Welcome to Paldea — Your Starting Guide to Scarlet & Violet

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet introduced one of the most ambitious open-world designs in the series' history. With three separate story paths, over 400 catchable Pokémon, and a brand-new mechanic called Terastallization, it can feel overwhelming for new players. This guide will get you started on the right foot.

Choosing Your Starter

As always, your journey begins with picking a starter Pokémon. Paldea's three starters are:

  • Sprigatito (Grass-type) — Evolves into Floragato, then Meowscarada. A speedy, offensive Grass/Dark-type final form.
  • Fuecoco (Fire-type) — Evolves into Crocalor, then Skeledirge. A bulky, singing Fire/Ghost-type final form.
  • Quaxly (Water-type) — Evolves into Quaxwell, then Quaquaval. A powerful, dancing Water/Fighting-type final form.

For beginners, Fuecoco is often recommended due to its high bulk and the relative scarcity of Fire-types early in Paldea. However, all three are strong choices — pick the one you like the most!

Understanding the Three Story Paths

Unlike traditional Pokémon games with a single linear path, Scarlet & Violet feature three interconnected storylines you can tackle in any order:

  1. Victory Road — The classic Gym challenge. Defeat 8 Gym Leaders and the Elite Four to become Champion.
  2. Path of Legends — Track down powerful Titan Pokémon alongside your friend Arven to find special Herba Mystica herbs.
  3. Starfall Street — Take on Team Star's bases and their formidable bosses.

All three paths eventually converge for a dramatic finale. You're free to switch between them at any time, but each has a recommended level order.

Recommended Gym Order for Beginners

Since the world is open, Gyms can be challenged in any order — but here's a difficulty-friendly sequence:

  1. Cortondo Gym (Bug-type, Leader Katy) — Level ~14
  2. Artazon Gym (Grass-type, Leader Brassius) — Level ~16
  3. Levincia Gym (Electric-type, Leader Iono) — Level ~23
  4. Cascarrafa Gym (Water-type, Leader Kofu) — Level ~29
  5. Medali Gym (Normal-type, Leader Larry) — Level ~35
  6. Montenevera Gym (Ghost-type, Leader Ryme) — Level ~41
  7. Alfornada Gym (Psychic-type, Leader Tulip) — Level ~44
  8. Glaseado Gym (Ice-type, Leader Grusha) — Level ~48

Terastallization Explained

Terastallization is the new battle mechanic introduced in Scarlet & Violet. Here's what you need to know:

  • Every Pokémon has a hidden Tera Type — it can be any of the 18 types, even different from its base type.
  • During battle, you can Terastallize once per adventure (recharges at Pokémon Centers). The Pokémon gains a crystal appearance and its type changes to its Tera Type.
  • If a Pokémon's Tera Type matches one of its original types, that type's moves get a significant power boost.
  • Tera Types can be changed using Tera Shards, which are earned in Tera Raids.

Essential Early Tips

  • Explore freely — Higher-level Pokémon appear in the wild, so watch the map's level zones.
  • Use the Let's Go feature — Send your Pokémon out to auto-battle and collect items while you walk.
  • Do Tera Raids early — They give great EXP Candy and TM materials for move teaching.
  • Talk to everyone — NPCs hand out useful TMs, items, and hints throughout Paldea.
  • Manage your sandwich buffs — Crafting sandwiches gives powerful temporary bonuses, including boosted Shiny encounter rates.

Getting Ready for the Post-Game

After completing all three main story paths, a fourth story — The Way Home — unlocks. This leads to the Area Zero crater at the heart of Paldea and contains the game's most significant narrative revelations. Aim for a team around Level 55–60 before tackling it.