A POCKET MYTH beginner guide to servers and starters

Initial preparation

Server choice: pick a newly opened server if you can, so that you start on the same footing as other players and face less competition for resources. Servers usually open at 10 a.m., so be ready in advance. You can also wait for the special zones opened for major holidays.

Starter choice

At the start of the game you can pick one of the three starters, and all of them can be caught later. I recommend Mudkip from Generation 3 or Fuecoco from Generation 9. Mudkip's early moves are handy when clearing dungeons, while Fuecoco has the Unaware ability and hits hard. If you are chasing fast story progression, you can also pick Sprigatito, whose Ever-Changing ability combined with Demon Claw (which raises attack and accuracy) makes progression very efficient.

Early leveling

Main quests: prioritise main quests early on, since they are the main source of EXP. Spend the first day on main quests and you can reach around level 40. Main quests also walk you through the controls and systems and unlock various features.

Daily quests: after level 20, when main quest EXP is no longer enough, daily quests become the important way to top up EXP. You earn EXP in daily quests by challenging trainers, and as long as you have stamina you can sweep quests you have already completed for EXP.

Bounty quests: once your level unlocks them, bounty quests appear and give generous EXP. Every weekend there is a double EXP event, so it is worth filling your stamina beforehand and using that window to level quickly.

Trainer dungeon: when you are stuck on level, go clear the trainer dungeon, which gives both EXP and gacha ticket rewards. Side quests that award EXP are also worth finishing.

Getting and raising Pokémon

Wild catching: when you pass through Viridian Forest, catch a Bulbasaur, because it helps against Brock's and Misty's gyms. Different maps hold different Pokémon: after level 25 at Mt. Moon you can catch Garganacl, Aerodactyl and others, and at the Lake of Rage you can catch Gyarados, Mudkip and others.

Gacha machine: after you beat Brock's gym the gacha machine opens. Pulling held items and Generation 3 Pokémon is better value. Never spend crystals on the Pokémon gacha. Both the Pokémon gacha and the held item gacha guarantee a UR at 100 pulls, so remember to use up your gacha tickets before midnight on the first day.

Level ups: raise Pokémon through battles, quests and EXP candy. Early on, give EXP candy to your main Pokémon first.

Move learning and upgrades: choose moves to match the Pokémon's typing and your battle needs. Learning and upgrading moves costs specific materials or points from the various shops, and upgraded moves are noticeably stronger.

Evolution: once a Pokémon reaches a certain level, collecting the specific evolution materials lets it evolve. After evolving, its stats, appearance and abilities all improve, and evolution materials come from quests, dungeon exploration or shop purchases.

IVs and abilities: use capsules to reroll a Pokémon's IVs (HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed), each capped at 31. Use ability stones to switch a Pokémon's ability and open up more playstyles.

Tera and Stellar:

• Terastallization: changes a Pokémon's battle role. Terastallize against the opponent's weak type to gain the advantage.
• Stellarization: focuses more on boosting a Pokémon's own damage output, so it can serve as the damage core of the team.

Where to get resources and how to use them

Gold: earned from quests and selling items, and spent on Poké Balls, healing items and Pokémon evolution.

Diamonds: from top-ups, events and achievements. Do not spend diamonds on random pulls, since the value is poor. Buy stamina and fatigue instead, and max them out if you can afford it. Stamina goes on dungeons, while fatigue is for meeting wild Pokémon and for the Safari Zone. Extra attempts for dungeons (the Elite Four, gyms and so on) are also worth buying if you can afford them.

Shiny Coins: the trainer dungeon gives Shiny Coins every week. If you can, buy a monthly card, which levels you faster and adds one-tap Pokémon catching. The 6 yuan Shiny Coin pack in the new server celebration is worth buying. Shiny Coins can be exchanged for the gold-medal support shiny Venusaur (the cheapest way to get it, and it does not return later), legendary Mega Stones, exclusive held items and rare TMs, so do not waste them.

Events and quests

New server carnival: complete the growth quests within 7 days to get 370 Dragonite fragments and one Dragonite (a budget tank support). It is not worth raising early on: at level 64 you can enter the Dragon's Den, catch a shiny Dratini, evolve it into a shiny Dragonite and raise that instead, which also makes future Awakening easier.

Challenge quests: these are time-limited and expire. On day one, pull as much as possible to get the SSR held item selector pack. On day two, catch an SSR Pokémon and a UR Pokémon to get the SSR TM selector pack. On day three, spend capsules to reroll IVs. On day four, play the ladder and lose a few matches on purpose to fill out the quest. On day five, raise quality and take whatever comes. On day six, raise stars: you can take your transitional main carry to 5 stars and your other supports to 4-5 stars. On day seven, use fruit only if you have a late-game Pokémon you are sure about.

Pocket Lucky Pool: two rounds a week. If there is a Pokémon you want, pull for it, with a pity counter at 201 pulls. Once you have it, Pokémon Star gives guaranteed fragments for it every day, and you can also exchange Shiny Coins or Mega Stone fragments for their Mega Stones.

Pikachu Paradise: one free pull with every update (you can save diamonds for what you need).

Gacha leaderboard: in the first two days of a server, push for the top 50 of the gacha leaderboard. Ranks 11-50 give a shiny Swellow, whose Endeavor move is very useful.