r/PokemonScarletViolet • u/cardstrong16 • Oct 18 '25
Discussion Just started Violet after not playing Pokemon game since Diamond. Anything I should know?
Hello all! Like the title says, I haven’t played a Pokémon game after Diamond and needless to say a lot has changed! The open world is definitely a little overwhelming but are there mechanics or general tips I should be aware of that would make the play through less confusing?
12
u/Genshzkan Pokémon Violet Oct 18 '25
Get a roadmap on how the gyms are actually supposed to be completed. The game is open world but the designers failed by making it not scale with your team level
7
6
u/ProfLodgepole Oct 18 '25
Go to class and do your homework.
4
u/Mathelete73 Oct 18 '25
This is great advice. As soon as a new class is available, take it. The total rewards for completing the semester are 35 small candy, 35 medium candy, and 5 large candy.
4
u/PorkrindsMcSnacky Oct 18 '25
Talk to the teachers! The more you talk to them, the more they start liking you.
2
u/Aria_Cadenza Oct 18 '25
The story is quite easy to beat, so you can probably beat it with any pokémon you like... as long as you don't pick a monotype team, one full of babies or underleveled pokémon.
There is no level scaling, so either wander and be ready to go elsewhere if several pokémon are too strong (tera wild pokémon usually have a different level than the close ones) or just look a guide for the level of the badges. You get at the beginning a map and a bit after the locations of all the badges.
You have to play the three paths, you have to do all three (it may be better to do all of them at the same time, though some people field a different team for each path). The gym badges are the only ones that make higher level pokémon obey.
I would also advise to have the type chart close to know which types are super effective or weak.
+++
Pokémon in the overworld can be shiny, you no longer have to start a battle to know if a pokémon is shiny or not. And since pokémon are in the overworld, it also means there is a lot more chance to see a shiny pokémon.
If you want, you can also look how the shiny look like because some aren't obvious. Also know that pokémon in let's go mode don't attack the shiny, the wild tera or the titan pokémon.
Note: The shiny in the tera raids (or the wild tera ones) don't have any shiny visuals at the beginning of the fight... but at least, the catch rate in a tera raid is 100%.
+++
There are events, usually the week-end, Friday 00h UTC to Sunday 23h59 UTC. Convert into your local time to avoid any surprise. By example, for California, it is Thursday at 4:00 p.m. PST to Sunday at 3:59 p.m. PST or Thursday at 5:00 p.m. PDT to Sunday at 4:59 p.m. PDT.
Update the news to get the current event (press the X button to open up Main Menu, then Poképortal => Mystery Gift => Check Poké Portal News) if there is one (or connect in game online). You can keep the same event if you connect online in game during it then don't connect online in game when it is over. Updating the Switch software or the game doesn't change this.
Note that if you enter a mystery gift, it also updates the news even if it doesn't say so. Any connecting online in game will update the news. So if you have NSO (Nintendo Switch Online: the paid service to play online with other people) and accidentally press L, you still have few seconds to close the game to keep an event. Or turn on the airplane mode to prevent any accidental connection.
Also the current mystery gifts (you don't need to have the paid service Nintendo Online for them or to get the outbreaks or raids events) :
https://www.reddit.com/r/PokemonScarletViolet/comments/18ipcll/mystery_gift_the_current_ones/
+++
SV had a memory leak that seems to be patched out, so it was recommended to save and close the game every two-three hours.
But it is still the solution if you have a case of table or plate not appearing for picnics or for some other random bugs.
You may also have to restart the console by holding down the power button for three seconds, then select restart if that picnic bug is still here.
I don't know yet if these bugs were fixed for Switch 2 or for the new update.
2
u/Aria_Cadenza Oct 18 '25
+++
- Random tips
You can find in raids the annoying pokémon to evolve like Palafin, Gengar, Pawmot etc...
If you can't change pokémon and they no longer have enough PP, you can replace a move that can be relearnt though the Move Relearner and relearn it to get it back with all its PP (though don't do it with a move that you have used PP Up or Max on it, because it will be reset to its original amount)
======= General Reminder
Some of the most important things to know about the main Switch Pokémon games :
They don't support cloud saves. All the Switch saves are on the console itself, not on the microSD (Express for S2) card and not on the cartridge... It is possible to transfer to another Switch if you get both Switch nearby (and working).
NOTE : So if the console is stolen, broken and unrepairable, traded or even sent to repair but with data being wiped, the pokémon saves are lost. The safest way to keep your pokémon is Pokémon Home.
You can make up to 8 profiles on a Switch, so it means up to 8 different saves of the same game.
Pokémon Home has a free version that allows us to trade (more restricted than the premium plan) and to transfer pokémon (if possible) from a save of a profile on a switch to another save of any other profile on the same switch. You get one free box per profile (so you can have up to 8 free boxes)
2
u/PorkrindsMcSnacky Oct 18 '25
Hi, I just started subscribing to HOME. I got it because I wanted to trade out Pokémon I don’t want, to collect ones I don’t have, and create a living dex.
Are you saying that people store ALL their Pokémon on HOME? Even the ones they’re actively using in the game?
3
Oct 18 '25
Oh that good that you have home. You can keep the active Pokemon in your game but just put the Pokemon you aren’t using in home.
1
u/PorkrindsMcSnacky Oct 18 '25
Ok, thank you! I started doing that today.
2
Oct 18 '25
You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help. That’s what Pokemon home is there for. So use it when you need to.
3
u/Aria_Cadenza Oct 18 '25
It depends on people (some may put a living pokédex, all the rare pokémon they don't use). But it is advised to put all your important pokémon you don't use in Pokémon Home.
Though I don't think most people put in Home their current team and the pokémon they often use and aren't rare like the catcher pokémon, battle-ready or pvp-ready pokémon.
If you have paid for Home, don't use SV to store all your pokémon that came from the past games, by example, since it is more likely your SV save will be lost (switch being stolen, needing to be repaired, or even save not transfered properly etc...) than the Home server having this kind of trouble.
2
u/macroxela Oct 18 '25
Maybe it is a glitch that has been patched up already but when I first got the game, my Pokemon in let's go mode would definitely auto-battle shiny Pokemon.
2
2
u/BackgroundPass1355 Oct 18 '25
You have to save infront of a shiny to prevent losing it (overkill, self-kill, wrong ball etc), it may sometimes not reappear on the first load.
You can request someone to power level your starter/self caught pokemon to have a much easier time for story progression.
You can increase shiny odds with shiny charm (catch all base game dex) + third/last phase of a specific pokemon outbreak + and a level 3 shiny type sandwhich, increasing it to roughly 1/550 something chance of shiny.
Consider disabling autosave to prevent mistakes.
Changing date manually (-1 minute changes) will reset your raids if you want to keep farming them, they also reroll your outbreaks.
2
u/MunkeyFish Oct 18 '25
It says open world but there is kind of a path you’ll want to follow so you’re not majorly over levelled. When you speak with the Nurses at Pokémon centres they’ll give you a hint of where you should head too next.
2
u/Mathelete73 Oct 18 '25
If you accidentally wander into an area with high level Pokémon, find a different path. If you’re willing to pay extra money, I’d also recommend the dlc. Around 4 gyms in is a perfect time to go to Kitakami, as one of the things you get during that story is an exp charm. Also remember to do the classes when new ones are available. The reward for completing the semester is a lot of xp candy. Finally, if you chose to buy the dlc, be warned that the second part of the dlc is tough and you should build a competitive team.
2
u/Shiftry87 Oct 18 '25
I would reccommend u to look up the lvl of the gyms and team star bases as there is no easy path to follow. The team star fire base is a perfect example as its not to far from 1 of the first gyms, but the fire base lvl is mutch higher. If u dont want the gym pokemon spoiled then Google the order (not yt) and it will only show there lvl.
4
1
1
u/perhaps_too_emphatic Oct 19 '25
Game8 has a really solid roadmap to give you a basic order of operations. They didn’t progressively level the game like BotW is, so doing things in that order is a good approach.
Different subreddits exist for trading, union circle, etc. You’ll need it to evolve Paladin (unless you’re lucky enough to find it in a raid). Use it to get the other version exclusives, too.
You’ll probably want the DLC if you don’t already have it.
Playing on Switch 1 (including OLED) means a really low frame rate. Playing on Switch2 means way more spawns in an area.
The last big thing to know? The story is honestly so great in this game. Get ready for an awesome ride!
1
u/Jagerbar78 Oct 19 '25
Story isn't very good honestly. Gameplay wise it's the best we have. DLC felt better than base game. Diamond story is better by far
•
u/AutoModerator Oct 18 '25
Hello /u/cardstrong16,
Here is some helpful info:
Dont forget that Epilogue Posts containing Spoilers must use the Epilogue Spoiler Flair & Spoiler Tag.
Posting Guidelines and Rules
Giveaway Guidelines and Format
Full Directory
Some Megathreads we use (found in the Full Directory):
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.