[SHORT DESC]
Strengthens all attacks by 30%, but at a price of 10% of the user's HP each hit.
[LONG DESC]
<h2>Description</h2>
<p>Whenever a Pokémon holding a Life Orb successfully uses a damaging attack, that attack deals 1.3 times its normal damage, and the attacker loses 1/10 of their maximum HP. If the attack fails, adjusts HP instead of dealing damage, or if the holder's ability is Magic Guard, or if the holder's ability is Sheer Force and the attack was boosted by Sheer Force, then the holder takes no damage from Life Orb.</p>
<h2>Analysis</h2>
<p>Life Orb is the standard in damage-boosting items - all damage-dealing attacks, regardless of type or category, receive the boost in damage that Life Orb provides. In most cases, it outclasses the type-boosting items (x1.2 boost to their type only) and category-boosting items (x1.1 boost to physical or special moves, respectively).</p>
<p>As a boosting item, Life Orb receives competition from two sets of items: Choice items and Gems.</p>
<p>Choice items, consisting of Choice Band, Choice Specs, and Choice Scarf, provide a 50% to the holder's Attack, Special Attack, or Speed, respectively; but restrict the holder to a single move of their choosing each time they enter battle. While weaker than Band or Specs, and while providing no Speed increase, Life Orb does allow the holder to change moves without switching out and back in. If the holder has wide neutral coverage in one or two moves, or is meant to inflict massive amounts of damage to a single opponent, a Choice item is preferred. Choice Scarf, in particular, is most often seen on revenge killers; while Choice Band and Choice Specs are for wallbreakers. Life Orb, when compared to Choice items, is for late-game sweepers who clean up weakened teams, and need no boost in Speed.</p>
<p>Gems, on the other hand, come in types instead of categories. Each Gem provides a 50% boost to the damage of an attack of their type, and is then consumed. For example, Fire Gem increases the holder's first Fire attack each game to 1.5 times its normal strength, and then vanishes. Lures - Pokémon tooled to draw out and defeat their usual counters and checks - often employ Gems to lend bite to their surprise attacks. A Tyranitar might, for example, surprise its usual counter Skarmory with an Electric Gem Thunderbolt. Pokémon that want to lose their item, such as those with the ability Unburden or the move Acrobat, also often employ Gems to get a significant boost and then enjoy the benefit of a lost item. Life Orb, when compared to Gems, is much more consistent than a Gem - it is neither consumed on the first attack, nor is it keyed to any one type. Life Orb is by far the more useful item in most situations - Gems are called for only with very specific builds.</p>
<p>If you have a fast and reasonably strong sweeper on your team that needs some added damage to score certain 2HKOs or OHKOs, or simply wants to trade longevity for killing power, look no further than Life Orb.</p>
<h2>Location</h2>
<p>Life Orbs can be bought from the Battle Subway for 48 Battle Points.</p>