Summary of "9 Ways to Break a Pokémon Game"
Summary — 9 ways to “break” (make trivially easy) a Pokémon playthrough
Overview
The video lists nine methods (ordered from least to most ridiculous) for obtaining massively overpowered Pokémon or otherwise trivializing a run without external hardware hacks or trading between saves. Many methods exploit built-in mechanics, items, DLC modes, or glitches.
1) Early Nidoking in Gen 1 (Red/Blue/Yellow) — speedrun trick
- How:
- Catch a male Nidoran on Route 22.
- Evolve to Nidorino (Lv. 16).
- Get a Moon Stone in Mt. Moon and evolve to Nidoking early.
- Tips:
- Nidoking has strong base stats but learns few level-up moves; teach it TMs aggressively.
- In Gen 1 you can buy TM07 (Horn Drill) in Celadon. Combine Horn Drill with an X Accuracy item (in Gen 1 this bypasses accuracy checks) to guarantee OHKO if faster than the foe.
- Result: A very early game sweeper that trivializes many fights (use Earthquake vs Ghost types).
2) SOS-chaining to get an evolved/pseudo-legend in Sun/Moon
- How: Use SOS battles in Alola to chain wild calls until an ally appears that is an evolved form (some species can call evolved Pokémon). Example: a low chance to get an early Salamence on Route 3.
- Tip: Odds can be low; persistence is required.
- Result: You can catch essentially legendary-tier Pokémon very early.
3) Poké Ball Plus Mew (Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee)
- How: The Poké Ball Plus accessory could deposit a Mew into your Let’s Go save on first use.
- Caveats:
- One-time per device and required buying a $50 accessory; finding an unused one now is unlikely.
- That Mew (BST 600) can learn any TM and is very powerful in Kanto.
- Bonus: The Mew could be transferred into Sword/Shield if you did so.
4) Floroma Town NPC gifts in Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl
- How: If your Switch has Let’s Go save data, an NPC in Floroma Town gives you a level-1 Mew after one badge. If you have Sword/Shield save data, the man gives you a Jirachi.
- Result: Two mythicals very early in BDSP — both obey and are powerful (Mew can learn TMs; Jirachi has many resistances).
5) Dream Radar → Black 2/White 2 legendary transfers
- How: Pokémon Dream Radar (3DS) can catch Therian forms of Tornadus/Thundurus/Landorus and transfer them into Black 2/White 2. If transferred before starting the game, they scale to low levels (Lv. 5 if you have no badges) and carry your OT.
- Result: Start Black 2/White 2 with up to three top-tier legendaries that obey you, effectively trivializing the run.
- Note: Dream Radar could also snag Gen 4 box-art legendaries if you own the cartridges; the video noted uncertainty about National Dex requirements for transfers.
6) Chansey XP in Let’s Go (catch-combo + co-op sync throws)
- How: Build a catch combo on Chansey at Mt. Moon (catch combo ~11) so it spawns frequently. Use co-op catching (two Joy‑Cons synced in the grip) for synchronized throws that give extra XP.
- Tips: Bring many Great Balls/lures, aim for Excellent throws, and sync both Joy‑Cons in the grip for the synchronized bonus.
- Result: Massive experience gains from catching Chansey can raise an entire early team from ~Lv. 5–11 to mid/high 40s–50s within about an hour.
7) Scarlet & Violet Blissey “sandwich” exploit (credit: Philly Beats)
- How (adapted from Philly Beats):
- After getting your ride Pokémon, make a ham sandwich (cheap ingredients in West Mesa Goza) to set encounters that spawn Chansey/Blissey at low levels.
- Fight Blissey in regular battles (not auto) with a strong Fighting-type (e.g., Makuhita → Hariyama) to gain huge XP early.
- Tips:
- Don’t use auto-battle.
- Start with a strong Fighting-type that can learn Bulk Up, tank hits, and reliably damage Blissey.
- A 30-minute sandwich session can massively overlevel your team before any badges.
- Result: Rapidly overleveled team without badges.
8) Dynamax Adventures (Sword & Shield Crown Tundra DLC)
- How: In Crown Tundra’s Dynamax Adventures you progress through raid chains using rentals; the final boss is always a legendary and is guaranteed to be caught if you win. The kept Pokémon is at least Lv. 65, and the first boss you face can be Lv. 70.
- Tips: Repeat runs to collect multiple high-level legendaries. Caught Pokémon have your OT so they obey immediately.
- Result: Start a fresh game with a Lv. 65+ legendary that trivializes early progression; speedrunners use this for fast runs.
9) Gen 1 level-1 → level-100 unsigned-integer glitch (Red/Blue/Yellow)
- Overview: A glitch involving a poisoned Charmander, precise timing of a wild encounter and a trainer trigger, then exploiting the game’s experience math for the medium-slow growth group. An unsigned-integer wrap causes a level-1 Pokémon to jump to level 100 after minimal XP.
- High-level steps:
- Start with Charmander (must know Growl and be able to be poisoned).
- Avoid fighting your rival west of Viridian and don’t progress past the final trainer in Viridian Forest.
- Get Charmander poisoned (e.g., from Weedle).
- Reset until a poison-frame and a wild encounter trigger simultaneously in front of the final Viridian Forest trainer.
- Intentionally lose to the wild Pokémon (poison causes faint) and black out just as the trainer is about to fight you; return to the Pokémon Center with an odd choice prompt.
- Choose a species from the medium-slow experience group whose species ID and mechanics will produce the desired result (practical results include Nidoking via the Nidoran path, Gengar, Ivysaur).
- Growl the appropriate wild opponent down a specific number of times (timing/species dependent), catch the resulting level‑1 Pokémon (only use Poké Balls; avoid attacking), then give it a tiny amount of XP via a single battle (switch-training).
- Result: The level‑1 Pokémon’s XP value overflows and it becomes level 100 immediately, letting you start with a Lv. 100 Pokémon pre-badge.
- Notes: The method differs slightly in Yellow. This is a glitch and is not allowed in glitchless speedruns.
Final notes / practical advice
- Many methods require time, RNG persistence, or one-off accessories/DLC. Some are straightforward (Dynamax Adventures, Poké Ball Plus if available), others are patience/skill based (SOS chaining, Let’s Go Chansey), and some are finicky glitches (Gen 1 level‑1 → 100).
- If you want a strong but not broken early start, consider using early pseudo‑legendaries or planned XP grinding rather than glitches that remove all challenge.
Comedic interjection from the transcript: “Grunty B.”
Sources / gamers featured
- Philly Beats (credited for the Scarlet & Violet Blissey / sandwich method)
- The speedrunning community (referenced for Gen 1 Nidoking and Dynamax Adventures usage)
Category
Gaming
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