Pokemon Legends Arceus | Complete guide

Pokémon Legends Arceus is available this January 28, 2022, exclusively on Nintendo Switch. After the promise of a revolution in the series and a minimalist communication, it is therefore normal that certain things seem vague to you in terms of its principle, its changes but also its progress. That’s why we offer this complete guide with tips and advice, but also an FAQ to answer any questions you may have.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Here you will find the list of the most frequently asked questions about Pokémon Legends Arceus, accompanied of course by their answers.

What is Pokémon Legends Arceus?

Pokémon Legends Arceus is an RPG set to release on January 28, 2022, exclusively for Nintendo Switch, and serves as a prequel to Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, and their recent releases. We find Game Freak in development, which gives a very special place to the game. The studio is normally dedicated to the main episodes and their remakes.

So their only other Pokemon game outside of the main series is the free-to-play Pokemon Quest released in 2018 on Switch and smartphones. But here, the developers try to take advantage of their experiments with the Wild Lands of Pokémon Sword and Shield to come up with a different, ambitious, and more action-oriented formula.

What is the plot of Pokémon Legends Arceus?

Pokémon Legends Arceus follows the adventures of a young trainer or a young trainer who joins the Galaxy Group on their mission to discover the region of Hisui which will be known a few centuries later as Sinnoh. In addition to this organization, there are also the Diamond and Pearl Clans who watch over the Monarch Pokémon.

These are more powerful Pokémon that rule over the different areas of Hisui. This does not make them immune to the strange phenomenon that affects the region by making the creatures very aggressive. In addition to exploring the region, it will therefore be necessary to try to calm the affected Pokémon while investigating the links between this threat and the legendary Arceus.

How is Pokémon Legends Arceus different from Classic Episodes?

What sets Pokémon Legends Arceus apart from what we’ve seen so far is its structure. Indeed, where Pokémon had accustomed us to a great journey with the aim of defeating the League with obstacles and adventures along the way to bring intrigue, here everything is based on a system of missions.

Your avatar receives quests when he or she is in base. We will accomplish this objective and then return to HQ to get our reward and start our next task. Some of these quests advance the plot while others are purely secondary and optional. This brings the game a little closer to a classic JRPG.

With even a tendency to Heroic Fantasy since Pokémon Legends Arceus takes place in a setting inspired by feudal Japan. The place is not really inhabited yet and the domestication of Pokémon is only in its infancy. The area is still wild, so there are no roads, arenas, or other towns, only natural to explore and Pokémon to study.

Is Pokémon Legends Arceus open world?

If we had to compare Pokémon Legends Arceus to another game, it would be more Monster Hunter than Zelda Breath of the Wild. Indeed, there is not a single open-world but rather a collection of large areas to explore. Areas whose access is also unlocked as you progress.

The other point of comparison with Monster Hunter is the Exploration Rank which is reminiscent of the Hunter Rank. The missions and areas are unlocked according to the Exploration Rank which climbs with the missions but also with the Pokédex.

How does the Pokédex and capture work in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

Pokemon Legends Arceus is a game that is based around capturing and completing the Pokédex, so it goes deeper into the mechanics related to that. To catch a Pokémon, for example, fighting is not necessarily necessary. You can simply approach a creature discreetly to throw a Poké Ball directly.

In this case, you have to be careful not only to aim well but also to your timing and the weight of the ball. Indeed, the heavier it is, the closer it will be necessary to throw it because otherwise, it will not go far enough to reach its target.

As for the Pokédex, it is no longer content to know if you have seen or captured this or that Pokémon. Here, each entry is entitled to a level that increases via a point system. You earn points each time you meet the species in question, but also that you capture it, that you make it evolve, that it uses a precise attack,… Which is taken into account to go up Exploration Rank.

Will battles remain turn-based in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

The formula evolves but it does not revolutionize: Pokémon Legends Arceus does not become an Action-RPG for all that. We thus keep turn-based classic JRPG but with however a change of size since we are not necessarily limited to one action per turn which would almost give an Active Time Battle side to the clashes.

Concretely, this means that when you choose an attack, you have to specify whether you want its powerful version or its fast version. The Powerful Style does as its name suggests more damage but the Quick Style allows, depending on your choices and those of the opponent, to give you a chance to attack several times in the next turn or at least to give you priority.

Where does the action side of Pokémon Legends Arceus come from?

Battles are still turn-based in Pokémon Legends Arceus, but that doesn’t mean your character will always have their team on hand to protect them. Indeed, there are no random encounters, the wild Pokémon are all visible on the ground. You have to move carefully to approach the most fearful who flee when they see you.

Others, on the contrary, will directly attack your character who can take damage and be knocked out. You will therefore have to crawl and take advantage of the cover of tall grass to do imitation infiltration or do dodge rolls when you are attacked to have time to send one of your Pokémon.

Note the special case of boss fights which have different phases. Some are classic fights, but others deprive you of your team. It is, therefore, necessary to dodge attacks yourself with rolls or others, while throwing projectiles at the boss in order to weaken it.

Are there battles against other trainers in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

Pokémon Legends Arceus does feature battles against other trainers, but they are extremely rare compared to other Pokémon games. The Hisui region is still wild in the game and you play as one of the very first trainers, so it’s not a common activity.

Some of your colleagues are going to want to assess your level, which includes a few fights against them, but you should be able to explore the area quietly without Mountaineers or Fishermen stopping you every two meters.

What is crafting for in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

Legends Pokémon Arceus adds a crafting system but no question of making weapons or pieces of equipment for your character. No, it is used to craft Poké Balls, healing items, and other items to approach or flee wild Pokémon.

But don’t worry if you don’t have the patience to collect all the necessary materials since it is possible to acquire them, or even the final products, from the shops in the city.

What are the three starter Pokémon in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

If Pokémon Legends Arceus takes place in the Generation Four region, the game doesn’t pick up those starters and will instead draw from other episodes. We therefore find:

• Brindibou, Grass/Flying type (from Generation 7)
• Hericinder, Fire-type (from Generation 2)
• Moustillon, Water-type (from Generation 5)

But do not panic if you are fans of Tortipouss, Ouisticram, and Piplup since the trailers show them in the wild which suggests that it is possible to capture them.

Does Pokémon Legends Arceus contain any new Pokémon?

The release of Pokémon Legends Arceus does not mark the start of a new generation. In addition, the region of Hisui will later become that of Sinnoh. The regional Pokédex will therefore be the same with a few exceptions since certain Pokémon such as Caninos, Voltorb, or Zoroark are entitled to new forms and evolutions, with different types.

Can your Pokémon follow you in game?

No, unlike other recent episodes, a member of your team will not stay by your side permanently in Pokémon Legends Arceus. This is logical since part of the difficulty lies in the fact that your character is sometimes alone against the attacks of wild Pokémon, it would be strange to see your faithful ally watch you fall under the blows without doing anything.

How do mounts work in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

It is possible to ride on Pokémon in order to travel through areas faster, but also to travel through bodies of water and even the skies of Hisui. But be careful since it has a specific operation. You have to unlock the mounts, which therefore somewhat replace the Special Abilities of the other episodes.

And each function is limited to a specific Pokémon, it is not possible to explore the seas with someone other than Paragruel for example.

Can you customize your trainer or trainer in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

Yes, Pokémon Legends Arceus will not require us to keep the base skin. The town of Rusti-cité contains at least two shops dedicated to the customization of your character. There is therefore a hairdresser to change your haircut and color, as well as a Maison du Textile to buy different outfits, accessories, and headgear.

Is there multiplayer in Pokémon Legends Arceus?

No special features have been hinted at this time, such as seeing other players running through the sets or Pokémon Sword and Shield‘s Dynamax Raids. The town of Rusti-cité, on the other hand, is home to the Exchange Stall where it will be possible to exchange creatures with other players.

It is also possible to do fights but in a much more limited way than before. We assume that given the atypical system of clashes in this game, Game Freak did not want to develop this function or try to balance the matches. Everything that is competitive therefore continues to take place on Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Is Nintendo Switch Online membership required for Pokémon Legends Arceus?

The adventure of Pokémon Legends Arceus can be done without the need for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. However, some functions are not accessible without a subscription. This is the case for everything that is online multiplayer but not the Mystery Gift. It is therefore possible to recover its pre-order bonuses even without the NSO.

Is Pokémon Legends Arceus compatible with other Pokémon games and apps?

For now, the only announced interaction between Pokémon Legends Arceus and another Pokémon game or software is being able to send its creatures to the Pokémon Home storage service. But it will be necessary to wait for an update of the application which will not be available at the exit but later, during 2022.

And indirectly, having backups of other Pokémon games from the main series on your console allows you to obtain additional outfits but also side missions at the end of the game that unlock certain fabulous Pokémon.

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