Encountering a specific type of Pokémon in the wild can be a fickle beast at times, and trainers may find themselves patrolling the tall grass endlessly to no avail. The ever-changing weather in the Wild Area of Pokemon Sword and Shield can serve trainers well if they know how to take advantage of it. However, there are better ways to lure Pokémon out of their habitats rather than waiting for the weather to change.
It has been discovered that placing certain Pokémon species with particular abilities at the head of a trainer’s party will increase the spawn rates of various Pokémon types.
Type Attraction Abilities
According to an infographic shared on Reddit, the three base elemental types and electric type encounters will be amplified when these select Pokémon head a trainer’s team.
A Flareon or Centiskorch with the Flash Fire ability will draw out more fire-type spawns. Sword players have found this method helpful in encountering the elusive Turtonator.
Water-types may surface more often when a Maractus or Gastrodon with the Storm Drain ability is leading the team.
Phantumps and Trevenants with the Harvest ability can dig up more grass Pokémon than your average gardener.
Pikachus and Manetrics, with the Static or Lightning Rod ability, will attract other statically charged Pokémon with their electrifying energy. Pikachus commonly grace aspiring trainer teams and often take the reigns as team captains, so if there seems to be an uncanny amount of Electric-types roaming around, that might be why.
It seems there will also be the opportunity to increase Steel-type spawns in the future as the infographic notes that a Meltan with the Magnet Pull ability can achieve this task. The problem is this generationally ambiguous Pokémon hasn’t been introduced to Sword and Shield just yet. Making its debut in the Alolan anime season, Meltan also has ties to the eighth generation as well and is rumored to make an appearance in-game with a later expansion.
Other Ability Effects
Thanks to Redditor SparksNBolts, additional ability effects have also come to light, though they don’t pertain to Pokémon types.
The Cute Charm ability will increase encounters of the opposite gender from the trainer’s leading pokémon.
Pokémon with Infiltrator will reduce encounter rates overall while the Illuminate ability will increase spawn rates in general.
Pokemon with the Super Luck advantage will increase the amount of Pokémon encountered with held items.
The Law of Attraction
Pokémon are following their own laws of attraction in the Galar region, no more wishful thinking or waiting on the weather. Trainers must bring the heat if they want to attract similar fiery-tempered Pokémon, or open the storm drains to entice a flood of water dwellers. And what better time than the month of romance to spark mutual attractions with the Cute Charm?
Pokémon Sword and Shield are available now on Nintendo Switch. The games’ first expansion, The Isle of Armor, is expected to release this June with the second expansion, The Crown Tundra following suit by the end of fall 2020.
Source: Reddit
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