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Pokémon Discussion

Guaranteed flinch effect in Generation II - Page 1

Guaranteed flinch effect in Generation II

Posted by: Torchickens
Date: 2014-03-12 08:29:39
In Gold/Silver/Crystal there is a move effect that I think might be unused. Its identifier is 8D (141). If you use it when you are faster than the opponent, it will cause a guaranteed flinch, unless the opponent uses Protect but it won't deal any damage. If you use it when you are slower than the opponent, it will apparently always miss, even if you used Mind Reader the turn before.

In English Gold, the attack database begins at 0x41AFE, and in Crystal it begins at 0x41AFB, using the format [Attack Animation] [Effect] [Base Power] [Type] [Accuracy] [PP] [unknown value] (thanks theoblivinator from the Skeetendo forums). Here is an example of a move 'fingerprint': Pound - 01 00 28 00 FF 23 00.

I don't think this is an invalid move effect, because there are moves with higher effect identifiers, including Belly Drum (0x8E), Skull Bash (0x91), Future Sight (0x94), Beat Up (0x9A) and there are probably more but I haven't checked, with the first move effect that is definitely invalid being 0x9D. Also, the flinch effect is the same between Gold/Crystal and Japanese Gold (though I haven't checked if the effect when you're slower is the same).

I was interested in checking the move effects after walk_away21 mentioned recently on the Skeetendo forums that there was an unused "Fake Out" effect under its own move, where the game would activate the Fake Out effect then 'hittarget'. Does this mean that there is code for a move to hit with this aforementioned flinch effect? I can't find that Fake Out label in the Pokémon Crystal disassembly. If Fake Out was planned in Generation II, it is notable that Fake Out is the first index number for a new move in that generation, following Beat Up (FB).

Re: Guaranteed flinch effect in Generation II

Posted by: Stackout
Date: 2014-03-13 06:18:49
EFFECT_FAKE_OUT            EQU $8d

constants/battle_constants.asm

…however this constant is not referenced from anywhere else.

I guess it may indeed be unused..

Re: Guaranteed flinch effect in Generation II

Posted by: Stilgar
Date: 2014-03-13 11:47:14
Very interesting find indeed, I agree that if Fake Out is the first index move in Generation III then this further proves it was an unused move in Gen II, I wonder why they removed it, though, it would have been nice to have it in Gold/Silver/Crystal.

Re: Guaranteed flinch effect in Generation II

Posted by: Torchickens
Date: 2014-03-13 13:31:11

Very interesting find indeed, I agree that if Fake Out is the first index move in Generation III then this further proves it was an unused move in Gen II, I wonder why they removed it, though, it would have been nice to have it in Gold/Silver/Crystal.


I don't know if this effect was meant to deal damage as I haven't confirmed that myself through hacking yet. (even if you have an attack power for it programmed in (in the move database) it will still do no damage), so this effect may be a 'spiritual predecessor' to Fake Out rather than a direct one. It doesn't stop working after the first turn the user is out, either.

The only way I can see it working competitively if it deals no damage is if your opponent in poisoned, preferably through Toxic and then you'd probably need a Pokémon with good defenses (though this is not necessary if you cause your opponent to switch to a poisoned Pokémon) and Mean Look to take advantage of 0x8D until you run out of PP for the move.

There was also a glitch when I changed Pound's effect to Skull Bash (0x91)'s. The game said the user dug a hole the turn its defense was raised instead of it lowering its head, but when I looked at Skull Bash's effect it was definitely 0x91. So this raises a question of whether my version of the flinch effect is valid.