can trigger from both targets
- Entry hazards: Spikes/Stealth Rock damage both targets after spread moves
Counters
- Wide Guard: Blocks the spread effect of converted moves in double battles
- Ability suppression: Mold Breaker, Neutralizing Gas, or similar abilities
- Single battles: Reduces effectiveness by removing multi-target component
- Non-Keen Edge moves: Ability doesn't affect moves without the appropriate flag
- Type immunity: Ghost types immune to Normal/Fighting Keen Edge moves
- Extremely high defensive stats: May still wall even boosted attacks
Synergies
- High critical hit ratio: Many Keen Edge moves have increased crit rates
- STAB bonus: Same-type attack bonus stacks multiplicatively
- Choice items: Choice Band/Specs further amplify already-boosted moves
- Weather effects: Sun/Rain can boost Fire/Water-type slicing moves
- Setup moves: Works excellently after Swords Dance or similar attack boosts
Version History
- Elite Redux exclusive ability (ID 590)
- Represents the ultimate evolution of slicing-based abilities
- Combines two pre-existing abilities into one superior version
- Part of the "Plus" series of upgraded combination abilities
Move Compatibility
Only moves with the FLAG_KEEN_EDGE_BOOST
flag are affected. This includes most slicing, cutting, and chopping attacks, but not all blade-themed moves necessarily qualify. Check individual move descriptions for "Keen Edge boost" to confirm compatibility.
Design Philosophy
Sweeping Edge Plus represents the concept of a master swordsman or blade specialist who has perfected their craft. The ability embodies the idea of surgical precision (perfect accuracy), enhanced technique (damage boost), and sweeping strikes (multi-target capability) that define a true blademaster in combat.