STAB question

[Turtle Tamer Kammy]

I have a question I'm going to try and word in a way that makes sense. Let's say a Swampert uses Surf against maybe a grass pokemon, or a water pokemon. A type that water moves are not very effective against. Would it just do normal damage, as if Swampert was using tackle or something like that (ignore difference in attack power), despite the game saying "It's not very effective..." and the move having STAB for being water?

 

[Trainer-c]

STAB adds a one-and-a-half bonus, I think. And resistance subtracts Half, So a STABed Surf against a Water-type should equal only twice what it would have been if it was a non-STAB Surf.

 

[The Big Al]

Actually, Swampert gets a 25% percent boost because it's a dual type.

base damage: 100
STAB: 125
types resistance: 62.5

 

[Zeta]

Wait, dual-type Pokemon only get half-STAB? I've never heard of that before.

 

[The Big Al]

Yeah, you only get half STAB on dual types. That's what I've heard and read.

 

[Birdyspot]

Yeah, you only get half STAB on dual types. That's what I've heard and read.

No. Don't know where you heard this, but sorry to say, it is not true. I'd never heard of that until just now nor seen it in practice in my games, and I just tested the idea out on more than one damage calculator. Every Pokemon gets 1.5 STAB on a same-type move regardless if it's single or dual-type.

STAB = Well STAB is the x1.5 bonus a pokemon gets for using a move that's the same as its type (I.E. the power of a water move used by a water pokemon). This also applies for dual types (I.E. the power of a water move used by a water/psychic pokemon is the same as a single type pokemon).

Just to get another voice in here, although I'm not sure how reliable the above remark is, but it's from the second post on this thread.

Trainer-c doesn't have the equation right. To answer your question, julayfm, the base power of Swampert's Surf would be:

Normally against a neutral defending type(s):
95 (base power of Surf) X 1.5 (STAB) X 1 X 1 = 142.5

Against an opponent single-weak to Water:
95 X 1.5 X 2 (modifier for "super effective" damage) X 1 = 285

Against an opponent double-weak to Water:
95 X 1.5 X 2 X 2 = 570

Against an opponent single-strong against Water:
95 X 1.5 X 0.5 (modifier for "not very effective" damage) X 1 = 71.25

Against an opponent double-strong against Water:
95 X 1.5 X 0.5 X 0.5 = 35.625

I included the "X 1" in the single/neutral equations to account for the opponent's other type(s) which would be neutral to Water (even if the opponent is only a single-type). So no, Swampert's Surf against a Grass Pokemon doesn't act like the neutral Tackle does--if it did, the resulting numbers for the first (neutral) equation and the single-strong equation would be the same.

Interestingly, as an aside: if Swampert were up against Ludicolo, Swampert's Surf would deal just about the same damage as Tackle (base power 35) would!

More information:
Everything you ever wanted to know about Pokemon game mechanics! ^_^

 

[Zeta]

Yeah, even the Bulbapedia says all Pokemon get full STAB as long as they're off the same type as the attack - even dual types.