Stealth Rock Numbers:
Was playing Gen 8 Random Battles and used Roost on my Articuno to scout for Banded Persian. It went for Knock Off, knocking off my boots, and I roosted to get back to full, then switched out. Rocks went up shortly after, I doubled in Articuno on my opponent's switch to Quagsire, took rocks, then doubled out (
LoSconosciuto (italian) will understand). Didn't realize Articuno has an even number HP with 84 EVs and when I switched it in again vs Quagsire it fucking died
The way Stealth Rock numbers is this: if your HP is an even number, you'll get exactly X number of switches into Stealth Rock and it'll faint on the last, X depending on your type weakness to Rock. For Charizard and Articuno (4x weak), this is 2 switches; on the second you'll faint. For Tornadus, this is 4 (2x weak); on the 4th it'll faint.
However, if your HP is an odd number, you won't faint on the last switch in due to how SR damage always rounds down. For example, Articuno in rands has 288 HP, so 1/2 of that is 144, and it would faint on the second switch. However, if its HP stat were to either go down 1 to 287 or up 1 to 289, 1/2 rounded down would be 143 or 144, respectively, then it would live on 1 HP after the second switchin to rocks. This is obviously more competitively viable.
This is a pretty niche interaction, especially in Gen 8 with boots, but there is no downside - the HP stat going down 1 or going up 1 has no significant difference on any calcs. And it goes without saying that this could be pretty huge in older gens with Stealth Rock where boots don't exist.
Currently I think this would only be worth looking into for 2x or 4x weak Pokemon - it's not worth the hassle to consider this for mons that are only 1x weak. As for what implementation should look like: if a 2x/4x weak to Stealth Rock Pokemon has an even HP number, then HP EVs should be decreased by 4.
I would be happy to provide a list of Pokemon that this would affect if this cannot be done by code, so hopefully any logistical concerns are void. Changing IVs and EVs to make a Pokemon more competitively viable in Rands already has precedent (
Lilligant has its Spe IV decreased to be able to use HP Fire in Gen 7, resulting in 208 speed instead of 209), so I am curious as to what policy objections, if any, there would be.
edit: im told this is already implemented but i dont think its implemented for 2x weak or in cases of boots, ex base form aerodactyl in gen 7. aerodactyl can use CB in gen 7 so i, quarterfinalist at the minimum of gen 7 open, think its perfectly reasonable to switch it in after a pokemon faints, revenge kill, then switch it out when something bulkier comes in, and it would definitely benefit from having 4 switches that you can use it with instead of 3. i should mention again that 1 hp will not make any significant difference in any calcs
to clarify the language of the proposal:
- remove the boots restriction for optimizing HP for sr weak pokemon
- expand the optimization of HP to 2x weak pokemon
- also do this for gen 4-7
- ???
- profit