User:C.Ezra.M/Mail corruption

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Mail corruption is a glitch in the core series Generation III games. It manifests as a side effect of removing Mail from a Pokémon during a battle.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Mail corruption affects the Pokémon Storage System, therefore it can be used for arbitrary code execution. To do so, the player must obtain a ?????????? with index number 0x0351.

To set up the glitch, the player needs:

  • NINA the NidorinaFR or NINO the NidorinoLG, which can be obtained through an in-game trade in the Route 11-12 gate. That Pokémon will be placed in the first slot of box 3. It works due to having a static personality value.
  • A Pokémon with an item it can consume during battle, such as a Berry (later "Pokémon A").
  • A Pokémon with Knock Off (later "Pokémon B").
  • A Pokémon with Recycle that is holding any type of Mail with any message (later "Pokémon C").

This glitch is most easily initiated in a Double Battle. As soon as Pokémon A consumes its held item, it shall be switched out for Pokémon C, which Pokémon B will use Knock Off on to remove the Mail. After that, Pokémon C will use Recycle in order to restore the item consumed by Pokémon A. Then, the player must fill the party so that it has 6 Pokémon, one of which is Pokémon A, and give Mail (with any message) to all of them, except for Pokémon A. After that, the route diverges, depending on the traded Pokémon.

Preparation (with NINA)

NINA must have all of its moves deleted, except Poison Sting. The Mail given to Pokémon A must have HITMONCHAN as the second phrase and EEVEE as the fourth phrase. This changes the order of how substructures of the Pokémon data structure are interpreted. This will result in a level 0 Wigglytuff with no held item that might have a glitch move, which must be replaced by putting it in the Day Care.

Provided the move order stayed as-is, changing the substructures, but with MAGIKARP and RHYHORN as the second and fourth phrases, will give a level 58 Parasect holding a Yellow Shard. It will have 30 HP EVs, but the desired arrangement is 81 HP EVs and 3 Attack EVs. When Pokémon A is given Mail with EEVEE and HITMONCHAN as the second and fourth phrases, the glitch Pokémon with index number 0x0351 will appear.

By Papa Jefé
This video is not available on Bulbapedia; instead, you can watch the video on YouTube here.

Held item duplication

If the Mail is given to Pokémon A while there is a Pokémon in the first slot of box 3, but no changes are made to the message, then the held item will be duplicated, but the Mail will be consumed for it.

This glitch Pokémon article is part of Project GlitchDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on glitches in the Pokémon games.
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