Question

What improves your attack more - Swords Dance, or Hone Claws + Hustle boost?

Answer 1

Okay my source told me wrong, you are suppose to add the Hustle Boost before multipling by the Hone Claws boost, Swords Dance gives you the Same amount of Hone Claws+Hustle. Thanks SlipperyDevil for correcting me.

Comments

K. you are implying that the 1.5 from Hustle is applied AFTER everything else. a pokemons Atk cannot exceed 400% of its original stat. Hustle would raise x1.5 aka +1 Stage. Hone Claws raises Atk  x1.5 aka +1 Stage, 1+1=2 so +2 Stages or Double original Atk stat. Swords Dance adds +2 or DOUBLE ORIGINAL ATK STAT. the message "(stat) won't go any higher..."means its STAT IN QUESTION CANNOT GO AAAAANNNNNYYYYYY HIGHER. not even by 1 point. so after +6 Atk, Hustle or Choice Bands boost is pretty much null and void.

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Hustle and Choice Band do not provide a +1 boost, but rather provide a passive boost increase outside the -6 to +6 range.

So even at +6, Hustle and Choice Band will still provide an additional Attack boost.

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I trust trachy's credibility. but that boost would be applied before the rest,  since i have been told Abilities factor in first, i.e. Scizors Technician boost. so if that is indeed the case, the Multiplier would be of the base stat not the boosted, right?

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So which is it was i right the first time or not -___-

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Slippery Devil,
adding 50% is NOT the same as +1boost.
if you do +2boosts, it will be 200%
but if you add 50% two times, it will not be 200%, since you add the second 50% from 150%,
meaning it will add to 225%
and of course, pokemon's stat CAN exceed over 400% of its original stat

Answer 2

OK, I know this Q is old, but the answer is WRONG.

Hone Claws + Hustle > Swords Dance

Both Hone Claws and Hustle are a +1, but you can't "add" the boosts.

Ex: 1.5*1.5 = 2.25...which is more than 2.

For that same reason, any Banded STAB Attack can overcome resistance.

Source(s): Smogon, Bulbapedia, me.