Torrent

Torrent serves as the signature ability for most Water-type starter Pokémon, activating a powerful damage boost when the user finds itself in dire straits. When a Pokémon with Torrent drops to one-third or less of its maximum HP, all of its Water-type moves receive a significant 50% damage increase. This boost applies to the base power calculation before other modifiers, making it stack multiplicatively with items, stat boosts, and critical hits for potentially devastating results.

The ability's activation threshold is precise—it triggers exactly when HP falls to 33% or below, meaning strategic players can sometimes manipulate their Pokémon's health through entry hazards, Life Orb recoil, or switching into predicted attacks to activate the boost intentionally. Torrent affects all Water-type moves equally, from weak utility moves to powerful STAB attacks, though the practical impact is most noticeable on high-base-power moves like Hydro Pump or Liquidation.

In competitive play, Torrent has proven especially valuable on bulky Water-types like Swampert and Empoleon, who can survive at low HP long enough to capitalize on the boost. Fast attackers like Greninja can also leverage Torrent for surprise KOs when opponents expect them to be weakened. The ability's reliability and substantial power increase make it a cornerstone of many Water-type strategies, turning potential defeat into comeback opportunities.