Modifications

A number of modifications have been made to Pokémon stats, moves, and species availability due to storage space. Some changes are exclusive to the Modified version of Polished Crystal while the others apply to both the Faithful and Modified versions.

• Moves and Pokémon types are updated to match Gen. VI, VII and VIII with a few more changes on top of that in the Modified version.
• Pokémon species and moves are both limited to one byte (or 8 bits) each: 254 species and 255 moves.
  • #0 ($00) and #255 ($ff) are special cases and normally unavailable, but the game has enabled the latter to serve as the Egg and Struggle, respectively.
  • The "9-bit species" project is planned, and a "10-bit move" project has been suggested; these will take time.
    • The 9bit branch has begun for the former with adding back the replaced species.
• See also the list of "Faithful" conditionals in the code (via GitHub's search).

Contents

• Pokémon Stats
• Moves
• Battle Mechanics
• Species Availability
• Overworld Effects
• Other Game Mechanics
• Trivia

Pokémon Stats

The base stats have been updated to match later Gens. The Modified version has additional stat increases to make Pokémon such as Kantonian Farfetch'd more viable.

• Full table of each Pokemon's types, stats and Abilities
• Full list in the code at the base_stats directory

Hidden Abilities

Pokémon can have a Hidden Ability.

↪️ Hidden Abilities

Custom Shiny Coloration

Not to be confused with the IVs vary color option for the IVs

The game has given some Shiny Pokémon new color: blue Pikachu, sky-blue Dragonite, and more.

The Red Gyarados in the Lake of Rage is now a special form instead of Shiny Pokémon. Shiny Gyarados is now gold as is its pre-evolution, while "Shiny Red Gyarados" remains red.

Caught Ball

The Poké Balls now have Use option in the item menu to change the ball of a Pokémon in your party. The old ball will be discarded. Enjoy your fashion any time!

Moves

• Full list at moves.asm
• Full list of the learnsets
• The move list table by attributes

Due to the 255-move limits, about 30% of the moves have been replaced and a few merged together.

Some of the new moves have their name shortened due to the character limits (name.asm), e.g. Dazzling Gleam >> DazzlinGleam.

Effect Changes

• Conversion can now pick a move to copy the type from. This is because the moveslots are swappable.

Explicit Mergers and Renames

Main article: FAQ § I don't recognize this move, what is it?

Four moves below have merged others explicitly, and three of them have been renamed for more accurate descriptions. The game's move animation engine (effect_commands.asm) can now play different animations for the same move depending on the conditions to preserve the original moves' appearance. For example, Chansey's Fresh Snack looks like Soft-Boiled, while Miltank's looks like Milk Drink; Defense Curl has the animation of Withdraw for Squirtle and that of Harden for Onix.

#	Original	Renamed to	Merging	Animation alts
111	Defense Curl	---	Harden, Withdraw	Harden / Withdraw for the original users
135	Soft-Boiled	Fresh Snack	Milk Drink	Milk Drink for Miltank
154	Fury Swipes	Fury Strikes	Fury Attack	Fury Attack for the original users
234	Morning Sun	Healing Light	Synthesis, Moonlight	Synthesis for Grass type; Moonlight at night; Morning Sun otherwise

In addition, Healing Light's healing amount is now independent from the time of day.

Common Learnset Consolidations

The 255-move limits result in many changes on the learnsets, which are based on Gen. VII. There are some implicit mergers on top of the explicit four. Below are common replacements, though they aren't universal due to the balancing:

• Pound → Tackle
• Tail Whip → Leer
• Bind, Constrict → Wrap
• Sand Attack → Mud-Slap
• Detect → Protect
• Spider Web → Mean Look
• Flail → Reversal
• Heal Pulse, Aqua Ring, etc → Recover and similar
• Superpower, Hammer Arm → Close Combat
• Jump Kick → High Jump Kick

Later Gen. Moves

Newer moves have replaced older ones. These apply to both the Modified and Faithful version, barring Brick Break.

#	Old	New
1	Pound	Acrobatics
4	Comet Punch	Aereal Ace
5	Mega Punch	Dragon Claw
11	Vicegrip	X-Scissor
12	Guillotine	Night Slash
13	Razor Wind	Air Slash
18	Whirlwind	Sucker Punch
20	Bind	Dazzling Gleam
21	Slam	Volt Switch
25	Mega Kick	Flare Blitz
26	Jump Kick	Stone Edge
27	Rolling Kick	Focus Blast
28	Sand Attack	Toxic Spikes
31	(Fury Attack)	Trick
32	Horn Drill	Hex
39	Tail Whip	Hail
41	Twineedle	U-Turn
54	Mist	Calm Mind
66	Submission	Close Combat
90	Fissure	Avalanche
96	Meditate	Hone Claws
102	Mimic	Dragon Pulse
106	(Harden)	Rock Blast
110	(Withdraw)	Aqua Tail
117	Bide	Flash Cannon
119	Mirror Move	Scald
120	Selfdestruct	Trick Room
121	Egg Bomb	Skill Swap
123	Smog	Gunk Shot
124	Sludge	Venoshock
125	Bone Club	Earth Power
128	Clamp	Icicle Crash
130	Skull Bash	Iron Head
131	Spike Cannon	Icicle Spear
132	Constrict	Bulldoze
134	Kinesis	Roost
139	Poison Gas	Poison Jab
140	Barrage	Bullet Punch
142	Lovely Kiss	Draining Kiss
143	Sky Attack	Brave Bird
145	Bubble	Water Pulse
149	Psywave	Extrasensory
151	Acid Armor	Dragon Dance
159	Sharpen	Bulk Up
165	(Struggle)	Giga Impact
167	Triple Kick	Drain Punch
169	Spider Web	Will-O-Wisp
170	Mind Reader	Zen Headbutt
171	Nightmare	Façade
172	Flame Wheel	Flame Charge
173	Snore	Hyper Voice
175	Flail	Gyro Ball
176	Conversion2	Energy Ball
178	Cotton Spore	Seed Bomb
180	Spite	Astonish
181	Powder Snow	Ice Shard
197	Detect	Power Gem
198	Bone Rush	Wild Charge
199	Lock-On	Power Whip
208	(Milk Drink)	Shell Smash
210	Fury Cutter	Bug Bite
217	Present	Psystrike
218	Frustration	Bug Buzz
230	Sweet Scent	Shadow Claw
233	Vital Throw	Aura Sphere
235	(Synthesis)	Hurricane
236	(Moonlight)	Knock Off
239	Twister	Aqua Jet
244	Psych Up	Nasty Plot
249	Rock Smash	Brick Break*
251	Beat Up	Dark Pulse
252	---	Moonblast
253	---	Play Rough
254	---	Disarming Voice
255	---	(Struggle)

* Only on Modified

Move Changes on Modified

Canon updates from newer Generations are excluded here.

#	Move	Mods
15	Cut	BP: 50 → 60 Type: Normal → Steel Acc.: 95% → 100%
19	Fly	Acc. : 95% → 100%
36	Take Down	Acc.: 85% → 100% PP: 20 → 15
47	Sing	Acc.: 55% → 75%
48	Supersonic	Acc.: 55% → 65%
70	Strength	Type: Normal → Fighting
83	Fire Spin	BP: 35 → 40 Acc.: 85% → 90%
91	Dig	BP: 80 → 90
118	Metronome	Type: Normal → ??? PP: 10 → 20
152	Crabhammer	Acc.: 90% → 95%
154	Fury Strikes	BP: 18 → 20 Acc.: 80% → 85%
190	Octazooka	BP: 65 → 75 Acc.: 85% → 95% Effect chance: 50% → 30%
220	Pain Split	Type: Normal → Ghost
229	Rapid Spin	PP: 40 → 20
237	Hidden Power	Type: Normal → ??? Can become Fairy type BP: 60 → 70
250	Whirlpool	BP: 35 → 40 Acc.: 85% → 90%
255	Struggle	Type: Normal → ???

Battle Mechanics

• Only on Modified, the Hail weather now boosts Ice-type Pokémon's Defense.

Species Availability

The entire Pokédex of 254 Pokémon can be caught in one game. Some Pokémon like Houndour, Murkrow, and Misdreavus are no longer exclusive to Kanto and can be found at sensible locations in Johto. A few Pokémon have been removed due to storage limits, but the planned 9-bit species project will make room for all the original Pokémon.

Wild Encounters

• Full list of wild encounters in the code at wild directory
• Evening has a 60% chance of giving Day wild encounters and 40% of Night. (wildmons.asm)

Pokédex Changes

• Added: Leafeon, Glaceon, Sylveon, Togekiss, Weavile, Honchkrow, Mismagius, Electivire, Magmortar, Magnezone, Tangrowth, Rhyperior, Porygon-Z, Yanmega, Gliscor, Mamoswine, and Munchlax.
• Removed: Spearow, Fearow, Lickitung, Goldeen, Seaking, Hoppip, Skiploom, Jumpluff, Aipom, Stantler, Cleffa, Igglybuff, Smoochum, and Delibird.

↪️ 8-bit Pokédex

Forms

Alolan and Galarian forms exist in the game. Some are currently in the process of being added, so they cannot be obtained yet.

↪️ Regional Forms

Evolutions

• New evolution methods work, like Eevee evolving into Glaceon near Ice Rock, or Yanma evolving into Yanmega when knowing AncientPower.
• Item-trade evolutions (like Seadra holding a Dragon Scale) now evolve by leveling up while holding the item.
• Machoke, Graveler (both Forms), Haunter, and Kadabra now evolve by having 50 EVs in Attack, Defense, Speed, and Special Attack, respectively.
• Magneton evolves into Magnezone near the Lodestone in Rock Tunnel.
• Only on Modified, Flaaffy evolves into Ampharos at Lv. 36 instead of 30.

↪️ evos_attacks.asm

Roamers

Entei and Raikou roam and, as in later Generations, if they faint uncaught they'll reappear when you beat the Champion. Polished Crystal also allows you to release the caught ones to make them reappear in that way, which serves as a re-roll.

Overworld Effects

• The Oval Charm now doubles the speed of hatching an Egg as do Flame Body and Magma Armor. While the Abilities don't stack with each other, they do with the Oval Charm.
• Only on Modified, an Amulet Coin held by your lead now boosts the chance of encountering a wild Pokémon holding an item as does Compound Eyes. The two don't stack with each other.

Other Game Mechanics

• IVs and EVs
• Utilities, e.g. Bill's grandpa now living in Goldenrod instead of Route 25 for earlier access to Evolution stones
• Time of day now has Evening for the third section, between Day and Night: 5 am - 9 am - 5 pm - 9 pm - 5 am (misc_constants.asm)
• The Shiny icon is now a star as it was from FR/LG to LGP/E. It'll be yellow as in FR/LG when its color is available.
• The Masuda method of Shiny breeding is now triggered by a pair of Pokémon of different OTIDs. (daycare.asm)

Trivia

• The additional effect of the Amulet Coin on Modified was implemented ahead of the Abilities and remains effective.
• Among the learnset mods, Eevee has taken a Tutor move that its evolutions can't be taught, namely Earth Power; it was a "Prism Tutor move" for Eevee.