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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:

  1. Target has poison status (regular or badly poisoned)
  2. Target is paralyzed
  3. Target has bleeding status (Elite Redux exclusive)
  4. Target's Speed stat stages are below 0 (any reduction)
  5. Target holds Iron Ball item

Overcharge Triggers:

  1. Using Electric-type moves against Electric-type Pokémon (super effective damage)
  2. 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:

  1. Use Thunder Wave to paralyze Electric-type opponents
  2. Electric-type moves deal super effective damage to paralyzed Electric-types
  3. Paralyzed status guarantees critical hits via Merciless
  4. 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:

  1. Lead with Thunder Wave against Electric-types
  2. Follow up with Electric-type attacking moves
  3. Achieve 3x damage from super effective + critical combination

Secondary Strategy:

  1. Use against non-Electric poisoned/paralyzed targets for guaranteed crits
  2. 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

Elite Redux Ability Codex