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Tender Affection (Ability #826)
Quick Description
Cute Charm + Fairy STAB
Extended In-Game Description
For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (IMPORTANT: exactly 280-300 chars counted WITH spaces) Combines Cute Charm's 50% chance to infatuate attackers on contact with Same Type Attack Bonus for Fairy-type moves. The infatuation effect triggers when hit by physical contact moves from opposite gender Pokemon. Fairy-type moves gain 1.5x damage multiplier regardless of the user's actual type.
Character count: 294
Mechanics
Cute Charm Component
- Trigger: When hit by a contact move
- Effect: 50% chance to infatuate the attacker
- Condition: Attacker must be opposite gender
- Type: Passive defensive ability
Fairy STAB Component
- Effect: Grants STAB (1.5x damage) to all Fairy-type moves
- Condition: Works even if the Pokemon is not Fairy-type
- Type: Offensive damage modifier
Implementation Details
The ability is implemented in src/abilities.cc
as:
cpp
constexpr Ability TenderAffection = {
ON_EITHER_ABILITY(CuteCharm),
.onStab = +[](ON_STAB) -> int { return moveType == TYPE_FAIRY; },
};
This implementation:
- Inherits the full Cute Charm functionality for the infatuation effect
- Adds a custom STAB check that returns true for Fairy-type moves
Strategic Use
Offensive Benefits
- Allows non-Fairy types to use Fairy moves with STAB damage
- Particularly useful for Pokemon with good Fairy move coverage
- Enables effective Fairy-type attackers without the defensive weaknesses
Defensive Benefits
- Deters physical attackers of the opposite gender
- Infatuation can disrupt opponent's strategy
- Works well with bulky Pokemon that can take contact hits
Synergies
- Pairs well with Pokemon that have diverse movepools including Fairy moves
- Excellent on Pokemon with high Special Attack for moves like Moonblast
- Works with physical Fairy moves like Play Rough for mixed attackers
Notable Users
This ability is particularly valuable on Pokemon that:
- Have access to strong Fairy moves but aren't Fairy-type
- Need coverage against Dragon, Dark, or Fighting types
- Can benefit from both offensive and defensive utility
Comparison to Similar Abilities
- Cute Charm: Only provides the infatuation effect
- Pixilate: Converts Normal moves to Fairy but doesn't affect contact defense
- Fairy Aura: Boosts all Fairy moves but lacks defensive utility