Adaptability
Effect: Increases the STAB multiplier from 1.5x to 2x. Mathematically, that is a 1.33x boost in power to any STAB attack.
How to use: Theoretically, this ability was meant to be used with Conversion, giving one of Porygon-Z's non-Normal attacks extra power. In practice, it's just used to kick the power of its Normal-type attacks, namely Tri Attack, to ridiculous levels. It can also be used on Eevee for Little Cup competitions, where it can maul opponents with Quick Attacks and Returns.
Users:
No Competition:
Eevee (Run Away)
Mild Competition
Porygon-Z (Download) - See comments below.
Infamous Users:
Porygon-Z: This is the ability that makes Porygon-Z an absolute beast. An Adaptability-boosted Tri Attack really hurts, especially from its base 135 Special Attack. As if that wasn't enough, the ability also gives it super-powered Returns that can surprise special walls, as well as a Hyper Beam that, with a Nasty Plot boost, is capable of one-shotting Blissey. Fearsome, indeed. Speaking of Nasty Plot, though, this is an important consideration: a Special Attack boost from Download will do more than Adaptability as far as damage output goes, unless Nasty Plot is used. Then, Adaptability will always be superior (2.67x damage vs. 2.5x damage). When choosing the ability, remember their individual weaknesses: Adaptability will only boost Normal-type moves, while Download only works if you switch into a special-defense-weak opponent.
Eevee (Little Cup): Eevee is the only other benefactor of Adaptability, but it uses it to great effect in the Little Cup, where a base 80-power Quick Attack can really hurt... and that's to say nothing if it lands that base 204-power Return!
Tracers: A Porygon2 tracing Adaptability is essentially a lesser PorygonZ. Now, a Gardevoir that traces the move can quickly become something to fear: a base 180-power Psychic coming from base 125 Special Attack can pretty much obliterate any opponent that does not have Dark in its typing.
Overall: A rare ability, and a useful one to those who get it.
Aftermath
Effect: If hit by a contact move, the opponent loses 25% HP. (Note: Will not work on Damp Pokemon.) The effect is decent; its best use is to punish anyone attempting a strategy revolving around Flail, Reversal, Endeavor, or possibly pinch berries, as their sweep will be ground to a halt when their attack knocks out the last of their <25% HP all of a sudden.
How to use: Enjoy it when it kicks in, really. Drifblim might use it to take down a weakened physical Dark-attacker, while Skuntank might use it to stop a Flail/Reversal user.
Users:
No Competition:
Skuntank (Stench)
Moderate Competition:
Drifblim (Unburden) - This depends on whether your strategy relies on losing an item or not. Berry-based Drifblim will do better with Unburden, but if Drifblim plans on holding on to its item, it will prefer Aftermath.
Infamous Users: None.
Overall: Decent, but not particularly common nor useful enough to revolve a strategy around.
Air Lock
Effect: Nullifies the effects of weather while the Pokemon is in play. (Weather proceeds as normal with the turn counter decreasing normally.)
How to use: If the enemy is seriously causing weather-related troubles, see if you can switch this guy in and knock out the offending threat.
Users:
Only ability: Rayquaza
Infamous Users: Rayquaza - Its signature ability, it can be used to put a grinding halt to any weather-based team.
Overall: Not a bad ability, especially in the weather-heavy Uber tier. It's not particularly noteworthy either, though.
Anger Point
Effect: If hit by a Critical Hit, Pokemon's Attack skyrockets to its maximum level. This applies even if said attack hits a Substitute (which, all things considered, is the only method to even attempt a controlled activation of the ability). This ability is found on Pokemon that generally have better abilities to use. However, should you want to run it after all, it's hardly bad, as if the ability kicks in, you're pretty much in a position to make a clean sweep.
How to use: Use Substitute and hope for that crit. With Leftovers, one can expect about a 27% chance; without it, a 22% chance, but you can use a Salac Berry to dodge fast revenge-killers.
Users:
Serious Competition:
Primeape (Vital Spirit)
Tauros (Anger Point)
Overall: More of a novelty ability than anything, though by no means a bad novelty ability.
Anticipation
Effect: A message displays if the opponent has a super-effective attack, a OHKO move, or Selfdestruct/Explosion. However, it will not detect super-effective Hidden Powers, Natural Gifts, or Weather Balls, and does "detect" Beat Up, Future Sight, and Doom Desire if they are "super-effective".
How to use: If you get alerted to the existence of such a move, first try to think what that move is. Then, consider if the opponent might have a Hidden Power that escaped anticipation. React accordingly. Actually, likely the more useful aspect of this ability is when it does *not* activate, letting you possibly fight a foe with more confidence.
Users:
Only ability:
Wormadam
Little competition:
Whiscash (Oblivious) - Attraction is so uncommon, you might as well forget about it.
Serious competition:
Toxicroak (Dry Skin) - In general, that Water-immunity from Dry Skin is too valuable to pass up. However, if running a team that works in sunlight, this ability is preferable.
Infamous user: Whiscash - Probably the Pokemon that best likes this ability, Whiscash can use it to scout for Energy Balls and Solarbeams on Fire-types and whatnot. Remember, though, that any special attacker just might be carrying Hidden Power Grass. (Probably not in-game, though.)
Overall: Whiscash likes it, Wormadam has no other choice, and Toxicroak has a better choice in most circumstances. Overall, a decent but not horribly ground-breaking ability. Notably, though, it's an ability that's possibly more useful when it does *not* activate.
Arena Trap
Effect: Any Pokemon that could be hurt by a Ground-type attack (a.k.a. any Pokemon excluding Flying-types and Pokemon with Levitate) will be trapped and cannot escape unless the Pokemon with the ability switches out, or the opponent uses a Shed Shell, Baton Pass, or U-Turn.
How to use: In theory, it's all quite simple: switch in, then KO because the opponent can't switch out. In practice, there are a couple of possible kinks that you'll need to strategically work out, but nevertheless, it's extremely effective.
Users:
Little Competition:
Dugtrio
Trapinch
Infamous Users:
Dugtrio: Hoo boy. This is Dugtrio's true key as a competitive battler. Arena Trap means if it is a counter to something and it can switch in, it can completely shut down its opponent. That said, its defenses are not strong at all, so it cannot be taking hits. Switch in on Electric attacks and Thunder Wave, but beware if the opponent decides to try something else instead. Or, just use it as a revenge killer. High Speed and access to the Sucker Punch priority move are two additional points to this trapper. Oh, and if it has Gravity support, Arceus help its opponent. Gravity means not even Flyers and Levitators can escape its trap, and in return, it can just Earthquake everyone into oblivion.
Trapinch: A much lesser option due to much worse defenses and speed. It does have a nice base 100 Attack, and it is best at countering Steel-types, namely Steelix and Registeel.
Field Effect: Doubles encounter rate of wild Pokemon when at the front of the party.
Overall: Arena Trap is one of those abilities that is absolutely key in making its primary user as useful as it is. It is a trapping ability through and through, and is effective at what it does, making it a great ability.
Bad Dreams
Effect: Inflicts 1/8 HP damage on sleeping opponents.
How to use: Use Dark Void. Profit. While not competitively the best idea, if you want to be mean, throw in a Nightmare as well.
Users:
Only ability: Darkrai
Infamous users: Darkrai - Bad Dreams synergizes well with its signature move, Dark Void. It negates Leftovers and makes life difficult for Sleep Talkers, as well as any unfortunate victims of the void. It's less useful where the Sleep Clause is active; where it's not, it's dangerous. Also, remember that Pokemon put to sleep tend to switch out: hence, Pursuit.
Overall: A signature ability that works with a great signature move.
Battle Armor
Effect: Prevents critical hits.
How to use: Take solace in the fact that you won't be suddenly knocked out by a random critical hit. Decent on defensive builds.
Users:
Only ability: Armaldo
Moderate competition: Kabutops (Swift Swim) - SS is obviously better if rain support is available. If not, go ahead and use Battle Armor.
Significant competition: Drapion (Sniper) - Drapion does make a decent defensive Pokemon, and such a build can use Battle Armor. Otherwise, Sniper is better.
Overall: Not a bad ability by any means. In a game where a crit can mean the difference between a win and a loss, an immunity to such can at the very least be some peace of mind.
Blaze
Effect: At less than 1/3 HP, Fire moves increase 1.5x in power.
How to use: Aside from just enjoying it as it comes, the best way to purposefully use this ability is to use Substitute until you hit the 1/3 marker. For extra effect, combine with a pinch berry and get a stat boost (preferably Speed) to go with your power boost, and you're set to sweep! Just watch out for priority attackers.
Users:
Only ability:
Charizard
Typhlosion
Blaziken
Infernape
Infamous users:
Charizard: Substitute + Belly Drum + Salac Berry + Fire Punch = death. Just make sure Stealth Rock is off the field.
Typhlosion: After its taken hits enough that Eruption is no longer useful, a Blaze-boosted secondary Fire attack comes close in power.
Blazkien: Can Substitute/Endure, Swords Dance, Salac Berry, and Reversal... and use a killer Blaze Kick on anyone that resists Reversal. Hot stuff.
Infernape: Its love of Life Orb and Focus Sash means Infernape is very likely to get into that last third, making its already-superpowerful Fire moves even deadlier.
Overall: Blaze, like Torrent and Overgrow, is standard on starters, and extremely useful whether you intentionally bring your Pokemon down to that last third or it ended up there from taking some hits.
Chlorophyll
Effect: Speed doubles in Sunlight.
How to use: ...Oh dear. The big thing with this ability is, a lot of the Pokemon that get it have rather low Speed stats that really hinder its use. With this ability, if Sunlight is active, that Speed issue tends to be a non-issue. This tends to result in bad news for the opponent. But really, when an ability is partially the source of an entire team archetype, you know something is up.
Users:
Only ability:
Vileplume
Bellossom
Victreebel
Exeggutor
Little competition:
Jumpluff (Leaf Guard) - Really, Jumpluff is a bit too frail to be taking status, anyways.
Shiftry (Early Bird) - Too frail to abuse Rest.
Tropius (Solar Power) - Generally speaking, it needs speed more than it needs power.
Moderate competition:
Tangrowth (Leaf Guard)
Sunflora (Solar Power)
Infamous users:
Jumpluff - This is the exception to the "slow Pokemon get Chlorophyll" rule: Jumpluff is actually really fast, with base 110 Speed... with Chlorophyll, nothing outruns it. With pitiful attacking stats, it will have to stick with support moves, but it does have a nice selection of those. Its high speed makes it a great lead to set off the sunlight from the get-go, too.
Shiftry - Finding a balance between speed and power, Shiftry falls somewhere in the middle of the whole mess. While not the most powerful, its base 90 Special Attack and base 100 Attack means it can do a fair amount of damage. Watch out.
Everyone else (except Sunflora and Tropius) - Everyone else gets speed boosts that really help offset their low Speed stats. Many are heavy hitters on the Special side, and can launch absolutely devastating Solarbeams.
Overall: For giving many Pokemon a way to compensate for low Speed, as well as helping develop an entire team archetype, Chlorophyll is definitely a great ability. If you are using a Sunny Day team, use this ability well.
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