How Base Damage is Calculated
Normally it goes like this. I go to the ASB's official attack list and I take a gander at the damage listed. Excellent (Thunder, Fire Blast, etc) normally does about 20%. Good (Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, etc.) does about 15%. Moderate (Body Slam, etc.) does about 10%. Low (Faint Attack, Swift) is in the 5% area. Trivial (Toxic, etc) is 2% or less. No damage simply does that....no damage. Several other factors will add or take away from this base damage. Check below for a list of that.
Bonuses and Penalties
Weakness/Resistance: I generally add or subtract about 5% for weakness and resistance. So a 15% damage water attack will do 20% to a fire type and 10% to a grass type. Dual resistances still count. So a 10% water attack will deal 20% to a Fire/Rock target but would probably deal no damage to a Water/Dragon target.
Energy: Having a high energy level means performing attacks better. It also means being able to defense yourself against attacks better. At high energy levels attacks deal 1-3% more damage and a combatant can prevent 1-3% damage. As energy goes into the mid-levels, you have a chance at doing more or less. A combatant may deal 2% more or less damage and they may take 2% more or less from attacks. At the low energy levels combatants will be dealing 1-3% less damage and taking 1-3% more.
Confidence: High confidence generally can deal an extra point or two of damage. But if confidence becomes too high the combatant may be cocky or arrogant and attacks may deal less damage than normal. Low confidence reduces damage dealt by one so percent and sometimes can increase damage received by that much.
Species: If the combant's species is built for the attack it is performing, then there may be a small to potentially large damage bonus. On the other hand, being a species that is ill-equipped for certain attacks may deal a good deal less damage when they use those attacks. More vague factors of Specie Variation that affect damage include size, body make-up, and the conditions of the arena.
Weather: Rain will reduce fire based damage. Intense heat will make Ice attacks very ineffective. Weather doesn't increase damage very often, but it can make attacks easier to perform.
