Talk:Download (Ability)

Which Stat?

It says it will download based on the foe's lowest stat. Does that mean the attack corresponding to the lower defense is raised? It seems that way, but it's not entirely clear to me from the description. Cheesus Is Lord 04:33, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

I also wondered this. TTEchidna 04:47, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

Download raises Attack or Sp Attack based on weather the foe's Defense or Sp Defense stat is lower. For instance, against Blissy, Download always boosts Attack, and against Golem it will aways boost Sp Attack. So you are correct, it raises an offensive state based on which of the opponent's defensive stats is lower. Trainer-c 07:12, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

What if they're both the same? - unsigned comment from TorchicBlaziken (talk • contribs)

It chooses a stat randomly. - totally signed comment from Kirbychu Showdown (talk • contribs) 13:52, 9 December 2021 (UTC)

Triple Battles

It doesn't say how the raised stat is determined in Triple Battles. Presumably it's the same way, but can someone confirm that? The same should probably done for Horde Battles. And maybe Rotational Battles. --Wynd Fox 23:27, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Exclusivity

If this is the signature ability of Porygon's line, why can Genesect have this ability? I'm curious. Hello, it's me, GalarChamp Cinderace! (talk) 16:31, 24 March 2021 (UTC)

It was, prior to Generation V. An article pretty clearly says so at the very start. Until Genesect was released, an ability was indeed exclusive to Porygon's line. So can't see any contradiction here. TLN (talk) 16:39, 24 March 2021 (UTC)

Effect in FFA/Battle Royal

The stat raised is based on

1. The opponent on the opposite side of the field from you or
2. It chooses an opponent randomly

It seems like 2 is more likely to happen, but I haven't played FFA on Smogon in a while - totally signed comment from Kirbychu Showdown (talk • contribs) 13:51, 9 December 2021 (UTC)

Do not rely on unofficial simulators for game mechanics research. While they try their best to replicate the games, there is no guarantee of their accuracy. --SnorlaxMonster 00:18, 11 December 2021 (UTC)

Interaction with substitute

Looking at the generation 4 code of the game (specifically HGSS and Platinum), [it appears that Download doesn't take into account the defensive stats of opponents behind a substitute. In a singles battle, this makes it default to boosting special attack, where in a double battle, it only checks the stats of mons not behind a substitute.]

UPDATE: Through testing, it appears that Download doesn't work against opponents behind a substitute at all. This was tested on a cartridge against Bruno's Hitmonchan using a porygon2 with download.