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Get ability data

get_ability

Read-onlyIdempotent

Look up an ability's effect text, flags, and generation availability to verify ability interactions before calculating damage or speed.

Instructions

Get one ability's effect text, flags, and the generations it exists in. Use it before relying on an ability in damage or speed reasoning; the set inputs of calculate_damage and check_speed take the ability or item name and apply it themselves. Accepts ability names case-insensitively; unknown abilities return an isError with near matches. Read-only and offline.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`ability`	Yes	Ability name, e.g. "Intimidate", "Protosynthesis".

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`gen`	Yes	Generation the ability was introduced in; 0 for the "No Ability" placeholder.
`num`	Yes	Ability number in the dataset; 0 for abilities that have none.
`desc`	Yes	Full effect description.
`name`	Yes	Ability name, e.g. "Intimidate".
`flags`	Yes	Flags the ability carries, as {"<flag>": 1}; any flag not listed does not apply. Possible keys: "breakable", "cantsuppress", "failroleplay", "failskillswap", "noentrain", "noreceiver", "notrace", "notransform".
`shortDesc`	Yes	One-line effect summary.
`isNonstandard`	Yes	"Past", "Future", "Unobtainable", or "CAP" when the ability is not available in the current games; null when it is standard.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv3.2.0Sep 18, 2026

removedInput schema / properties / generation

Removed value: -{
-  "default": 9,
-  "description": "Generation whose data to use, 1-9 (default 9). Earlier generations omit moves, items, abilities, and forms that did not exist yet.",
-  "maximum": 9,
-  "minimum": 1,
-  "type": "integer"
-}

Changed3 schema fields changedv1.1.1Sep 15, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / ability / description

Added value: +"Ability name, e.g. \"Intimidate\", \"Protosynthesis\"."

addedInput schema / properties / generation / description

Added value: +"Generation whose data to use, 1-9 (default 9). Earlier generations omit moves, items, abilities, and forms that did not exist yet."

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "desc": {
+      "description": "Full effect description.",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "flags": {
+      "additionalProperties": {
+        "type": "number"
+      },
+      "description": "Flags the ability carries, as {\"<flag>\": 1}; any flag not listed does not apply. Possible keys: \"breakable\", \"cantsuppress\", \"failroleplay\", \"failskillswap\", \"noentrain\", \"noreceiver\", \"notrace\", \"notransform\".",
+      "propertyNames": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "gen": {
+      "description": "Generation the ability was introduced in; 0 for the \"No Ability\" placeholder.",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "isNonstandard": {
+      "description": "\"Past\", \"Future\", \"Unobtainable\", or \"CAP\" when the ability is not available in the current games; null when it is standard.",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "name": {
+      "description": "Ability name, e.g. \"Intimidate\".",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "num": {
+      "description": "Ability number in the dataset; 0 for abilities that have none.",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "shortDesc": {
+      "description": "One-line effect summary.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "name",
+    "num",
+    "gen",
+    "shortDesc",
+    "desc",
+    "flags",
+    "isNonstandard"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedv0.1.0Sep 14, 2026

TDQS

A4.7/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover read-only and idempotent hints. The description adds 'offline' (extra context) and case-insensitive matching with near-match errors on unknown abilities, which go beyond the annotations. It also repeats 'Read-only' which is already annotated, but the additional behavioral details are valuable.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is three sentences with no redundancy. It front-loads the purpose, then gives usage guidance and behavioral details in a logical order. Every sentence earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a simple one-parameter getter with a rich output schema and comprehensive annotations, the description covers everything an agent needs: purpose, usage context, input behavior, and offline nature. Nothing essential is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% and the parameter description includes an example. The description adds meaningful semantics: case-insensitive input handling and error response with near matches. This goes beyond the schema, so a score of 4 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's function: getting an ability's effect text, flags, and generations. It also differentiates from sibling tools by explicitly mentioning how calculate_damage and check_speed handle ability names themselves, making it easy to distinguish from those calculation tools.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It provides explicit when-to-use guidance ('Use it before relying on an ability in damage or speed reasoning') and explains that calculate_damage and check_speed already apply the ability, which implicitly tells the agent when not to call this tool. It also covers case-insensitivity and error behavior, making usage conditions clear.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.