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What a Pokémon SID is
The Secret ID is a hidden value associated with a save, set when a new game begins. The regular trainer card shows the visible Trainer ID (TID), not the SID. Together, the TID and SID help determine which Pokémon generated by the game are shiny. PokémonAutomation’s FireRed/LeafGreen RNG guide defines it as “a hidden value set when you start a new game” that works with the Trainer ID to determine which generated Pokémon are shiny.
Choose a method to check your SID
If you can access the save file
Open the save in PKHeX or PKHeX Web and inspect the trainer information for the SID. This is the most direct route when you already have an accessible save, such as one from an emulator or GBA flashcart. The PokémonRNG Emerald SID guide describes save inspection as the straightforward option.
For a retail cartridge or another setup where the save is not readily accessible, the way to obtain it depends on the console, transfer route, and tools available. The guide describes conditional options such as dumping the save with a suitable setup, transferring a Pokémon and inspecting a later save, or asking an experienced community member to check a transferred Pokémon. There is no single save-dumping method that applies to every platform.
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If you have a shiny Pokémon but not the save
For Generation 3, the PokémonRNG guide describes using the shiny Pokémon’s data to find candidate SIDs. If it has battled, use EV-reducing berries as appropriate before calculating its IVs. Then enter the IVs, nature, and your TID into PokéFinder’s IVs-to-PID tools. Choose the encounter method that matches how the Pokémon was generated: the guide lists Methods 1–4 for wild Pokémon and Method 1 for legendaries.
The result may contain several possible SIDs rather than one definitive value. Treat the output as candidates until you can confirm one using another check. This deduction route depends on having suitable data from a shiny Pokémon on the same save.
If you want to confirm a candidate through RNG manipulation
RNG-based confirmation is game-specific. For Ruby and Sapphire, the PokémonRNG guide describes generating possible SIDs from the TID in PokéFinder’s Generation 3 IDs tool, entering the dead-battery setting or save-start date and time as appropriate, and testing candidates against a shiny starter. The broader guide also links separate routes for FireRed/LeafGreen and Emerald. Do not carry seed assumptions or tool steps from one game into another without checking its specific instructions.
For a new FireRed/LeafGreen save, PokémonAutomation’s guide describes a different workflow using its SID Helper and Starter RNG programs to predict and test candidate SIDs with a starter. The guide warns that an adjacent SID can be hit, so verify the result rather than assuming a prediction is guaranteed.
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Which route fits your situation?
| Your situation | Best starting point | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| You can access the save | Inspect trainer information in PKHeX or PKHeX Web. | For cartridge saves, access depends on the console and setup. |
| You cannot access the save, but have a shiny from it | Calculate its IVs and use PokéFinder’s Generation 3 IVs-to-PID tools. | Results may include multiple candidates; encounter method matters. |
| You want to test candidates in-game | Follow the RNG workflow for your specific game. | Settings and assumptions differ by game and save-start conditions. |
PokéFinder is a cross-platform RNG tool. Its project repository lists ID features for Generations 3 and 4 and partial support for some other generations, so do not assume complete support for every Pokémon game. Check the PokéFinder repository for the tool’s documented coverage.
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