This survey will take about 1 minute.
Your answers will help us to improve our website.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)
How to Do a Nuzlocke Challenge and Rules
★ Live Raid Events: 7☆ Goodra and 5☆ Blissey!
✬ Pokemon HOME Dex Completion Shiny Rewards:
┗ Meloetta | Manaphy | Enamorus | Keldeo | Meltan
▶︎ Share codes and team up for Blueberry Quests!
▶︎ Game8 Tera Raid Damage Calculator | Game8 Discord
★ The DLC Epilogue is now available! ▶︎ How to Start
In a Nuzlocke Challenge, you can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in each area and you must release a Pokemon from your party if it faints. Read on for the Nuzlocke Challenge rules, as well as tips on how to do a Nuzlocke Challenge in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV) for the Nintendo Switch.
List of Contents
How to Do a Nuzlocke Challenge
| Nuzlocke Challenge Rules |
|---|
|
|
Retire a Pokemon After It Faints
If a Pokemon faints in battle, you must release it or put the Pokemon in a box immediately. You can not use the fainted Pokemon for the rest of the playthrough.
Only the First Pokemon Per Area
You can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in each area (route, cave, body of water, etc.) you enter for the first time. If the wild Pokemon faints or if you do not have any Poke Balls when first encountering a Pokemon in an area, you may not catch any Pokemon in that area. As Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are Open World, each area may be more difficult to define, however the map should let you know the name of the area you are currently in.
Paldea Region Map and Locations
Challenge Lost if All Pokemon Faint
If all your party Pokemon faint, but you still have usable Pokemon in the PC, you can continue with those. If you run out of usable Pokemon entirely, you must restart the game.
Nicknames Are Required
You must nickname each Pokemon that you catch. (Try not to get too attached now.)
Optional Nuzlocke Challenge Rules
| Optional Nuzlocke Challenge Rules |
|---|
|
|
Item Restrictions
Expert Mode
You may not buy or use items in or out of battle. You may only use Poke Balls that you have found.
Hard Mode
You may not buy items, but you can use any items that you find in or out of battle. Using Revives is a judgement call by the player.
No Shifting in Battle
Your battle change option must be set and not shift. Having the battle change option set as set means that you are not given the chance to switch Pokemon when your opponent is about to send out their next Pokemon.
No Surpassing Level of Next Gym
Your Pokemon's level cannot be higher than that of the next Gym Leader's highest level Pokemon.
All Gym Leader Types and Pokemon
Let's Go! Auto Battle Nuzlocke
In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Pokemon spawn in the overworld, removing the randomness necessary for a Nuzlocke challenge. One way to counter this is using the brand new Let's Go! auto battle mechanic. This is a new feature where you send your Pokemon out to randomly engage in battles with wild Pokemon on its own.
In this ruleset, the first Pokemon for your Nuzlocke is determined as the first Let's Go! auto battle engaged species of Pokemon. After it is defeated you are only allowed one attempt of catching that same species of Pokemon in the area.
How to Auto Battle with Let's Go!
Nuzlocke Challenge Tips and Strategies
| Nuzlocke Challenge Tips and Strategies |
|---|
|
|
Choose Fuecoco
Although the starters have even stats, the fact that Fire-types are generally rarer than other types makes Fuecoco the best candidate for type coverage to start a Nuzlocke run. Also, one of the early Gym Leaders is confirmed to be a Grass Type specialist, giving Fuecoco an advantage.
Catch Pokemon on Every Route
Since you are limited to the first Pokemon per route, make sure to catch a Pokemon on every route, even if there are not any Pokemon you like or think you will use there. They will come in handy as back-up if your preferred Pokemon faint or as a distraction to switch into battle while you heal your stronger Pokemon.
Pokemon by Route: Best Pokemon to Catch
Be Aware of Dual-Type Pokemon
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have a lot of dual-type Pokemon that can catch you off-guard with a move type you were not expecting, and in a Nuzlocke, that could mean losing a Pokemon for good. To avoid this problem, make sure you know which types your Pokemon are weak against, as well as the types of your opponent's Pokemon.
Beware of Tera Type Pokemon
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduced a brand new mechanic to the game with the Terastal Phenomenon. Pokemon with a glowing aura, in Terastal raid dens, or certain trainers' Pokemon may have a different Terastal Type to their regular type. Always be aware that any Pokemon can be any type, making Pokemon Scarlet and Violet possibly the hardest games to Nuzlocke yet!
The Terastal Phenomenon Explained
Use Tera Types to Your Advantage
Terastallizing your Pokemon to a type with fewer weaknesses, or a better match-up for the situation, can make your Nuzlocke much easier. Also, niche strategies such as Terastallizing a Pokemon with the ability Levitate to the Electric Tera Type, effectively removing all weaknesses, can be quite useful!
Best Tera Types: Best Pokemon to Terastallize
Know Your Team's Stats
Paying attention to stats in a Nuzlocke is far more important than it is in a standard playthrough. Keep in mind that you can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in an area, which means your team may not have type coverage for every situation.
Knowing your team's stats helps to remedy this, as it allows you to know which role each Pokemon on your team will play, even in situations where you might not have a super-effective move up your sleeve.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Related Guides
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Tips and Tricks
Author
How to Do a Nuzlocke Challenge and Rules
Please participate in our site
improvement survey
12/2025
improvement survey
12/2025
Would you assist in
improving Game8's site?
improving Game8's site?
×
We are listening to our users' valuable opinions and discussing how to act on them.
The information collected through this survey will be used for the purpose of improving our services. In addition, the information will only be disclosed a part of a statistic in a format that will not allow identification of personal information.
Begin Survey
Not Now
×
Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Advertisements.
Amount of Ads
Very Dissatisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Fine
Somewhat Satisfied
Highly Satisfied
Placement of Ads
Timing of Ad Display
Ad Loading Speed
Safeness of Ads
Content of Ads
×
Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Quality of Articles.
Amount of information
Very Dissatisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Fine
Somewhat Satisfied
Highly Satisfied
Frequency of updates
Speed of new information
Accuracy of articles
Understandibility of articles
Readability of sentences
×
Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Usability of the Site.
Ease of finding information
Very Dissatisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Fine
Somewhat Satisfied
Highly Satisfied
Loading Speed
Use of Color
Font Size
Visibility of Images
Easy to Understand Layout
×
Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Message Boards, Comments.
Ease of Writing
Very Dissatisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Fine
Somewhat Satisfied
Highly Satisfied
Readability
Ease in Finding Information
Comment Quality
Comment Quantity
Admin Response
×
Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Site's new design.
Please rate our site's new design
Very Dissatisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Fine
Somewhat Satisfied
Highly Satisfied
Do you think that the website's design change makes the site easier to use?
Has the new design made it easier for you to find information on the site?
Has the new design improved the overall visual appeal of the site?
How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the new design of the site?
×
How likely are you to recommend Game8 to someone you know?
Very Unlikely
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very Likely
If you have other opinions regarding potential improvement to the website, please share them with us. We would appreciate your honest opinion.
Note: This is a free response section, so you can proceed without entering anything.
Note: Please be sure not to enter any kind of personal information into your response.
Note: Please be sure not to enter any kind of personal information into your response.
×
Thank You
×
Thank you for participating in our survey! Your answers will help us to improve the quality of our website and services.
We hope you continue to make use of Game8.
We hope you continue to make use of Game8.
Close
Rankings
Gaming News
Popular Games
Genshin Impact Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Umamusume: Pretty Derby Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Where Winds Meet Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Honkai: Star Rail Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Digimon Story: Time Stranger Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Wuthering Waves Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Zenless Zone Zero Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP) Strategies & Guides Wiki
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Recommended Games
Fire Emblem Heroes (FEH) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Monster Hunter World Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Persona 3 Reload Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
All rights reserved
©2022 Pokémon. TM, ®Nintendo.
The copyrights of videos of games used in our content and other intellectual property rights belong to the provider of the game.
The contents we provide on this site were created personally by members of the Game8 editorial department.
We refuse the right to reuse or repost content taken without our permission such as data or images to other sites.