STAB and HIDDEN POWER

[Starmie]

Okay, incase you haven't already noticed, I'm just a major fan of the show and not really all the game smart. I mean, it's fun to play the games and I really know what I'm doing but then again, I sort of don't.

My very first question of course would have to to be: what the hell is STAB? I here that at almost every website that I chat on. And this is the first time I've actually asked. How does STAB affect battle play/your stats and what does it do, etc.?

Nextly. I know that Hidden Power is just basic old TM10. But on some sites I've heard things like "Teach your Poliwrath Hidden Power Rock" or "Teach your Gyarados Hidden Power Ground". What are these different Hidden Powers? How many are there? How do you make regular TM10 become something like HP Rock or HP Ground?

Thanks to anyone who can help in answering these questions.

 

[Linkachu]

I don't have much time, but the quick rundown for both is:

a) STAB stands for Same Type Attack Bonus (or Boost). Basically what it means is if you use an attack that's the same element as your Pokemon (ie. Dragon Claw for Dragonite) the attack's usual base damage (in this case, 80) is multiplied by 1.5 (giving you 120). This is probably the kinda stuff you noticed while playing but wasn't 100% about what was happening

b) Ugh... I really wish people wouldn't talk about Hidden Power that way because you CAN'T choose what type it's going to be (unless Action Replay can). Hidden Power is an attack that can have a random base damage and random element, governed by an invisible code each Pokemon has (more or less). It is totally random, and the only way to even know what type of Hidden Power your Pokemon has is to test it out in battle. These people who go on about "Teaching a Ground Hidden Power" might as well be saying "Keep testing Gyarados after Gyarados until you get it right"... which could take hours. Anyways, that's just a rough description of how it works. I'm sure others have a better, more detailed way of describing it. All you really have to know is you can't "pick" your Hidden Power - it depends on your specific Pokemon (aka. even two Squirtles can have different Hidden Power's).

Hopefully I haven't confused you more than you already were ^^;

 

[Starmie]

Wow. You're really smart!

Actually, you haven't confused me. You helped me out a lot. So when my Blastoise uses Hydro Cannon against like a Venasaur it'll still get STAB even it's not too effective against that massive weed?

Your hidden power advice helped me even more. I was so confused about how TM10 could be made into like HP Flying or something. So if I want to teach HP Flying to my Gyarados... I have to first teach him TM10... then test it out? If it's not the right Hidden Power... can I delete the move and teach him TM10 again and another HP attack will show up, or would it be the same?

 

[Linkachu]

As for the Blastoise question - you got it! It doesn't matter if there's resistance or not, you always get STAB if it's the same type as your Pokemon

As for Hidden Power, the code is set in stone from the moment you catch the Pokemon so deleting/relearning the move won't make a difference. You'll have to keep catching different Pokemon and testing the attack out until you get the one you want. Even when you do find the right element, though, the base damage of the attack changes as well (ie. a Flying HP on two Gyarados' with the exact same Attack Stat may not do the same damage).

Believe me, I'm not that smart. I myself had to ask these same questions ages ago ^^;

 

[Starmie]

Wow. Now you helped me out a whole lot. I think you're pretty smart. But hey, we all grow and gain experience at some point.

Do you think it's even worth it to find different Hidden Power moves? I mean do they do good damage? Or what do you think about HP (your personal opinion)?

 

[Linkachu]

Personally, eh?

I think it can have positive uses dependings on the Pokemon and how powerful their HP (for this case Hidden Power) ends up being. I have a Minun that ended up with a Water HP (cool, huh?) but overall it's a useless attack. I don't know if it's because it feeds off Minun's low Attack-stat or not, but I couldn't even take down a Graveler with it. In a serious battle that Graveler would've had me KO'd even though it had the 4x weakness...

Now, if you had a Pokemon like Tyranitar with a useful and powerful HP it could come in handy. I fought something in Colosseum yesterday that took down my Metagross with HP - most likely Fire HP. I guess it all depends. If you have the effort and don't know what other attack to use doesn't hurt to test it out, eh?

 

[Starmie]

Hm. See, now your personal opinion has helped me out a lot too. Weird how your Minun's HP Water didn't hurt Gravi too much. So basically the Hidden Power can be stronger depending on your Pokemon's stats?

 

[Linkachu]

It should work like any normal attack I'd think, meaning if you get a Special Based HP a high Special Attack is beneficial. The Base Power of your HP is constant just like, say, 60 is for Aerial Ace.

Something I'm still fuzzy about with HP is if a Water HP will always use the Sp. Attack stat, a Ground HP will always use Attack, etc. If so I must've just gotten bad luck with my Minun and had a weak Base Power for its HP.

 

[Starmie]

Where can you get TM10 from in FR/LG? I can't find it in any Dept. Stores or at the Game corner...

 

[baratron]

iirc, in FR/LG you can get a lot of TM10s from using Pokemon with the Pickup ability. Meowth is the native pkmn with Pickup, or you could trade over a Zigzagzoon, Linoone or Phanpy from Ru/Sa. Pickup Pokemon are more likely to pick up objects if they like you a lot, so leave them in your party for ages and they'll come to like you.

 

[arek]

Hidden Power is also based off of nature.
Actually I can give the chart from the old games the metalic versions
which went with it being based off the attack value.
Now I'm not sure but I believe the EV's of a pokemon possibly have something to do with it. If it's much like the old formula it'll be based off of natures etc. Really Hidden Power is a nice move and can easily be edited with Gameshark of which HP you have.

I use to be knowledgable of what HP did but that was in the yesteryears of Silver and Gold when honestly editing the attack byte gave you the hidden power. I believe the defensive byte also had soemthing to do with it.

But yea even in the newer versions you can edit around a pokemon and determine it's HP.