Pokemon Emerald - Battle Dome - Battle Styles

1Move Categories

For the purpose of evaluating a trainer's battle styles, all moves are divided into 16 categories. Note that many moves belong to more than one category. The first step the game does is determine, for each category, the number of moves that belong to that category. A move can be counted more than once if more than one Pokemon has that move. For example, if two Pokemon know Surf, then Surf is counted twice.

Category 1

Moves that generally form part of combos.

SWORDS DANCE, WHIRLWIND, HYDRO PUMP, SURF, LEECH SEED, SOLARBEAM, HYPNOSIS, MEDITATE, FOCUS ENERGY, DREAM EATER, REST, NIGHTMARE, SNORE, REVERSAL, BELLY DRUM, SPIKES, LOCK-ON, SLEEP TALK, BATON PASS, MORNING SUN, SYNTHESIS, MOONLIGHT, RAIN DANCE, SUNNY DAY, STOCKPILE, SPIT UP, SWALLOW, CHARGE, INGRAIN, YAWN, BULK UP, CALM MIND, DRAGON DANCE

Category 2

Moves that raise the user's stats.

SWORDS DANCE, GROWTH, MEDITATE, AGILITY, DOUBLE TEAM, HARDEN, MINIMIZE, WITHDRAW, DEFENSE CURL, AMNESIA, ACID ARMOR, SHARPEN, BELLY DRUM, PSYCH UP, CALM MIND, DRAGON DANCE

Category 3

Moves that reduce the opponent's stats.

SAND-ATTACK, TAIL WHIP, LEER, GROWL, STRING SHOT, SCREECH, SMOKESCREEN, KINESIS, GLARE, SPIDER WEB, COTTON SPORE, MUD-SLAP, SWEET SCENT

Category 4

Moves that use sneaky tactics.

PAY DAY, MIMIC, METRONOME, MIRROR MOVE, DREAM EATER, TRANSFORM, SPLASH, SUBSTITUTE, SKETCH, THIEF, SPITE, PAIN SPLIT, BATON PASS, HIDDEN POWER, FUTURE SIGHT, BEAT UP, MEMENTO, FOLLOW ME, HELPING HAND, TRICK, ASSIST, SKILL SWAP, IMPRISON, SNATCH, SECRET POWER, CAMOUFLAGE, DOOM DESIRE

Category 5

Moves that drain or recover HP.

SOFTBOILED, DREAM EATER, LEECH LIFE, REST, MILK DRINK, MORNING SUN, SYNTHESIS, MOONLIGHT, SWALLOW, WISH, INGRAIN, REFRESH, SLACK OFF

Category 6

Moves that cause an indirect risk to their user.

EXPLOSION, SPITE, DESTINY BOND, PERISH SONG

Category 7

Moves that weaken opponents other than by changing their stats.

BIND, SING, SUPERSONIC, DISABLE, LEECH SEED, POISONPOWDER, STUN SPORE, SLEEP POWDER, THUNDER WAVE, TOXIC, CONSTRICT, POISON GAS, LOVELY KISS, SPORE, NIGHTMARE, CURSE, ATTRACT, ENCORE, TORMENT, WILL-O-WISP, TAUNT, YAWN

Category 8

All moves with base damage greater than 0, as well as Nature Power and Featherdance, and excluding Counter, Mirror Coat, Bide, Thief, Covet, Lick, Dream Eater, Sacred Fire, Heat Wave, Mist Ball, Luster Purge, Overheat, Snore, and Magnitude.

Category 9

Moves that create a layer of defense between the user and the enemy.

COUNTER, DOUBLE TEAM, HARDEN, MINIMIZE, SMOKESCREEN, WITHDRAW, DEFENSE CURL, BARRIER, LIGHT SCREEN, REFLECT, AMNESIA, ACID ARMOR, SHARPEN, CONVERSION, SUBSTITUTE, PROTECT, DETECT, ENDURE, SAFEGUARD, MIRROR COAT, INGRAIN, MAGIC COAT, IRON DEFENSE

Category 10

All moves with an accuracy of 100.

Category 11

Moves with a high base damage.

HYDRO PUMP, BLIZZARD, HYPER BEAM, SOLARBEAM, THUNDER, EARTHQUAKE, SELFDESTRUCT, EGG BOMB, FIRE BLAST, SKY ATTACK, EXPLOSION, AEROBLAST, ZAP CANNON, SACRED FIRE, ERUPTION, BLAST BURN, HYDRO CANNON, METEOR MASH, OVERHEAT, WATER SPOUT, FRENZY PLANT, VOLT TACKLE, DOOM DESIRE, PSYCHO BOOST

Category 12

Powerful moves in general.

SWORDS DANCE, FLAMETHROWER, SURF, ICE BEAM, HYPER BEAM, SOLARBEAM, THUNDERBOLT, EARTHQUAKE, PSYCHIC, EXPLOSION, PROTECT

Category 13

COUNTER, FISSURE, METRONOME, MIRROR MOVE, SKETCH, ZAP CANNON, SLEEP TALK, PRESENT, DYNAMICPUNCH, ASSIST, MAGIC COAT, REVENGE, IMPRISON, SNATCH, SHEER COLD

Category 14

FLAMETHROWER, SURF, ICE BEAM, HYPER BEAM, SOLARBEAM, THUNDERBOLT, THUNDER, EARTHQUAKE, PSYCHIC, SELFDESTRUCT, EGG BOMB, FIRE BLAST, SKULL BASH, DREAM EATER, SKY ATTACK, CRABHAMMER, EXPLOSION, AEROBLAST, SLUDGE BOMB, ZAP CANNON, OUTRAGE, SACRED FIRE, DYNAMICPUNCH, MEGAHORN, IRON TAIL, CROSS CHOP, SPIT UP, HEAT WAVE, FOCUS PUNCH, SUPERPOWER, ERUPTION, HYPER VOICE, BLAST BURN, HYDRO CANNON, METEOR MASH, OVERHEAT, WATER SPOUT, MUDDY WATER, FRENZY PLANT, VOLT TACKLE, DOOM DESIRE, PSYCHO BOOST

Category 15

All moves with 5 or less PP.

Category 16

Damaging moves that "may" cause an effect or causes an effect "if the attack is successful".

PAY DAY, FIRE PUNCH, ICE PUNCH, THUNDERPUNCH, BIND, STOMP, ROLLING KICK, HEADBUTT, BODY SLAM, WRAP, THRASH, POISON STING, TWINEEDLE, BITE, ACID, EMBER, FLAMETHROWER, ICE BEAM, BLIZZARD, PSYBEAM, BUBBLEBEAM, AURORA BEAM, PETAL DANCE, FIRE SPIN, THUNDERSHOCK, THUNDERBOLT, THUNDER, TOXIC, CONFUSION, PSYCHIC, LICK, SMOG, SLUDGE, BONE CLUB, FIRE BLAST, CLAMP, CONSTRICT, SKY ATTACK, BUBBLE, DIZZY PUNCH, ROCK SLIDE, HYPER FANG, TRI ATTACK, THIEF, FLAME WHEEL, SNORE, POWDER SNOW, SLUDGE BOMB, MUD-SLAP, OCTAZOOKA, ZAP CANNON, ICY WIND, OUTRAGE, SWAGGER, SPARK, STEEL WING, SACRED FIRE, DYNAMICPUNCH, DRAGONBREATH, IRON TAIL, METAL CLAW, TWISTER, CRUNCH, ANCIENTPOWER, SHADOW BALL, ROCK SMASH, WHIRLPOOL, UPROAR, HEAT WAVE, KNOCK OFF, SECRET POWER, LUSTER PURGE, MIST BALL, BLAZE KICK, NEEDLE ARM, POISON FANG, CRUSH CLAW, METEOR MASH, ASTONISH, OVERHEAT, ROCK TOMB, SILVER WIND, SIGNAL BEAM, EXTRASENSORY, SAND TOMB, MUDDY WATER, BOUNCE, MUD SHOT, POISON TAIL, COVET, WATER PULSE, PSYCHO BOOST

Battle Styles

The next step is to figure out which battle style fits the trainer best. The game does this by checking, for each battle style in the order shown below, if there are at least a certain number of moves that belong to each category for that battle style. For example, if the trainer "constantly watches HP in battle," then he or she should have at least 3 moves that belong to Category 5 (HP recovery moves) among all his or her Pokemon.

The game chooses the first battle style for which it can find a match. For example, if a trainer has at least two moves that belong to category 4, his or her battle style is "Occasionally uses a very rare move" instead of "Uses startling and disruptive moves." If the game can't find a match, then the trainer "uses a well-balanced mix of moves."

Battle Style	Categories
Willing to risk total disaster at times.	Category 6: 1
Skilled at enduring long battles.	Category 5: 2; Category 7: 1; Category 9: 2
Varies tactics to suit the opponent.	Category 1: 1; Category 2: 1; Category 3: 1; Category 5: 1; Category 7: 1; Category 9: 1
Has a tough winning pattern.	Category 1: 3
Occasionally uses a very rare move.	Category 4: 2
Uses startling and disruptive moves.	Category 4: 1
Constantly watches HP in battle.	Category 5: 3
Good at storing then loosing power.	Category 2: 1; Category 5: 1
Skilled at enfeebling foes.	Category 3: 1; Category 7: 1
Prefers tactics that rely on luck.	Category 13: 2
Attacks with a regal atmosphere.	Category 2: 1; Category 5: 1; Category 9: 1; Category 12: 1; Category 14: 1
Attacks with powerful, low-PP moves.	Category 15: 3
Skilled at enfeebling, then attacking.	Category 2: 1; Category 7: 1
Battles while enduring all attacks.	Category 5: 2; Category 9: 2
Skilled at upsetting foes emotionally.	Category 7: 2
Uses strong and straightforward moves.	Category 10: 3; Category 14: 3
Aggressively uses strong moves.	Category 14: 4
Battles while cleverly dodging attacks.	Category 9: 3
Skilled at using upsetting attacks.	Category 3: 2; Category 7: 2
Uses many popular moves.	Category 11: 3; Category 12: 3
Has moves for powerful combinations.	Category 1: 2
Uses high-probability attacks.	Category 5: 1; Category 10: 3
Aggressively uses spectacular moves.	Category 11: 4
Emphasizes offense over defense.	Category 8: 7
Emphasizes defense over offense.	Category 9: 4
Attacks quickly with strong moves.	Category 12: 2; Category 14: 4
Often uses moves with added effects.	Category 16: 4
Uses a well-balanced mix of moves.