PokéSurvivor defense stats: why Gardevoir shows −14%

What does a negative defense percentage mean?

On October 20, original-game players asked why Gardevoir and Gallade showed −14% Special Defense while Froslass showed +2%. The base-stat rule explains those figures as changes in incoming damage. Read the sign next to the correct physical/special category: negative damage taken is beneficial; positive damage taken is harmful.

The exact formula and 115 versus 70

Category multiplier = clamp((75 / max(5, defense))^0.35, 0.78, 1.25). Use Defense for physical attacks and Special Defense for special attacks. Percentage change in damage taken = (multiplier − 1) × 100%. The reference 75 gives ×1.000; the clamp limits this base-stat factor to ×0.78–1.25.

Scroll sideways to read every column.

Keep Armor, typing and melee separate

The table assumes a neutral attack, no weather, no general damage reduction and no active melee. Ordinary incoming damage multiplies the category factor, type/weather factors, (1 − general reduction) and ×0.75 when the active group contains a melee move; a minimum of 1 damage applies. Thus 20% general reduction changes the two 100-damage special-hit examples to about 68.9 and 81.9, not to a sum of percentage labels.

Pure damage bypasses the base-defense factor, general reduction and melee reduction; typing/weather can still be applied when the hit supplies an attack type. High Special Defense therefore does not make every threat harmless. Physical hits use the other defense, and several enemies can keep creating new attacks even when each individual hit is reduced.

Compare the danger you are actually facing

1. Identify whether the attack is physical, special or pure before choosing the defense to compare.
2. Compare the Pokémon with identical permanent upgrades, cards and equipment. Then examine HP, recovery and movement as separate survival resources.
3. For a damage-calculator check, set the target Defense/Special Defense to 115, 70 or 75 while holding the attacker, move, type and buffs constant. That checks the target-defense factor, not a prediction of your whole run.

• Compare base defenses and HP
• Hold the attack constant and change target defense
• Match attack category to its support

Version and source context

These rules describe the original game at pokesurvivor.com in the linked October 20 source revision. The independently hosted community edition has its own release; do not assume that the same fixes or timings are installed there.

Tools

Related pages

• Gardevoir: build and upgrade choices
• Gallade: build and upgrade choices
• Froslass: build and upgrade choices
• PokéSurvivor physical vs special attacks: stats, buffs and builds