Pokémon Sun & Moon Battle Royal tips & tricks

Pokemon Sun and Moon are officially the two best-selling Pokemon games of the series, selling more than 3.7 million units within the first two weeks of release. The game brings with it a flurry of new Pokemon, and an entirely new way to play, including the introduction of Battle Royal, a new battle mode. The game mode is wildly different to the standard Battle experience so we’ve spent some time fighting our way through the Battle Royal ranks to bring you some top tips and tricks to get the most out of it. Read next: Pokemon Sun and Moon review

Pokémon Sun & Moon Battle Royal guide: What is Battle Royal?

Before we give you a few pointers about how to get the most out of Battle Royal in Pokemon Sun and Moon, we thought we’d explain what it was for those that don’t know. Essentially, Battle Royal is a new battle format introduced in the recently released Pokemon Sun and Moon, where four opponents battle it out amongst each other in a free-for-all fashion. In other words, it’s 1v1v1v1.

You’re free to target any of your three opponents, and the battle will continue until one Pokemon trainer has no Pokemon left – each trainer can take a maximum of three Pokemon into a Battle Royal.

With each turn, you have a choice of attacking, defending or switching out your current Pokemon (something we wouldn’t recommend, as we’ll come to below). You win points for wiping out opposing Pokemon as well as having the most Pokemon still alive at the end of the battle, with each Pokemon gaining you an extra point. It’s important to note that it’s the person that KO’s a Pokemon that gets the point, regardless of the amount of damage delivered prior. This means that if you weaken a Pokemon before somebody else KO’s it, they win the point and you sit there like a bit of a lemon.

Read next: Best PS4 games

Pokémon Sun & Moon Battle Royal guide: Tips & tricks

Now you understand a little more about what a Battle Royal is, take a look at our tips for improving your tactics and performing as well as you can.

Choose the right Pokémon

This may seem like common sense to those that have been playing Pokémon games for years, but it’s worth mentioning regardless. More so in Battle Royal matches than Pokémon standard battles, having a balanced team is incredibly important, especially true when selecting only three Pokémon to take into battle.

Consider the different types of Pokémon that you’re likely to face in battle, and also consider selecting Pokémon with Dual Types to effectively double your chances of finding an element your enemy is weak against. Of course, it’ll take some time to get the right balance, so make sure you test out a few different combinations before you reach the big time.

Practise!

Like the above tip, it may seem obvious, but practising is key to understanding the various elements of Battle Royal and ultimately, how you start winning. Don’t be fooled by the Battle Royal you take part in during the main Pokémon Sun and Moon storyline, as it’s much harder than that when you take part in an online Battle Royal. Users also have the option of battling AI opponents within the Battle Royal Dome on Akala Island – they aren’t as powerful as online opponents, but will still give you a run for your money.  

Fastest Pokémon only

While you might be eyeing up your strongest Pokémon for your Battle Royal, that may not be the best idea. While it’s still important that your Pokémon can deal fatal blows when necessary, speed is also an important factor when selecting your team. In a match where each round is comprised of four attacks, getting the blows in early is critical, especially if an opponent is on low health – remember, the Pokémon that delivers the final blow is the one that gets the point, not the one that weakened it.

Plan ahead

This one is fairly simple. Don’t attack Pokémon with low health if you think somebody else will KO the Pokémon first, as your attack will fail if Pokémon has fainted and, unlike in standard battles, it won’t be redirected at other opponents. Every single attack in a Battle Royal is important, so make sure you’re aware of the current situation and plan accordingly.

Stick with the Pokémon you choose

While switching Pokemon mid-battle can give you the upper hand in standard Pokemon battles, the same can’t be said for Battle Royal matches. Why? It’s mainly due to the fact that within each turn in a Battle Royal, four moves are performed including your own. While it might be unlikely, your Pokemon could get hit three times before you even switch it out – unless your Pokemon is fast enough to be switched out before attacks begin.

As a general rule of thumb, it’s easier to keep the Pokemon in battle until it’s KO’d, then switch it out.

Attacks that hit multiple Pokémon aren’t as strong

While you may be relying on moves like Earthquake that will damage all your opponents all at once, we wouldn’t put our faith in them. While yes, the move will damage each opponent equally, moves that effect all parties have their power halved whenever they’re used in a Battle Royal.

Signature Z-Moves will break defences

Protect and Detect are probably the two most annoying moves that a Pokemon can use in Battle Royal, making any incoming attacks useless and, more importantly, wasting a vital turn in the game. If you find that an opponent uses protective moves like Protect and Detect often, there is one way around it – the Signature Z-Move.

These aren’t to be confused with regular Z-Moves, as Signature Z-Moves are specific to certain Pokemon, like Pikachu’s Gigavolt Havoc or Dedicueye’s Sinister Arrow Raid. Performing a Signature Z-Move should break the protection and cause massive damage to your opponent.

See also:  The most anticipated games on 2016 |  Pokémon GO review |  Pokemon GO troubleshooting