View source for List of battle glitches in Generation III

{{Incomplete|article|How do battle-specific bugs work in Link Battles considering different language versions where the bugs are fixed? What about different games altogether (e.g.: RS-exclusive glitch in a Link Battle with FRLG)?}}

:''For other glitches in this generation, see [[List of glitches in Generation III]]''
This is a '''list of [[Pokémon battle]] glitches in [[Generation III]] games'''.

==Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen==
===Focus Punch recall bug===
By selecting {{m|Focus Punch}} in a [[Double Battle]] on the first {{OBP|Pokémon|species}}, pressing the '''B''' button, then [[recall]]ing the first Pokémon, the first Pokémon will tighten its focus in preparation for Focus Punch, then be recalled. This is due to the priority of Focus Punch getting prepared being higher than the priority for the recall.

{{YouTubeEmbed|SepV3AIF4VQ|channel/UCgA3xOk7QY4MOYhc7EBFe0g|name=Wooggle Smith|Fighting}}

===Mail corruption===
{{incomplete|section}}

Although later games disallow the removal of {{DL|Mail|Generation III|Mail}} during a battle, these games allow in-battle Mail removal due to oversights. This allows the player to corrupt the held Mail.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyjCYoOigfU A Piece of Mail Just BROKE Gen 3 Pokemon Speedruns Forever, PulseEffects on YouTube]</ref>

* In {{game|Ruby and Sapphire|s}}, the [[move]] {{m|Thief}} can be used on the player's own Pokémon in a Double Battle to move Mail from one Pokémon to another.
* In the Japanese versions of Ruby and Sapphire only, the [[move]] {{m|Trick}} can be used to switch Mail with the [[held item]] of the opposing {{OBP|Pokémon|species}}.
* In all Generation III games, during a [[Double Battle]], a Pokémon can consume its held [[Berry]] and switch to another Pokémon in the [[party]] holding Mail that knows {{m|Recycle}}. The Pokémon holding Mail can be hit by the move {{m|Knock Off}} to lose its Mail, then use Recycle to recover the consumed Berry, overwriting the held Mail.

Mail corruption results in an [[item]] that has the Mail icon but acts like the item held afterward. If this bug is repeated six times, Mail can be given to the Pokémon without having to attach a message, and the player can indefinitely withdraw the item from the Pokémon by giving it Mail then withdrawing it again. In Ruby and Sapphire, this can also corrupt tiles and their collision parameters based on the phrase of the buggy Mail when given to another Pokémon in the [[Party|Pokémon List]]. In FireRed and LeafGreen, this bug corrupts the [[Pokémon Storage System]] data, which allows [[arbitrary code execution]] to be performed.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7sHAlGTclo Speedrunners FINALLY Broke Pokemon Fire Red After 19 Years, PulseEffects on YouTube]</ref>

{{YouTubeEmbed|_JCUkA0UWJg|channel/UCZz2ixp-5T6VeAPtAMQ5v5Q|name=ChickasaurusGL|Psychic}}

===Move details errors===
[[File:Vital Throw wrong display.png|thumb|240px|The error affects moves such as {{m|Vital Throw}}.]]
The details on the descriptions for many moves show them as having 100% {{stat|accuracy}}, despite the moves succeeding regardless of accuracy and {{stat|evasion}}.

This error is present in the details of {{m|Assist}}, {{m|Block}}, {{m|Camouflage}}, {{m|Charge}}, {{m|Conversion 2}}, {{m|Follow Me}}, {{m|Grudge}}, {{m|Helping Hand}}, {{m|Imprison}}, {{m|Ingrain}}, {{m|Magic Coat}}, {{m|Mean Look}}, {{m|Memento}}, {{m|Mimic}}, {{m|Mud Sport}}, {{m|Nightmare}}, {{m|Pain Split}}, {{m|Recycle}}, {{m|Refresh}}, {{m|Role Play}}, {{m|Skill Swap}}, {{m|Slack Off}}, {{m|Snatch}}, {{m|Soft-Boiled|Softboiled}}, {{m|Spider Web}}, {{m|Tail Glow}}, {{m|Vital Throw}}, {{m|Water Sport}}, {{m|Wish}} and {{m|Yawn}}.

The description for {{m|Spit Up}} shows it as having 100 power, despite its power being calculated based on the amount of times {{m|Stockpile}} has been used.

===Softboiled + Brick Break bug===
If {{m|Softboiled}} is used immediately after {{m|Brick Break}}, the egg that appears will be transparent rather than solid.

===Status condition delayed cure glitch===
If a Pokémon with a [[status condition]] that has an [[Ability]] that cures that status condition (e.g. a {{status|paralysis|paralyzed}} Pokémon with {{a|Limber}}) is sent into battle as one of the lead Pokémon or to replace a fainted Pokémon, or gains that Ability due to {{a|Trace}}, it will not be cured of its status condition until after a Pokémon takes its turn (uses a move, switches out, etc.). However, it will be immediately cured of the status condition if it is switched in to replace a switched out Pokémon (including if switched in via {{m|Baton Pass}}).

Likewise, if a Pokémon with {{a|Trace}} is {{status|confusion|confused}} due to obtaining it from {{m|Baton Pass}}, if it gains {{a|Own Tempo}} via Trace it will not be cured of confusion until after a Pokémon takes its turn (uses a move, switches out, etc.).

===Sticky Hold graphics bug===
When {{m|Thief}} or {{m|Covet}} are used to knock out a {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} holding an [[item]] that also has the {{a|Sticky Hold}} Ability, the sprite of the defeated Pokémon becomes stuck and gets translucent until another screen is loaded. Switching to the [[Bag]] screen or the [[Party|Pokémon List]] will cause it to disappear.

On a {{pkmn|battle}} against a full [[party]], defeating the next Pokémon will cause that Pokémon's sprite to vanish normally, but the stuck sprite will remain. If the second Pokémon is defeated without leaving the battle screen, a third Pokémon will come out, but the second Pokémon's sprite will be flushed out normally. The stuck sprite of the first Pokémon will remain and get recolored to match. This is because the game stores color palettes separately to the sprites themselves.

{{YouTubeEmbed|CR-MZ8QOBps|channel/UCmxPcJjW-ChC_fASAJ1Agsg|name=Nai|Dark}}

===Stuck audio bug===
If {{m|Thunder}} or {{m|Thunderbolt}} are used during {{pkmn|battle}} with the [[Battle effects|effects]] enabled, the sound of the [[move]]s may get stuck until the game is rebooted. This is related to the [[#Stuck audio freeze|stuck audio freeze]] glitch.

{{YouTubeEmbed|nuM1z9fXnzc|channel/UCNmXIQ8BfbUTKC8T_Fp2T9w|name=Guppieniwa Von Creeper|electric}} 
{{YouTubeEmbed|bRIlGsOF3NE|channel/UC3d55UvuweXPpaorBkW1ALg|name=ThatWolfWizard|Ice}}

==Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, and LeafGreen==
===Roaming Pokémon IV bug===
In the [[Generation III]] games, the data for a {{OBP|Pokémon|species}}'s {{IV}}s are stored in a {{DL|Individual values|Generation III onward|32-bit integer}}. For [[roaming Pokémon]], these IVs are stored in a unique place in memory and retrieved whenever the roaming Pokémon is encountered in the wild, so that its IVs remain constant between encounters. However, a glitch causes only the last 8 bits to be transferred from this place<ref>https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=214655</ref><ref>https://projectpokemon.org/home/forums/topic/3849-legendary-beast-glitch/</ref> instead of all 32. Due to this, while the {{stat|HP}} IV is unaffected, the Pokémon can only have a maximum {{stat|Attack}} IV of 7, and the other four IVs will always be 0. Their {{m|Hidden Power}} type will always be Fighting with a power of 30 or 31.

This glitch was fixed in {{g|Emerald}}.

==Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, LeafGreen, and Colosseum==
===Multistrike moves inflict status upon their target===
If a Pokémon uses a [[multistrike move]] other than {{m|Triple Kick}} against a target with an [[Ability]] that inflicts a [[status condition]] on [[contact]], and the move's user triggers this Ability with the move's final strike, there is a 1% chance that the target also becomes afflicted by the status condition inflicted by their Ability.<ref>https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/918915-pokemon-firered-version/41769517</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/4by3skY1Cpc The 20 Year Old Pokemon Glitch You DON'T Know About, Yuki Hoshikawa on YouTube]</ref>

{{YouTubeEmbed|tdw8D0TIwyE|channel/UCZz2ixp-5T6VeAPtAMQ5v5Q|name=ChickasaurusGL|Electric}}

==Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald==
===Nature Power details error===
{{m|Nature Power}}'s accuracy is listed as 95%, even though {{cat|moves that call other moves}}, including Nature Power, skip accuracy and evasion checks. The called move performs the accuracy and evasion checks as normal (except {{m|Swift}}, which skips those checks).

===Pokéblock throw bug===
{{main|Hoenn Safari Zone#Pokéblock throw bug}}
{{YouTubeEmbed|CGaaHg-2V2E|channel/UCLczqDEH90snBw3bF-Ql4DQ|name=Metarkrai M|Grass}}

===Wally defeating Ralts oversight===
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, it is possible for the capture tutorial where Wally catches a {{p|Ralts}} to end with Ralts [[fainting]]. This can only happen if {{p|Zigzagoon}} is generated with 11 Attack, and the wild Ralts has a [[Nature]] that lowers Defense, an [[Individual values|IV]] of 3 or less in HP, and 5 or less in Defense. With all this, Zigzagoon can do a maximum of 10 damage with its first {{m|Tackle}}, and after {{m|Growl}} is used on it, 7 with its second. This makes for a total of 17 damage, just enough to knock out Ralts. However, the game continues on as if it had been caught. The probability of this occurring is <math display="block">{182 \over 800} \times {4 \over 25} \times {4 \over 32} \times {6 \over 32} \times {5 \over 16} \times {7 \over 16} = {611,520 \over 5,242,880,000} = {1911 \over 16,384,000} \approx 0.01\% </math>
{{YouTubeEmbed|xERTYBk3Txk|channel/UCZz2ixp-5T6VeAPtAMQ5v5Q|name=ChickasaurusGL|Emerald}}

===Wally's Shiny Ralts oversight===
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, if Wally encounters a {{pkmn2|Shiny}} {{p|Ralts}} in the catching tutorial, this Ralts will appear as a regular non-Shiny Pokémon in subsequent battles. This happens due to the fact that the battles between the player and Wally are scripted with no way to account for a Shiny Ralts.

==Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire==
===HP bar oversight===
During a {{pkmn|battle}}, if the player's {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} deals more than 33037 [[damage]] at once, the opposing Pokémon will [[Fainting|faint]] without its {{stat|HP}} bar being drained. If the damage dealt in one hit is exactly 33037, the HP bar drains instantly.

{{YouTubeEmbed|c7CmRMN-OjA|channel/UCZz2ixp-5T6VeAPtAMQ5v5Q|name=ChickasaurusGL|HP}}

===Pay Day money error===
The wrong amount of [[Pokémon Dollar]]s received from {{m|Pay Day}} will be displayed if the [[Amulet Coin]] is held by a {{OBP|Pokémon|species}}, leaving the impression that it does not affect Pay Day. Yet, upon checking the {{ga|Trainer Card}}, the player will discover that the amount was doubled accordingly.

{{YouTubeEmbed|CxieyRroBQE|channel/UCZz2ixp-5T6VeAPtAMQ5v5Q|name=ChickasaurusGL|Normal}}

===Roaming Pokémon encounter bug===
Encountering and defeating {{p|Latios}} or {{p|Latias}} after losing a Trainer battle (without any other wild encounters in between) will cause the game to keep the data of the opponent's [[Party|Pokémon List]] slots 2-6.<ref name="GCLF">[http://forums.glitchcity.info/index.php/topic,7016.msg199101.html#msg199101 Battle Tower Lati@s glitch]</ref> If these slots contain data that does not match a [[Bad Egg]] or a [[Fainting|fainted]] {{OBP|Pokémon|species}}, it will be sent out after defeating Latias, as if it were a Trainer battle. The Trainer's name is shown as "[[Pokémon Trainer|{{PK}}{{MN}} TRAINER]]" (ポケモントレーナー) and their Pokémon can be caught and [[nickname]]d.

The game considers this as a {{pkmn2|wild}} battle in [[roaming Pokémon]] mode.<ref name="GCLF"/> As such, the Pokémon is able to flee if it's not trapped by {{m|Mean Look}} or {{m|Spider Web}}. The roaming Pokémon is considered defeated or {{pkmn2|caught}} after catching the Trainer's Pokémon or defeating them in battle. If the Pokémon flees or the player loses/decides to run away, the roaming Pokémon will not be recognized as defeated or caught and will keep roaming [[Hoenn]] even if it only has 0 {{stat|HP}} left; under such circumstances, the bug will automatically load the Trainer's Pokémon and skip the roaming Pokémon.<ref name="GCLF"/> Since the game behaves as if it were a [[wild Pokémon]] battle, it will not present the Trainer's sprite and/or their "victory" speech. [[Pokédex]] entry data is also added if the Pokémon is caught.<ref name="GCLF"/>

[[Experience]] is gained from defeating the Trainer's Pokémon. If experience gains occur after defeating Latias, the game will keep playing [[Pokémon Ruby & Pokémon Sapphire: Super Music Collection|''Victory! (Wild Pokémon)'']] while the Trainer sends out their Pokémon. The original {{IV}}s of the Trainer's Pokémon are retained so the [[:#Roaming Pokémon IV bug|Roaming Pokémon IV bug]] does not apply.<ref name="GCLF"/>

The Trainer's Pokémon caught by the player may also become [[Bad Egg]]s, unless the Pokémon was obtained from a Trainer found in the {{Gdis|Battle Tower|III}}. This is because the Pokémon of other Trainers do not have a [[Trainer ID number]] and {{DL|Trainer ID number|Secret ID}} that match those of the player.<ref name="GCLF"/>

{{YouTubeEmbed|FjqMC_p024A|channel/UCZz2ixp-5T6VeAPtAMQ5v5Q|name=ChickasaurusGL|Psychic}}

===Shed Skin does not clear Nightmare===
Any {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} awoken through {{a|Shed Skin}} will not be cleared of {{m|Nightmare}}. This means the Nightmare damage is still applied, even though the affected Pokémon is no longer {{status|sleep|asleep}}.
This bug has been addressed in {{game2|FireRed|LeafGreen|Emerald}}; interestingly enough the developers also implemented another fail safe in the code of Nightmare in those versions, so it clears the condition, if it detects the victim not being asleep.
{{YouTubeEmbed|7oxJVaP3UOc |channel/UC_I-jZT0rw8YbFZxV4jNm9g|name=DrFrugal|Ghost}}

===Stuck audio freeze===
In some copies of {{game|Ruby and Sapphire|s}}, using {{m|Thunder}} or {{m|Thunderbolt}} may cause the [[Game freeze|game to freeze]] during the animation sequences of the [[move]]s. This can be remedied by turning off the [[battle effects]] in the [[options]].

==={{m|Toxic}} catch rate bonus===
If a {{pkmn2|wild}} Pokémon is {{status|poison|badly poisoned}}, the 1.5 bonus multiplier for status conditions is not applied to the {{DL|Catch_rate|Modified_catch_rate_3|catch rate}}.
It is caused by a faulty bit mask (0x58 instead of 0xD8) which is applied to the {{DL|Pokémon_data_structure_(Generation_III)|Status_condition|status condition data}}.
This was fixed in {{game2|FireRed|LeafGreen|Emerald}}.
{{YouTubeEmbed|enLXsJvKDu8|channel/UC_I-jZT0rw8YbFZxV4jNm9g|name=DrFrugal|Poison}}

==Pokémon Emerald==
===Battle Pike's poison knockout===
This glitch involves a series of steps before a Double Battle within the Battle Pike. It allows for sending out two Pokémon in a Double Battle even when the player has only one usable Pokémon (i.e. the second is a clone of the first Pokémon), and allows for a glitched party menu like during [[Glitzer Popping]], but its applications are unknown.

# Have the first Pokémon faint.
# View the third Pokémon's status in the party.
# Faint the second Pokémon due to poison.
# Enter the Double Battle. 

{{Youtubevid|_x4ccNjmEkM|channel/UCVo-GTRDfqsKnLhBTrCN5hg|name=MGC|Water|Poison}}

===Hidden Power disobedience glitch===
{{GlitchResearch|Does the move use the power and damage category of Hidden Power or the used move? Can Pokémon be immune to Stun Spore due to type effectiveness?}}
If the player commands a Pokémon to use {{m|Hidden Power}}, but it instead uses a different move due to [[obedience|disobedience]], the used move uses the [[type]] of Hidden Power for that particular Pokémon rather than its usual type.

This glitch affects the type effectiveness of {{m|Thunder Wave}} and {{m|Glare}}; for example, if Thunder Wave becomes a {{type|Fighting}} move, {{type|Ground}} Pokémon can be affected by it but {{type|Ghost}} Pokémon cannot.

{{YouTubeEmbed|AkezrtJDvTg|ChickasaurusGL|Normal}}

==Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen==
===Music effects oversight===
While the [[Poké Flute]] melody or {{p|Jigglypuff}}'s song is playing, if the [[Help System]] screen is opened and closed, the music will be muted until the melody would end.
{{YouTubeEmbed|QZatzouUnXc|GlitchyGarchomp|status}}
{{YouTubeEmbed|r8wCy8TV-rU|UCGem9_-WFL4gBAL02NVYdKw|name=Keyacom|normal|fairy}}

===Roaming Roar bug===
If a [[roaming Pokémon]] uses {{m|Roar}} to flee from {{pkmn|battle}}, it will no longer appear in the wild. This means the player will [[Permanently missable Pokémon|no longer be able to obtain it in that save file]]. This can be avoided if the roaming Pokémon is affected by {{m|Encore}} or {{m|Taunt}}, or the player's Pokémon is affected by {{m|Ingrain}} or has {{a|Soundproof}} or {{a|Suction Cups}}.
{{YouTubeEmbed|Bfv2g5batno|GlitchyGarchomp|normal}}

==Pokémon Colosseum==
===Battle Item glitch===
By using an ineffective item, such as a [[Potion]] on a Pokémon with full health, the {{player}} can use a battle item on that Pokémon instead of the Pokémon whose turn it is.

===Perish Song experience bugs===
====Involving status ailments====
{{GlitchResearch|Do volatile status ailments like confusion, Leech Seed, and Curse cause this too?}}
When the last opposing {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} is defeated by a {{status|burn}} or {{status|poison}} while the player's Pokémon are under the effect of {{m|Perish Song}}, the player's Pokémon will gain [[experience]] immediately after the Pokémon [[Fainting|faints]], then once again each time one of the player's Pokémon's perish count drops. This allows Pokémon to gain the experience for defeating the Pokémon up to three times.

====Involving weather====
{{GlitchResearch|Does Hail trigger this too? Is the Exp. Share required? Does the opposing Pokémon need to be immune to weather damage? What happens if both of the Player's Pokémon would hit zero?}}

If the last opposing {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} is defeated with Perish Song while {{m|Sandstorm}} is active, the opposing Pokémon that fainted was immune to Sandstorm, and at least one if the player's Pokémon is about to also reach zero, then the battle will continue on with the player's Pokémon also fainting.  Those Pokémon that were out with that Pokémon and any Pokémon holding an [[Exp. Share]] will gain experience as if it was an opposing Pokémon before the battle concludes.

{{YouTubeEmbed|bFmPFVLqZNs|Wooggle|pearl}}

===Poké Ball amount bug===
By selecting a [[Poké Ball]] during the turn of the player's first {{OBP|Pokémon|species}}, changing the location of the selected Poké Ball with another Poké Ball type in the Bag with the '''Y''' button on the second Pokémon's turn, then throwing the Poké Ball, the Poké Ball pocket will still display the same amount of Poké Balls, as if the Poké Ball just thrown had not been used.

Additionally, if the second Pokémon is using a multiple-turn [[move]] that was selected on a previous turn, the attack prevents the bug from working, which causes the thrown [[Snag Ball]] to be used.

This glitch was fixed in the sequel; [[Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness]].

{{YouTubeEmbed|PK4lMxx6YAc|channel/UCzozMcF1kcR9dzsdEkRHdaw|name=Jake Auralight °w° (Gligar13Vids)|Colosseum}}

===Shadow Rush glitch===
If a [[Shadow Pokémon]] in [[Hyper Mode]] is trying to use {{m|Thunder}}, {{m|Surf}}, {{m|Earthquake}} or {{m|Magnitude}}, but uses {{m|Shadow Rush}} instead due to disobedience, Shadow Rush can hit during the [[semi-invulnerable turn]] of {{m|Fly}}, {{m|Bounce}}, {{m|Dive}} or {{m|Dig}}.

===Shiny Shadow Pokémon bug===
Like in the [[core series]] games, in {{g|Colosseum}} there is a 1/8192 chance for [[Shadow Pokémon]] to be {{Shiny}}. When fighting a trainer with a Shadow Pokémon for the first time, its information will be decided and there is a 1/8192 chance of spontaneously becoming Shiny for the player after capturing it, but never for the opponent. If the player loses without capturing the Pokémon and decides to [[rematch]] the trainer, the information for that Pokémon will be locked in and ''can'' be shiny for the opponent, and will only be shiny for the player if it would have been the first time the trainer was fought. Shadow Pokémon retain shininess through [[purification]].

This bug occurs because when the player captures a Shadow Pokémon, their [[Trainer ID number]] overwrites the [[original Trainer]]'s ID number, unlike with [[trade]]d Pokémon; because the Trainer ID number is a factor in Shiny calculation, this may cause the Pokémon to acquire (or lose) their Shiny status. This is similar to the oddity of a hatched {{pkmn|Egg}} changing from normal to Shiny (or vice-versa) if it was traded to another player before hatching.

In {{g|XD: Gale of Darkness}}, the game calculates a [[personality value]] for a Shadow Pokémon, checks it against the player's and opponent's ID numbers, and if either one would result in a Shiny Pokémon, it generates a new personality value for that Pokémon (repeating if necessary). As a direct result, Shadow Pokémon in {{XD}} can never be Shiny (though other Pokémon, such as those appearing in [[Poké Spot]]s or [[Battle CD]]s, can be).

{{YouTubeEmbed|zqUo_u-MhwA|channel/UCrWfNs3bu-p_n4FqLPM7WSw|name=SargeantMario101|XD}}

===Snag recall bug===
{{GlitchResearch|Is it fixed in XD?}}
[[File:Snagging glitch.png|thumb|The bug in effect]]
If the player snags a [[Shadow Pokémon]] on the same turn that the {{wp|Artificial intelligence (video games)|AI}} opponent [[recall]]s its other Pokémon (e.g.: to avoid {{m|Yawn}}'s effect), and the opponent only has two non-Shadow Pokémon left, they will not send out a Pokémon in the place of the snagged one.
{{clear}}

==Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness==
===Shadow Voltorb Catch Bug===
If the player loses the fight with Miror B at the Cave Poké Spot (where he initially has a Shadow Voltorb), it will not reappear in any of the rematches against Miror B. This locks the player out of capturing the Voltorb, and in turn Dragonite without completely restarting the game.

This Shadow Voltorb is missing a flag in its code that is present on every other Shadow Pokémon in battles where players are allowed to lose to still progress the story.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Glitches}}<br>
{{Project GlitchDex notice}}

[[Category:Glitches by game]]