Resource - Pokémon Showdown Forum Rules & Resources [READ HERE FIRST] (2024)

Staff and Disciplinary

How do I become staff?

Please refer to our staff FAQ below.

When will I be unlocked / unbanned?
Roombans and locks generally last two days, but both can be extended to a week for exceptionally poor or repeated behavior. If you are locked for using a proxy or VPN you'll have to disable it then /logout and log back in. Global bans last one week.

What does being locked mean?
Locked users cannot chat in chatrooms, groupchats, battles, or private messages with users that are not global staff. Locked users also cannot challenge other users.

What does being namelocked mean?
Namelocked users are locked and are additionally unable to choose a username. While namelocked you are limited to guest accounts such as Guest 123456.

What does being globally banned mean?
Globally banned users are unable to connect to the server at all for one week. This is rarely used and only in exceptional circ*mstances.

I'm punished in a room: to whom do I appeal?
Type /roomauth (room) to see the member of staff of a room; if a name is bolded, that user is online.

I was permalocked / globally banned. How can I appeal?
You can post a discipline appeal, but make sure to read the guidelines before posting.

How do I report a user?
If you encounter a user breaking PS rules, please use /report and open a help ticket. If you’re reporting rule breakage in a battle, please have the battle link or replay ready or staff will be unable to help you.

Chat and Client

What updates has PS! undergone?

To check what updates have happened, type /git in chat, and then click on "What's New", which will bring you to this link.

How do I register my account, and how do I log in?
To register, click on the settings gear in the top right corner, and then click on register. You will then be prompted to input your password twice, and answer a security question. Once you have done that, your account is registered. To log in, do /nick (name); you then need to put in your password, and you'll have logged in.

Can I speak in a language other than English?
In most rooms, no. However, PS offers many language-specific rooms: Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Korean and Polish.

How do I change my avatar?
You can change your avatar by clicking on your name and then clicking your current avatar, or by clicking the settings gear and "change avatar". A list will pop up with all the public avatars available to you, and you can click on the one you prefer. Additionally, PS has a selection of unlisted avatars. You can see a full list of them by using the /avatar command in any chat.

How does x command work?
Check out our beginner's guide to find out how to use PS commands. In addition, you can usually type a command with no additional information (such as entering in /ds) or use the help command (/help ds) to learn more about it.

How do I privately message a user?
By clicking a user's name and hitting the "Chat" button, you will open a Private Message (PM) window on the left side of your home tab. Any messages sent in that window will be private to you and the other user. You can also use /pm (user), (message) or /w (user), (message) instead. If the user you want to PM is offline, you have to send the message twice to switch to the offline messages feature.

How do I get a new name color?
Custom username colors are only available to global staff members (%, @, &) and contributors to Pokémon Showdown. This is unavailable to most users because it becomes much easier to impersonate recognized users and staff. Colors are calculated directly from usernames; changes to this must be applied manually by Administrators.

How do I add a Pokémon to my avatar? / How do I get a custom avatar?
Custom avatars are available to Global Staff members (%, @, &), contributors to Smogon and Pokémon Showdown, and to Smogon users who meet specific badge requirements. Custom avatars are sometimes given out as rewards for room events and contests - keep an eye on the news for announcements of these events!

How do I make a room?
Regular users can not make their own chatrooms; only those who already have a staff position in an existing room are eligible to do so. If this is your case, you can read the full list of requirements here.

How can I open two rooms at once?
If you want to have two rooms open next to each other, you either use Shift and Arrow Keys, or drag the room tab

onto

the Home page tab.

How can I move the position of rooms?
Click on the room name and hold, dragging it to the desired position.

What is autoconfirmed?
To talk in autoconfirmed chat, you must have had your account registered for one week and have won at least 1 ladder match with it. Click the "Battle! button and select any format besides "Unrated Random Battle" to play a ladder match. If you do not yet meet those requirements, you can try asking a Moderator or Room Owner of the room to turn it off.

Why did my teams get removed?
Teams are linked to the cookies on your browser. If you delete your search history/cookies, you risk losing your teams. If you use a different browser or computer, you also will not have access to your teams. It is recommended that you back up your teams using the Backup/Restore all teams button at the bottom of the teambuilder. You can then store it on a site like PokePaste or Pastebin. The PS! desktop app is known to have issues with losing teams; we recommend that you use the website instead.

How do I add my friend?
You can click on the "Friends" button below the "Find A User" one and enter their username. Alternatively, you can click on their username, then the "..." button, and "Add Friend".

Why did the server restart?
Servers restart to implement updates and reduce lag. Your ladder ranking and teams will not change. We will stop new battles from starting a few minutes before the restart and allow some time for ongoing battles to conclude. The restart itself takes about 0.6 seconds. You will be disconnected and able to reconnect afterwards.

How do I join a tournament?
If you want to join a tournament, click the "Join" button or type /tour join in the chat. If neither of these work, the tournament has already started and isn't accepting more entrants.

How do I change the background of PS?
To change the background, click on the settings cog in the top right corner, then click on "Change Background". You can choose one from there, or upload your own.

Tiering

What is Smogon?

Smogon is the most comprehensive and accurate online resource for competitive Pokémon battling, comprising strategy articles, guides, forums and its own simulator, Pokémon Showdown. Smogon's tiering is the basis for Pokémon Showdown.

What do AG, Ubers, OU, UU, RU or NU stand for?
If you want to know more about a specific tier you can use the command /tier [tiername]; it will show you information about that format.

What is a good moveset for my Pokémon?
By using the /smogdex [pokemon] command you can find the updates analysis for any Pokémon of your choice, with an explanation on why the build is effective.

What is a suspect test?
A suspect test is a ladder where the tier is testing a specific move, Pokémon, or ability to see if it is overcentralizing or outright broken in a given metagame. Reaching certain a certain GXE and number of games played would allow a user to vote on the suspect test and have their opinion be calculated in the tiering results.

What are Other Metagames (OMs)?
Other Metagames are metagames that are not officially recognized by Smogon. OMs typically make broad changes off a consistent rule, or small set of rules. For example, introducing a new mechanic (Pokémon have the type(s) of their first two moves - Camomons) or providing access (Pokémon can use any ability - Almost Any Ability). Check out the Other Metagames Subforum for more information.

What is the difference between Random Battle and Battle Factory?
Pokémon in Random Battles are randomly generated from PU and above, whereas in Battle Factory, all Pokémon from both teams will belong from the same tier, and movesets are competitive.

What is Hackmons Cup?
Hackmons Cup is a metagame where Pokémon, moves, abilities, items, EVs, and IVs are entirely random, so long as they can be hacked into the game. To win, you have to be skilled at scouting your opponent's team while making the most out of your own.

What is Super Staff Bros?
Super Staff Bros is a metagame featuring the global staff and public Room Owners of PS! Sets for each Pokémon are created by staff and are meant to represent them as a user. Sets may feature custom moves, abilities, stats, or even items. You can learn all about it [here]

Battles

How do I find a battle?

Click the Battle! button located on the homepage which will instantly search for a ladder match. To change to a certain tier simply click the bar under Format: and choose the one you want. To change your team click the bar under Team:.

How can I battle my friend or a specific person?
If you want to challenge a specific user, click their username and click Challenge. You can also use /challenge [username], and then select the tier you want to play and choose the team you'd like to use.

Why can I only use this move?
Make sure you check your Pokémon's items; items such as Assault Vest, Choice Band, Choice Scarf, and Choice Specs will limit your move choices.

What is an endless battle?
An endless battle is, as the name implies, a battle that cannot end. The common components of an endless battle are Pokémon that trap the target (via Block, Shadow Tag, or Arena Trap), moves that heal the opponent (usually Heal Pulse), ways to keep your own Pokémon healthy (Slack Off, Recover, or Roost), Leppa Berries to restore the user's lost PP, and continual generation of Leppa Berries (via Recycle).
The opponent is forced to Struggle, and because Struggle can never run out of PP, the battle would go on forever since a player can continuously heal both Pokémon (and prevent them from fainting). Endless battles are banned - if you encounter a "strategy" like this, alert a staff member in the Help room.

If the battle ends with both Pokémon fainting, who wins?
Whoever has the Pokémon that faints last wins. For Self-Destruct, Explosion, Final Gambit, and Destiny Bond, the user faints before dealing damage, so the users of those moves lose. For recoil damage from moves like Brave Bird, the user takes damage after damaging the opponent, so the users of those moves win. In Generation 1, if both battlers' final Pokémon faint in the same turn, the battle is a tie.

Why was my team rejected?
Teams are rejected for illegal moves / abilities or by breaking Smogon clauses.

Why does this Pokémon show as "illegal" in the Teambuilder?
It may be a Pokémon's alternate forme impossible to start a battle with. An example is Meloetta-Pirouette; you must use its standard forme (Meloetta-Aria) and execute the move Relic Song in battle. Your Pokemon may also be unreleased in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Finally, the Pokémon could be a CAP Pokémon, one made by Smogon's Create-A-Pokemon Project. You can use /cap or join the CAP Project room on PS to learn more about those.

Why can't I use my Shiny Legendary Pokémon?
Certain rare Pokémon are "shiny-locked", meaning that their shiny forms have never been made legally obtainable. These shiny-locked Pokémon are all Cap Pikachu formes, Articuno-Galar, Zapdos-Galar, Moltres-Galar, Celebi, Victini, Keldeo, Meloetta, Vivillon-Fancy, Vivillon-Pokeball, Hoopa, Volcanion, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Magearna, Marshadow, Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus, Kubfu, Urshifu, Zarude, Glastrier, Spectrier, and Calyrex.

My Pokémon has no illegal moves, a legal ability, and it isn't improperly shiny. Why is it illegal?
Often a Pokemon can legally fulfill multiple conditions individually, such as a learned move and shininess, but certain combinations are incompatible (impossible to have at the same time). You can do /learn Pokemon, move to see how a Pokemon learns a move, and /learn Pokemon, move1, move2 to see if multiple moves are compatible on it.

How do I reset my win / loss ratio?
Type /rank and in the box there will be a link to 'Reset W/L'. Following this link allows you to reset your ratio. Note that your other rankings will be unaffected; only your win/loss ratio will change. To change these other rankings, you can start off fresh with a new account.

What does GXE mean?
GXE stands for Glicko X-Act Estimate. The number shown is the estimated percent chance that a player has of winning against any other random player.

Where do I report a bug?
There's a high chance that it's actually an intentional mechanic that you don't fully understand. You should ask the Help Room about the issue first. If it still looks like a bug, head over to the bug reports forum. MAKE SURE TO READ THE FIRST TWO POSTS FULLY BEFORE YOU POST.