Early picks and a Rock Elite Four team in POCKET MYTH

The choices you make at the start of POCKET MYTH decide how smooth your first week goes. This guide covers starter selection, launch server rewards, early progression and a full Rock Elite Four lineup.

Choosing your starter

At the start you choose one of the Generation 9 starters. If none of them especially appeals to you, pick a fast attacking starter such as the familiar Charizard, Greninja or Blaziken. If you spend a little money, the early-game event exchange offers shiny versions of the Generation 1 starters.

PS: a shiny has 10% more base stats than a normal Pokemon. The author recommends Venusaur, for the advantages below.

Venusaur type advantage

It can resist Water, Electric, Grass and Ground attacks and takes reduced damage from Pokemon of those types, so it can effectively handle many situations in battle.

Venusaur stat spread

Special Attack and Special Defense both reach 100 and its other stats sit around 80, so there is no obvious weak point. It handles both physical and special attackers well.

Mega Venusaur

Mega Evolution brings a significant boost: Mega Venusaur gains 20 points each in Attack, Special Attack and Special Defense and 40 points in Defense, so its base stat total rises sharply and both its survivability and damage output improve further.

Control and sustain moves

Sleep Powder puts the opponent to sleep, creating an opening to attack or buying time to adjust. Leech Seed drains the opponent's HP to restore Venusaur's own, strengthening its sustain.

Useful abilities

• Overgrow: when Venusaur's HP drops, the power of its Grass-type moves increases, so it keeps strong damage output even at low HP and still has comeback potential.
• Chlorophyll: in sunny weather Venusaur's Speed rises, so on a sun team it acts faster and makes better use of its attacking and defensive ability.
• Thick Fat, gained after Mega Evolution: halves the damage Venusaur takes from Fire and Ice attacks, reducing the threat of those two weaknesses and improving its survivability in battle.

Its unique Gigantamax form

After Gigantamaxing, the flower on Venusaur's back grows larger and its petals can block low-power moves. Its exclusive move G-Max Vine Lash not only deals direct damage but can also deal continuous damage to non-Grass Pokemon for 4 turns. Players who spend nothing do not need to insist on this.

PS: all Generation 9 starters can be caught yourself now.

PS: on your first day you can only reach around level 40.

After finishing the first playthrough there is a quest that grants a shiny golden Magikarp and a golden perfume, giving you the strongest free Pokemon of the early game, Gyarados, a team-sweeping beast. Dragon Dance plus the Moxie ability helps you through the tedious story clearing. Once you are through that series of growth stages, you can challenge the Elite Four Cup, doubles and guild wars.

Launch server rewards

• Points ranking: the top three receive Ho-Oh. Points are gacha points; one red ticket draw adds 10 points and green tickets give no points.
• Pokedex ranking: the top three receive Lugia. A useful trick is to catch the small ones to evolve and catch the large ones in the safari zone, which fills the Pokedex quickly.
• PS: TMs, held items and Pokemon all count toward the Pokedex.
• Power ranking: rewards an IV crown.

Early legendary Pokemon can be pulled from the gacha machine to hold your power ranking position for a while.

Getting a shiny Dragonite

After clearing the Dragon-type gym in the second playthrough you arrive at the Dragon's Den. Using a bug lure potion there lets you catch the pink shiny Dratini.

Here you can also catch Banette, which is essential for the Dynamax dungeon later: its Trick move can swap a Life Orb onto the Dynamax boss.

In the third playthrough catch a Pyukumuku as well. Pain Split helps you clear the Dynamax dungeon quickly and gets your Pokemon Dynamaxed.

Beating the level 100 Professor Oak

There is also the level 100 boss Professor Oak, whom everyone dreads. Many players wonder how they could possibly beat a level 100 Professor Oak at level 50. It is actually simple and there are many methods; here is the easiest one.

First prepare a Butterfree holding a First Strike Fang. PS: the First Strike Fang can be obtained from a side quest. Its moveset is Quiver Dance, Sleep Powder, Bug Buzz and Air Slash. But Professor Oak's first Pokemon is Venusaur, and many players wonder how a Grass-type Venusaur could possibly be put to sleep. Here we can repeatedly reset until its Tera type is Poison, and then we can put it to sleep. Once it is asleep, simply use Quiver Dance; at +6 we clear the fight easily and take the long-awaited Leftovers.

The Rock Elite Four lineup

The lineup is Diancie, Tyranitar, Aggron, Garganacl, Glimmora and Shuckle.

Princess Diancie is obtained from the points shop for 4588. Diancie's excellent stat distribution and abilities let you choose between an attacker build and a support build.

Diancie as a support

• Good type resistances: the Rock and Fairy combination makes Diancie immune to Dragon attacks, and it also resists Water, Grass, Ground, Fire, Bug, Flying, Normal and Dark damage, so it can effectively withstand many common attack types in battle.
• Useful abilities: Clear Body prevents status conditions from being inflicted on it and keeps it stable in battle. After Mega Evolution, Magic Bounce reflects status conditions and negative effects applied by the opponent, such as Leech Seed and Toxic, giving the team an extra defensive tool.
• Reasonable stat distribution: Diancie has 50 HP and 150 in both Defense and Special Defense. After Mega Evolution its Defense and Special Defense become 110, but its Special Attack and Speed rise to 160 and 110, so it remains bulky overall while having some damage output and mobility.

Support moveset: Baton Pass, Stealth Rock, Rest and Calm Mind. Because you are fighting the Rock type, Stealth Rock is not very important, so Iron Defense can be taken instead.

Team synergy for support Diancie

• With attackers: it can provide cover for Fire-type and Fighting-type attackers, using its own resistances to take the Dragon and Rock attacks aimed at them, and its boosting and recovery moves help those attackers bring out their damage.
• With walls: paired with Water-type and Steel-type walls it builds a solid defensive line together. Diancie can use Magic Bounce to reflect the status conditions the opponent applies to those walls, strengthening the whole team's defense.

Diancie as an attacker

To build an offensive Diancie, start from the following angles.

• Stats and abilities: Diancie has a base stat total of 600, and after Mega Evolution its Special Attack reaches 160, which is the capital for a special attacker. Speed of 110 lets it move first and seize the initiative.
• Abilities: before Mega Evolution, Clear Body prevents its stats from being lowered, keeping its damage stable. After Mega Evolution, Magic Bounce reflects negative states and conditions so it is free from interference and can focus on attacking.

Moves: Calm Mind, Rest, Moonblast and one attacking move of another type to widen its coverage.

Battle role and team support for attacking Diancie

• Battle role: an offensive Diancie has excellent Speed and Special Attack and is the team's core special attacker. Using its type resistances and abilities, bring it in at the right moment, catch the opponent's switching mistake and burst out damage.
• Team support: it needs teammates to cover it, such as Steel-type or Grass-type Pokemon that take Fire and Fighting attacks. At the same time it provides status reflection for the team and works with teammates in defensive switching to build the tactical system.

Tyranitar

Tyranitar is a very classic and powerful Pokemon in the series. It can be obtained by capture, and can also be exchanged for points in the shop.

Tyranitar is a Rock and Dark type Pokemon. It looks like a dinosaur, huge and muscular, and gives a very oppressive visual impression. It evolves from Larvitar and its final evolved form is Mega Tyranitar.

• High Attack and Defense: its Attack is 134 and its Defense is 110; after Mega Evolution Attack rises to 164 and Defense to 130, so it excels in physical attack and defense, can take large amounts of damage and deal high damage.
• Excellent Special Defense and HP: its Special Defense is 100 and its HP is 108, so it also has some resistance when facing special attacks and its overall survivability is strong.

Ability Sand Stream: it whips up a sandstorm when it enters the field. In sandstorm weather the Special Defense of Rock-type Pokemon rises by 50%, and Tyranitar benefits from this itself, strengthening its special bulk.

• Rock-type moves: Tyranitar can learn Stone Edge and Rock Blade, Rock-type moves with high power and wide coverage that deal huge damage to Flying, Fire and Ice Pokemon.
• Dark-type moves: Crunch and Dark Pulse are also common Tyranitar moves. They hit Psychic and Ghost Pokemon hard and can also lower the opponent's Defense.
• Other moves: Earthquake and Dragon Dance are also common choices. Earthquake deals heavy damage to everything except Ground types, and Dragon Dance raises Tyranitar's Attack and Speed for stronger output.

In battle Tyranitar usually fills both the tank and the damage dealer role. It can use Sand Stream to create favorable sandstorm weather and, with its high durability and strong Attack, keep dealing damage in the sandstorm and put enormous pressure on the opponent.

Aggron

Aggron is an outstanding Pokemon in the series. It can be found in the wild. PS: Aron must be caught in its juvenile stage, only the juvenile Aron.

Basic information: Aggron is a Steel and Rock type Pokemon that looks like a rhinoceros wearing heavy armor, with a huge and solid body that gives an impression of sturdiness and strength. It evolves from Lairon and becomes Mega Aggron after Mega Evolution.

• High Defense: Aggron's Defense reaches 180 and rises further to 230 after Mega Evolution. This is its defining feature and lets it withstand many physical attacks.
• High HP and Attack: its HP is 80 and its Attack is 110; after Mega Evolution Attack rises to 140, which guarantees both staying power and damage output.
• Decent Special Defense: its Special Defense is 70 and becomes 100 after Mega Evolution, so it has some ability to withstand special attacks.

• Sturdy: its normal ability is Sturdy, which lets Aggron keep 1 HP even when it takes a lethal attack, adding margin for error and survivability in battle.
• Heavy Metal: its hidden ability is Heavy Metal, which doubles its own weight. This affects the effect of some moves that depend on weight, and can also raise the power when it uses certain moves.

Moves: Body Press, Iron Defense, Roar and Rest. PS: Body Press is only learned in the juvenile stage. If you missed Body Press, you can play a trapping style instead.

Aggron battle role

Thanks to its extremely high Defense and decent Attack, Aggron mainly serves as a defensive core and physical attacker in battle. It can use its high Defense to withstand the opponent's physical attacks and create an output environment for teammates, while its strong physical moves deal heavy damage to the opponent, especially against fragile Pokemon.

Shuckle

Shuckle is very strong in Pokemon battles for the following reasons.

• Extremely high defenses: Shuckle's Defense and Special Defense are both 230, an exceptionally prominent figure among Pokemon. It can easily withstand all kinds of physical and special attacks and act as the team's solid wall, absorbing large amounts of damage.
• Ability strengthens survival: the Sturdy ability lets Shuckle keep 1 HP even after a lethal hit. Combined with its high defenses, this greatly improves its survivability on the field and lets it keep contributing.

Unique tactical value:

• Disruption and attrition: Shuckle can learn Sticky Web, Toxic and Protect. Sticky Web lowers the opponent's Speed, Toxic drains the opponent's HP continuously, and Protect dodges attacks while consuming the opponent's PP. Through this combination Shuckle effectively disrupts the opponent, breaks their tactical rhythm and creates advantages for its own side.
• Stat reversal: the Contrary ability makes Shuckle's stat changes the opposite of normal. It can use Shell Smash and other moves to raise its own Attack, Defense and Speed, turning from a purely defensive Pokemon into one with strong damage output and hitting the opponent unexpectedly.

High team compatibility:

• Defensive core: Shuckle's high defenses make it excellent in defensive switching systems. It complements the team's other Pokemon, helps the team withstand attacks of various types and builds a solid defensive line.
• Tactically versatile: whether in an attrition-focused plan or one that needs a surprise counterattack, Shuckle can find a suitable role through its own traits and offer the team diverse tactical options.

Glimmora

Glimmora is strong as a hazard setter for the following reasons.

• Ability advantage, Toxic Debris: Glimmora's Toxic Debris ability makes it scatter Toxic Spikes on the opponent's side when it is hit by a physical move. That means Glimmora can set hazards even on the turn it is attacked, saving the turn it would otherwise need for laying Toxic Spikes and quickly building field advantage in fast-paced battles.
• Corrosion: Glimmora's hidden ability Corrosion lets its poison status affect Poison-type and Steel-type Pokemon. Combined with Mortal Spin it can poison Poison-type Pokemon. When setting hazards, if a Poison or Steel Pokemon tries to switch in to clear them, Glimmora can poison it with this ability and disrupt the opponent's cleanup plan.

Rich movepool: Glimmora can learn Stealth Rock, Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Depending on the opponent's lineup and your tactical needs, it can flexibly choose different hazards to set, causing varied damage and disruption.

Type resistances: Glimmora is a Rock and Poison type Pokemon with resistances to Fire, Fairy and Flying, so it has some resistance when facing attacks of common types, is not easily forced out, and has more chances to stay on the field and set hazards.

Good stats: Glimmora has 90 Defense, 81 Special Defense and 83 HP, giving it a certain ability to take hits. It can absorb a certain amount of damage and is not easily knocked out during hazard setting, which keeps hazard setting reliable.

Garganacl

Here is a detailed analysis of Garganacl.

• Ability advantage, Clear Body: this ability prevents Garganacl's stats from being lowered by the opponent's moves or abilities, keeping its Attack, Defense and other stats stable and making tactics that lower its stats through Intimidate, Scary Face and similar moves or abilities fail, so it performs consistently.
• Purifying Salt: this makes Garganacl immune to all status conditions and also halves the damage of Ghost-type moves, which neutralizes conventional wall-breaking tools such as Toxic, Toxic Spikes and sleep, so it can stay on the field and do its job better.
• Sturdy: even when hit by the opponent's move it is not knocked out in one hit, and one-hit KO moves have no effect on it. It effectively carries a free Focus Sash, greatly improving its survivability.

Stat advantage: Garganacl has a base stat total of 500, including 100 HP, 130 Defense and 90 Special Defense. Its high three-way bulk gives it strong staying power on the field, letting it absorb large amounts of damage for the team and fill the tank role. At the same time its 100 physical Attack preserves its ability to hit back.

Move advantage: its exclusive move Salt Cure is Garganacl's core move. Against Water-type and Steel-type Pokemon the continuous damage each turn is 1/4, and against other types it is 1/8; the damage is high and its ability to force switches is strong. Garganacl can also learn Earthquake, Iron Defense and Recover, further improving its strength in battle.

Type advantage: the Rock type gives Garganacl resistance to Flying, Fire and Ice moves, so it takes attacks from common Pokemon such as Charizard and Dragonite well. It can act as the team's wall and create an output environment for its teammates.