Serene Grace

Serene Grace doubles the secondary effect chances of moves that have the potential to inflict status conditions, cause stat changes, or induce flinching. When a Pokemon with this ability uses moves like Flamethrower, Thunder, or Air Slash, their respective chances to burn, paralyze, or cause flinching are doubled from their base percentages. This transforms moves with modest secondary effect rates into highly reliable options for inflicting additional consequences beyond raw damage.

The ability has specific limitations that competitive players must understand. Serene Grace does not affect moves where the secondary effect is the primary purpose, such as Protect's success rate or moves with guaranteed effects. Critical hit rates remain unaffected, meaning moves like Air Cutter don't benefit from increased critical hit chances. Additionally, Secret Power's variable effects based on terrain are not enhanced by this ability.

In competitive play, Serene Grace transforms certain Pokemon into formidable threats through consistent secondary effects. Togekiss becomes notorious for Air Slash's 60% flinch rate, while Jirachi can reliably spread paralysis with Thunder or Body Slam. The ability's value extends beyond offense, as Pokemon like Blissey can use moves like Thunder Wave or Toxic with greater consistency. This reliability in secondary effects often forces opponents to play more cautiously, knowing that status conditions and stat drops are far more likely to occur than normal.