Same-type attack bonus

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Same-type attack bonus, commonly abbreviated as STAB, is a 50% boost to the power of an attack when the attack is the same type as one of the types of the Pokémon using the attack. This results in a 50% increase in damage.

The same-type attack bonus was introduced in Generation I and has remained unchanged since.

Example of attack bonus

A Blastoise using Surf increases the power of the move by 50%, from 95 to 142, since both Blastoise and Surf are Template:Type2. However, a Blastoise using Ice Beam does not receive an increase in attack power of the move, since Blastoise is not an Template:Type2 Pokémon.

A Lapras, on the other hand, would receive the same-type attack bonus when using either Surf or Ice Beam, since Lapras is both Water-type and Ice-type.

Normal Pokémon

Contrary to some of Nintendo's official guides, Template:Type2 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 dual type Pokémon.

Hidden Power (move)

Hidden Power does receive same-type attack bonus, if the actual Hidden Power move is the same type as the Pokémon. For example, a Template:Type2 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 obtainable. Because of this, a Normal-type Pokémon will never receive same-type attack bonus when using Hidden Power, unless they are dual-typed.

Limitations

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.