Do High-Level Pokémon Stop Obeying You? Understanding Obedience Mechanics in Pokémon Games
Yes, high-level Pokémon often stop obeying you in the Pokémon games, but there’s a catch. This disobedience primarily applies to traded Pokémon or those transferred from other games. The underlying mechanic is designed to prevent players from easily obtaining powerful Pokémon early in the game and bypassing the intended progression. In essence, your ability to control high-level Pokémon is directly tied to your progress in the game, specifically the number of Gym Badges, Island Stamps, or the completion stamp from Island Challenge Completion you’ve acquired. The more badges you collect, the higher the level of Pokémon that will listen to your commands. Pokémon you catch yourself in the wild will always listen. So, let’s dive deeper into the intricacies of Pokémon obedience.
Understanding Obedience Mechanics
The obedience mechanic exists to maintain a balanced gameplay experience. Without it, a player could simply trade for a high-level Pokémon at the beginning of their adventure, rendering much of the early-game challenges trivial. This system encourages players to earn their progress by defeating Gym Leaders, completing trials, and gradually strengthening their team.
The Badge System and Obedience Levels
The number of badges you possess directly impacts the level of traded Pokémon that will obey you. The exact level thresholds vary slightly between different Pokémon generations, but the core principle remains the same:
- Few or No Badges: Traded Pokémon above a certain level (often around level 10-20) will frequently disobey.
- More Badges: Each badge earned increases the obedience level cap, allowing you to control increasingly powerful traded Pokémon.
- All Badges (or equivalent): Once you’ve obtained all the badges (or completed the Island Challenge), all Pokémon, regardless of level, will obey you.
Why Do Pokémon Disobey?
When a Pokémon disobeys, it can manifest in various ways:
- Ignoring Commands: The Pokémon might simply refuse to use the move you selected.
- Doing Something Else: It may use a different move than the one you chose or even do nothing at all.
- Loafing Around: Some Pokémon will “loaf around,” effectively skipping their turn.
- Falling Asleep: In some cases, a disobedient Pokémon might fall asleep during battle.
- Hurting Itself in Confusion: Confusion causes damage to the Pokemon itself.
These behaviors are frustrating, especially during critical battles. Understanding the conditions that lead to disobedience is crucial for effective team management.
Original Trainer (OT) Status
It’s crucial to understand the difference between Pokémon you’ve caught yourself (Original Trainer or OT) and those you’ve received in trades. Pokémon caught by you will always obey because the level it was caught at will never change. This is tracked even as the Pokémon levels up. The same goes for Pokémon transferred into your game, as long as you were the OT in the game it was originally caught. Traded Pokémon are subject to the obedience rules based on your badge progress and current level of that Pokémon.
Level Cap
It’s also important to note that there’s a level cap in the Pokémon games, which is level 100. When a Pokémon reaches level 100, it cannot gain any more experience or level up.
Practical Strategies to Manage Obedience
- Earn Badges Consistently: The most straightforward solution is to progress through the game and collect Gym Badges. This gradually increases the level of traded Pokémon that will obey you.
- Focus on Pokémon You’ve Caught Yourself: Especially early in the game, prioritize using Pokémon that you’ve caught, as they will always obey your commands.
- Trade Strategically: If you trade Pokémon, be mindful of their levels. Try to keep them below the obedience threshold until you’ve earned more badges.
- Check your Badge thresholds: Check the threshold per badge to ensure Pokemon will obey.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the obedience mechanics in Pokémon games:
1. What level do Pokémon stop obeying you with no badges?
With no badges, traded Pokémon will usually start disobeying you around level 10 or 20, depending on the specific game generation.
2. Will Pokémon with high friendship disobey?
Friendship (or Affection) and Obedience are separate mechanics. High friendship can offer benefits like increased critical hit rates or enduring attacks, but it doesn’t override the obedience rules for traded Pokémon. If a traded Pokémon’s level is too high for your current badge count, it will disobey, regardless of its friendship level.
3. Why are my traded Pokémon not obeying in Scarlet and Violet?
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the obedience mechanic remains the same as in previous games. Traded Pokémon will disobey if their level exceeds the limit imposed by your current number of badges. The disobedience for traded Pokemon is the same as in past games, in that you need badges to get them to obey based on current level, and they start disobeying whenever their level goes above that. For Pokemon you caught yourself, it’s based on level caught.
4. Is it better to level a Pokémon or catch at a high level?
Generally, a Pokémon trained from a lower level to a higher level will have a more customized stat distribution, potentially leading to slightly better stats compared to a Pokémon caught at a naturally high level. However, the difference is often minimal and may not significantly impact gameplay. Ultimately, it depends on your strategy and preference.
5. Should I keep lower-level Pokémon?
Yes, keeping a diverse range of Pokémon, including lower-level ones, is often a good strategy. You can use them for specific battles or evolve them later in the game.
6. Will my Pokémon stop obeying me after level 10?
For traded Pokémon, yes. After level 10, your traded Pokémon will likely disobey you if you haven’t earned enough badges. However, Pokémon caught directly by you will always obey, regardless of their level.
7. What level can you control with 7 badges?
This varies by generation. Typically with 7 badges you can control up to level 55 traded Pokémon. 8 Badges makes all Pokémon obey you regardless of level.
8. Will level 100 Pokémon obey?
Yes, but only if you have all the required badges for a given game, or completed the relevant challenges for games that use alternative systems (such as Island Challenges in Alola). With all badges, any Pokémon regardless of level will obey.
9. Why does it say my Pokémon is loafing around?
“Loafing around” is one of the ways a disobedient Pokémon might act during battle. It essentially skips its turn, doing nothing. It might also be due to other status conditions or abilities that cause inactivity.
10. How many badges do you need for level 100 Pokémon?
You need all eight badges (or equivalent, depending on the game) to make a level 100 traded Pokémon obey you.
11. Do foreign Pokémon level faster?
Yes, Pokémon obtained from a different region (e.g., traded from a game in a different language) typically receive bonus experience points, allowing them to level up faster.
12. Why won’t my Pokémon obey level 11?
If your traded Pokémon is level 11 and disobeying, it’s likely because you haven’t earned enough badges to control Pokémon of that level. Acquire more badges, and it should start obeying.
13. Why are my traded Pokémon not obeying Scarlet and Violet?
As mentioned, disobedience for traded Pokemon is the same as in past games, in that you need badges to get them to obey based on current level, and they start disobeying whenever their level goes above that. For Pokemon you caught yourself, it’s based on level caught. The exact level thresholds depend on the number of badges you possess.
14. Why won’t my Pokémon obey in Brilliant Diamond?
In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, traded Pokémon will disobey you if their level is too high for the number of badges you’ve earned. This is the same as in previous generations.
15. Can a Pokémon be level 0?
Generally, Pokémon start at Level 1 or Level 5 (depending on the game and how they’re obtained, such as hatching from an egg). While internal data might represent a Pokémon at level 0 before it’s actually “born” in the game, players won’t encounter Pokémon actively at level 0.
The Pokémon games teach valuable lessons, and these games are explored further by the Games Learning Society, focusing on their impact on learning and engagement. Check out the valuable research at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Ultimately, the obedience mechanic in Pokémon adds a layer of strategy to team building and progression. While it can be frustrating, understanding the rules and planning accordingly can ensure a smoother and more enjoyable Pokémon journey.