Due to the influx of players due to
certain content creators sparking interest in the format, I have compiled a list of mechanics that may trip up players who are accustomed to new gens that are different in ADV OU.
Feel free to reply if you are new with something that tripped you up that wasn't on the list and I can add it here.
Global mechanics:
Permanent Weather
- This is primarily only relevant for Tyranitar as it is the only legal weather setter in OU. Any weather that is set by an ability between generations 3-5 will be permanent until manually changed, whether that be by another ability, or a weather changing move such as Rain Dance. (Magneton, for example, has been used for this purpose in this tier.)
No Physical/Special Split
- Only typing determines the type of attack a move is. For example, Water type moves are always special, even moves like Crabhammer.
- Physical types are: Normal, Fighting, Poison, Ground, Flying, Bug, Rock, Ghost, Steel
- Special types are: Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Ice, Psychic, Dragon, Dark
- An easy way to remember these types are to consider all Eeveelution types as special + Dragon and the rest are physical
No team preview
- Pokemon are not revealed until they are sent out during battle. This means that you are encouraged to guess a team based on the revealed structure, as for example, a team of 5 revealed without a single rock resist implies that Swampert may be the last pokemon.
Much smaller item pool
- While having significantly better choices than GSC did, with more than just leftovers and Miracle Berry(Lum), ADV still pales in item selection compared to future gens, even Generation 4
- The mainly viable items are as follows, in no particular order:
- Choice Band
- Leftovers
- Pinch Boost berries(Salac, Liechi, Starf, etc.)
- Lum/Chesto Berry
- Type Boosting Items (Magnet, Mystic Water, BlackGlasses, etc.)
- White Herb (Extremely niche, however still technically viable/useful for Overheat)
Burn and Paralysis differences
- Burn does 1/8th damage every turn as opposed to the 1/16th it does in modern generations
- Paralysis quarters (1/4) a Pokemon's speed as opposed to halving it in modern generations
Critical Hit differences
- In Generation 3, Critical Hits have a chance of 1/16 of happening, and multiply the damage by 2x, while also ignoring stat drops on your side and stat boosts on the opposing side. This was changed in Generation 7 to 1/32 chance and 1.5x damage.
Steel Types resist Ghost and Dark types
- Steel types lost these resistances in Generation 6
End of Turn mechanics
The way turns end is unique in generation 3. This will by no means be a comprehensive overview of how these mechanics work, that is for you to figure out on your own, I will be covering the major points that will be relevant for you.
Passive/Self Inflicted damage KO:
- If a Pokemon dies to self inflicted or passive damage, the turn immediately ends and end of turn effects begin after the new Pokemon switches in. This is relevant for moves such as Explosion, moves with recoil such as Double Edge, and if you're up against a Sharpedo for whatever reason, Rough Skin damage, and confusion damage.
- If both Trainers choose to switch on the same turn, if the first switch to occur triggers a KO, the second switch will be cancelled.
Effects Order
- The order of effects can be found here:
https://pastebin.com/HbcXtCN7 Do note that in cases where there are overlapping effects(i.e. both Pokemon have Leftovers), the faster Pokemon will resolve first.
Move/Pokemon/Ability Specific mechanics:
Sleep Talk Bug
- In Gen 3, Sleep Talk was bugged so that if you switched out after using it, it would effectively reset your sleep turns.
~ Example: You are a Suicune who used Rest and now have used Sleep Talk. If you:
- Switch: You will have to sleep for 2 turns once you switch back in again, instead of the expected 1 turn.
- Get forced out by Roar the same turn: Same as above.
- Stay in and use a non Sleep Talk move: You can switch with your sleep turns burnt and can expect to wake up next turn (Not recommended in most cases as turns are a valuable resource)
- Stay in, use Sleep Talk, and then switch: You will have to burn 2 sleep turns once again.
~ This mechanic is not relevant if you choose to stay in, any combination of moves will allow you to wake up normally when staying in.
- If you were put to sleep by a means other than rest that has variable sleep time, switching out after using Sleep Talk will re-randomize how many sleep turns you will have to take between 1-4.
Blizzard + Hail
In Generation 3, Hail does not guarantee 100% accurate blizzards.
Explosion
- Explosion and Self Destruct in ADV halve the opposing Pokemon's defense, giving it effectively doubled BP (A banded Metagross Explosion can KO any non-Ghost Pokemon in the tier from full)
- This mechanic was nerfed in Generation 5 which is why the move is no longer seen.
- As mentioned above, Explosion is also used to end turns and regain momentum, as any Pokemon KO will immediately start the end of turn phase.
Knock Off
- In Generation 3, Knock Off is a 20 BP move that disables the opponent's item. It got buffed in Generation 6.
- Knocked Off items are rendered useless rather than removed, so in a niche case where a Pokemon running Thief gets Knocked Off, you cannot Thief a new item.
Rapid Spin
- In Generation 3, Rapid Spin is a 20 BP move that removes hazards from your side of the field, it was buffed in Generation 8.
- It is the only form of hazard removal, Defog did not exist until Generation 4, or remove your own hazards until Generation 6.
Hidden Power
- In Generation 3, Hidden Power is a move that varies based on your IVs. For competitive play, it is effectively a 70 BP move of any type you choose, except Normal, at the expense of a few of your IVs.
- As the base move is a Normal type move, and Normal is considered Physical in Generation 3, you cannot use Mirror Coat against Special typed Hidden Power. Conversely, Counter will always work against Hidden Power.
Thunder Wave/Volt Absorb
- In Generation 3, Volt Absorb specifically only gives an immunity to Electric type attacks only, and not status moves, similarly to how Flying types are not immune to Sand Attack. (Oddly enough, Ground types are still immune to Thunder Wave)
Toxic
- In Generation 3, Toxic can be learned by nearly every single Pokemon through TM. This was changed in Generation 9 when the distribution was massively reduced. There may be other moves with similar distribution changes due to future TMs/Tutors, or removed due to a lack of TMs/Tutors to teach it.
Misc. Move Differences
- Certain moves that are good in later Generations are bad in Generation 3 as they had not received buffs yet, so make sure you check the BP and effect of any move you think is good because of current generation. Notable moves include Future Sight and Outrage.
- Conversely, some moves that are rarely used in later Generations are common in Generation 3 due to lack of stronger moves available, such as Brick Break over the nonexistent Close Combat.
Truant
- If a Slaking comes in on the same turn another Pokemon died to
passive damage, it ticks the turn counter for Truant and causes it to Loaf Around the next turn.
- For example, if your opponent is Leech Seeded and is below 12% HP when you send your Slaking out, it will be KO'd by Leech Seed and cause Truant to trigger the next turn.
Sturdy
- Sturdy does not act like a Focus Sash and only protects against moves such as Guillotine and Sheer Cold, which are banned in OU anyways. Sorry Forretress fans.
If there is more that should be added or anything that should be fixed, feel free to reply to me or message me on Discord (dkkoba) and I will update this as soon as I can.
Some more exact examples can be found here:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/mechanics-differences-between-generations.3668073/post-8553246
