Pokémon Sword and Shield: tips and tricks for experts and novices

Here are some tips and tricks on how to best start your new adventure in the Galar region in Pokémon Sword and Shield

The new titles of the eighth generation Pokémon are now in stores. Like any game in the main series Sword and Shield Pokémon bring a number of small changes to the gameplay structure. There is a need to familiarize yourself with the new mechanics and with the new Pokémon included in this pair of titles. So here are some suggestions on how to best proceed in the early stages of the Game Freak adventure.

Choose the best starter

As in any Pokémon game at the beginning of the adventure we will be faced with the choice of one of the 3 starters: Grookey (Grass type), Sobble (Water type) and Scorbunny (Fire type). In this generation the final forms will not acquire a second type.

Typically the best choice is the Water-type Pokémon, as they have the fewest weaknesses and the available moves are among the strongest in the game. In the case of these two titles, however, it could lead to some difficulties in the first moments of the game. The first gym is in fact of the Grass type and in the early stages you will have to deal with a large number of Pokémon of this type.

Choosing Scorbunny will have an easy time in the first hours of the game, which is when you will rely more on your starter. While Grookey appears to be the weakest or most easily replaceable starter. 

We would therefore like to advise you on the choice of Fire type if you are new to the brand, in this way the difficulty curve (which is not very high at base) will be softer and you will have time to familiarize yourself with the game mechanics. If you are an expert, we recommend Sobble, to be able to take advantage of the Water type in the later stages of the game.

Team up with Pokémon of different types - Pokémon Sword and Shield tips and tricks

Each new Pokémon generation is a continuous discovery. The desire to explore to discover all the new Pokémon is always high and often you will want to capture all the creatures you meet. We invite you to do it but pay attention to the variety of types in your team. 

In the early stages of the game you will find mostly type Pokémon Normal, Grass or Beetle. The advice is to catch as many as possible but keep only the ones you prefer in the team, in order to have room for Pokémon of other types.

Always try to assess whether your entire team is capable of coping almost all Pokémon types that you will meet during the adventure. Having a one-design team or close to it will make you extremely weak against some coaches.

Take advantage of the shared experience - Pokémon Sword and Shield tips and tricks

In Pokémon Sword and Shield, the Share Experience has been completely eliminated, since the game will automatically share the experience with the whole team (this choice cannot be changed). The Pokémon it fought will receive the largest portion of the experience, while a smaller portion will be distributed to the other Benched Pokémon.

Take advantage of this new feature for train the Pokémon that you have just caught and joined the team especially if with a lower level. You will no longer have to let the weak Pokémon in for at least one turn to make it gain experience, so don't worry about getting weaker Pokémon into your team because in a short time you will be able to get it to the same level as the rest of the team.

Level up quickly - Pokémon Sword and Shield tips and tricks

If you want to have an easy time against your opponents try to level in the early hours of the game. In case you find yourself struggling to face certain challenges, waste some time dealing with wild Pokémon to have a team up to the situation.

Try to complete i raid Dynamax present from the early stages of the game, they will not bring experience but can earn a large number of candies to make your Pokémon gain experience.

To the experts, on the other hand, we offer a challenge that will put them to the test. In the Wild Lands you will be able to meet Pokémon of an extremely higher level than yours. These Pokémon are not catchable, but if defeated they could grant a large number of experience points. If you want to level in an original and above all satisfying way you can try your hand at the enterprise.

Gotta Catch’em All

With these tips you will be able to face all the challenges that will be proposed to you and you will continue your journey to Galar as best you can. For other Pokémon-themed guides that will be released in the next few days, we refer you to the dedicated page. We just have to wish you good trip discovering the new eighth generation Pokémon games. For all the news on the videogame world, keep following us on the pages of Holygamerz!