Many Pokemon Scarlet and Violet fans are waiting for the new DLCs to come out, but months after launch, the games are still getting plenty of events and gifts for players to redeem, and they are currently enjoying a great competitive season. Much like their predecessors, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have many new gimmicks and mechanics that players can engage with, while others from the past are gone for the time being - such as Pokemon Legends: Arceus' shiny sound. With a new in-game economy, a new region, and more importantly an open world for the first time in the series, it's no wonder that Gen 9 has its own unwritten rules.
The games feature a co-op mode as well as online support for competitive and casual matches, trading, and endgame activities, which currently only include Tera Raid battles. Overall, it's only fair to say that this is the most connected Pokemon fans have been in the series' history, and it's only natural that some of the things Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players do have become a shared habit - from shiny hunting methods to farming for materials.
If a Herba Mystica Sandwich Doesn't Yield a Shiny Within 15 Minutes, It's Time to Reset
While this was probably never the intended way for Herba Mystica sandwiches to work in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, players discovered pretty quickly that they could just turn the game off after making a sandwich, and the ingredients would still be there if they didn't save. Soon after, this translated into players using this method to maximize their findings when looking for shiny Pokemon. In fact, it's common practice to turn the game off after half the time of a Herba Mystica sandwich has passed without players finding a shiny, which has led to some very lucky results, with fans boasting four or more shinies from a single sandwich.
When a Tera Raid Event is On, It's Time to Turn Off Online Connectivity
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have been featuring Tera Raid events for a while now, and they often come with a powerful 7-star boss that can be only caught once, but beaten an infinite amount of time. However, the events are typically very short, to the point that they only last from Friday through Sunday. As such, players found a way to keep them around long after their expiration date, which is to connect to the internet once during the event, but then remove the Switch's online connectivity when it is about to end. This will provide players with a way to return to that boss for as long as they like as long as they don't connect to the internet.
Temper Expectations When Surprise-Trading, But Be Nice to Others Anyway
Gen 9 marks the return of the Surprise Trade feature, which allows players to trade a Pokemon of their choice for another from a random trainer. This often doesn't end with the recipient being happy with what they get since it's quite common to be sent low-level critters that are fairly common anyway. However, there are a few exceptions, such as getting the baby versions of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's starters, version-exclusive Pokemon, or even some shinies. Not knowing who will actually get the trade makes it a perfect opportunity to be kind regardless, maybe by giving away the baby versions of Tera Raid bosses.
If Daily Mass Outbreaks Don't Have a Pokemon One Wants, It's Time to Reset the Clock
Much like the trick with Herba Mystica sandwiches, players can also manipulate their spawns when it comes to the daily Mass Outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This involves the same method as other Switch games, which consists of changing the time on the Switch's internal clock to midnight - and players don't even have to change the date for it to work. This will allow them to freely reset their Mass Outbreaks at all times if they don't like or don't need the Pokemon that show up on the map.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.