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Folder locations for abilities

  • 47
    Posts
    5
    Years
    • Seen Jun 25, 2025
    Hey everyone,

    I'm trying to do something seemingly simple just need some help on where to look.

    What I essentially want to do is re-use good ability effects but give them different names. My idea is to rename a bad ability and then point it to the good ability effect. That way I can have more variety while still keeping it simple.

    Can you tell me what folders to look in for Ability names, descriptions, effects, and the script file/location where they get implemented?

    PS
    If it's more complicated than that I'd at least like to know I'm way over my head! Lol. Just tell me please.
     
    Hey everyone,

    I'm trying to do something seemingly simple just need some help on where to look.

    What I essentially want to do is re-use good ability effects but give them different names. My idea is to rename a bad ability and then point it to the good ability effect. That way I can have more variety while still keeping it simple.

    Can you tell me what folders to look in for Ability names, descriptions, effects, and the script file/location where they get implemented?

    PS
    If it's more complicated than that I'd at least like to know I'm way over my head! Lol. Just tell me please.
    Assuming you're using Pokeruby, Pokefirered or Pokeemerald:
    -Ability effects are spread across src/battle_script_commands.c, src/battle_main.c and src/battle_util.c depending on the ability effect.
    -Ability names and descriptions are all in src/data/text/abilities.h.
     
    What I essentially want to do is re-use good ability effects but give them different names. My idea is to rename a bad ability and then point it to the good ability effect. That way I can have more variety while still keeping it simple.

    There's no reason to rename existing "bad" abilities, as you would also have to delete the code for them, and adding completely new abilities is extremely easy.

    Basically to duplicate an ability's effect you would:
    1. Define a new ability.
    2. Search for the ability you want to duplicate, and add checks for your new ability in the same places where the checks for the original ability's effect are.
     
    Thanks for the help, friends.

    I know it seems strange, but I am doing this because I'm using the decomp files to finish my binary hack before moving onto a decomp hack. I've had good luck with changing simple things and comparing the data with a vanilla rom. This one sounds like it's going to change too much, however. I'll keep these notes tucked away fir the next hack!
     
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