Soul Devourer - Ability ID 765

In-Game Description

"Soul Eater + Phantom Pain"

Extended In-Game Description

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

Soul Devourer combines two abilities: Soul Eater and Phantom Pain. When this Pokémon defeats an opponent, it recovers 25% of its maximum HP. Additionally, Ghost-type moves can hit Normal-type Pokémon at 1x effectiveness instead of having no effect, breaking through Normal-type immunity.

Character count: 287

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

Soul Devourer is a hybrid ability that grants two distinct effects by combining Soul Eater and Phantom Pain mechanics:

Core Mechanics

Soul Eater Component:

• Healing Effect: When this Pokémon knocks out an opponent with any damaging move, it recovers 25% of its maximum HP
• Trigger Condition: Must directly cause the opponent to faint with an attack
• Healing Requirements: Must not be at full HP and must be able to heal (not affected by Heal Block)
• Battle Script: Uses BattleScript_HandleSoulEaterEffect which calls tryhealpercenthealth BS_STACK_1, 25

Phantom Pain Component:

• Type Effectiveness Modification: Ghost-type moves can hit Normal-type Pokémon
• Effectiveness Value: Changes Ghost vs Normal from 0x (no effect) to 1x (normal effectiveness)
• Scope: Only affects Ghost-type moves against Normal-type Pokémon

Technical Implementation

// Location: src/abilities.cc
constexpr Ability SoulDevourer = {
    .onBattlerFaints = SoulEater.onBattlerFaints,
    .onTypeEffectiveness = PhantomPain.onTypeEffectiveness,
    .onBattlerFaintsFor = SoulEater.onBattlerFaintsFor,
};

Soul Eater Implementation:

constexpr Ability SoulEater = {
    .onBattlerFaints = +[](ON_BATTLER_FAINTS) -> int {
        CHECK_NOT(BATTLER_MAX_HP(battler));
        CHECK(CanBattlerHeal(battler));
        BattleScriptCall(BattleScript_HandleSoulEaterEffect);
        return TRUE;
    },
    .onBattlerFaintsFor = APPLY_ON_ATTACKER,
};

Phantom Pain Implementation:

constexpr Ability PhantomPain = {
    .onTypeEffectiveness = +[](ON_TYPE_EFFECTIVENESS) -> int {
        CHECK(moveType == TYPE_GHOST)
        CHECK(defType == TYPE_NORMAL)
        CHECK_NOT(*mod)
        *mod = UQ_4_12(1.0);
        return TRUE;
    },
};

Battle Script Details

BattleScript_HandleSoulEaterEffect::
    tryhealpercenthealth BS_STACK_1, 25, BattleScript_Return
BattleScript_HandleSoulEaterEffect_AfterHeal:
    orword gHitMarker, HITMARKER_IGNORE_SUBSTITUTE
    healthbarupdate BS_STACK_1
    datahpupdate BS_STACK_1
    printstring STRINGID_STACKREGAINEDHEALTH
    waitmessage B_WAIT_TIME_LONG
    return

Activation Conditions

Healing Trigger:

• Must defeat an opponent with a damaging move
• Cannot be at maximum HP
• Must not be affected by Heal Block
• Works with any damaging move type
• Applies to the attacking Pokémon only

Type Effectiveness Trigger:

• Only affects Ghost-type moves
• Only modifies effectiveness against Normal-type Pokémon
• Changes 0x effectiveness to 1x effectiveness
• Does not affect other type matchups

Numerical Values

• Healing Amount: 25% of maximum HP (same as Soul Eater)
• Type Effectiveness: Changes Ghost vs Normal from 0x to 1x
• Trigger Rate: 100% on qualifying events

Strategic Implications

Offensive Advantages:

• Enables Ghost-type moves to hit Normal-type Pokémon, removing a key immunity
• Provides sustain for sweep scenarios through healing on KO
• Excellent for prolonged battles and consecutive matchups
• Allows Ghost-type Pokémon to threaten Normal-types directly

Competitive Usage:

• Ideal for bulky offensive Pokémon that can secure KOs
• Synergizes well with multi-target moves in doubles
• Provides both offensive utility and defensive sustain
• Particularly valuable against Normal-type walls

Common Users

Mega Hisuian Typhlosion:

• Type: Fire/Ghost
• Stats: 93/89/101/145/108/99
• Innate Abilities: Hellblaze, Early Grave, Vengeful Spirit
• Perfect synergy with Ghost-type STAB moves

Interactions with Other Abilities

Synergies:

• Hellblaze: Innate ability that boosts Fire-type moves
• Early Grave: Innate ability that provides additional battle effects
• Vengeful Spirit: Innate ability that enhances Ghost-type utility

Limitations:

• Healing blocked by Heal Block
• Type effectiveness change doesn't affect other immunities
• Requires securing KOs to activate healing component
• Phantom Pain component only affects one specific type matchup

Counters

Healing Prevention:

• Heal Block prevents the healing component
• Abilities that prevent healing (e.g., some custom abilities)
• Keeping the user at full HP negates healing trigger

Type Effectiveness Counters:

• Dark-type Pokémon resist Ghost moves regardless
• Steel-type Pokémon resist Ghost moves
• Other Ghost-type Pokémon are immune to Ghost moves (unaffected by Phantom Pain)

Example Damage Calculations

Ghost vs Normal with Soul Devourer:

• Base damage × 1.0 (instead of × 0.0)
• Example: Shadow Ball vs Blissey becomes neutral damage instead of no effect
• Allows Ghost-type Pokémon to threaten Normal-type walls

Healing Calculation:

• Example: Pokémon with 400 max HP recovers 100 HP on each KO
• Minimum healing: 1 HP (if max HP ≤ 4)
• Maximum healing: 25% of max HP up to practical HP limits

Competitive Viability

Tier Assessment: High - Combination of offensive utility and sustain Best Formats: Singles and Doubles where securing KOs is feasible Team Synergy: Excellent with offensive teams that can facilitate KOs Meta Relevance: Strong against Normal-type cores and in sweep scenarios

Version History

• Elite Redux: Introduced as a combination ability for Mega Hisuian Typhlosion
• Implementation: Part of the advanced ability system combining multiple effects
• Balance: Provides both offensive and defensive utility without being overpowered