Play an individual matchup or take a saved team into battle against a trainer party. Team battles offer an edition, boss category and lead Pokémon selection. Tactical AI plans using information revealed during battle. Play for free in your browser; missing trainer values and omitted mechanics are shown before starting.
SETUP
How to set up and play a battle
Choose Pokémon or a team
Single battles use two configured Pokémon. Team battles pair a saved team with a trainer party from the selected edition. Choose your lead Pokémon before starting.
Review their moves and conditions
Check each Pokémon's level, held item, ability and up to four moves. In battle settings, you can also choose weather and terrain. Some mechanics are unavailable in older games.
Play one turn at a time
Choose a move or switch Pokémon each turn. After a Pokémon faints, select a replacement from the remaining party. Animation and the battle log show moves, damage and status changes.
WHAT YOU CAN TEST
Try matchups and teams
Prepare a boss battle
Team battles offer Gym Leaders, Elite Four, rivals and evil teams from the shared trainer data. Starter variants remain separate. Double Battles and special boss formats are marked and unavailable.
Try a different set
Change a move, held item or ability and play the matchup again. The animated battle and log make each setup easier to follow.
See game mechanics in action
Use weather and terrain settings to see whether a planned move or ability changes the matchup in the selected game.
BATTLE RULES
Which game rules does the simulator use?
Versus calculates damage ranges. Here, @pkmn/sim, the battle engine also used by Pokémon Showdown, resolves each move, AI response and battle effect one turn at a time.
Damage uses the selected generation's rules
Type matchups, stats, status, critical hits, held items and abilities affect the battle according to the selected generation.
Move availability follows the edition
The selected game controls which moves and mechanics are available, including weather and terrain. Let's Go and Legends: Arceus use approximations described in settings.
The log explains each turn
See which move was used and how HP or status changed. HP bars and sprites show the result on the battlefield as it happens.
LIMITS
Simulation limits
Team battles are singles with one active Pokémon on each side. Bag items, badge bonuses, Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, Dynamax and Terastallization are omitted. Unknown trainer values use disclosed assumptions. Multiplayer battles and a ranked ladder are not available yet.
FAQ
Common questions before a battle
Random picks an available move at random. Ruthless maximizes estimated damage per use. Tactical explores possible battle outcomes for attacks, status moves and switches. It knows its own team and remembers opposing Pokémon and actions revealed in battle. Hidden opposing sets remain unknown. Team battles always use Tactical.
No. Let's Go uses approximate Generation 7 damage and turn rules; abilities, held items, EVs, candy stat boosts and friendship effects are not modeled. Legends: Arceus uses approximate Generation 8 rules; abilities, held items, Agile and Strong styles, action order and effort levels are not modeled.
Saved teams can face supported trainer parties. Select Team battle against trainers, the opposing edition and a boss, then choose a lead Pokémon. Battles against other users are not available yet.
RELATED TOOLS
Plan teams and compare damage
- Versus damage calculator
Compare minimum and maximum damage, type matchups and which Pokémon moves first.
- Team builder
Build a six-Pokémon team and check its type coverage and move legality.
- Nuzlocke tracker
Record route encounters, manage your party and track Pokémon lost during a run.
- Pokédex
Look up a Pokémon's stats, types, abilities and moves by game.