How To Nuzlocke Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

To complete a Nuzlocke run in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, players will need to adjust the Nuzlocke rules to ensure the games present a true challenge.

To complete a Nuzlocke run in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon Trainers must make a few adjustments to the traditional Nuzlocke rules. Many Pokémon games are designed for younger fans with a kid-friendly tone and reduced difficulty compared to other RPGs, leading to the creation of the unofficial set of Nuzlocke rules. Designed to increase the difficulty of Pokémon games to give more seasoned players a challenge, Nuzlocke runs have become increasingly popular. However, with recent games, including Scarlet and Violet adopting a full open-world design, players will need to make some changes to complete an actual Nuzlocke run.

The Nuzlocke challenge was originally designed for games in Pokémon’s bygone 2D era and had two core rules. First, players can only catch the first Pokémon they encounter in each area. Second, if a Pokémon faints, it is eliminated and must either be released or put in storage. The Nuzlocke rules are wholly fanmade, and players often add extra rules to make their runs more challenging. However, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s open-world structure means players must make a few adjustments to stick to the Nuzlocke rules.

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New Nuzlocke Rules For Pokémon Scarlet And Violet

Due to the restrictions on catching Pokémon, players will need to set aside the traditional goal of completing Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Paldean Pokédex. The easiest way to adapt the catching restriction rule to Scarlet and Violet’s open world is for players to restrict themselves to catching a single Pokémon in each of Paldea’s named areas. Unfortunately, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet feature fewer random elements than in previous games, as players can now see actual Pokémon roaming around in the overworld.

Being able to choose which Pokémon to catch in each area goes against the spirit of a Nuzlocke run, so players will have to adapt. Of course, the easiest way is for players to catch the first Pokémon they see. Alternative methods suggested by creative Redditors to reintroduce some randomness include catching six Pokémon per area and rolling a die to decide which to keep or going even more basic by running around blindfolded until players encounter a wild Pokémon. Unfortunately, this effectively means players only get to choose the best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter Pokémon, with the rest of their roster being entirely random.

The Nuzlocke elimination rule is easily adapted to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, as players can continue to release or store fainted Pokémon. However, all Pokémon in player rosters share experience points from battle thanks to Exp. Share, which can no longer be toggled on and off. This makes a Nuzlocke run easier as it reduces the experience point grind, but players can always increase the challenge themselves by implementing other widely used Nuzlocke rules:

• If all Pokémon in the party faint, that is considered a Game Over.
• Players must nickname all Pokémon in order to increase their personal attachment to each Pokémon in their team.
• Players cannot use healing items during battles.

With extra rules, players will face an uphill battle as they battle and explore Paldea’s unique Ten Sights in Pokémon Scarlet And Violet. The key to the Nuzlocke experience is that players can be creative and experiment. The spirit of a Nuzlocke run is to build on Pokémon’s existing mechanics to make the game more challenging. As long as players stick to the two core rules, they can get creative with adding rules to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet for their Nuzlocke runs.

More: Where to Find (& Catch) Slither Wing in Pokémon Scarlet

Source: Reddit, YouTube/Nintendo of America