Same-type attack bonus
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Same-type attack bonus, commonly abbreviated as STAB, is a 50% boost to an attack's power when the attack's type is the same as one of the type(s) of the Pokémon using the attack. This results in a 50% bonus to damage. For instance, if a Blastoise were to use Surf, Surf's power would be increased by 50% since both Blastoise and Surf are Water-type. If Blastoise were to use Ice Beam however, it would receive no such bonus since Blastoise is not Ice-type. A Lapras, on the other hand, would receive the same-type attack bonus when using either Surf or Ice Beam since Lapras is both Ice-type and Water-type.
The STAB has been in use since Generation I and has remained unchanged since.
Contrary to some of Nintendo's official guides, Normal-type Pokémon do in fact receive the same-type attack bonus when using Normal-type attacks, and same-type attack bonus is not reduced for a Pokémon with two types.
Hidden Power does receive same-type attack bonus. A Fire-type Pokémon will receive same-type attack bonus when using a Fire-type Hidden Power. Although Hidden Power is displayed as Normal-type in the game's data, a Normal-type Hidden Power is not really obtainable. Because of this, a Normal-type Pokémon will never receive same-type attack bonus when using Hidden Power, unless they're dual-typed.
Same-type attack bonus does not apply to moves that do a set amount of damage nor ones that do not use the normal damage formula, such as Dragon Rage and Seismic Toss.
