---
title: Customizing Pokémon and Trainer Item Drops
description: Every item earned after a battle starts with the settings in drops.yml. This guide explains how Pixelmon handles item drops from wild Pokémon and Trainers, including drop rates, limits, loot behavior, and the settings that determine what players can earn through battle.
source: "https://nodecraft.com/support/games/minecraft/mods/pixelmon/customizing-pokemon-and-trainer-item-drops"
image: "https://dynamic-assets.nodecraft.com/signedurl/w7vokBAexMnVlnMZ1Q/image.jpg?modifications=W3sibmFtZSI6ImdhbWVfYmciLCJpbWFnZV91cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2Ntcy1hLm5vZGVjcmFmdC5jb20vZi8xMzM5MzIvMjAwMHg1NTAvZGNiMGFkNjkzOC9jYXZlcy1hbmQtY2xpZmZzLXB0LTItMS0yLTAucG5nL20vIn0seyJuYW1lIjoiZ2FtZV9sb2dvIiwiaW1hZ2VfdXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9jbXMtYS5ub2RlY3JhZnQuY29tL2YvMTMzOTMyLzM3NXgxNTAvM2MxZGIyYmFiNS9taW5lY3JhZnQucG5nL20vIn0seyJuYW1lIjoiY3RhX3RleHQiLCJ0ZXh0IjoiQ3JlYXRlIHlvdXIgb3duIHNlcnZlciEifSx7Im5hbWUiOiJ0ZXh0IiwidGV4dCI6IkN1c3RvbWl6aW5nIFBva8OpbW9uIGFuZCBUcmFpbmVyIEl0ZW0gRHJvcHMifV0&s=14a303a540941d2df014575e40eb9abdb8218bd176a3455186faf36b0af978a9"
published: "2026-08-16T23:26:04.827Z"
updated: "2026-08-16T23:26:04.827Z"
---

# Customizing Pokémon and Trainer Item Drops

Every item earned after a battle starts with the settings in drops.yml. This guide explains how Pixelmon handles item drops from wild Pokémon and Trainers, including drop rates, limits, loot behavior, and the settings that determine what players can earn through battle.

The Item Drop section contains the options Pixelmon uses for this part of the server. Configure item drops from wild Pokémon and Trainers, including rates, limits, and drop behavior.

## Pixelmon Item Drop Settings

The settings below are listed in the same order as they appear in drops.yml. The table preserves each default and identifies the accepted value type. The Setting column shows a reader-friendly name first, followed by the matching drops.yml key for reference.

| Setting and Config Key | Default and Accepted Values | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Pokémon Drops Enabled** pokemon-drops-enabled | **Default:** true **Values:** true or false | Whether or not certain Pokémon can drop items upon defeat. |
| **Use Drop G U I** use-drop-g-u-i | **Default:** true **Values:** true or false | If enabled, the drops GUI will display after the player defeats a regular wild Pokémon. The drops GUI will always display when defeating NPC Trainers or boss Pokémon, regardless of this setting. |
| **Delete Unwanted Drops** delete-unwanted-drops | **Default:** false **Values:** true or false | Whether or not the "Drop All" button in the Pokémon drops screen will delete the items or drop them on the ground. |
| **Award Tokens** award-tokens | **Default:** false **Values:** true or false | Whether defeating wild pokémon awards the player with the respective pokémon Photo. |
| **Den Star Drops** den-star-drops | **Default:** [2, 4, 6, 8, 10] **Values:** list | Number of item drops for each star level in raids. |

## Important Item Drop Setting Notes

### Defaults and Value Types

Boolean toggles, numeric rates, timers, lists, and mappings use different value formats. Preserve the value type shown in the table and keep collection syntax intact when changing drops.yml.

### Settings That Work Together

Several item drop options can affect the same outcome. Review related rates, limits, timers, and lists together before deciding that one value is responsible for a result.

### Testing Changes

- Change one related group of settings at a time so its effect is easy to measure.
- Test the result under the conditions affected by the setting, including relevant dimensions, player states, or encounter types.
- Keep a copy of the previous values so unexpected balance or performance changes can be reversed quickly.

## Final Thoughts

Item Drop settings are easier to balance when changes are deliberate and documented. Start with the defaults, adjust only what the server needs, and verify the result before moving on to the next group.