Air Lock - Ability ID 76

In-Game Description

"Clears weather and prevents its effects."

Extended In-Game Description

For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (exactly 280-300 chars)

Air Lock clears all weather upon switch-in and nullifies weather effects while user remains on field. Weather can still be set but provides no benefits - no damage boosts, speed changes, or other effects. Works on all weather including primal conditions. Essential for shutting down weather teams.

Character count: 299

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

AIR LOCK is an advanced weather control ability that provides complete weather neutrality to the battlefield.

Core Mechanics

Air Lock operates through two distinct mechanisms:

1. On-Entry Weather Removal: When a Pokémon with Air Lock enters battle, it executes BattleScript_AnnounceAirLockCloudNine which:

   • Immediately removes any active weather condition
   • Displays appropriate messages about weather being cleared
   • Works on both regular and primal weather conditions

2. Passive Weather Nullification: While on field, Air Lock prevents ALL weather effects via the WEATHER_HAS_EFFECT macro:

   #define WEATHER_HAS_EFFECT \
       (!gFieldTimers.clearSkiesTimer && !IsAbilityOnField(ABILITY_CLOUD_NINE) && !IsAbilityOnField(ABILITY_AIR_LOCK) && !IsAbilityOnField(ABILITY_CLUELESS))

Complete List of Blocked Effects

• Damage Effects: No Sandstorm/Hail chip damage
• Type Modifications:
  • Water moves don't get 50% boost in rain
  • Fire moves don't get 50% reduction in rain
  • Fire moves don't get 50% boost in sun
  • Water moves don't get 50% reduction in sun
• Stat Modifications: Rock-types don't get 50% SpDef boost in sand
• Ability Activations:
  • Swift Swim/Chlorophyll/Sand Rush don't double Speed
  • Rain Dish/Dry Skin/Ice Body don't activate
  • Solar Power/Harvest don't trigger
• Move Changes:
  • Solar Beam/Solar Blade still require charging
  • Thunder/Hurricane don't get accuracy boosts
  • Weather Ball remains Normal-type
  • Morning Sun/Moonlight/Synthesis heal standard amounts

Technical Implementation

constexpr Ability AirLock = {
    .onEntry = CloudNine.onEntry,
};

Air Lock shares identical implementation with Cloud Nine, using the same battle script:

BattleScript_AnnounceAirLockCloudNine::
	removeweather
	jumpifbyte CMP_EQUAL, cMULTISTRING_CHOOSER, B_MSG_REMOVE_WEATHER_FAILED, BattleScript_AnnounceAirLockCloudNine_Primal
	jumpifbyte CMP_LESS_THAN, cMULTISTRING_CHOOSER, B_MSG_SUN_ENDS, BattleScript_AnnounceAirLockCloudNine_Primal
	printfromtable gWeatherCleared
	goto BattleScript_AnnounceAirLockCloudNine_OnWeatherChanged
BattleScript_AnnounceAirLockCloudNine_Primal:
	printstring STRINGID_AIRLOCKACTIVATES
BattleScript_AnnounceAirLockCloudNine_OnWeatherChanged:
	waitmessage B_WAIT_TIME_LONG
	call BattleScript_OnWeatherChange
	end3

Interactions with Other Abilities

• Cloud Nine: Functions identically to Air Lock
• Clueless: Prevents weather, terrain, AND room effects (more comprehensive)
• Weather-setting abilities: Can still activate but provide no benefit
• Primal weather: Air Lock clears even primal weather on entry
• Delta Stream: Air Lock can neutralize Rayquaza's own weather in mirrors

Strategic Implications

• Anti-Weather Tech: Hard counter to weather-based strategies
• Defensive Utility: Protects team from chip damage and weather boosts
• Speed Control: Negates Swift Swim/Chlorophyll/Sand Rush threats
• Offensive Disruption: Removes opponent's weather-based damage boosts
• Switch Timing: Crucial to time switches for maximum weather denial
• Mirror Matches: Creates neutral conditions in weather wars

Common Users

In Elite Redux, Rayquaza has Air Lock as an innate ability, alongside:

• Dragons Maw (ability slot 1)
• Air Blower (ability slot 2)
• Violent Rush (ability slot 3)
• Air Lock (innate 1)
• Weather Control (innate 2)
• Aerodynamics (innate 3)

This makes Rayquaza the ultimate weather control Pokémon with multiple weather-related abilities.

Competitive Usage Notes

• Excellent on balanced teams that don't rely on weather
• Pairs well with setup sweepers who appreciate neutral conditions
• Can enable Fire-types to check Water-types in would-be rain
• Allows Ice-types to survive in would-be sun
• Creates "weather wars" where timing becomes critical
• Essential for dealing with primal weather legendaries

Example Damage Calculations

Without Air Lock (Rain active):

• Hydro Pump (110 BP) → 165 effective BP (1.5x boost)
• Fire Blast (110 BP) → 55 effective BP (0.5x reduction)

With Air Lock (Weather nullified):

• Hydro Pump: 110 BP (no boost)
• Fire Blast: 110 BP (no reduction)

Counters

• Weather setters can reset after Air Lock user switches
• Abilities that don't rely on weather (Intimidate, Regenerator, etc.)
• Direct offense to force Air Lock user out
• U-turn/Volt Switch to maintain momentum while resetting weather
• Clueless ability (blocks even more effects than Air Lock)

Synergies

• Stealth Rock setters (capitalize on forced switches)
• Pokémon weak to weather chip damage
• Mixed attackers who want consistent damage calculations
• Stall teams that prefer neutral conditions
• Other weather-immune abilities for redundancy

Version History

Elite Redux maintains the Gen 5+ implementation where Air Lock blocks weather effects rather than just preventing weather from being set (as in Gen 3-4). The shared implementation with Cloud Nine ensures consistent behavior across both abilities.