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Pokemon Legends: Z-A stands out from other games in the series with its real-time combat and open-world design around Lumiose City, giving the RPG a fresh feel. There’s a lot to discover, from completing your Pokedex to competing in the Z-A Royale. To help you get started, here are 13 useful tips.
1. Stay back from your opponents if you want your Pokemon to dodge their attacks. The game’s real-time battle system is fun once you get used to its flow. It can be tricky to avoid attacks at first because there’s no dodge button for your Pokemon, but over time, you’ll learn the range of moves and how fast they occur. Keeping your distance with long-range attacks like Ice Beam or Bubble Beam allows more room to move and strike when enemies are vulnerable.
2. Different moves have different effects, and it’s worth trying out a variety. In this game, moves like Spikes and Stealth Rock leave hazards on the ground that can hurt opponents, while moves like Waterfall and Flame Wheel send your Pokemon charging straight ahead, damaging everything in their path. Feel free to switch moves by selecting your Pokemon on the party screen and clicking “Change moves” — experimenting helps define your fighting style.
3. Status effects now work differently in real-time. Poison and Burn cause rapid health loss instead of turn-by-turn damage. Paralysis slows your Pokemon down, while confusion makes their movements erratic. Freeze keeps Pokémon immobilized and vulnerable, and Sleep now makes them “drowsy,” extending move cooldowns when affected. Handling these effects strategically can turn battles in your favor.
4. Defeating Pokémon increases your chances of catching them, but be careful: knocking them out does boost capture likelihood if they’re close to fainting, indicated by stars over their heads. However, they’ll despawn soon after. Quick reflexes are needed—throw the Poke Ball immediately after they faint to prevent them from escaping or breaking out of the ball.
5. Shiny Pokémon are marked with both visual and sound cues. They are extremely rare, but when one appears, you’ll hear a special jingle similar to Arceus, and stars will burst from them. They also sparkle longer on your screen, and focusing on them with ZL shows stars next to their name. The odds of finding one are uncertain, but persistence pays off.
6. Some species tend to run away if you scare them. To improve your chances of catching shy Pokémon like Gardevoir or Budew, crouch with the L stick and approach stealthily from behind. Throwing a ball from this crouched position boosts catch success. I learned this the hard way when a shiny Budew ran away before I could catch it—don’t let that happen to you.
7. Collect Colorful Screws scattered around Lumiose City to trade for Canari Plush toys. These plushies give passive boosts, such as increasing experience gain, prize money, the number of shards from Mega crystals, damage reduction, or catch rate improvements. You can stack multiple effects for even greater benefits as you progress.
8. Pokémon don’t automatically evolve in Legends: Z-A. When they reach the right level or Friendship, a yellow arrow appears next to their icon. Tap on them and select “Evolve” to watch the transformation. Some Pokémon will also evolve through trading or using specific evolution stones—just select the stone from your Satchel and use it on the Pokémon to see if it works.
9. Boost your Pokémon’s friendship by visiting cafes. Keep the Pokémon you want to evolve in your party and interact with them during your coffee break. If they’re holding a Soothe Bell or have high friendship, this process speeds up. After a few visits, an evolution arrow appears, and your Pokémon can level up into their next form.
10. You can catch Pokémon not only in wild zones but also by exploring the streets and rooftops at different times of day. Look for Pokémon in trees or around food stalls, depending on the time. Certain rare species, like Larvitar or Dragonair, often appear on rooftops, especially during specific times—day or night.
11. Changing the time of day is easy. Sit on a bench, and the game instantly switches between day and night. The Z-A Royale event only occurs at night, and different Pokémon spawn depending on the time, so adjusting it helps you encounter various species.
12. Take pictures any time using the photo mode. Press the minus (-) button, and you can change perspectives with Y, add filters, and pose your Pokémon with X. You can also play music and have your Pokémon strike poses by pressing ZL and ZR, making your snapshots more fun.
13. To Mega Evolve a Pokémon, give it its specific Mega Stone. Once you unlock the Mega Ring in the game, you can transform certain Pokémon into more powerful forms during battles. You need to have the correct Mega Stone equipped, and when your Mega Evolution gauge is full, press the L stick inward to trigger Mega Evolution.
Following these tips will help you make the most of your adventure in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Enjoy exploring and catching ’em all!
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