Rough Skin is a Pokémon ability that inflicts damage on an opponent whenever they use a direct contact move against the Pokémon with this ability. Specifically, it causes the attacker to lose a portion of their HP each time they make physical contact. This makes Rough Skin an effective defensive ability that can chip away at the health of physically offensive opponents over the course of a battle.
Effects: 1. Contact Damage: When an opponent uses a move that makes direct contact, they take damage equal to 1/8th of their maximum HP. This includes many common physical moves such as Tackle, Bite, and Close Combat. 2. Synergy with Defense: Pokémon with high defensive stats can further capitalize on Rough Skin by outlasting their opponents while slowly depleting their HP. 3. Wearing Down Opponents: It pairs well with other strategies that involve stalling or wearing down the opponent, such as with the use of moves like Protect or defensive switches