(Adapted from a Word document, written by EmiyaSora. Thanks EmiyaSora!)
Greetings, in this tutorial we will learn how to create a customized Pokédex with Hex Maniac Advance!
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Open Hex Maniac Advance (the most recent version, the better).
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Click on the Icon “Goto” (the one that looks like a house, at the left of the magnifying glass icon).
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Choose the following commands (at this point, both FireRed and Emerald share the same steps):
Scripts > Pokédex > Regional Length
- In this menu, use a double click on the “151” number (same for FireRed):
- Let’s say you want a Regional Dex like Platinum, so in that case, change the number into '210':
- The numbers automatically updated each other, so the first step is complete! Make sure to save your progress and create a backup here.
Note 1: If it’s on an Emerald Rom, the Regional Dex number will be 202, so keep that in mind and either expand the Pokédex a bit more or use those slots as you like. Note 2: For both games, the maximum number for the Regional Pokédex will be 255, due to limitations on the binary system.
- FireRed only: Now that the Pokédex has been updated, use these commands:
- Go to the Utilities menu > Pokédex > Reorder National Dex
In the base FireRed Rom, that means your Regional Pokédex will end around Granbull, as each row has a total of 23 Pokémon.
This is because FireRed’s Regional Pokédex has the same order as the National Pokédex, so the Regional Pokédex function won’t be necessary here.
- Emerald only: follow this route instead:
- Go to the Utilities menu > Pokédex > Reorder Regional Dex
You need to use the Regional Pokédex first because Hoenn’s is not the same as the National Dex number, but should you desire the National Pokédex to be the same, make sure to reorder it to match Hoenn’s Regional one so no mistakes will happen.
Watch this video to learn about editing Pokédex entries and other Pokédex data (click on the thumbnail):
- Which Pokémon shouldn’t be replaced?
In both games, there’s a number of Pokémon connected to scripts and overworld events so, if you don’t know how to fully edit them, here’s the ones you need to avoid changing, including their evolutionary relatives:
- For FireRed: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, both Nidoran lines (they’re hard coded to give birth to each other), Hypno, Electrode, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Lapras, Eevee, Omanyte, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Snorlax, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, Togepi, Unown, Raikou, Entei, Suicune, Ho-Oh, Lugia, Azurill, Shedinja (hardcoded to have 1 HP at all times - fix here), Volbeat and Illumise (also hardcoded to give birth to each other, but they could be changed with Legendary Pokémon), Wynaut and Deoxys.
- For Emerald: both Nidoran lines (same reason as above), Geodude, Electrode, Mew, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Sudowoodo, Ho-Oh, Lugia, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Azurill, Shedinja (same reason as above), Volbeat and Illumise (same reasons as above), Nosepass, Lileep, Anorith, Castform, Kecleon, Wynaut, Wailmer/Wailord, Relicanth (Regi puzzle), Beldum, Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Latias, Latios, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi and Deoxys.
- Geodude and Nosepass are mentioned because they’re also obtainable via Rock Smash.
Note 3: If you want, in the Utilities menu, go to the Script button and drag the Fairy type script into Hex Maniac, so your game will have the Fairy type ready to go, as well as update all the mons too.
- Tips to create a Pokédex for your hack.
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Consider your story for the setting of your region, like weather, culture, biomes (forests, rivers, seas, caves and so on), connections to other regions and so on. If its lore is connected to alternate dimensions, time, space, ideals, life, death or a crossover series (like Digimon Emerald Project or Yu-Gi-Oh! Pokéduel), make sure to take that into account to compliment the roster.
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Make sure to keep balance, having enough options for each type, unlike Diamond and Pearl’s Original Regional Dex, that only had three Electric families, two Fire ones, two Ice ones and a Dragon one (without counting Dialga and Palkia), but it had fifteen Water ones instead (without counting Palkia and Manaphy). https://forums.serenesforest.net/index.php?/topic/95580-fiddling-with-a-regional-pokedex/
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To save time, try to replace Pokémon in slots that are similar to them, such as having at least one similar type or egg group. Furthermore, you can replace mons with their Regional Forms, in order to add more coverage while keeping the same species.
Example: Use the Goto command, to then use Data > Pokémon > Stats.
Search for DS style Sprites in Pokécommunity or Whack a Hack:
Then, let’s search for Paras and Venonat’s slots, and change their names to Sizzilipede, Centiskorch, Cutiefly and Ribombee. We will also search for Grimer, Diglett and Koffing’s slots, and we will change their names to AGrimer, AMuk, ADiglett, ADugtrio and GWeezing.
After that, once you’ve downloaded your sprites, use the Import button to change their Sprites and Icons (make sure to choose the Cautious button to not change other Pokémon’s colors and palettes).
Once that’s done, make sure to order all Pokémon so they’re together in Pre-Evolutions and Evolutions:
Look for the “??????” Pokémon before Bulbasaur and repoint it’s moveset.
With the new changes, the 210’s slot now is Aipom, but you can change it to your liking as long as it’s no more than 210 (or the number you chose).
- If you want to add some cross generational evolutions like Togekiss, Magmortar, Electivire, Sirfetch’d, Cursola, Obstagoon and so on, make sure to replace them with Pokémon that aren’t in the wild nor in enemy’s trainer’s teams, such as the Wurmple line, Spinda, Relicanth, Luvdisc or the Regi Trio in FireRed (just make sure to go to Data > Pokédex > Habitat to change them into a more proper one afterwards), or the Kanto starters, Poliwag line and Legendary Birds in Emerald.
- Try changing some Pokémon types into new ones as long as they fall under a certain logic, like a Normal/Dark Persian, Fire/Ghost Ninetales, Ground/Ghost Marowak, Electric/Fighting Electivire, Fire/Rock Magmortar, Normal/Electric Porygon-Z, Rock/Dragon Aerodactyl and so on. Buffing some of their stats to make them more viable is also a nice choice.
Note 4: Make sure to add your favorite ones and have fun! After all, you decide what kinds of Pokémon players will have in their adventure. Also, try to use an Excel spreadsheet to organize your data, it will make things a lot easier.
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Download Pokémon Cry’s Editor from here (but make sure it’s the version added by the user Jaizu, which fixed the original program):
https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=375327&page=3
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Download all Pokémon cries from Pokécommunity or Whack a Hack:
You will notice that all default cries have the “Compressed” and “Clean Repointed Cry” checked with a symbol, so in order to add a newer cry, you need to make sure to uncheck the “Compressed” one:
Here we have Paras’s cry, and we will replace it with Sizzilipede’s cry. To do so, we’ll go to Cry > Import > Search for your Cries and add it:
It will then repoint itself automatically into free space, so don’t worry about it.
- After this, you can follow the steps over and over again until you’ve changed the Regional Pokédex to your liking (make sure to have as many backups as you need, the more the better), but there’s a final catch, FireRed has a feature that blocks evolutions from Pokémon that aren’t the first 151, so a special script will need to be added in order to fix that.
- How to change fossils?
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Search the Goto button, and then choose Data > Items > Stats.
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Repoint the description of it's shared with another item/move, so that you only change the description of the item you're editing.
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Search for the Helix Fossil, and repoint its shared palette with the Dome Fossil as well.
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Change their names to your liking (in this example, we’ll use the Cover and Sail Fossils). This link is recommended:
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For the image / palette, repoint then if they're shared. Then click on the Import button to add the newer fossil sprite.
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Go to Bulbapedia to find the text of the new fossil, and add it as well.
- Go to Data > Pokémon > Stats to replace Omanyte’s sprites/icons with those of Tirtouga, and Kabuto’s with those of Amaura, using the steps above. Make sure to use Esperance Cry’s Editor as well.
- Go to Scripts > Text > Multichoice, and search for any mention of Omanyte and Kabuto, and replace it with Tirtouga and Amaura. (The 3DFED0, 3DFEE0, 3DFF00 and 3DFF18 ones, repoint them just in case).
- Other Tips.
- Use either TEE3 or Hex Maniac’s function of Data > Pokémon > Type > Chart to edit the Type Chart to your liking, like buffing types such as Ice, Bug and Grass, while nerfing types like Water, Steel and Fairy, as well as the Graphics > Pokémon > Type > Icons to change the Fairy type color pattern (since it’s the same as the Psychic one by default). In Emerald is a bit riskier, but since it supports more colors than FireRed perhaps it will have the official color there.
- Use Gen 3 Hack Suite only to re-add sprites and icons that end up broken or distorted, and once they’re fixed, go to Hex Maniac again and repoint them so they’re safe.
- Credits:
- HexManiacAdvance was created by haven1433
- Pokémon Cry Editor was created by Esperance and fixed by corsara97 and Jaizu
- Gen 3 Hacking Suite was created by karatekid552
- TEE3 was created by Esperance, the same person behind the Cry Editor
- The sprites and cries in Pokécommunity and Whack a Hack belong to their respective authors, either if they just adapted the sprites/icons or created them from zero, the same for the cries. Same for the people who created and organized the threads.
- The user thedarkdragon11 for organizing and indexing the items, as well as all the other authors whom contributed there as well
- The user Shanty Pete's 1st Mate, for creating the thread in Serene Forest’s forums, referencing the problem in the OG D/P Regional Pokédex
- Digimon Emerald Project was made by Guzeinbuick
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Pokéduel was made by ortz3
- The Pokémon Franchise is owned by Nintendo, Gamefreak, the Pokémon Company, Creatures Inc. and Satoshi Tajiri.