Mastering Max Raid Rerolls: A Comprehensive Guide
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So, you’re looking to reroll your Max Raid Dens in Pokémon Sword and Shield, huh? Let’s cut right to the chase. The primary methods involve manipulating your Nintendo Switch’s system clock and utilizing Wishing Pieces. To refresh a den and potentially alter the Pokémon within, you can advance the clock by 24 hours. For more granular control, especially with purple beam dens (denoting rarer Pokémon), you can employ a method involving setting the text speed to slow, tossing a Wishing Piece into the den, and then, before the game saves, exiting to the home menu. This allows you to essentially soft reset the den until you get the desired result. Ready to dive deeper? Read on!
Understanding Raid Den Mechanics
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of rerolling, it’s crucial to understand the basics of Raid Dens. In the Wild Area, Isle of Armor, and Crown Tundra, you’ll find Pokémon Dens. These dens can be empty (inactive) or emitting a beam of light, indicating an active Max Raid Battle. Red beams generally signify common Pokémon, while purple beams signal rarer encounters, often including Pokémon that are exclusive to specific game versions or events.
The Importance of Wishing Pieces
Wishing Pieces are key to controlling your den spawns. These items, purchasable from Watt Traders scattered throughout the Wild Area, force a reset of an empty den. Using a Wishing Piece effectively guarantees a new Max Raid Battle will appear. Remember to stock up!
The Clock Manipulation Method (Time Skips)
This is the most straightforward way to reroll your dens. Here’s the step-by-step process:
- Complete any active raids: Clear out any currently active Max Raid Battles in the dens you want to reset.
- Insert a Wishing Piece: Interact with an empty den and insert a Wishing Piece. This will activate a new raid.
- Advance the clock: If the newly spawned Pokémon isn’t what you’re looking for, close the game entirely. Go to your Nintendo Switch’s system settings, then System, then Date and Time. Turn off “Synchronize Clock via Internet.”
- Roll the date forward: Manually advance the date by one day (24 hours).
- Restart the game: Launch Pokémon Sword or Shield. The raid den will now have a new Pokémon.
- Repeat as needed: Continue repeating steps 3-5 until you find the raid you desire.
The Advanced Reroll Technique (Purple Beam Optimization)
This method is particularly useful for rerolling purple beam dens, allowing for more precise control over rare spawns. This is a bit more complex but offers greater control.
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Change Text Speed to Slow: In the game options set your text speed to SLOW.
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Insert Wishing Piece: Approach the den, save your game (optional, but recommended), and insert a Wishing Piece.
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Watch for the beam: Pay very close attention to the beam that appears after inserting the Wishing Piece. This will determine the Pokemon that will appear.
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Interrupt the Save: If the beam color (and presumed Pokémon) isn’t to your liking, quickly exit to the Nintendo Switch Home menu before the game has a chance to fully save.
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Close the game: Once at the home menu, close the game completely.
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Restart and Repeat: Relaunch the game and repeat steps 2-5. The den’s spawn will be different each time until the game saves.
Additional Tips for Efficient Rerolling
- Turn off Auto-Save: This is crucial for the advanced method. Prevent unexpected saves that lock in unwanted spawns.
- Know your dens: Familiarize yourself with the locations of dens in the Wild Area, Isle of Armor, and Crown Tundra. This allows for quicker access and rerolling.
- Utilize the Mystery Gift reset: As the article mentions, the Mystery Gift function can be used to reset the Wild Area. Select “Get the Wild Area News” in the Mystery Gift menu and this will reset any spawns in the Wild Area. This also respawns dropped items in the Wild Area as well.
The Importance of Community and Resources
Don’t hesitate to leverage online resources and communities for optimal raid hunting! These resources will often feature details on special events, as well as the best strategies for raid dens.
Rerolling is Not Everything, Take Advantage of Other Game Features!
The Wild Area has features that you can manipulate to give you an advantage with finding the Pokemon you want. You can create the type of weather in the Wild Area that corresponds to your needs, so that the Pokemon you are looking for is more likely to spawn! This will increase your odds of being able to reroll a raid den to produce the pokemon you are looking for.
Conclusion
Rerolling Max Raid Dens in Pokémon Sword and Shield, while requiring some manipulation of the game’s mechanics, is an effective way to target specific Pokémon, including rare and event-exclusive encounters. Whether you prefer the straightforward clock-advancing method or the more precise purple beam technique, understanding the underlying mechanics and following these steps will significantly improve your raid hunting experience. Now get out there and catch ’em all! For more gaming insights and educational resources, be sure to visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why aren’t my Pokémon Shield dens resetting?
To reset your dens, you need to either leave the Wild Area and re-enter, or use the Mystery Gift function and choose “Get the Wild Area News.” This will reset the Wild Area, including the dens.
2. Why are my raids not resetting?
Ensure your Nintendo Switch’s system clock isn’t synchronized via the internet. Close the game, set the clock to 23:59, open the game, and wait until it ticks over to 00:00. Raids should reset then.
3. How long does it take for raid dens to reset naturally?
Raids reset either when you clear all active Max Raid dens, or at midnight in your time zone (as set on your Switch).
4. How do I make Max Raids spawn?
Use a Wishing Piece on an empty den. Alternatively, clear all existing Max Raid dens in the Wild Area, which will trigger a new set of raids to appear.
5. What does a purple den mean in Pokémon Sword and Shield?
A purple den indicates that the Pokémon within is both stronger and rarer than those found in red beam dens.
6. Are Max Raid dens a 100% catch rate?
Yes, Pokémon encountered in regular Max Raid dens (those you find yourself) have a 100% catch rate regardless of the Poké Ball used. However, event dens follow their regular/base catch rates.
7. Do dens respawn in Pokémon Sword and Shield?
Dens respawn at midnight or when you clear all active dens.
8. Can you soft reset raid dens for Shinies?
The Pokémon is determined when the den lights up, so you cannot soft reset to make them shiny. However, if you fail to catch the Pokémon, you can soft reset and try again.
9. How do I reset my Cinderace raid (or other event raids)?
Change the clock on your Switch to reset your raids for the day, granting access to additional event raids after completing one.
10. How often do raid dens respawn?
Raid dens respawn daily.
11. How do you get 7-star raid dens?
7-star raids are only available as part of in-game events and require completing the main story, winning post-game tournaments, and participating in numerous 5-star raids.
12. How do you unlock 7-star raid dens?
Unlocking 6- and 7-star raids requires completing the entire game, beating the post-game tournament, then completing 4- and 5-star raids until they are unlocked.
13. How often do 6-star raids spawn?
A new 6-star raid will appear on your map immediately. Every day, a new 6-star raid becomes available.
14. How many Max Raids can I do per day remotely?
Trainers can participate in 5 Remote Raids per day. This limit may increase during special events.
15. Do raid dens disappear after completion?
In Pokémon Sword & Shield, Tera Raid Dens appear in fixed locations, and players can use items to start a new raid at any den. However, in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, Tera Raid dens disappear after a successful raid, requiring players to seek out more dens.