Does Guts Cancel Burn in Pokémon?
The short answer is yes, the Guts ability cancels out the attack drop from burn status, but does not prevent recurring residual damage. Let‘s break down exactly how this works:
Burn‘s Dual Effects
Burn status in Pokémon has two main effects:
- Reducing a Pokémon‘s attack stat by 50%
- Dealing recurring damage equal to 1/16 of the Pokémon‘s max HP at the end of each turn
So burn hinders physical attackers with both decreased offense and steady residual damage.
What Guts Does
Guts is an ability that gives the Pokémon an attack boost of 50% if suffering from a status condition.
So while burn cuts attack by 50%, Guts boosts attack by 50%, cancelling this out.
However, Guts only prevents the attack reduction – it does not stop the residual damage effect of burn.
Here‘s a comparison:
| Attack Boost? | Recurring Damage? | |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Burn | No, Reduced by 50% | Yes, 1/16 Max HP |
| Burn + Guts | Yes, Increased by 50% | Yes, 1/16 Max HP |
So while Guts cancels out the offensive hindrance of burn status, the steady damage each turn still remains.
Viable Users of Guts + Burn
The combination of Guts plus burn status is a popular strategy to boost the attack of physical sweepers and wallbreakers. Some examples include:
- Conkeldurr – 45.3% usage in OU with Flame Orb to trigger Guts
- Obstagoon – 16.8% usage with Facade + Guts/burn for massive damage
- Zangoose – Can Toxic Orb itself while holding Toxic Orb for +100% attack and increased Facade power
- Ursaring – Gains immediate attack boost while still able to use rest via Sleep Talk
As the stats show, Guts users are viable and popular picks in the current meta. Players accept the residual burn damage each turn in return for unleashing boosted physical attacks.
Strategic Considerations
Pros
Guts + burn allows physical attackers to hit brutally hard right out the gate. This can overwhelm opponents through sheer immediate power.
Cons
The steady burn damage each turn puts Guts Pokémon on a timer. They must pressure opponents quickly or eventually succumb to accumulated residual damage. Protect, recovery, or a healer teammate can mitigate this.
Balancing these factors is key to success!
The Bottom Line
So in summary:
- Guts prevents the attack reduction of burn status
- But Guts does NOT stop recurring residual burn damage
- Pokémon use Guts + burn for a quick attack boost at the cost of steady HP loss each turn
I hope this clearly illustrates exactly how Guts ability interacts with burn in Pokémon! Let me know if you have any other questions.
