AOTW: Solid Rock and Filter

How’s it going, trainer-faces? Still pitting digital manifestations of elementally-powered animals against each other for fun and bragging rights, I trust? Good, good. Today, we’re gonna talk about some basic strategy, real Pokémon 101 stuff. And what’s the most basic battling component? Type advantages and disadvantages. Even some of the better wall pokémon in the game can be unseated by a well-placed super effective attack. But, there are a few ways to undermine an opponent’s advantageous attacks, and wouldn’t you know it, one of them is an Ability! Let’s point and laugh at your friends’ Expert Belts- this is Ability of the Week: Solid Rock AND Filter!

Introduced in generation four, this is one of those rare occasions where two Abilities have precisely the same effect. Not like Overgrow/Blaze/Torrent/Swarm, or Snow Cloak/Sand Veil where there are multiple Abilities with very similar effects but key differences, these two Abilities are totally the same. Both Solid Rock and Filter reduce the damage dealt by attacks that would normally be super effective against your defending pokémon by 25%! So, if the incoming attack would normally be twice as effective against you, it will instead only deal one and a half times damage. If you have a dual-type pokémon and the incoming attack would deal four times more damage than usual, it will instead be reduced to three times as much.

So, let’s get into who can use these Abilities. It’s actually a very short list considering that there are two Abilities we’re looking at. Six pokémon, over four evolutionary lines have access to either Solid Rock or Filter. On the Solid Rock side, we’re looking at Camerupt, Rhyperior, Carracosta, and its pre-evolution, Tirtouga. As for Filter, it’s the signature Ability of the Mr. Mime line, though they also have access to Soundproof, and via the Dream World, Technician. Camerupt doesn’t really have the defensive stats for a wall, so if we throw him and pre-evolutions out, we’re left with Carracosta, Mr. Mime, and Rhyperior.

Mr. Mime is already a good wall choice, with access to both Oh yeah, AND Rhyperior can smash your ever-lovin' face in. So, there's that.Reflect and Light Screen, and other great defensive moves like Barrier and Double Team. As a Psychic type, he only has three weaknesses- Dark, Ghost, and Bug, and with Filter applied, all of those moves won’t be as big of a threat! As for Carracosta and Rhyperior, Solid Rock makes their already impressive physical defense an even more daunting obstacle for your opponent to overcome. While their dual weaknesses to Grass and/or Water-type attacks are bothersome, Solid Rock will improve their staying power. These two share another trait, though, that when augmented with Solid Rock should prove arduous to your foes. As part-Rock-types, Rhyperior and Carracosta each receive a bonus when a sandstorm is on the field- a 50% increase to their Special Defense stats! Suddenly, Rhyperior’s base Special Defense of 55 is boosted to over 80, and Carracosta’s 65 base Special Defense to almost 100! Between their Ability and the sandstorm bonus, these guys oughtta be able to shrug off that Energy Ball attack like it was made by Nerf! Super effective? Not so much.

Class dismissed, boys and girls. For homework, watch a bunch of TV and read plenty of comic books. And be sure to be back here next week, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel! Later!

-Wil
www.wheretheresawil.com