Decoding the Digital DNA: What is an Illegal Pokémon?

An illegal Pokémon, in the context of the core series games, is defined as any Pokémon whose data falls outside the parameters of what’s naturally possible to obtain through normal, intended gameplay. Think of it as a digital anomaly, a creature whose existence bends or breaks the rules of the Pokémon universe. It’s like finding a five-legged cat – biologically improbable, if not impossible, under natural circumstances. These Pokémon often arise from the use of external tools like save editors, hacking devices, or glitches to manipulate the game’s code.

Now, let’s dive deeper into the fascinating, and sometimes murky, world of illegal Pokémon.

Understanding Illegality: Beyond Simple Hacking

The concept of an illegal Pokémon is more nuanced than simply labeling any Pokémon created with a hacking device as “illegal.” While hacking is a primary source of these creatures, the illegality stems from the resulting state of the Pokémon itself. A Pokémon is flagged as illegal if it possesses characteristics or combinations of characteristics that cannot legitimately occur. This could include:

• Impossible Ability: A Pokémon having an Ability it cannot naturally possess.
• Invalid Move Set: A Pokémon knowing moves that are not learnable by its species, either through leveling, TMs, breeding, or event-exclusive moves.
• Incorrect Encounter Data: A Pokémon with encounter data that doesn’t align with its origin. For example, a legendary Pokémon caught in an area where it can’t legitimately be found.
• Ribbon Inconsistencies: Ribbons obtained from specific regions or events that contradict the Pokémon’s origin data. As the old article stated: “A pokemon with the Beauty Ribbon that was caught in, say, the Johto region, is illegal, as said ribbon could only be obtained in RSE and, for the Pokémon to come from the Johto Region, it must have been caught in HGSS.”
• Stats or IVs Exceeding Limits: While less common these days due to the prevalence of bottle caps and hyper training, a Pokémon with impossible Individual Values (IVs) or stats in older games could be a sign of illegality.
• Impossible Shiny Status: Pokémon that are “shiny locked” and were caught in a game where there is no possible shiny variation.

It’s essential to distinguish between illegitimate and illegal. An illegitimate Pokémon is any Pokémon not obtained through legitimate means, which does include most hacked Pokémon. However, a Pokémon can be illegitimate without being illegal if it has legal traits. For example, a Shiny Pokemon can be considered illegitimate if you hacked the game to get it, but still be considered legal if it has the right IVs and ability.

The Consequences of Illegality

The Pokémon Company and Nintendo actively strive to prevent illegal Pokémon from disrupting the competitive landscape and online interactions. The primary mechanism for this is the game’s built-in legality checks. These checks are implemented to detect and filter out Pokémon with impossible data before they can be used in online battles, trades, or Wonder Trades.

• Online Restrictions: Illegal Pokémon are typically prevented from participating in online battles, trades, and other online features.
• Trade Limitations: The game will usually prevent you from trading illegal Pokémon with other players.
• Competitive Disqualification: Using illegal Pokémon in official tournaments can lead to disqualification and bans.
• Potential for Save Corruption (Rare): In very rare cases, poorly created illegal Pokémon might corrupt save data, though this is less common in modern games.

Distinguishing Legal, Illegitimate, and Illegal

The difference between legal, illegitimate, and illegal Pokémon is vital. Legal Pokémon are obtainable through normal gameplay. Illegitimate Pokemon have been created using external tools, but may still be deemed legal. Illegal Pokemon have traits or characteristics that can’t legitimately happen within the game.

Legitimate: Caught or bred naturally in the game. Illegitimate: Not caught or bred naturally in the game. Legal (Valid): Can exist naturally in the game without the use of external devices. Illegal (Invalid): Cannot exist naturally in the game without external devices.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Illegal Pokémon

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the concept of illegal Pokémon and related topics:

1. How can I tell if a Pokémon I received in a trade is illegal?

Inspect the Pokémon carefully. Look for impossible abilities, movesets, locations of origin, or a combination of ribbons and origins that doesn’t make sense. If something seems “off,” it probably is. Keep in mind that experienced hackers can create Pokémon that are very difficult to distinguish from legitimate ones.

2. What happens if I accidentally receive an illegal Pokémon?

Usually, nothing drastic. The game typically prevents you from using it in online battles or trading it further. You can keep it if you want, but it’s essentially unusable in most online contexts.

3. Can I get banned for receiving an illegal Pokémon?

No, you won’t be banned for simply receiving an illegal Pokémon, especially if you didn’t know it was illegal. The ban hammers are usually reserved for those who actively create and distribute these Pokémon.

4. Does Pokémon HOME catch illegal Pokémon?

Pokémon HOME has some detection methods to prevent illegal Pokémon from being transferred. It’s generally considered to have slightly better detection than Pokémon Bank, but it’s not foolproof.

5. Can I use a Pokémon with perfect IVs in online battles?

Yes, as long as the perfect IVs were obtained through legitimate means like breeding, Hyper Training, or are simply the result of random generation. Perfect IVs alone don’t make a Pokémon illegal.

6. What about Pokémon with event-exclusive moves?

Pokémon with event-exclusive moves are legal as long as they were obtained through the official event distribution or subsequently bred down. If a Pokémon has an event-exclusive move that it shouldn’t have based on its species or origin, it’s illegal.

7. Are shiny Pokémon that are normally “shiny locked” always illegal?

Yes, any shiny Pokémon that is normally shiny locked is illegal unless a glitch or distribution event allows for it. For example, a shiny Victini is generally illegal because it’s shiny locked in its debut game, but if you were to hack the game to turn it shiny, that makes it an illegal Pokemon.

8. Does the legality check vary between games?

Yes, the legality check differs slightly between each generation and sometimes even within different versions of the same generation. Newer games generally have more sophisticated checks.

9. What is the difference between a legal Pokémon and a competitive Pokémon?

A legal Pokémon is simply one that meets the criteria for being allowed to exist naturally in the game without use of external devices. A competitive Pokemon is a Pokémon built with certain stats or abilities that make them useful in competitive play.

10. Why are certain Pokémon banned in Pokémon Showdown?

Pokémon Showdown bans Pokémon for different reasons, including being overly powerful, creating unbalanced gameplay, or having abilities/movesets that are too difficult to counter. This is for balancing purposes and is distinct from the concept of “illegal” in the core series games.

11. Can glitches create illegal Pokémon?

Yes, glitches can sometimes lead to the creation of Pokémon with impossible data, thus making them illegal.

12. What is the role of websites like the Games Learning Society in relation to Pokémon?

The Games Learning Society explores the intersection of games, learning, and education. While not directly focused on Pokémon legality, their research and discussions shed light on how games can be used to develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a deeper understanding of complex systems. You can learn more at the GamesLearningSociety.org website.

13. Are all hacked Pokémon illegal?

Not necessarily. A hacked Pokémon can be made legal, but it is still illegitimate.

14. What is the Pokemon Company doing to prevent illegal Pokemon?

The Pokemon Company uses legality checks when battling or trading online to prevent illegal Pokemon from entering competitive matches.

15. Is it possible to accidentally create an illegal Pokemon in the games?

No. You cannot accidentally create an illegal Pokemon without glitches or the use of external devices.

Conclusion: Playing Fair in the Pokémon World

Understanding the concept of illegal Pokémon is crucial for maintaining a fair and enjoyable gaming experience. By being aware of what constitutes an illegal Pokémon and the potential consequences of using them, players can contribute to a healthier and more balanced competitive environment. Whether you’re a casual player, a competitive battler, or simply a curious fan, staying informed about the rules and regulations of the Pokémon world ensures that everyone can continue to enjoy the game for years to come.