Pokémon Challenge Rules To Make The Games Harder (But Not Impossible)

Pokémon games become much easier for experienced players, but introducing simple challenges is a great way to make them more engaging for veterans.

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Category : Pokemon

Many Pokémon fans have turned to player-induced challenge rules in an effort to overhaul new playthroughs of old games they’ve beaten countless times. These challenges have proven to not only make the games more difficult, but they also continue to offer players new experiences years after the games initially released.

After decades of success, long time Pokémon fans have sought out various ways to freshen up the experience of playing through older games in the form of challenge playthroughs. These challenges are self-implemented rules primarily designed to challenge experienced veterans as well as forcing the player to play the game in a way that they normally wouldn’t. As a result, nuzlockes are the most popular challenge within the community.

A nuzlocke challenge is effectively Pokémon hard mode. Players are limited to only catching the first Pokémon they encounter in a specific area and if a Pokémon ever faints, it is considered dead and cannot be used anymore. It’s a difficult challenge that emphasizes the player’s mastery of the game and it severely punishes mistakes. With Pokémon trending towards an easier difficulty in recent years, it’s not surprising that nuzlockes have become extremely popular for long time players, but they aren’t the only challenge players can take on.

Pokémon Challenge Rules Aren’t Limited to Nuzlockes

Players can implement a number of different restrictions on a playthrough without having to follow the punishing rules of a Pokémon nuzlocke. These restrictions can be combined with a nuzlocke to really elevate the level of difficulty in a given playthrough, but it’s not necessary. These different challenges are very easy to implement in any Pokémon playthrough.

Switch vs. Set Battle Style

The easiest challenge to introduce to any Pokémon game, and one that should always be used by series veterans, is simply changing the battle style from Switch to Set. The Set battle style introduces a strategic challenge on top of the basic rock-paper-scissors system, as the player cannot switch after defeating a Pokémon. Players are forced to consider factors such as which move is going to be used and which Pokémon will be taking damage to regain momentum.

No Items Used in Battle

Items are extremely powerful in Pokémon and can easily shatter any level of difficulty if used properly. By removing the use of items in battle, individual decisions become more important as the player is limited to how much damage they can sustain and it forces a tactical approach to the more challenging opponents.

Implementing Level Caps

The application of level caps is arguably the biggest challenge players can add to Pokémon. With this rule, Pokémon cannot exceed the level of the next gym leader’s highest level and if they do, they cannot be used until after that gym is defeated. This rule puts a stop to over-leveling and forces the player to manage the amount of experience being gained.

Catching Restrictions

Catching restrictions are a core element of the nuzlocke format, as it limits which Pokémon the player will have access to in a given playthrough. However, there are other restrictions that could be considered like the Pokémon’s type or gender. In many cases, these kinds of catching restrictions force players to use Pokémon they would never consider using on their own.

Players can implement any of these challenges into a Pokémon playthrough without going too far out of their own way. Players with any level of experience can use just one, or any combination, of these rules to make these games more engaging. And it’s highly recommended, as these simple changes to the way Pokémon is played can have a massively beneficial impact on the experience.

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