Editing a Pokémon

For giving, taking, counting and choosing Pokémon, see Manipulating Pokémon.

This page describes how to edit the attributes of a Pokémon, such as its gender, owner or ribbons.

Deciding which Pokémon to edit

The first step is to find the Pokémon to edit. This can be done a variety of different ways depending on the circumstances. For example:

pkmn = $player.party[0]
pkmn = $player.first_able_pokemon
pkmn = $player.last_pokemon
pkmn = pbGetPokemon(1)

These will all return a Pokémon (if possible) and call it "pkmn". This page assumes that the Pokémon being edited is referred to as "pkmn".

Attributes that can be edited

Attribute	Code	Description
Ability	pkmn.ability_index = 2 pkmn.ability = :INTIMIDATE	To set the Pokémon's ability to one that is defined as available to its species, set its ability_index to the appropriate number. 0 is the first regular ability, 1 is the second regular ability, and 2+ are hidden abilities. Use pkmn.ability_index = nil to make the choice of ability be determined by the Pokémon's personal ID. To set the Pokémon's ability to any existing ability at all, simply set its ability. Note that this only applies until the Pokémon's species or form changes, so this usually shouldn't be used. Set the ability to nil to make the choice of ability be determined as normal (from the Pokémon's ability index, which by default is derived from its personal ID).
Contest stats	pkmn.beauty = 42 pkmn.cool = 42 pkmn.cute = 42 pkmn.smart = 42 pkmn.tough = 42 pkmn.sheen = 42	Sets the Pokémon's contest stats. Each stat should be a number between 0 and 255 inclusive. Note that these properties are currently unused (except beauty for Feebas' evolution).
Discardable	pkmn.cannot_store = true pkmn.cannot_trade = true pkmn.cannot_release = true	Puts restrictions on how the player can remove the Pokémon from their party/ownership. Setting cannot_store means the Pokémon cannot be put into Pokémon storage or the Day Care.
EVs	pkmn.ev[:DEFENSE] = 42	Sets the Pokémon's EVs for a given stat. Each stat should be a number between 0 and 252 inclusive. The possible stats (as mentioned in the square brackets) are as follows: :HP :ATTACK :DEFENSE :SPECIAL_ATTACK :SPECIAL_DEFENSE :SPEED
Experience	pkmn.exp = 12345	Sets the Pokémon's Experience Points. You will usually want to add/subtract amounts from this, rather than setting it to a specific new value.
First moves	pkmn.add_first_move(:TACKLE) pkmn.record_first_moves pkmn.remove_first_move(:TACKLE)	Registers a move as being a first-known move for the Pokémon (which it can relearn via the Move Relearner). The second option takes all moves currently known by the Pokémon and registers those as its first-known moves (all other first-known moves are cleared). The last option will clear a particular move from the Pokémon's list of first-known moves (it does nothing if it wasn't a first-known move).
Form	pkmn.form = 1	Sets the Pokémon's form. 0 is the default form as defined in the PBS file "pokemon.txt". Some Pokémon species determine their form automatically depending on various factors. Their form cannot be manually changed this way, as they will immediately change back. You can alter the code responsible for this automatic determination to not recalculate if the form is currently a particular number(s), allowing you to set the Pokémon's form to that number(s) this way. Setting a Pokémon's form will also recalculate its stats and mark it as seen in the Pokédex. It will also trigger any changes that happen when the Pokémon changes form, such as trying to learn a form-specific move for Rotom.
Fused Pokémon	pkmn.fused = pkmn2	Sets the Pokémon which is fused with this Pokémon. pkmn2 is itself a Pokémon and can itself be edited. Use pkmn.fused = nil to erase the fused Pokémon.
Gender	pkmn.makeMale pkmn.makeFemale	Sets the Pokémon's gender to male or female. This cannot make a Pokémon a gender it cannot legally be. Use pkmn.gender = nil to remove the override and have the gender be determined by the Pokémon's personal ID. You will also need to record the new gender as seen, so that it will show up in the Pokédex. To do this, use pbSeenForm(pkmn) afterwards.
Happiness	pkmn.happiness = 200 pkmn.changeHappiness("walking")	Sets the Pokémon's happiness. This should be a number between 0 and 255 inclusive. The second line of code will change the Pokémon's happiness as it would change if triggered by a particular event. This takes into account modifiers such as the Soothe Bell and Luxury Ball. The possible events are: "walking" "levelup" "groom" "evberry" "vitamin" "wing" "machine" "battleitem" "faint" "faintbad" "powder" "energyroot" "revivalherb"
Hatched map	pkmn.hatched_map = 42	Sets the ID of the map in which the Pokémon hatched from an egg. Is used only if the Pokémon's obtain method is "egg received".
Hatched time	pkmn.timeEggHatched = Time.now	Sets the time at which the Pokémon hatched from an egg. Can only be set if the Pokémon's obtain method is "egg received", and is only used in that case.
Held item	pkmn.item = :ORANBERRY	Sets the Pokémon's held item. Use pkmn.item = nil to delete the held item. If the item is a mail item, then pkmn.mail should also be set: pkmn.mail = Mail.new(:GRASSMAIL, "This is a message.", "Dave") If the item is a mail item which shows Pokémon on it, then this should instead be: pkmn.mail = Mail.new(:GRASSMAIL, "This is a message.", "Dave", pkmn1, pkmn2, pkmn3). Each "pkmn#" should be an array of the form [species, gender, shininess, form, shadowness, is egg?].
HP	pkmn.hp = 42 pkmn.heal_HP pkmn.heal	Sets the Pokémon's current HP. The second option fully restores the Pokémon's HP. The last option will fully restore the Pokémon's HP, cure its status problem, and restore all its moves' PP to full.
IVs	pkmn.iv[:DEFENSE] = 7	Sets the Pokémon's IVs for a given stat. Each stat should be a number between 0 and 31 inclusive. The possible stats (as mentioned in the square brackets) are as follows: :HP :ATTACK :DEFENSE :SPECIAL_ATTACK :SPECIAL_DEFENSE :SPEED pkmn.ivMaxed[:DEFENSE] = true will treat the Pokémon's IV in the given stat as the highest possible value (31) when it comes to calculating its effect on the Pokémon's stats. It is set by Hyper Training. Use pkmn.ivMaxed[:DEFENSE] = nil to remove this override.
Level	pkmn.level = 42	Sets the Pokémon's current level. What it actually does is change the Pokémon's "exp" value to be the lowest possible value for that level.
Markings	pkmn.markings = [0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 2]	Sets the Pokémon's markings. The values in this array correspond to the marking graphics in order from the file "Graphics\Pictures\Summary\markings.png" - the first array value is the first marking, the second array value is the second marking, etc. Marking graphics are arranged horizontally in their graphic. Each marking has multiple variants, which are arranged vertically. Variants are typically different colors of the same symbol, with the first variant being "no color/doesn't have this marking". There can be any number of variants of each marking (simply add them to the graphic), but every marking must have the same number of variants. By default, the markings in order are ●▲■♥★♦, and the variants are "none"/"black"/"blue"/"pink". The example given here corresponds to a black ▲, a black ■ and a blue ♦ (the other symbols are not colored in).
Moves	pkmn.learn_move(:TACKLE) pkmn.forget_move(:TACKLE) pkmn.reset_moves	The first option teaches a move to the Pokémon. This can teach any move, and will do so without informing the player. If the Pokémon already knows a full set of moves, the first move will be forgotten, the others bumped up and the new move added to the end. The second option deletes a move from the Pokémon, if it knows it. Again, this will happen without informing the player. Note that this is able to make a Pokémon forget its last move. The third option resets the Pokémon's moveset to what a wild Pokémon of that species/level/form would know. This can be useful when changing a Pokémon's level/form.
Nature	pkmn.nature = :HASTY	Sets the Pokémon's nature. Use pkmn.nature = nil to remove the override and have the nature be determined by the Pokémon's personal ID. pkmn.nature_for_stats = :HASTY will treat the Pokémon's nature as this one when it comes to calculating its effect on the Pokémon's stats. It is used by the Gen 8 mints. Use pkmn.nature_for_stats = nil to remove this override and have the stats be affected by the Pokémon's actual nature.
Nickname	pkmn.name = "Dave"	Sets the Pokémon's nickname to a given phrase. Use pkmn.name = nil to remove the nickname. To let the player choose their own name, simply call pbNickname(pkmn).
Obtain level	pkmn.obtain_level = 42	Sets which Level the Pokémon was at when it was obtained.
Obtain map	pkmn.obtain_map = 42	Sets the map in which the Pokémon was obtained.
Obtain method	pkmn.obtain_method = 1	Sets the method by which the Pokémon was obtained. The number is either 0 ("met"), 1 ("egg received", i.e. it then hatched), 2 ("traded") or 4 ("fateful encounter").
Obtain text	pkmn.obtain_text = "Day-Care Couple"	Sets the phrase to use, instead of the obtain map's name, as the place where the Pokémon was obtained. Use pkmn.obtain_text = nil to remove the phrase.
Owner's gender	pkmn.owner.gender = 1	Sets the gender of the Pokémon's original owner. The number is either 0 (male), 1 (female), 2 (mixed) or 3 (unknown).
Owner's ID number	pkmn.owner.id = $Trainer.id pkmn.owner.id = $player.make_foreign_ID	Sets the ID number of the Pokémon's original owner. The first option sets it to the player's ID number, and the second option sets it to a random other ID number. This and the original owner's name determine whether the Pokémon originally belonged to the player or not.
Owner's language	pkmn.owner.language = 2	Sets the language of the Pokémon's original owner. Is one of the following: 0 = Unknown 1 = Japanese 2 = English (default) 3 = French 4 = Italian 5 = German 7 = Spanish 8 = Korean
Owner's name	pkmn.owner.name = "Dave"	Sets the name of the Pokémon's original owner. This and the original owner's ID number determine whether the Pokémon originally belonged to the player or not.
Personal ID	pkmn.personalID = rand(2 ** 16) | rand(2 ** 16) << 16	Sets the Pokémon's personal ID. The example will randomise the Pokémon's personal ID, although it can also be set to any value between 0 and 4,294,967,295 inclusive. Note that the Pokémon's gender, nature, ability and shininess all depend on the value of the personal ID by default. Spinda's spot locations and the evolution methods "Silcoon" and "Cascoon" also depend on it.
Poké Ball	pkmn.poke_ball = :ULTRABALL	Sets the type of Poké Ball the Pokémon is contained in. This is the ID of a Poké Ball item.
Pokérus	pkmn.givePokerus pkmn.givePokerus(4)	Gives the Pokémon Pokérus. The parameter is optional, and is the strain of Pokérus to give (between 1 and 15 inclusive; the strain is randomly chosen if not given). The strain number determines how many days the Pokémon will be infected for before becoming immune. pkmn.pokerusStage will return either 0 (never infected), 1 (currently infectious) or 2 (cured/immune).
Ribbons	pkmn.giveRibbon(:HOENNCOOL) pkmn.takeRibbon(:HOENNCOOL)	Gives the Pokémon the specified ribbon (or removes it). There are a few other methods dealing with ribbons: pkmn.upgradeRibbon(:HOENNCOOL, :HOENNCOOLSUPER, :HOENNCOOLHYPER, :HOENNCOOLMASTER) - Any number of ribbons can be listed. Either adds the first ribbon if the Pokémon has none of them, or turns the possessed ribbon into the next one listed. Returns the ID of the ribbon added/upgraded into, or nil if nothing changed. pkmn.numRibbons - Returns the total number of ribbons the Pokémon has. pkmn.hasRibbon?(:HOENNCOOL) - Returns true if the Pokémon has the specified ribbon, and false if not. pkmn.clearAllRibbons - Removes all ribbons from the Pokémon.
Shadowness	pkmn.makeShadow	Makes the Pokémon a Shadow Pokémon. It is not so easy to turn a Shadow Pokémon into a regular Pokémon, though. pkmn.adjustHeart(-50) will add the given amount to the Pokémon's heart gauge (this amount is usually negative). If the heart gauge is 0, the Pokémon can be purified.
Shininess	pkmn.shiny = true pkmn.shiny = false pkmn.super_shiny = true pkmn.super_shiny = false	Makes the Pokémon shiny or super shiny, or not. Use both pkmn.shiny = nil and pkmn.super_shiny = nil to remove the overrides and have the shininess be determined by the Pokémon's personal ID.
Species	pkmn.species = :BULBASAUR	Sets the Pokémon's species. This will also recalculate the Pokémon's level, ability and stats.
Status	pkmn.status = :POISON pkmn.status = :NONE pkmn.heal_status	Sets the Pokémon's status. The possible statuses are: :NONE :SLEEP :POISON :BURN :PARALYSIS :FROZEN If putting the Pokémon to sleep, then pkmn.statusCount = 3should also be set, where the number is the number of rounds the Pokémon will remain asleep.
Steps to hatch	pkmn.steps_to_hatch = 5120	Sets the number of steps required for the Pokémon egg to hatch. If this is 0, pkmn is a Pokémon and not an egg.
Time received	pkmn.timeReceived = Time.now	Sets the time when the Pokémon was obtained.

What can't be changed

There are some attributes of a Pokémon that cannot be changed directly. These are:

• Types
• Stats:
  • Maximum HP
  • Attack
  • Defense
  • Special Attack
  • Special Defense
  • Speed
• Height
• Weight
• EV yield

The last part of editing a Pokémon

Once a Pokémon's attributes have been edited, its stats may need to be recalculated. This is done by the following line of code:

pkmn.calc_stats

To be safe, you should always include this line after all other edits.