Simple (Ability)

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Simple たんじゅん
Simple
Flavor text
Generation IV
The Pokémon is prone to wild stat changes.
Generation V
The Pokémon is prone to wild stat changes.
Generation VI
The Pokémon is prone to wild stat changes.
Generation VII
The stat changes the Pokémon receives are doubled.
Generation VIII
The stat changes the Pokémon receives are doubled.
Generation IX
Doubles the effects of the Pokémon's stat changes.

Simple (Japanese: たんじゅん Simple) is an Ability introduced in Generation IV. In Generation IX, it is the signature Ability of Numel.

Effect

In battle

Generation IV

Simple doubles the effectiveness of stat stages. For example, if Defense Curl is used, the screen will display that the user's Defense has increased by one stage and the game will store the user's Defense stage as +1, but the effect of that +1 stage will be equal to the effect of two regular stages and the user's Defense will be doubled during damage calculation. Similarly, if Tail Whip is used on this Pokémon, its Defense stat will fall one stage, but the effect will be treated as two.

The effect of stat stages cannot exceed their usual cap. For example, a Pokémon with Simple that has obtained +3 Defense stages will have quadrupled their Defense stat in damage calculation (the usual effect of +6 Defense); they can still continue to use a move like Defense Curl up to three more times to boost their Defense stage to +6, but these three additional stages will have no greater effect during damage calculation. The same applies to -3 Defense.

Because the stage numbers in-game have not changed, a Pokémon that uses Psych Up on a target with Simple only copies the stored (not doubled) stat stages. If a Pokémon uses Baton Pass to switch to a target with Simple, the target's passed stat stages will essentially gain double effect; if a Pokémon with Simple uses Baton Pass to a target without Simple, the target will not obtain any doubled stages. Similarly, if a Pokémon boosts its stats and then acquires Simple through a move like Skill Swap, its pre-existing effective stat changes will be doubled (barring caps) until it loses Simple.

Generation V onward

Simple now directly doubles the number of stages that a stat is increased or decreased when the move, Ability, or item is used. For example, if Defense Curl is used, the screen will display that the user's Defense has increased by two stages ("sharply rose") and the game will store the user's Defense stage as +2, doubling the user's Defense as expected. Similarly, Tail Whip targeting a Pokémon with Simple will cause its Defense to directly drop by two stages.

As a result, moves like Defense Curl can only be used up to three times before they will fail (as the user's Defense stage will be the maximum of +6). If Psych Up is used on a target with Simple, the doubled stages will be copied. Using Baton Pass to a recipient with Simple will not cause the recipient to receive stat stages of double effect; if a Simple Pokémon uses Baton Pass itself, it will transfer the doubled stat stages. Similarly, if a Pokémon boosts its stats and then receives Simple through a move like Skill Swap, its pre-existing stat changes will not be doubled and nothing further will happen if it loses Simple.

If a move used by a Pokémon with Mold Breaker, Teravolt, or Turboblaze would change a stat stage of a Pokémon with Simple, the stat changes will not be doubled.

The move Simple Beam can change the target Pokémon's Ability to Simple.

Generation VII

Stat stage increases caused by the Z-Power effects of status Z-Moves are not modified by Simple. However, the stat stage increases as a result of Extreme Evoboost and Clangorous Soulblaze are modified.

Outside of battle

Simple has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Simple

# Pokémon Types First Ability Second Ability Hidden Ability
0322 Numel Numel
Fire Ground Oblivious SimpleGen IV+ Own Tempo
0399 Bidoof Bidoof
Normal Normal Simple Unaware Moody
0400 Bibarel Bibarel
Normal Water Simple Unaware Moody
0527 Woobat Woobat
Psychic Flying Unaware Klutz Simple
0528 Swoobat Swoobat
Psychic Flying Unaware Klutz Simple
Please note that abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later.
  • For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

In other games

Description

Games Description
MDTDS Makes any modification to the Pokémon's stats more extreme.
BSL こうげきなどの だんかいの へんかが おおきい
MDGtI When the Pokémon's stats go up or down, they change much more than normal.*
The amount the Pokémon's stats go up and down is much greater!*
SMD When the Pokémon's stats change, the amount they change will be doubled! Any decrease in stats will be doubled, too, so be careful!
MDRTDX When the Pokémon's stats change, the amount they change will be doubled. Any decrease in stats will be doubled, too, so be careful!


In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 單純 Dāansèuhn
Mandarin 單純 / 单纯 Dānchún
France Flag.png French Simple
Germany Flag.png German Wankelmut
Italy Flag.png Italian Disinvoltura
South Korea Flag.png Korean 단순 Dansun
Spain Flag.png Spanish Simple
Project Moves and Abilities logo.png This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.