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Overview

PKHeX.Core supports Pokémon Showdown’s text format for importing and exporting Pokémon teams. This allows easy team sharing and integration with competitive battle simulators.

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What is Showdown Format?

Showdown format is a human-readable text format used by Pokémon Showdown (a popular battle simulator). Here’s an example: 
Garchomp @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Rough Skin
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Stone Edge
- Outrage

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Importing from Showdown Format

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Basic Import

Use the ShowdownSet class to parse Showdown text: 
using PKHeX.Core;

string showdownText = @"
Pikachu @ Light Ball
Ability: Static
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power Ice
- Volt Switch
";

// Parse the Showdown format
var set = new ShowdownSet(showdownText);

// Check for parsing errors
if (set.InvalidLines.Count > 0)
{
    foreach (var error in set.InvalidLines)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Error: {error.Type} - {error.Line}");
    }
}

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Converting ShowdownSet to PKM

After parsing, convert the ShowdownSet to a PKM entity: 
using PKHeX.Core;

// Parse Showdown text
var set = new ShowdownSet(showdownText);

// Create a blank Pokémon for the target generation
var pk = EntityBlank.GetBlank(EntityContext.Gen9);

// Apply the ShowdownSet to the PKM
var sav = new SimpleTrainerInfo(EntityContext.Gen9)
{
    OT = "Trainer",
    TID16 = 12345,
    SID16 = 54321,
    Gender = 0,
    Language = (int)LanguageID.English
};

pk.ApplySetDetails(set, sav);
pk.RefreshChecksum();
The SimpleTrainerInfo provides trainer details that will be applied to the created Pokémon.

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Accessing ShowdownSet Properties

The ShowdownSet class exposes all parsed properties: 
var set = new ShowdownSet(showdownText);

// Basic information
ushort species = set.Species;
string nickname = set.Nickname;
byte? gender = set.Gender; // 0=Male, 1=Female, null=Genderless
int heldItem = set.HeldItem;

// Stats
int ability = set.Ability;
byte level = set.Level;
Nature nature = set.Nature;
bool shiny = set.Shiny;

// IVs and EVs
int[] ivs = set.IVs;  // [HP, ATK, DEF, SPE, SPA, SPD]
int[] evs = set.EVs;  // [HP, ATK, DEF, SPE, SPA, SPD]

// Moves
ushort[] moves = set.Moves; // Up to 4 moves

// Generation-specific
MoveType teraType = set.TeraType;          // Gen 9
byte dynamaxLevel = set.DynamaxLevel;      // Gen 8
bool canGigantamax = set.CanGigantamax;    // Gen 8

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Exporting to Showdown Format

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Basic Export

Convert any PKM to Showdown format: 
using PKHeX.Core;

PKM pk = new PK9 
{ 
    Species = (ushort)Species.Charizard,
    Ability = (int)Ability.Blaze,
    Nature = Nature.Timid,
    // ... other properties
};

// Get Showdown text
string showdownText = ShowdownParsing.GetShowdownText(pk);
Console.WriteLine(showdownText);

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Custom Export Settings

Control what appears in the export: 
using PKHeX.Core;

var settings = new BattleTemplateExportSettings
{
    Moves = MoveDisplayStyle.Directional,  // How moves are formatted
    StatsIVs = StatDisplayConfig.Default,
    StatsEVs = StatDisplayConfig.Default
};

var set = new ShowdownSet(pk);
string text = set.GetText(settings);

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Advanced Showdown Features

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Parsing Multiple Pokémon (Teams)

Import entire teams at once: 
string teamText = @"
Pikachu @ Light Ball
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Ice
- Grass Knot

Charizard @ Choice Specs
Ability: Solar Power
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Air Slash
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
";

// Parse team
var team = ShowdownTeam.Parse(teamText);

foreach (var set in team)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Parsed: {set.Species}");
    // Convert each set to PKM
    var pk = EntityBlank.GetBlank(EntityContext.Gen9);
    // Apply set details...
}

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Handling Forms

Showdown format supports alternate forms: 
string alolaPersian = @"
Persian-Alola @ Life Orb
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Foul Play
- Taunt
- Parting Shot
- Toxic
";

var set = new ShowdownSet(alolaPersian);
Console.WriteLine($"Form: {set.FormName}"); // "Alola"
Console.WriteLine($"Form Index: {set.Form}"); // 1

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Tera Type Support (Gen 9)

string teraExample = @"
Dragonite @ Choice Band
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
";

var set = new ShowdownSet(teraExample);
Console.WriteLine($"Tera Type: {set.TeraType}"); // Normal

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Gigantamax Support (Gen 8)

string gmaxExample = @"
Charizard @ Life Orb
Ability: Solar Power
Gigantamax: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Air Slash
- Solar Beam
- Roost
";

var set = new ShowdownSet(gmaxExample);
Console.WriteLine($"Can Gigantamax: {set.CanGigantamax}");

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Localization Support

Showdown format supports multiple languages: 
using PKHeX.Core;

// Use Japanese localization
var jpStrings = GameInfo.GetStrings("ja");
var localization = new BattleTemplateLocalization(jpStrings);

string japaneseSet = @"
ピカチュウ @ でんきだま
性格: ひかえめ
特性: せいでんき
努力値: HP 4 / 特攻 252 / 素早 252
- 10まんボルト
- くさむすび
- ボルトチェンジ
- めざめるパワー氷
";

var set = new ShowdownSet(japaneseSet, localization);
Console.WriteLine($"Species: {set.Species}"); // Pikachu

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Error Handling

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Detecting Parse Errors

var set = new ShowdownSet(showdownText);

if (set.InvalidLines.Count > 0)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Parsing errors detected:");
    foreach (var error in set.InvalidLines)
    {
        switch (error.Type)
        {
            case BattleTemplateParseErrorType.InvalidSpecies:
                Console.WriteLine($"Invalid species: {error.Line}");
                break;
            case BattleTemplateParseErrorType.InvalidMove:
                Console.WriteLine($"Invalid move: {error.Line}");
                break;
            case BattleTemplateParseErrorType.InvalidAbility:
                Console.WriteLine($"Invalid ability: {error.Line}");
                break;
            case BattleTemplateParseErrorType.LineLength:
                Console.WriteLine($"Line too long/short: {error.Line}");
                break;
            default:
                Console.WriteLine($"Unknown error: {error.Line}");
                break;
        }
    }
}

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Complete Import/Export Example

using PKHeX.Core;

public class ShowdownConverter
{
    // Import from Showdown text
    public static PKM ImportShowdown(string showdownText, EntityContext context)
    {
        // Parse the text
        var set = new ShowdownSet(showdownText);
        
        // Check for errors
        if (set.InvalidLines.Count > 0)
        {
            throw new Exception($"Parse errors: {set.InvalidLines.Count}");
        }
        
        // Create blank Pokémon
        var pk = EntityBlank.GetBlank(context);
        
        // Create trainer info
        var trainer = new SimpleTrainerInfo(context)
        {
            OT = "Trainer",
            TID16 = 12345,
            SID16 = 54321,
            Gender = 0,
            Language = (int)LanguageID.English
        };
        
        // Apply the set
        pk.ApplySetDetails(set, trainer);
        pk.RefreshChecksum();
        
        return pk;
    }
    
    // Export to Showdown text
    public static string ExportShowdown(PKM pk)
    {
        var set = new ShowdownSet(pk);
        return set.Text;
    }
    
    // Import and export roundtrip
    public static void TestRoundtrip(string originalText)
    {
        // Import
        var pk = ImportShowdown(originalText, EntityContext.Gen9);
        
        // Export
        string exportedText = ExportShowdown(pk);
        
        Console.WriteLine("Original:");
        Console.WriteLine(originalText);
        Console.WriteLine("\nExported:");
        Console.WriteLine(exportedText);
    }
}

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Common Showdown Patterns

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Standard Competitive Set

Landorus-Therian @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Superpower

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Special Attacker

Kyogre @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Water Spout
- Origin Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Thunder

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Mixed Attacker with Hidden Power

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power Ice
- Taunt

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Tips and Best Practices

  • Always check InvalidLines after parsing to catch errors
  • Use RefreshChecksum() after applying a ShowdownSet
  • Showdown format is case-insensitive for most fields
  • The order of lines (except first line) doesn’t matter
Some Pokémon properties cannot be represented in Showdown format (ribbons, memories, etc.). These will be lost during export/import.

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Next Steps

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