Battles on the Pokemon Showdown simulator

Trainer, gym, Elite Four, Battle Tower, event boss, PvP and champion battles now run on the same battle simulator as Pokemon Showdown, Shadow Pokemon included, so moves, abilities and items work as they do in the games.

- Every trainer, PvP and champion battle runs on Pokemon Showdown's simulator, so moves, abilities and items work as they do in the games.
- Held items are never lost in a battle. A berry, gem, Focus Sash or Air Balloon works once per battle and is back on your Pokemon afterwards.
- A move you can't use this turn is greyed out with the reason, and a Pokemon with no PP left uses Struggle.
- Shadow Pokemon battle on it too, with their Shadow moves and Shadow Sky.

**Battles**

Moves, abilities and items: Abilities, items and moves the old battle code never handled now work, and the ones it did handle follow the games more closely. Wild encounters and catching have not changed.

Held items: Nothing a battle does takes an item off your Pokemon. A berry, gem, Focus Sash, Air Balloon or an item thrown with Fling or knocked off works or goes once in that battle, and your Pokemon is holding it again when the battle ends.

Greyed-out moves: A move your Pokemon can't use this turn is greyed out with the reason: no PP, locked in, Encore, Disabled or Taunt. With no PP left in any move, it uses Struggle.

Trapped Pokemon: A Pokemon held by Shadow Tag, Arena Trap, Magnet Pull or Mean Look can't open the switch menu, and the bot says why.

**PvP and champion battles**

Draws: If both players' last Pokemon faint on the same turn, the battle is a draw: nobody wins the prize and neither rating changes.

Sending out mid-turn: After a U-turn, an Eject Button or a faint, the player who has to send a Pokemon out gets the prompt, and the other player's buttons say to wait for the new battle message.

Refused choices: If the battle refuses a move your picker offered, the bot pings you with the reason and your buttons stay live for another pick.

**Shadow Pokemon**

Shadow moves: Shadow moves are super effective against every Pokemon that is not Shadow and not very effective against Shadow Pokemon, and a Shadow Pokemon gets the same-type bonus on them. Shadow Hold, Shadow Mist, Shadow Panic, Shadow Down and Shadow Shed now change the stats they should.

Shadow Sky: Shadow Sky lasts 5 turns. Shadow moves are 1.5 times as strong under it, and at the end of each turn every Pokemon that is not Shadow loses 1/16 of its HP, unless it holds Safety Goggles or has Magic Guard or Overcoat. Cloud Nine and Air Lock cancel it while they are out.

Opening their hearts: Shadow Pokemon still earn no EXP: every battle opens their heart a little instead, until they are ready for /purify.

Full version: https://ravensaqw.com/updates/2026-10-showdown-battles