If you've ever played LC, something must have kept you wondering about ever since : why are the damage so weird ? Why are some pokemons losing 5% when using Life Orb, recovering 3-4% when using Leftovers, why did a sub cost 21%, why did a burn do 8% ?
And then there are the rolls : why would Honedge's Shadow sneak 2HKO Misdreavus, but not OHKO it at +2 attack ; why are there so many '6,3% chance to OHKO' ; why does adding defense point doesn't do anything for a while concerning a precise attack then suddenly reduce its damage ? And why is LO Jolly Aipom with Fury Swipes doing 5 damage to Spritzee, while LO Adamant Aipom does 20 damage to the very same Spritzee ? « This makes no sense, it's only one attack point more.»
This actually makes sense, but there is some reasoning to be made first. The goal of this article is to explain the odds and intricacies of the direct, and indirect damage calculations, and in short, how to optimise your pokemon sets, and master the rolls.
This article mainly applies to LC, as it is the place where screwing with round down / round up operators will gain you one point of anything, and this point can be amplified to create more serious differences (up to 15, eh.) However, a point can also be interesting in tiers where the pokemon are level 100. For exemple, things that make you lose 50% of your hp will have to want to have an even/odd number of hp, depending of what you want (coming on rock twice, or belly drum + eating sitrus berry). Losing one less hp can be nice on Life Orb, gaining one more on Leftovers too. But it matters less than in LC. Reducing your Life Orb damage from 27 to 26 in OU isn't quite the same as reducing your Life Orb damage from 2 to 1 in LC. The little improvements you will make won't matter as much. They're still improvements though.
Optimising one's stats
Let's get started ! This part is about your stats, and mainly your health points stat, optimisation.
The main thing to understand is that everything, even during calculations, work with integers. And when anything, stat, damage, isn't an integer, the game will round it down or up (mainly down) to make it one.
Stat boosts and eviolites
Any stat augmentation will round down after application. Because of this, a 2*k number will become 3*k, but a 2*k +1 will become 3*k+1.
In short,
12 in a defense with eviolite is 18.
13 in a defense with eviolite is 19.
14 in a defense with eviolite is 21.
This is why you should have even numbers in defense when using the eviolite. You lose '0.5' defense when having an odd number. You can also see it that way : going from even to odd gives you one point, going from odd to even gives you 2 points, however the EV cost is the same.
This also applies to boosts.
If you're running a Bulk Up/Calm Mind set,
16 atk with +1 becomes 24.
17 atk with +1 becomes 25.
18 atk with +1 becomes 27.
Thus, you're better off having an even number in your attack, or you'll lose 0.5 attack point when at +1.
This also applies to the combination of boosts and eviolite.
Basic stat → After eviolite → At +1
12 → 18 → 27. 12*2.25 = 27, you didn't 'lose' anything.
13 → 19 → 28. 13*2.25 = 29.25, you 'lost' 1.25 points.
14 → 21 → 31. 14*2.25 = 31.5, you 'lost' 0.5 points.
15 → 22 → 33. 15*2.25 = 33.75, you 'lost' 0.75 points.
16 → 24 → 36 16*2.25 = 36, you didn't 'lose' anything.
Note that even though 14 is an eviolite number (= even), you still lose a bit of effectiveness. This is because if you're willing to optimise as much as possible your stat gain, the number after applying eviolite must still be convenient to applying a +50% boost, which means even. And that means your defense should be a multiple of 4, that way, it's still even after *1.5, and you won't lose anything by applying the +1, +3, +5, etc, boosts. This isn't so much of a loss if you don't, because 0.5 isn't much compared to 31 (around 1,5%).
The intricaties of the health points stat.
There is one golden rule about the health stat : UNDERLINED the damage round down (but never to 0). Because of this :
Life Orb will do one damage if your pokemon has between 1 and 19 hp, and will do 2 damage if your pokemon has between 20 and 29 hp, and so on (n for [n*10 , n*10+9] mon hp). Because of this, UNDERLINED as soon as you attack twice, having your 21 hp life orb user have 19 hp is as effective, since you will be, in both case, at 17 hp (before applying opponent damage). And if you attack more than twice, it's better. And you usually plan on attacking at least twice … so any Life Orb user being able to be put at 19 hp should be. Actually, UNDERLINED any pokemon having 49 or less in its HP base stat can be put to 19 hp.
This also applies to level 100 pokemon battles. If you have a Life Orb equiped pokemon that has 280 hp, you should reduce its HP to 279 in order to make Life Orb do 27 hp instead of 28. You'll actually win your number of attack – 1 as effective hp.
Leftovers and Black Sludge will heal your number of hp / 16, rounded down. Because of this, a pokemon that has 31 HP will get healed by 1.94 rounded down … 1 hp. UNDERLINED This is why Leftovers suck in LC (and also because eviolite is anyway far better). Let's take a 25 hp pokemon : healing one hp out of 25 is healing 4%. Clearly not as good as the actual 6.25% heal.
This also applies to higher tiers battles. If I have a 319 mon with Leftovers, giving him one more hp (at the cost of some defense probably) will make him healed by 20 instead of 19 hp when Leftovers proc. That is because 320/16 = 20 and 319/16 = 19.9375. You leftovers heal is the integer part of your hp divided by 16, and thus, UNDERLINED you should try to grab the next 16-multiple number of hp if it isn't too far away, when using Leftovers.
Hazards, regenerator, statuses and subs damage will also round down. If you will go trough hazards eating 12.5% of your hp (neutral rocks, 1 layer of spike), a pokemon that has 23 hp will lose 2 hp, because 23/8 = 2.875, but a pokemon that has 24 hp will lose 3 hp, because 24/8 = 3. Also, burn will follow the same calculations, basic poison, leech seed and 2nd toxic proc all the same. That's why UNDERLINED 24 hp is a very dangerous stat to have in LC. That's pretty taking +50% damage from rocks, spikes, leech seed, burns and poisons. You should avoid the 24 hp stat unless you have a good reason to reach it, and I fairly only see one : the Regenerator ability. Regenerator will heal you for the integer part of your hp divided by 3. Simplier said, Regenerator will heal you for 6 points if you have 20 hp, but 7 points if you have 21 hp. It will heal you for 7 points if you have 23 hp, but 8 points if you have 24. Because of this, 24 hp on Foongus is nice, and 21 hp on LO Mienfoo is still nice, making it an exception for the 19 hp rule concerning LO users. You'll lose 2 hp instead of one, but in addition to already having regenerator to heal the lost hps, your regenerator will be stronger : 7 hp instead of 6.
There, we came to the conclusion that reaching a 8-multiple number is risky because we mind the 12.5% damage application. But there is also the 25% damage application in the case of x2 effective stealth rock or 3 spikes, and 50% in the case of x4 effective stealth rocks. In the case of 25%,what matters are 4-multiple numbers. Vullaby will for exemple lose 1 hp more on rocks by reaching 24 hp instead of 23. That means that if you intend of using it as a defoger for rocks, paying the EV cost for 24 hp is dumb, because in both case you'll have 20 hp remaining. 23, yes, 25, yes, but not 24. (also, there are the statuses). 25% is also the cost for the sub. If you have 20 hp, you will use 5 hp to have a 5 hp sub, if you have 19 hp you will use 4 hp for a 4 hp sub. Choosing your sub hp depends of what you intend to do with the said subtitute user. For exemple, I barely care about the sub's hps on Sub LO Pawniard, so I run 19 hp. Some of my friends want to tank with it, so they use 21 hp.
This also applies to higher tiers : You'll most likely want to be able to sub 4 times. If you want to do so, you should avoid the 4-multiple numbers as hp, because they will only allow you 3 subs.
Finally, there are the 50% case : stealth rock and belly drum. Most people probably know about that : if you have an even number of hp, you will lose 50% on belly drum and stealth rock. So you will only be able to come once with a x4 weak rock pokemon, but you will instantly proc what procs at 50% hp, like your consumable item. (Berry juice for LC, Sitrus berry for others)
Because of this, UNDERLINED Belly drum users should have even numbers as hp, and x4 rock weak pokemons should even odd numbers as hp. For exemple, Magby's Ivs and Zigzagoon's Ivs should be lowered so that they have 20 hp, and not 21 hp, otherwise they wouldn't proc the berry juice after Belly Drum.
Heals, and the Wish move : last point, even if it barely matters : Self-healing moves round up, but wish rounds down. That means wishers do not gain anything by getting an odd number, and self-healers anything by getting an even number. Once again, you only need to reach 23 hp to heal 12 hp. (Or 21 hp for 11)
Let's add one cool application : let's say i'm counting, in OU, on my Leftovers skarmory, to stop something at all cost with whirlwind, and I intend on using Sturdy for that. What Hps should I take, or not, to get from sturdy back in 2 turns from Leftovers ?
Understanding damage and building accordingly
- Damage Calc Thread a écrit:
- BaseDamage = ((((2 × Level) ÷ 5 + 2) * BasePower * [Sp]Atk) ÷ [Sp]Def) ÷ 50 + 2
BP*Atk/Def/50 +2 = BP/12.5 * Atk/Def + 2 at level 5
Apply the multi-target modifier
Apply the weather modifier
In case of a critical hit, multiply the value by 1.5
Alter with a random factor
Apply STAB modifier
Alter with type effectiveness
Alter with user's burn
Make sure damage is at least 1
Apply the final modifier
This is the summarized damage calculation. The main thing to understand is that your DS pretty much doesn't know what a floating number is. No matter what, when the calculation protocol finishes a step, he rounds down/up things to turn things back to integer. In the case of LC Singles when there is no weather, that your pokemon isn't burned, and that you're not doing a critical hit, a simplified formula would be :
Base damage = (Base Power/12.5 * Atk/Def) + 2
Round down.
Apply the random factor.
Round down.
Apply the STAB.
Round down.
Apply the effectiveness.
Round down.
(Apply LO if there is one, then round. Not down.)
Some simple results to notice
There is always 1/16 chance to do superior damage.
« Applying a random factor » means that you create your 16 rolls, as an array of 16 values by multiplying the Base damage by 0.85 ; 0.86 ; … ; 0.99 ; 1.
Let's say your base damage (after rounding down that is) are 10. Then you will, after applying the random factor, get the following damage array : [8.5 ; 8.6 … 9.9 ; 10]. And after rounding the damage down : [8,8,8,8,8,9,9,9,9,9,9,9,9,9,9,10] (8 5 times, 9 10 times, 10 one time). The fact your base damage is an integer means you will lose at least 1 by multiplying it by 0.99 and rounding it down. Because of this, UNDERLINED you always have 1/16 chance having the last roll, whose damage is superior to all others. Also, the damage possibility right under the last roll (9 in our case) is the most probable one. In the case the base damage is 6 or less, the rolls will be 15 times the base damage – 1, and one time the base damage. This is extremely important for the multi hit moves I will be coming back to later.
x2 effective moves do a 2*k number as damage, and x4 effective moves do a 4*k number as damage (as long as the Life Orb doesn't interfere)
Effectiveness application is nearly at the end of the damage calculation. The damages are calculated as if the move was normally effective, then the damages are multiplied by the effectiveness modifier.
Because of this, x4 effective moves will always do a 4*k number as damage.
Exemple : 0 SpA Foongus Hidden Power Fighting vs. 0 HP / 116 SpD Eviolite Pawniard: 16-20 (76.1 - 95.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 20)
There, you can see that the damages jump from 16 to 20 : this is because the damages used to be 4 15 times and 5, until they were multiplied by 4.
Because of this, 16, 20 and 24 damage often comes back against x4 weak to somethings mons, and thus,UNDERLINED 21 and 25 hp are good hp numbers to have (mainly 21 because of the 24 hp and more issues). The fact evio pawniard has 21 hp or more guarantees him that even if foongus gets a super roll (or has a retarded set such as a full spa), he doesn't die on HP Fighting.
+2 attack doesn't double the damage, only the attack part of the damage.
The most often gotten roll is the 2nd best, so let's assume we get this one. This means that the damage of this roll, after the random factor, is (Base Power/12.5 * Atk/Def) +2 -1. Thus, it's 1 + Something depending of attack.
This 1 can really matter. Let's analyze Honedge's damage against Misdreavus (even if Missy's banned now that's the main exemple I can think of)
196+ Atk Honedge Shadow Sneak vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Misdreavus: 12-14 (54.5 - 63.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 14)
Clean 2HKO. However :
+2 196+ Atk Honedge Shadow Sneak vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Misdreavus: 18-24 (81.8 - 109%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
(18, 18, 18, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 24)
Why is this happening ?
Well the « thing depending of attack » is 3.
1 + 3 = 4 → STAB → 6 → Super effectiveness → 12.
1 + 6 = 7 → STAB → 10 → Super effectiveness → 20
The 1 get amplified by the STAB and the super effectiveness, in the first case, to give 3 damage at the end.
In the 2nd case, 0.5 is lost from the STAB application, doubled to 1 by super effectiveness : we lose 1 damage out of what we could expect. The 1 is only doubled by super effectiveness, ending on a +1 gain.
Hit twice in the first situation, and here you have your 4 unexplained damage difference.
The multi hits moves.
« Why is LO Jolly Aipom with Fury Swipes doing 5 damage to Spritzee, while LO Adamant Aipom does 20 damage to the very same Spritzee ? »
Multi hits moves are particular. All the procs work the same, so it will always be one small number of damage, multiplied by 5. Add to this that the consecutive round downs will enter the field to slightly modify the little damages that will at the end be multiplied by 5 to give the actual damages, and you understand why playing with 'details' at the bottom of the calculation procedure will have huge consequences at the end. Like, multiplying your damages by 4 on a particular situation, by simply adding one attack point. ... That's something.
The multi hit moves power are so low that a single hit won't ever do more than 6 attacks. Because of this, the rolls will be 15 times the base damage – 1, and one time the base damage.
Let's interest ourselves to the base damage – 1. In our case, the formula becomes : (Pow / 12.5 * Atk / Def ) + 1. (rounded down)
Let's take 3 possibilities, this value being 1, 2, or 3.
Application of STAB
1 → 1 → 5
2 → 3 → 15
3 → 4 → 20
If the user use a Life Orb :
1 → 1 → 1 → 5
2 → 3 → 4 → 20
3 → 4 → 5 → 25
For a real application, let's take Jolly Aipom's exemple :
Fury swipes is a 18 power moves, and Jolly Aipom has 16 attack.
Pow / 12.5 * Atk / Def + 1 = 18 / 12.5 * 16 / Def + 1 = 23,04/Def + 1
If Def > 23.04, we're in the first case, 5 damages.
If 23.04 > Def > 23.04/2 = 11.52, we're in the 2nd case, 15 damages (20 if LO).
If Def > 23.04/2 = 11.52, we're in the 3rd case, 20 damages (25 if LO) at least.
Conclusion : LO Jolly aipom will do 5 damages to target having 24 def at least, 20 to those having 12-23 def, 25 at least to those having less than 11. This is why a single attack point, or a single defense point, can completely modify the damage.
This applies to others : for Onix, the base damage is 28/Def +1, and so the same calculations can be made.
Here is a table that gives the damage one hit will do depending of the target's defense :
IMAGE 3
When using a multi hit move, the initial +1 can be amplified into mad damages, by stab, the 5 hits, and LO, but the round downs can also destroy it completely. It's an other, discreet, way of doing damages.
Life Orb Jolly Aipom does 5 damage to Spritzee with Fury swipes, and 12 with Return. Life Orb Adamant Aipom does the same 12 damage to Spritzee with Return, but 20 with Fury Swipes. Return, however, has 12 more base power than Fury Swipes, but eh, LC rolls mechanics.
Life Orb versus Choice Band/Specs.
The Choice Band/Specs directly affects the attack stat. The life Orb affects the result of the damage calculations. In this way they differ greatly. In level 100 pokemon battle, the difference barely matters, however, in LC, this +1 damage in the initial calculation will matter in the Life Orb damage rise, but not in the Choice item one. Because of this, while Choice item still do more damages most of time, there are some situation where Life Orb will do more damages than a Choice Item !
236+ Atk Choice Band Mold Breaker Drilbur Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 196 Def Eviolite Mienfoo: 15-18 (71.4 - 85.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 18)
236+ Atk Life Orb Mold Breaker Drilbur Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 196 Def Eviolite Mienfoo: 13-17 (61.9 - 80.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(13, 13, 13, 13, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 17)
In red : Life Orb > Choice Band
In blue : Choice Band > Life Orb
Actually, having a choice item over a life orb improves little your damage in LC. Add to this that a choice item locks you on one move, and that Life Orb can make you only lose one hp if you have 19 hp, and the Choice Items should never be used.
Conclusion
Building its own team is one of the pillars of the fun of Pokemon, just like you'd build your deck in a card game. Be it in Little cup or other tiers, team are unique because one thinks of them in his conception of the game, and thus will want use particular things on one specific mon to handle one specific threat. Understanding the damages can help with that, and that's one of the goal of this article : I hope it helped !
Accueil 
