Pokemon Save Structure

Pokémon in the games Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum are stored in a 136 byte or 236 byte structures. All unencrypted values are stored in little-endian format. The game encrypts the data when it is stored in the save file. Party Pokémon have additional values to hold current battle stats and conditions. The information below describes the Pokémon data format.

Checksum

The checksum serves two purposes:

1. It validates the data after decryption, and
2. It serves as the encryption key for the data.

The checksum is calculated in three steps:

1. Split the unencrypted data from offsets 0x08 to 0x87 into two-byte words,
2. Take the sum of the words, and
3. Truncate the sum to 16 bits.

Block Shuffling

The 128 bytes of Pokémon data are split into four 32-byte blocks for shuffling. The blocks are shuffled according to a shift value derived from the personality value. Given the personality value pv, the expression yielding the shift value is:

((pv >> 0xD) & 0x1F) % 24

The right shifting (pv >> 0xD) is equivalent to a division of 8192.

To shuffle the blocks, take the four blocks of unencrypted data, A, B, C, and D. The blocks shall be rearranged in the encrypted data according to the Block Order column of the following table. (To unshuffle, use the Inverse column.)

Shift Value (decimal)	Block Order	Inverse
00	ABCD	ABCD
01	ABDC	ABDC
02	ACBD	ACBD
03	ACDB	ADBC
04	ADBC	ACDB
05	ADCB	ADCB
06	BACD	BACD
07	BADC	BADC
08	BCAD	CABD
09	BCDA	DABC
10	BDAC	CADB
11	BDCA	DACB
12	CABD	BCAD
13	CADB	BDAC
14	CBAD	CBAD
15	CBDA	DBAC
16	CDAB	CDAB
17	CDBA	DCAB
18	DABC	BCDA
19	DACB	BDCA
20	DBAC	CBDA
21	DBCA	DBCA
22	DCAB	CDBA
23	DCBA	DCBA

Encryption

The encryption uses the pseudorandom number generator (PRNG), a linear congruential generator. Elements of the PRNG can be described with the recursive function:

X[n+1] = (0x41C64E6D * X[n] + 0x6073)

To decrypt the data, given a function rand() which returns the upper 16 bits of consecutive results of the above given function:

1. Seed the PRNG with the checksum (let X[n] be the checksum).
2. Sequentially, for each 2-byte word Y from 0x08 to 0x87, apply the transformation: unencryptedByte = Y xor rand()
3. Unshuffle the blocks using the block shuffling algorithm above.

To encrypt the data:

1. Shuffle the blocks using the block shuffling algorithm above.
2. Seed the PRNG with the checksum (let X[n] be the checksum),
3. Sequentially, for each 2-byte word Y from 0x08 to 0x87, apply the transformation: unencryptedByte = Y xor rand()

Unencrypted bytes

Offset	Contents
0x00-0x03	Personality value (Also known as the PID)
0x04-0x05	Unused
0x06-0x07	Checksum

Encrypted bytes

Block A

Offset	Contents
0x08-0x09	National Pokédex ID
0x0A-0x0B	Held Item
0x0C-0x0D	OT ID
0x0E-0x0F	OT Secret ID
0x10-0x13	Experience points
0x14	Friendship (Steps to Hatch if an egg)
0x15	Ability
0x16	Markings
0x17	Original Language
0x18	HP Effort Value
0x19	Attack Effort Value
0x1A	Defense Effort Value
0x1B	Speed Effort Value
0x1C	SP Attack Effort Value
0x1D	SP Defense Effort Value
0x1E	Cool Contest Value
0x1F	Beauty Contest Value
0x20	Cute Contest Value
0x21	Smart Contest Value
0x22	Tough Contest Value
0x23	Sheen Contest Value
0x24-0x25	Sinnoh Ribbon Set 1
0x26-0x27	Sinnoh Ribbon Set 2

Block B

Offset	Contents
0x28-0x29	Move 1 ID
0x2A-0x2B	Move 2 ID
0x2C-0x2D	Move 3 ID
0x2E-0x2F	Move 4 ID
0x30	Move 1 Current PP
0x31	Move 2 Current PP
0x32	Move 3 Current PP
0x33	Move 4 Current PP
0x34-0x37	Move PP Ups
0x38-0x3B	Bits 0-29 - Individual Values HP ( [0-31] << 0 ) Attack ( [0-31] << 5 ) Defense ( [0-31] << 10 ) Speed ( [0-31] << 15 ) SP Attack ( [0-31] << 20 ) SP Defense ( [0-31] << 25 ) Bit 30 - IsEgg Flag Bit 31 - IsNicknamed Flag
0x3C-0x3D	Hoenn Ribbon Set 1
0x3E-0x3F	Hoenn Ribbon Set 2
0x40	Bit 0 - Fateful Encounter Flag Bit 1 - Female Bit 2 - Genderless Bit 3-7 - Alternate Forms
0x41	Shiny Leaves (HGSS) Bit 5 - Leaf Crown Bits 0–4 - Leaves A–E (bit 0 is leftmost)
0x42-0x43	Unused
0x44-0x45	Egg Location (Platinum)
0x46-0x47	Met at Location (Platinum)

Block C

Offset	Contents
0x48-0x5D	Nickname
0x5E	Unused
0x5F	Hometown
0x60-0x61	Sinnoh Ribbon Set 3
0x62-0x63	Sinnoh Ribbon Set 4
0x64-0x67	Unused

Block D

Offset	Contents
0x68-0x77	OT Name
0x78-0x7A	Date Egg Received
0x7B-0x7D	Date Met
0x7E-0x7F	Egg Location (Diamond/Pearl)
0x80-0x81	Met At Location (Diamond/Pearl)
0x82	Pokérus
0x83	Poké Ball
0x84	Bit 0-6 - Met At Level Bit 7 - Female OT Gender
0x85	Encounter Type
0x86	HGSS Poké Ball
0x87	Unused

Battle Stats

The battle stats are encrypted in the same manner, however the seed is not the checksum, it is the PID.

Encrypted Bytes

Offset	Contents
0x88	Bits 0-2 - Asleep (0-7 rounds) Bit 3 - Poisoned Bit 4 - Burned Bit 5 - Frozen Bit 6 - Paralyzed Bit 7 - Toxic
0x89	Unknown - Flags - Max Value 0xF0
0x8A-0x8B	Unknown
0x8C	Level
0x8D	Capsule Index (Seals)
0x8E-0x8F	Current HP
0x90-0x91	Max HP
0x92-0x93	Attack
0x94-0x95	Defense
0x96-0x97	Speed
0x98-0x99	Special Attack
0x9A-0x9B	Special Defense
0x9C-0xD3	Unknown - Contains Trash Data
0xD4-0xEB	Seal Coordinates

Original Language

Value	Language
0x1	日本語 (Japan)
0x2	English (US/UK/AU)
0x3	Français (France/Québec)
0x4	Italiano (Italy)
0x5	Deutsch (Germany)
0x7	Español (Spain/Latin Americas)
0x8	한국어 (South Korea)

Markings

Bit	Marking
0x01	Circle
0x02	Triangle
0x04	Square
0x08	Heart
0x10	Star
0x20	Diamond

Alternate Forms

Alternate forms are stored at offset 0x40 of the Pokemon structure. Each form follows the pattern of index << 3 where index starts at zero for the main form.

Unown's Forms

Bit	Form	Bit	Form	Bit	Form	Bit	Form
0x00	A	0x38	H	0x70	O	0xA8	V
0x08	B	0x40	I	0x78	P	0xB0	W
0x10	C	0x48	J	0x80	Q	0xB8	X
0x18	D	0x50	K	0x88	R	0xC0	Y
0x20	E	0x58	L	0x90	S	0xC8	Z
0x28	F	0x60	M	0x98	T	0xD0	!
0x30	G	0x68	N	0xA0	U	0xD8	?

Deoxy's Forms

Bit	Form
0x00	Normal
0x08	Attack
0x10	Defense
0x18	Speed

Burmy's & Wormadam's Forms

Bit	Form
0x00	Plant
0x08	Sandy
0x10	Trash

Shellos' & Gastrodon's Forms

Bit	Form
0x00	West
0x08	East

Rotom's Forms

Rotom's alternate forms will only be displayed in Pokemon Platinum. Rotom may be traded between Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum without losing the alternate form.

Bit	Form
0x00	Normal
0x08	Heat
0x10	Wash
0x18	Frost
0x20	Fan
0x28	Cut

Giratina's Forms

Giratina's Origin form will only be displayed in Pokemon Platinum.

Bit	Form
0x00	Altered
0x08	Origin

Shaymin's Forms

Shaymin's Sky form will only be displayed in Pokemon Platinum.

Bit	Form
0x00	Land
0x08	Sky

Arceus' Forms

Bit	Form	Bit	Form	Bit	Form
0x00	Normal	0x30	Insect	0x60	Zap
0x08	Fist	0x38	Spooky	0x68	Mind
0x10	Sky	0x40	Iron	0x70	Icicle
0x18	Toxic	0x48	Flame	0x78	Draco
0x20	Earth	0x50	Splash	0x80	Dread
0x28	Stone	0x58	Meadow	0x4C	Curse

Encounter Types

Value	Country
0x0	Pal Park, Egg, Hatched, Special Event
0x2	Tall Grass
0x4	Dialga/Palkia In-Game Event
0x5	Cave, Hall of Origin
0x7	Surfing, Fishing
0x9	Building
0xA	Great Marsh (Safari Zone)
0xC	Starter, Fossil, Gift (Eevee)

Ribbons

Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum store the ribbon information as bitfields in 1-byte words. Given below are the bytewise representation of the ribbon bitfields.

Sinnoh Ribbon Set 1

Bit	Ribbon
0x24 & 0x01	Sinnoh Champ Ribbon
0x24 & 0x02	Ability Ribbon
0x24 & 0x04	Great Ability Ribbon
0x24 & 0x08	Double Ability Ribbon
0x24 & 0x10	Multi Ability Ribbon
0x24 & 0x20	Pair Ability Ribbon
0x24 & 0x40	World Ability Ribbon
0x24 & 0x80	Alert Ribbon
0x25 & 0x01	Shock Ribbon
0x25 & 0x02	Downcast Ribbon
0x25 & 0x04	Careless Ribbon
0x25 & 0x08	Relax Ribbon
0x25 & 0x10	Snooze Ribbon
0x25 & 0x20	Smile Ribbon
0x25 & 0x40	Gorgeous Ribbon
0x25 & 0x80	Royal Ribbon

Sinnoh Ribbon Set 2

Bit	Ribbon
0x26 & 0x01	Gorgeous Royal Ribbon
0x26 & 0x02	Footprint Ribbon
0x26 & 0x04	Record Ribbon
0x26 & 0x08	History Ribbon
0x26 & 0x10	Legend Ribbon
0x26 & 0x20	Red Ribbon
0x26 & 0x40	Green Ribbon
0x26 & 0x80	Blue Ribbon
0x27 & 0x01	Festival Ribbon
0x27 & 0x02	Carnival Ribbon
0x27 & 0x04	Classic Ribbon
0x27 & 0x08	Premier Ribbon

Sinnoh Ribbon Set 3

Bit	Ribbon
0x60 & 0x01	Cool Ribbon
0x60 & 0x02	Cool Ribbon Great
0x60 & 0x04	Cool Ribbon Ultra
0x60 & 0x08	Cool Ribbon Master
0x60 & 0x10	Beauty Ribbon
0x60 & 0x20	Beauty Ribbon Great
0x60 & 0x40	Beauty Ribbon Ultra
0x60 & 0x80	Beauty Ribbon Master
0x61 & 0x01	Cute Ribbon
0x61 & 0x02	Cute Ribbon Great
0x61 & 0x04	Cute Ribbon Ultra
0x61 & 0x08	Cute Ribbon Master
0x61 & 0x10	Smart Ribbon
0x61 & 0x20	Smart Ribbon Great
0x61 & 0x40	Smart Ribbon Ultra
0x61 & 0x80	Smart Ribbon Master

Sinnoh Ribbon Set 4

Bit	Ribbon
0x62 & 0x01	Tough Ribbon
0x62 & 0x02	Tough Ribbon Great
0x62 & 0x04	Tough Ribbon Ultra
0x62 & 0x08	Tough Ribbon Master

Hoenn Ribbon Set 1

Bit	Ribbon
0x3C & 0x01	Cool Ribbon
0x3C & 0x02	Cool Ribbon Super
0x3C & 0x04	Cool Ribbon Hyper
0x3C & 0x08	Cool Ribbon Master
0x3C & 0x10	Beauty Ribbon
0x3C & 0x20	Beauty Ribbon Super
0x3C & 0x40	Beauty Ribbon Hyper
0x3C & 0x80	Beauty Ribbon Master
0x3D & 0x01	Cute Ribbon
0x3D & 0x02	Cute Ribbon Super
0x3D & 0x04	Cute Ribbon Hyper
0x3D & 0x08	Cute Ribbon Master
0x3D & 0x10	Smart Ribbon
0x3D & 0x20	Smart Ribbon Super
0x3D & 0x40	Smart Ribbon Hyper
0x3D & 0x80	Smart Ribbon Master

Hoenn Ribbon Set 2

Bit	Ribbon
0x3F & 0x01	Tough Ribbon
0x3F & 0x02	Tough Ribbon Super
0x3F & 0x04	Tough Ribbon Hyper
0x3F & 0x08	Tough Ribbon Master
0x3F & 0x10	Champion Ribbon
0x3F & 0x20	Winning Ribbon
0x3F & 0x40	Victory Ribbon
0x3F & 0x80	Artist Ribbon
0x3E & 0x01	Effort Ribbon
0x3E & 0x02	Marine Ribbon
0x3E & 0x04	Land Ribbon
0x3E & 0x08	Sky Ribbon
0x3E & 0x10	Country Ribbon
0x3E & 0x20	National Ribbon
0x3E & 0x40	Earth Ribbon
0x3E & 0x80	World Ribbon

Save File Location

The party Pokémon are stored in the save file beginning at offset 0x00098 for the first small block, and 0x40098 for the second small block.

In the first small save block, the first Daycare Pokémon is located at 0x0141C, and the second is located at 0x01508. In the second small block, the first Daycare Pokémon is located at 0x4141C, and the second is located at 0x41508.

In the first small save block, the Pal Park Pokémon are stored beginning at 0x0BA28. In the second small save block, the Pal Park Pokémon are stored beginning at 0x4BA28.

Each party, Daycare, and Pal Park Pokémon is 236 bytes in size.

The PC storage Pokémon are stored in the save file from Box 1 to Box 18. The offset starts at 0x0C104 for the first big block and 0x4C104 for the second big block. Each PC stored Pokémon is 136 bytes in size.