If you want a challenge, play the game in Set Mode

In case you are unaware of what I'm talking about, set mode basically disables the mechanic that tells you what Pokemon the opponent will send out next after you K.O. one of their own. It also prevents you from switching freely once you do knock out an opponents Pokemon. It essentially transforms battling to the same format at online battles.

Being unable to freely switch Pokemon when your opponent sends out a new one makes a great difference. Playing through the Elite Four in Set Mode has made it very challenging for me as I was unable to see what the members were going to send out beforehand. Fighting the Champion was very difficult as well and I would have probably lost if it weren't for my Toxapex toxic stalling.

Personally, I am not sure why set mode is not the main mode instead of switch. It makes a huge difference in terms of difficulty in games.

I played the game like this with Exp Share off. Was much more challenging. CPU does haave sone strategy to it and will send out pokemon based on what it thinks can beat you. Having the game set to switch invalidates their AI and isnt even representative of actual matches...

Vito219 posted...

I played the game like this with Exp Share off. Was much more challenging. CPU does haave sone strategy to it and will send out pokemon based on what it thinks can beat you. Having the game set to switch invalidates their AI and isnt even representative of actual matches...

Exactly. I was surprised to see the ai actually incorporating strategy into their battling styles. Hopefully this aspect remains in future titles.

I played Set Mode throughout the game. Was somewhat of a challenge - I never lost anything but f*** me if I didn't use a lot of Revives and Potions. Also, seems like every other trainer has Sucker Punch.

I opted for set mode through x, and honestly it wasn't even a question when this one came out- first thing I did was switch it to set. It just feels better- I like having it feel at least slightly like a fair fight.

I think the default mode should be a hybrid option- "You and the opponent each get the opportunity to switch out if either of you defeat a pokemon, but you don't get to see what they're going to use".

Being able to switch pokemon out is fine and even matches what we see in the anime a whole lot, I just don't need to know what the opponent is going to throw out next.

I didn't turn set mode on but in every main story battle I played as if I couldn't switch and without items, and it was worth it.
Meanwhile I like being able to switch freely against normal trainers as it makes training pokemon and using my favourites easier, as well as balancing the fact that I start a lot of battles with my mons' health below 100%

stop grind against wild pokes is also big help never done that in a single games, only when i was a very young and stupid kid i did so

I turned mine onto set when I started and it's just been a little more annoying, but whatever.

Switching to set is the first thing I do in any game since gen 4 when I started getting into competitive. I tend to forget switch is even an option cuz I never play with it. I can say that set + no exp share makes the game a bit of a pain, but its much funner in my opinion.

I am playing:

-set battles
-no exp share
-trainer battles/required battles (like trials stuff) only
-may gain exp by catching pokemon I don't have yet
- 1 item per battle limit, 2 for elite 4 (maybe 3, I think I may have seen them use 3).
- no white outs allowed. I must reset the game if I lose.

Probably also a "no rare candies" rule, but I may allow myself to use the ones I find, but would like to avoid it if I can. Currently I am tackling the elite 4, and let me just say that this is some of the most fun yet that I've had with a pokemon game (I've played every main game and every remake, no third versions except I am currently running through yellow on VC).