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Depravity - Ability ID 716
In-Game Description
"Merciless + Overcharge."
Extended In-Game Description
For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (IMPORTANT: exactly 280-300 chars counted WITH spaces)
Depravity combines Merciless and Overcharge effects. Guarantees critical hits against poisoned, paralyzed, bleeding, or speed-lowered foes while making Electric moves super effective against Electric-types and allowing paralysis of Electric-types. Perfect for overwhelming opponents.
Character count: 283
Detailed Mechanical Explanation
For Discord/reference use
Core Mechanics
Depravity is a powerful combination ability that merges two distinct offensive mechanics:
Merciless Component:
- Guarantees critical hits against targets with specific conditions
- Affected targets: poisoned, paralyzed, bleeding, speed-lowered, or holding Iron Ball
- 100% critical hit rate when conditions are met
- Standard 1.5x critical hit damage multiplier
Overcharge Component:
- Makes Electric-type moves super effective (2x damage) against Electric-type Pokémon
- Allows Electric-type Pokémon to be paralyzed (bypasses natural immunity)
- Overrides default Electric vs Electric resistance (0.5x → 2x)
Technical Implementation
cpp
constexpr Ability Depravity = {
.onCrit = Merciless.onCrit,
.onTypeEffectiveness = Overcharge.onTypeEffectiveness,
.onCanStatusType = Overcharge.onCanStatusType,
};
The implementation directly inherits:
- onCrit: Merciless's critical hit logic
- onTypeEffectiveness: Overcharge's type effectiveness modification
- onCanStatusType: Overcharge's status immunity bypass
Activation Conditions
Merciless Triggers:
- Target has poison status (regular or badly poisoned)
- Target is paralyzed
- Target has bleeding status (Elite Redux exclusive)
- Target's Speed stat stages are below 0 (any reduction)
- Target holds Iron Ball item
Overcharge Triggers:
- Using Electric-type moves against Electric-type Pokémon (super effective damage)
- Attempting to paralyze Electric-type Pokémon (bypasses immunity)
Numerical Values
- Critical Hit Chance: 100% when Merciless conditions are met
- Critical Hit Damage: 1.5x (standard critical multiplier)
- Electric vs Electric Damage: 2.0x (super effective instead of 0.5x not very effective)
- Status Success: Paralysis can affect Electric-types
Strategic Synergies
Devastating Combination:
- Use Thunder Wave to paralyze Electric-type opponents
- Electric-type moves deal super effective damage to paralyzed Electric-types
- Paralyzed status guarantees critical hits via Merciless
- Result: 2x (super effective) × 1.5x (critical) = 3x total damage multiplier
Self-Synergy Loop:
- Paralysis enables guaranteed crits
- Electric moves can paralyze Electric-types
- Electric moves deal super effective damage to Electric-types
- Creates a self-reinforcing offensive loop
Affected Moves
All offensive moves benefit from the critical hit component when conditions are met Electric-type moves specifically benefit from both components:
- Thunder Wave: Can paralyze Electric-types
- Thunderbolt/Thunder: Deal super effective damage + guaranteed crits to paralyzed Electric-types
- Discharge: AoE paralysis and damage against Electric-types
Interactions with Other Abilities/Items
Enhanced by:
- Sniper: Increases crit damage to 2.25x when Merciless triggers
- Thunder Wave/Static: Provides paralysis setup for guaranteed crits
- Scope Lens: Redundant for Merciless conditions but helps with other targets
Countered by:
- Battle Armor/Shell Armor: Prevents critical hits entirely
- Lightning Rod/Volt Absorb: Still redirect/absorb Electric moves
- Limber: Prevents paralysis (reduces Merciless triggers)
- Natural Cure/Aromatherapy: Removes status conditions
Competitive Analysis
Strengths:
- Dual offensive mechanics: Benefits from both type advantage and critical hits
- Self-synergy: Components work together for maximum damage
- Meta disruption: Changes Electric vs Electric matchups completely
- Versatile application: Effective against both Electric and non-Electric targets
Weaknesses:
- Self-vulnerability: User becomes weak to Electric attacks
- Condition dependency: Merciless requires specific status conditions
- Predictable: Once revealed, opponents can play around the mechanics
Usage Scenarios
Primary Strategy:
- Lead with Thunder Wave against Electric-types
- Follow up with Electric-type attacking moves
- Achieve 3x damage from super effective + critical combination
Secondary Strategy:
- Use against non-Electric poisoned/paralyzed targets for guaranteed crits
- Exploit speed control teams with guaranteed crits on debuffed foes
Example Damage Calculation
Scenario: Depravity user with Electric move vs paralyzed Electric-type
- Base damage: 100%
- Super effective (Overcharge): ×2.0 = 200%
- Critical hit (Merciless): ×1.5 = 300% total
- Result: Triple damage compared to normal effectiveness
Common Users
Depravity is typically found on:
- Electric-type Pokémon with access to status moves
- Mixed attackers who can exploit both components
- Pokémon in high-tier trainer battles requiring maximum offensive pressure
Team Building Considerations
- Status support: Teammates with Thunder Wave, Toxic Spikes
- Speed control: Sticky Web, paralysis support
- Electric immunity: Ground-types to handle opposing Electric attacks
- Clerical support: Heal Bell users to cure user's own status if needed
Combination Ability Comparisons
vs Merciless alone: Adds type effectiveness manipulation and status bypass vs Overcharge alone: Adds guaranteed critical hits against debuffed targets vs other combination abilities: Among the most offensively oriented combinations
Version History
- Elite Redux: Custom combination ability
- Implementation: Direct inheritance from component abilities
- Balance: High risk/high reward offensive ability
Code References
- Ability Definition:
src/abilities.cc
- Depravity implementation - Component Abilities: Merciless (ID 196), Overcharge (ID 349)
- Ability Constant:
ABILITY_DEPRAVITY = 716
- Proto Description:
proto/AbilityList.textproto