Rules and legality
The current gen3ru source, ADV mechanics that change decisions, and a fail-closed team check.
The current [Gen 3] RU format uses the Gen 3 mod and the Standard ruleset. Its explicit banlist removes Uber, OU, UUBL, UU, RUBL, and Glalie, plus Smeargle with Ingrain, Arena Trap, Baton Pass, and Swagger. Current tier data places Fearow, Ninjask, Jumpluff, and Manectric in RUBL. Hypno is RU and legal.
Those facts come from the local engine files:
official/pokemon-showdown/config/formats.tsofficial/pokemon-showdown/data/mods/gen3/formats-data.ts
The June 12 implementation commit changed Manectric from RU to RUBL. Open the upstream change.
Battle rules that alter the plan
Already know ADV mechanics? Skip the rest of this chapter. The RU banlist above still applies.
ADV lacks team preview. The first set in the paste enters the field, so lead choice is part of the team rather than a decision at matchup.
Move category follows type:
| Physical | Special |
|---|---|
| Normal, Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ground, Rock, Bug, Ghost, Steel | Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Dark |
Hidden Power follows its type. Hidden Power Flying is physical; Hidden Power Grass is special. Its IV pattern can also lower an exact stat, including Speed.
Other rules worth checking before a game:
- Spikes is the standard entry hazard. It can stack to three layers and misses airborne targets.
- Rapid Spin removes Spikes from the user’s side when the move connects. Ghost-types block it.
- Choice Band is the only Choice item.
- Steel resists Dark and Ghost.
- Grass-types can be affected by powder moves, and Electric-types can be paralyzed by Thunder Wave.
- Explosion and Self-Destruct halve the target’s Defense during damage calculation.
- Wish heals half of the recipient’s maximum HP.
- Sleep Clause, Species Clause, OHKO Clause, and the evasion clauses apply in current public battle logs.
The current community mechanics section and the engine agree on these points.