Demystifying Pokemon Violet‘s R and ZR Buttons: An In-Depth Mechanics Guide
As an avid Pokemon player, the introduction of new mechanics like the R and ZR buttons in Pokemon Violet can seem confusing at first. But mastering the nuances of these cryptic buttons is key to maximizing your gameplay. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll break down exactly how R and ZR work and when to use them most effectively.
R Button: The Lowdown on Auto-Battles
The R button enables your Pokemon to initiate auto-battles against nearby wild Pokemon. This can be great for passive level grinding against easy low-level opponents. But there are some important caveats to understand:
- R auto-battles only use your first party Pokemon, so make sure it‘s one you want gaining EXP.
- You have no control during R battles – your Pokemon just uses basic attacks.
- Any steps taken during auto-R battles do NOT count towards evolution criteria. This is a big downside for passively evolving your Pokemon as you explore.
Here‘s a quick overview of how R auto-battles function:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| First Party Pokemon Used | Yes |
| Player Control | None |
| Wild Pokemon Targeting | Automatic |
| Evolution Tracking | No |
| Exp Gained | Yes |
When to Use R Battles
- Low-risk grinding against weak wild Pokemon
- Leveling up a specific Pokemon you have in first slot
- Farming EXP passively while doing another activity
When Not to Use R Battles
- Battling strong opponents – no control to use proper attacks/healing
- Evolving Pokemon like Pawmo that require steps
- Catching wild Pokemon – they will faint!
- Maximizing EXP for full party – only 1st Pokemon gains EXP
So in summary, R is best reserved for some passive grinding, but otherwise lacks flexibility compared to manual ZR battles.
ZR Button: Precise Control and Evolution
The ZR button allows you to manually initiate battles with targeted wild Pokemon or pick up specific items. This gives you direct control over which Pokemon to use in battle and what attacks or items to deploy.
But the biggest advantage of using ZR is that steps taken while ZR is active will count towards evolution criteria! So for Pokemon that evolve by leveling up after walking a certain distance like 1000 steps, you must use ZR for those steps to be tracked.
Here are some Pokemon with evolution steps requirements:
| Pokemon | Steps to Evolve | Time Needed* |
|---|---|---|
| Pawmo | 1000 | 2-3 min |
| Lechonk | 1500 | 3-5 min |
| Smoliv | 2000 | 5-7 min |
| Fidough | 2000 | 5-7 min |
**Based on circular movement in game to accumulate steps efficiently
As you can see, manually tracking steps with ZR allows evolution in a reasonable timeframe!
Advantages of Manual ZR Battles
- Control which Pokemon and moves are used
- Change Pokemon mid-battle for type advantage
- Use items like Potions to heal
- Catch targeted wild Pokemon
- Steps counted for evolutions requiring set distance
- More Exp and item drops from tougher battles
ZR is clearly the superior option for precision battling and unlocking evolution. The only real downside is it requires more active gameplay vs R‘s passive auto-battling.
Maximizing Terastallization in Battle
Pokemon Violet also introduces Terastallizing, which allows you to change a Pokemon‘s type for greater same-type attack bonus (STAB). Here are some ideal Terastallize type changes to counter opponents in battle:
| Pokemon | Best Terastallize Type | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Charizard | Dragon | Powers up STAB on Dragon moves vs Dragon weakness |
| Garchomp | Ice | Mitigates 4x weakness to Ice attacks |
| Azumarill | Fairy | Strong STAB for its robust Fairy movepool |
You can really turn the tide of battle by Terastallizing to shore up weaknesses or maximize STAB damage. Just be wary of your Pokemon then taking increased damage from attacks strong vs its new Terastallized type.
Comparing Pokemon Scarlet vs Violet Storylines
Pokemon Violet breaks new ground by letting you freely switch between three different story paths:
- Standard Victory Road journey to defeat gyms and the Pokemon League
- Path of Legends focused on battling towering Titan Pokemon
- Starfall Street adventures taking down nefarious Team Star
Here‘s an overview comparison of the core stories:
| Feature | Victory Road | Path of Legends | Starfall Street |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Activity | Battling Gyms | Battling Titans | Defeating Team Star |
| Exclusive Pokemon | Cetitan | Great Tusk | Fidough/Dachsbun |
| Legendary Pokemon | Koraidon | No | No |
| Key Items | Gym Badges | No | No |
This open-ended structure lets you pursue the stories in whatever order you choose rather than following a set sequence. Definitely take advantage of the flexibility to keep your journey exciting!
Evolving Tricky Pokemon like Rellor and Eevee
Some Pokemon have unique or tricky requirements to trigger evolution. Here are some tips to guarantee they evolve successfully:
- Rellor: Make sure Rellor is following you outside its Pokeball when it levels up or it will not evolve into Revavroom.
- Sylveon: Level up Eevee with at least 2 hearts of affection and knowing a Fairy-type move.
- Umbreon/Espeon: Level up Eevee at night/day respectively depending on which evolution you want.
Saving before attempting evolution can let you retry if something goes wrong. And don‘t forget you can cancel evolution if you change your mind!
The Takeaway: Master Your Battles with R and ZR
Hopefully this guide has broken down exactly when and how to utilize Pokemon Violet‘s cryptic R and ZR buttons to enhance your adventures. R can be handy for passive grinding, but ZR is superior for precision battling and tracking evolution steps. Combine smart use of R and ZR with Terastallization, flexible stories, and evolution tips to get the most out of your journey through the Paldea region! Let me know if you have any other Pokemon Violet questions – I‘m always happy to help fellow trainers master this amazing new game.