The player character getting ready to Terastallize their Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet.
Image via The Pokémon Company

How trades and battles work in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Trading and battling Pokémon will take place in the Poké Portal.

Trading is one of the features that players look forward to in any Pokémon main series game, especially with the addition of the global trading system, which makes it easier for players to fill in their Pokédex. Battling is also a fundamental aspect of the game, allowing Trainers from all over the world to battle with each other to see who has the better team.

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Battling the Pokémon you catch has been part of the main series games since the very beginning of the franchise. How players battle with their Pokémon has changed over the years, but the fundamental part of it hasn’t changed. Players will still be able to choose moves and will have a turn-based battle with Pokémon in the wild. Trainers looking to battle other Trainers will want to make sure they have a good team of Pokémon before heading into the new Poké Portal to being battling.

How trades and battles work in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Terastallizing Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

The new battle mechanic called Terastallize will give Pokémon a gem-like shine and provides a boost to a Pokémon’s type and make it’s move stronger. This will likely be somehting Trainers will want to pay attention to before they start battling other Trainers in the game.

Some Pokémon will even change type when they Terastallize. Players can find these Pokémon more often by raiding in Tera Raid battles. Players can battle these Tera-type Pokémon with up to three other players.

Image via The Pokémon Company

There are 18 Tera Types, meaning there are several combos of Pokémon that can Terastallize into different types. Players can Tarastallize once per battle, and the transformation lasts until the end of the battle. Players will also need an item called the Tera Orb to make the transformation, and it needs to be recharged after each use. This is done by touching crystals in the overworld flowing with Terastal energy, or by going to a Pokémon Center.

How battling other Trainers works in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Battling will work similarly to other Pokémon games in Scarlet and Violet. Players will use the Poké Portal in order to link up with other Trainers and battle them. Not much else is known about how the battles will work. The Pokémon Company has only released info about Link Battles, where players will be able to have battles with other Trainers. It is unclear whether players need a code to play other Trainers or if there will be a queue system to battle random Trainers.

How trading works in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

The Poké Portal will be what players use to trade with friends and Trainers all over the world. A Link Trade allows players to trade with specific people, whether it be a friend or someone found through a third-party trading website. It will likely utilize a code that both players need to enter in order to make trades with each other.

Surprise Trades will come to Scarlet and Violet since it is one of the players’ favorite features in a Pokémon game. This feature allows the surprise trading of any Pokémon in a player’s inventory. In exchange, you will get a random Pokémon in return from a Trainer anywhere in the world.

Image via The Pokémon Company

Trading using the Surprise Trade feature will allow players to more quickly fill their Pokédexes, and it will also create a fun experience for those who just want to see what Pokémon they get out of trades. Sometimes, creators or third-party websites will host trade events that makes it even more fun if there is a theme or a certain Pokémon they are trading.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet come out on the Nintendo Switch on Nov. 18. Pre-orders for the game have already begun, with some pre-orders getting a bonus for buying the game before it releases.


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Author
Jessica Scharnagle
Jessica has been an esports and gaming journalist for just over five years. She also teaches esports journalism at Rowan University. Follow her for all things gaming, @JessScharnagle on Twitter.