Another In-Game Expansion article (by Ditto no less), Battle Mechanics at Level 50. I did the best I could, but whoever checks this over please let me know what mistakes I made so that I can improve for any future articles I take on.
One thing of which I am unsure is the use of the division sign (÷) as a character. I rarely see this on the Internet, instead using / as a substitute. If this is because the division character does not display properly for all users, I can easily find and replace the division sign. I have left it in this draft however. Enjoy.
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Article
One thing of which I am unsure is the use of the division sign (÷) as a character. I rarely see this on the Internet, instead using / as a substitute. If this is because the division character does not display properly for all users, I can easily find and replace the division sign. I have left it in this draft however. Enjoy.
Description
HTML:
<dt><a href="level_50_mechanics">Battle Mechanics at Level 50</a></dt>
<dd>An overview of stat and damage calculation when playing with level 50 Pokémon, thanks to Ditto.</dd>
HTML:
[title]
Battle Mechanics at Level 50
[head]
<meta name="description" content="An overview of stat and damage calculation when playing with level 50 Pokémon, thanks to Ditto." />
[page]
<div class="author">By <a href="/forums/member.php?u=10012">Ditto</a>.</div>
<ol class="toc">
<li><a href="#introduction">Introduction</a></li>
<li><a href="#types">Types of Level 50 Battling</a></li>
<li><a href="#damage">Damage at Level 50</a></li>
<li><a href="#stats">Stats at Level 50</a></li>
</ol>
<h2><a name="introduction">Introduction</a></h2>
<p>While we often strive to have our Pokémon at their peak condition at level 100, there are certain styles of play that require us to go beneath that, such as the Video Game Championships and the Battle Tower. While you may think that level 50 is just half of level 100, many slight differences exist between the two.</p>
<h2><a name="types">Types of Level 50 Battling</a></h2>
<dl>
<dt>Free Level 50</dt>
<dd>Pokémon below level 50 remain at their current level. In DPP, no Pokémon above level 50 can be used, making moves obtained after level 50 impossible to use. In HGSS, Pokémon above 50 are brought down to level 50 and retain the moves they know. This allows for moves obtained above level 50 to be used.</dd>
<dt>Forced Level 50</dt>
<dd>The levels of all Pokémon are changed to level 50 (whether they are lower or higher than level 50) with their stats changed accordingly. Pokémon will retain the moves and EVs that they had previously, allowing moves that are obtained after level 50 possible.</dd>
</dl>
<h2><a name="damage">Damage at Level 50</a></h2>
<pre>Damage = [((11 BP × BOOSTa × [NATa × (BSTa + 0.5 IVa + 0.125 EVa + 5)]) ÷ (25 × BOOSTd [NATd × (BSTd + 0.5 IVd + 0.125 EVd + 5)]) × Mod1 + 2) × STAB × RESIST × R × CH × Mod2 ÷ 100]</pre>
<p>Above is a modified version of both the Stat and Damage formulas for easy use at level 50. Whenever you get to a pair of [], you must round down your current total to the nearest integer.</p>
<p>Where:</p>
<dl>
<dt>a</dt>
<dd>Attacking Pokémon</dd>
<dt>d</dt>
<dd>Defending Pokémon</dd>
<dt>BP</dt>
<dd>The move's Base Power</dd>
<dt>NAT</dt>
<dd>The Nature Multiplier (either 0.9, 1.0, or 1.1)</dd>
<dt>BST</dt>
<dd>The Base Stat</dd>
<dt>IV</dt>
<dd>The Individual Value of the stat (0 - 31)</dd>
<dt>EV</dt>
<dd>The amount of Effort Values in the Stats (0 - 255)</dd>
<dt>BOOST</dt>
<dd>Any boost in stats, such as the boost from Swords Dance
<pre>+0 / -0 = 1.0
+1 / -1 = 1.5 / 0.667
+2 / -2 = 2.0 / 0.5
+3 / -3 = 2.5 / 0.4
+4 / -4 = 3.0 / 0.333
+5 / -5 = 3.5 / 0.286
+6 / -6 = 4.0 / 0.25</pre>
</dd>
<dt>Mod1</dt>
<dd>The first modifier which consists of multiplying all of the following together:
<ul>
<li>Burn: 0.5 if the Pokémon is using a physical attack and burned, otherwise 1.0</li>
<li>Screens: 0.5 in a single battle (0.66 in a double battle) if Reflect or Light Screen is up, otherwise 1.0</li>
<li>Multiple Targets: 0.75 if the move has more than one target in a double battle, otherwise 1.0
<ul>
<li>If a move that hits both of your opponent's Pokémon and the first target faints as a result of the move, the second Pokémon will receive the usual 1.0 multiplier for damage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Weather: In rain, 0.5 for all Fire moves and 2.0 for all Water moves. In sun, 0.5 for all Water moves and 2.0 for all Fire moves. 1.0 if neither sun nor rain is up.</li>
</ul>
</dd>
<dt>STAB</dt>
<dd>Same Type Attack Boost (either 1.0 or 1.5)
<ul>
<li>If the attacking Pokémon has the ability Adaptability, STAB is 2.0.</li>
</ul>
</dd>
<dt>RESIST</dt>
<dd>The resistance that the defending Pokémon has to the move, based on the typing of both the move and the defending Pokémon. Either 0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 4.0.</dd>
<dt>R</dt>
<dd>The damage roll that is randomly selected by the game (85 - 100).
<ul>
<li>85, 87, 89, 90, 92, 94, 96 and 98 each have a 7.69% chance of being chosen.</li>
<li>86, 88, 91, 93, 95, 97 and 99 each have a 5.13% chance of being chosen.</li>
<li>100 only has a 2.56% chance of being chosen.</li>
</ul>
</dd>
<dt>CH</dt>
<dd>The critical hit modifier (1.0 if there is not a critical hit and 2.0 if there is)
<ul>
<li>If the attacking Pokémon has the ability Sniper, CH is 3.0 if there is a critical hit</li>
</ul>
</dd>
<dt>Mod2</dt>
<dd>The second modifier which consists of multiplying all of the following together:
<ul>
<li>Life Orb = 1.3 if the user is holding a Life Orb, otherwise 1.0</li>
<li>Metronome = 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, ..., 2 if the user is holding the item Metronome and has used the same move several times consecutively</li>
<li>Me First = 1.5 if the attack is Me First, otherwise 1.0</li>
<li>Solid Rock/Filter = 0.75 if the defending Pokémon's ability is Solid Rock or Filter and the move used is super effective against it, otherwise 1.0</li>
<li>Expert Belt = 1.2 if the user is holding the item Expert Belt and the move used is super effective against the defending Pokémon, otherwise 1.0</li>
<li>Tinted Lens = 2.0 if the user's ability is Tinted Lens and the move used is not very effective against the foe, otherwise 1.0</li>
<li>Berries = 0.5 if the type resisting berry activates, otherwise 1.0</li>
</ul>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>Attacks at level 50 often deal a higher percentage (1 - 2% more) and have a wider range (6 - 7% wider) than the same attack with the same spread would yield at level 100. This is because the same EV spreads at Level 100 are only 48.5% - 49.5% greater than the spreads at level 50, giving them higher stats in the broad scheme of things.</p>
<h2><a name="stats">Stats at Level 50</a></h2>
<pre>HP = [BST + 0.5 IV + 0.125 EV + 60]</pre>
<pre>Stat = [(BST + 0.5 IV + 0.125 EV + 5) × NAT]</pre>
<p>The above formulas are modified versions of the Stat and Damage formulas for easy use at level 50. Whenever you get to a pair of [], you must round down your current total to the nearest integer.</p>
<p>Where:</p>
<dl>
<dt>NAT</dt>
<dd>The Nature Multiplier. Either 0.9, 1.0, or 1.1.</dd>
<dt>BST</dt>
<dd>The Base Stat.</dd>
<dt>IV</dt>
<dd>The Individual Value of the Stat. 0 - 31.</dd>
<dt>EV</dt>
<dd>The amount of Effort Values in the Stats. 0 - 255.</dd>
</dl>
<p>The important part to notice about this formula is</p>
<pre>0.5 IV + 0.125 EV</pre>
<p>This also means</p>
<pre>[(IV + (EV ÷ 4)) ÷ 2]</pre>
<p>As you can see, it is important for the sum of every IV and four EVs to be an even number, otherwise you are wasting EVs. This will change your EV spreads somewhat, especially if you are using Hidden Power. However, if you do not wish to place EVs into a stat that is being lowered by one in order to get a specific Hidden Power, then the stats will not even show the lowered IV. Without any EV investment, IVs are grouped into pairs that will provide the same stats. These pairs are 0/1, 2/3, 4/5, 6/7, 8/9, 10/11, 12/13, 14/15, 16/17, 18/19, 20/21, 22/23, 24/25, 26/27, 28/29, and 30/31.</p>
<h3>Example</h3>
<pre>Modest Kyogre
Level 50
30/22/30/30/30/31
Proposed Spread: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
</pre>
<pre>
HP = [BST + 0.5 IV + 0.125 EV + 60]
HP = [100 + 0.5 × 30 + 0.125 × 4 + 60]
HP = [100 + 15 + 0.5 + 60]
HP = [175.5]
HP = 175
</pre>
<pre>
Special Attack = [(BST + 0.5 IV + 0.125 EV + 5) × NAT]
Special Attack = [(150 + 0.5 × 30 + 0.125 × 252 + 5) × 1.1]
Special Attack = [(150 + 15 + 31.5 + 5) × 1.1]
Special Attack = [(201.5) × 1.1]
Special Attack = [221.65]
Special Attack = 221
</pre>
<pre>
Speed = [(BST + 0.5 IV + 0.125 EV + 5) × NAT]
Speed = [(90 + 0.5 × 31 + 0.125 × 252 + 5) × 1.0]
Speed = [(90 + 15.5 + 31.5 + 5) × 1.0]
Speed = [(142) × 1.0]
Speed = [142]
Speed = 142
</pre>
<p>However, you are wasting good EVs in both HP and Special Attack, as shown below.</p>
<pre>
HP = [BST + 0.5 IV + 0.125 EV + 60]
HP = [100 + 0.5 × 30 + 0.125 × 0 + 60]
HP = [100 + 15 + 0 + 60]
HP = [175]
HP = 175
</pre>
<pre>
Special Attack = [(BST + 0.5 IV + 0.125 EV + 5) × NAT]
Special Attack = [(150 + 0.5 × 30 + 0.125 × 248 + 5) × 1.1]
Special Attack = [(150 + 15 + 31 + 5) × 1.1]
Special Attack = [(201) × 1.1]
Special Attack = [221.1]
Special Attack = 221
</pre>
<p>Therefore, to remedy this situation, you simply place the 4 leftover EVs from Special Attack and place them into HP.</p>
<pre>
HP = [BST + 0.5 IV + 0.125 EV + 60]
HP = [100 + 0.5 × 30 + 0.125 × 8 + 60]
HP = [100 + 15 + 1 + 60]
HP = [176]
HP = 176
</pre>
<p>And now you have the optimum stat distribution for a speedy sweeper Kyogre: 176/116/110/221/160/142.</p>
<p>A Pokémon's difference in ratio between its level 50 stats and level 100 stats increases as its base stats get lower. A Pokémon with a base 230 stat and a boosting nature only has 50.48% of its total potential, whereas a Pokémon with a base 5 stat and a boosting nature has 52.10% of its total potential. Because of this, a Pokémon's stats seem more balanced at level 50 than they do at level 100. While this does not make too much of a difference overall, it can give frail Pokémon a slightly better chance of surviving attacks or give weaker Pokémon a chance to do a little more damage.</p>
