This article is part of a directory: Pokemon Legends: Arceus - Complete Guide & Walkthrough
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Pokemon Legends: Arceus is an odd premise for a game. The trailers may have players think that it is just a game set in an earlier period in the Pokemon universe. It’s a time-traveling game or perhaps even a multiverse game. That’s not a spoiler because this is explained in the beginning.

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Players wake up in a void to find themselves face to face with a glowing body. Pokemon fans should recognize this form as the titular Arceus. Then, suddenly, things go black and players wind up on a beach. They are greeted by a new Pokemon Professor, Laventon. He is just surprised to see someone fall from the sky as players are for falling from it. Why did they go to the past? That will be answered by the end but let’s rewind a bit first. It’s time to learn some starter tips for Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Updated May 23rd, 2022 by Russ Boswell: Players are looking excitedly toward Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but there are still many out there that are just getting started with their adventure through Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Although it's a Pokemon game at heart, it's definitely one of the most difficult titles within the expansive franchise. Some players may not be adequately prepared for the abrupt but welcome difficulty spike. To better help newbies that are making their way through the region of Hisui, the following list has been updated to include even more tips and tricks for those starting out. Here are even more Pokemon Legends: Arceus beginner tips.

11 Adjust These Options In The Menu

Exploring the world in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Two options in the settings menu should be adjusted before starting. First, turn off auto-saves. There is only one save slot in the game. If the game auto-saves or if the player manually saves, that will use up the same slot. Turning this off forces players to remember to save, but it also gives them more freedom. The other option will allow players to adjust the HUD in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. If this option is selected then they can press down on the right stick to make the HUD go in and out of focus.

10 Always Carry Tons Of Pokeballs

Pokemon Legends Arceus Pokeball with Pokemon trainers

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is quite the difficulty spike for many players, but it's actually a welcome sight to the Pokemon series. Although there are some that will take a bit longer to adjust to the more intense Pokemon-catching experience, it adds quite a bit of entertainment value to the series. Catching a Pokemon is no longer a guarantee, and even some of the lower-tier Pokemon can take quite a bit to successfully grab.

There are tons of Alpha Pokemon to catch too, as well as an abundance of Shiny variants for those that are looking hard enough. Because Pokemon can be extra-stubborn in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, players need to be fully stocked on Pokeballs and their variants at all times. There is nothing worse than having to give up the chase because a player only had a handful of Pokeballs when they started to hunt for a specific target.

9 Find And Pick Up Player Satchels

Pokemon Legends: Arceus New Game Plus

Throughout their Pokemon Legends: Arceus journey, players will notice strange icons on their maps. These icons will pop up randomly when players are connected to the online aspect of the game and mark a location in which another player may have "perished" while hunting Pokemon. If players head to this location and pick up a player's dropped satchel, they will be rewarded for the good deed. Not only will the player receive the items they dropped back, but the player that turned in the satchel will gain Merit Points. These points can then be turned into to a special NPC in town that will allow players to purchase goods they would otherwise have to grind out.

8 Follow The Story Quests Until You Get Wyrdeer

Exploring the world in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Some tutorial missions can make Pokemon Legends: Arceus feel like a slow start. However, after that, the region of Sinnoh is the player’s oyster. It might be tempting to go out and explore right away, but it is encouraged to hold back. Players should first focus on the story quests up until they get their first mount, Wyrdeer. This should only take a couple of hours. This will allow players to explore more quickly, thus reducing backtracking time. In an RPG like this, it’s best to MinMax as much time as possible.

7 Catching Over Battling

Sneaking around in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Pokemon Legends: Arceus introduces a whole new way to catch Pokemon. Players do not have to be in a battle to catch them. They can freely run up, throw a Poke Ball, and then cross their fingers for it to work. Hiding in the grass and catching a Pokemon off guard may give players a better chance of capturing it.

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Likewise, if players throw a Pokemon at another Pokemon from behind, they will initiate a sort of preemptive strike. This gives players the speed advantage in battle. Both methods of capture are valuable, although catching does net players more money.

6 You Can Get Fire And Water Pokemon Fairly Quick

Fighting a battle in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Of the three starters, which is the best one to choose? It's a tough decision, but that is up to player preference. What some may want to are is what types of Pokemon are wandering around the first few areas of the game. That may sway the decision-making.

For example, in the very first region, before crossing the bridge, players can catch a Ponyta and a Buizel. Both of those Pokemon are great for their specific elemental roles. It’s hard to find a Grass-Type Pokemon early on. Across the bridge Chimchar and Psyduck can be caught as well. Is Rowlet the best choice then? If players want a well-rounded starter set of Pokemon then yes, but that is not a blanket recommendation.

5 Focus Money On Moves

The move menu from Pokemon Legends: Arceus

There are a lot of shops and places to sink money into items in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The best place to spend it all on is the Move master in town. Each Pokemon can learn a set amount of moves that are different from others. Shinx has an excellent set to buy, which can make it a well-rounded Pokemon. First, evolve into Luxio. Once it reaches that point take it to town to buy some new moves. It can learn fire and ice variants on its Bite attack. Most starters can learn False Swipe so be sure to buy that for at least one Pokemon.

4 Teach A Pokemon False Swipe

Pokemon Legends Hisuian Sneasel

This is a general tip for players in every other Pokemon title, and it's just as helpful in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Some Pokemon can be an absolute nightmare to catch, and it seems like they'll pop out of a Pokeball no matter what. To snag these particularly stubborn creatures, players will need to tire them out as much as possible, draining their HP down as low as they can and inflicting any status effects they may have (like Sleep).

But trying to keep a Pokemon's health low without outright knocking it out can be difficult. That's why False Swipe is so useful. The move will always leave a Pokemon with at least 1HP left, no matter how many times it's hit.

3 Collect Everything, Become A Crafting Master

The crafting menu from Pokemon Legends: Arceus

There are a lot of trees to shake, ore deposits to smack, and flowers to pick in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. It may seem tedious, but gathering materials is necessary. Never pass up the chance to get some more items even if the inventory is in the hundreds. The more players have, the more they can craft.

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If players feel like they are good on items then they can sell stuff too. Players will get more money from a crafted item rather than a stack of materials. Also, when at camp, be sure to empty the pockets so that they won’t miss out on materials in the next exploration run.

2 Accept All Quests

Talking to an NPC from Pokemon Legends: Arceus

None of the quests in the game are going to treat players to an amazing side story. However, they are easy, and every single one should be accepted. The rewards will be worth it. Do this even if players don’t plan on finishing them all. It’s a good idea to have them as a backup just in case the Pokemon or item an NPC is looking for turns up. As a broader tip, before heading out for the first time, be sure to talk to everyone in town. These starter requests should teach players some things.

1 Grind It Out, Don’t Rely Purely On Elemental Weakness

Fighting a battle in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

This is by far the hardest game in the series in quite some time. A tried and true tip given most often to the main games is for players to rely on their starter Pokemon. That’s not going to fly here. Exploiting elemental weaknesses will also only get players so far. This is a grind-heavy game of battle wherein enemy Pokemon hit back harder than ever. While exploring, be sure to have plenty of potions and revives ready. Fast Travel is an option, but going back to heal every time will start to feel like a waste of time.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus was released on January 28, 2022 and is available on Switch.

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