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PokePaste Import and Export

Seamlessly move your Pokemon teams between PokemonBuilder and Pokemon Showdown using the PokePaste format. Import existing teams for Champions format validation, or export teams built with our data-driven tools back to Showdown for ladder play and tournaments. No manual re-entry required.

Import a Team Now →

What is PokePaste Format?

PokePaste is the universal text format that the competitive Pokemon community uses to share team builds. Originally developed alongside Pokemon Showdown, it has become the standard way to describe a Pokemon's complete competitive configuration in plain text. Every competitive player encounters PokePaste when sharing teams on forums, Discord servers, Reddit, and tournament reports.

A PokePaste block contains everything needed to recreate a Pokemon's competitive set: species, nickname (optional), held item, ability, EV spread, IV overrides, nature, Tera type, and all four moves. Here is what a typical entry looks like:

Incineroar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 4 Atk / 108 Def / 4 SpD / 156 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off
- U-turn

A full team consists of six such blocks separated by blank lines. The format is human-readable and machine-parseable, making it ideal for both sharing and tool integration.

How to Import a Team

Importing a team into PokemonBuilder takes three steps:

1. Copy your team from Pokemon Showdown (click "Export" on a team) or from any PokePaste source like a forum post, rental code guide, or Discord message
2. Open the Team Builder on PokemonBuilder and click the Import button in the toolbar
3. Paste the text into the import field and click "Import Team"

PokemonBuilder parses each Pokemon, validates it against the Champions format ruleset, and populates the team builder with all details pre-filled. If any Pokemon, move, or item is not legal in the current format, you will see a specific error message explaining the issue.

How to Export a Team

Exporting from PokemonBuilder to Showdown is equally straightforward:

1. Build your team using the team builder with auto-fill suggestions from real battle data
2. Click Export to generate a PokePaste text block
3. Copy the output and paste it into Pokemon Showdown's team import

The exported text follows the exact PokePaste specification, ensuring full compatibility with Showdown and any other tool that supports the format.

PokePaste Format Reference

Understanding the format helps when you need to manually edit teams or troubleshoot import issues. Here is a complete reference:

Line 1: Species and Item

Garchomp @ Life Orb

The Pokemon's species name, optionally preceded by a nickname, followed by the held item after the @ symbol. If the Pokemon has a gender you want to specify, add (M) or (F) after the species name.

Ability Line

Ability: Rough Skin

The Pokemon's ability. Must be a legal ability for that species.

EVs Line

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Effort Values. Only non-zero values need to be listed. The total must not exceed 510, and no single stat can exceed 252.

Nature Line

Jolly Nature

The Pokemon's nature. Affects stat growth (e.g., Jolly boosts Speed and lowers Special Attack).

IVs Line (Optional)

IVs: 0 Atk

Only needed when IVs differ from the default 31. Commonly used to set 0 Attack on special attackers to minimize Foul Play and confusion damage, or 0 Speed on Trick Room Pokemon.

Moves

- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Protect
- Rock Slide

Four moves, each on its own line prefixed with a dash. Move names must match exactly.

Champions Format Validation

Unlike generic PokePaste tools, PokemonBuilder validates every imported team against the Pokemon Champions ruleset. This catches issues that Showdown might allow in other formats but are illegal in Champions:

• Banned Pokemon — Species not allowed in the current regulation are flagged
• Illegal moves — Moves that the Pokemon cannot learn in the Champions-legal game versions
• Item clause — No two Pokemon on the same team can hold the same item in VGC
• Species clause — No duplicate Pokemon species on the same team
• Ability legality — Hidden Abilities or event-only abilities that are not obtainable in the current format

Example: Full Team PokePaste

Here is a complete Sun Offense team in PokePaste format that you can copy and import directly:

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave
- Solar Beam
- Protect
- Overheat

Venusaur @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Leaf Storm
- Sludge Bomb
- Protect

Incineroar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 4 Atk / 108 Def / 4 SpD / 156 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off
- U-turn

This is a partial example showing three of six Pokemon. A full team paste would include all six members separated by blank lines.

Import or Export a Team →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PokePaste format?

PokePaste is the standard plain-text format used by Pokemon Showdown and the competitive community to share team builds. It includes species, item, ability, EVs, nature, and moves for each Pokemon.

How do I import a Showdown team?

Open the Team Builder, click Import, and paste your Showdown team export text. PokemonBuilder parses and validates it against the Champions format automatically.

Can I export back to Showdown?

Yes. Click Export in the Team Builder to generate PokePaste text. Copy and paste it into Showdown's team import for full compatibility.

Does it validate for Champions format?

Yes. Every import is checked for banned Pokemon, illegal moves, item clause, species clause, and ability legality against the current Champions regulation.