Completing the Pokedex?

[Twilight Sky]

So we have a thread about what can be done to change the Pokedex. But even if most if these changes were implemented, would that be enough to fuel our Pokemon hearts into catching 'em all again? With the more and more Pokemon that are being introduced, are you all still motivated to start completing the Pokedex? What kind of awards you think you'll get when you complete it, and do you think there should be more rewards for completing it, especially since, chances are, we're going way past the 700+ mark in Pokemon count?

[Jake♫]

Honestly I haven't had the motivation to catch them all since Gen 2, as with all the trading and events required it is kind of gotten to a point of "meh". I don't feel like a diploma for completing it is much incentive to do it either. I don't expect that to really change at all, and I have no idea what incentive they could give out, outside of some Mystery Gift for a shiny Pokémon or something.

[jellicentfan1]

I think that there should be better rewards, but still I am not motivated to complete the Pokedex as I once was. it is really hard and time consuming.

[BinaryPeaches]

The item that allows you to find shiny Pokemon easier was a step in the right direction in Black/White 2. But they really should think of something(s) that would give people more motivation to complete the pokedex. I myself came close to achieving it twice but never have I actually completed one. There just hasn't been enough motivation or incentive to do so.

[Miss Doronjo]

My concern is that fulfilling the pokedex takes time and effort, but the awards are usually so small that it's not even worth it; you'd generally get one of those paper awards saying that you'd completed the pokedex, and give you a small symbol. I'd like how in B2W2 there was the introduction of havens on where if you've completed the pokedex, you get to go to this haven where you can catch a shiny haxorus. I'd love it if there was something like that again in X&Y, where you get to capture rarer pokemon, for at least completing the regional dex; maybe you'd get the chance of capturing the starters or something. For completing the whole national pokedex, I'd like an award on where it'd benefits you if you were EV training your pokemon; some sort of "item" that helps your pokemon get flawless IVs upon hatching, or help your pokemon gain EVs easier? Something like that, I'd want, and I'd definitely would complete the pokedex for that.

[Twilight Sky]

For myself, I have no motivation to complete the Pokedex. I agree with a lot of you when you guys say that the incentives for doing so just aren't enough! Diplomas and all just seem so super minor, when you've spent so much time and effort catching and evolving pretty much each and every single Pokemon, so it can be quite infuriating. x_x;

Make the incentives greater, and I can understand if people start to consider it, but for what we get, I just don't think completing the Pokedex is worth it anymore.

[.Aero]

Considering I've never done it (and I've played since the US release of Red/Blue), I agree: There needs to be something that creates more of a drive to complete a pokedex. Sadly I can't think of anything other than possibly a really exclusive item (apparently BW2 had an item to make finding shinies easier?)

At the same time, that's not a huge incentive for me. Learning RNG is significantly easier than finishing a pokedex, and aside from that, I don't personally care if a pokemon is shiny or not. Perhaps they could create an item that's more battle oriented or stat related. I figure most people after completing a pokedex have obviously beaten the game (possibly multiple times) and therefore don't have much to do after finishing that pokedex except battle. Something that either guarantees a nature / improves the chances of getting a nature (moreso than everstone breeding or synchronize wild battles) would be a nice addition. Or even an item that increases the chances of getting higher IVs on your pokemon would be pretty neat too.

[Cerberus87]

I was an inch from completing it in Gold version, but no Celebi event in my country... >.>

I think all events should be global and distributed via wifi. It's unfair how Meloetta's Western debut started only in the US, if you went to a GameStop. This basically means I have to resort to downloading .pkm files of the events through pokegts, which is less than ideal.

In 5th gen I'm going for Pokédex completion in both my games, and I got myself a few nifty tools (like another DS and a few 4th gen games), but it could be much easier than it currently is, and the rewards could be much bigger for the amount of work you put into it.

[Miss Doronjo]

Hm, well, what sorts of rewards did you guys want for completing the pokedex?

I do agree that items like rewards were a good step on the incentive of completing the pokedex, but, should there be more awards like... travelling to mysterious places (sort of like that haven in Gen V), or other wise?

[fishyfins]

This is a very interesting thought. Ive not completed a pokedex since gen 1, and even so, only did it to say id done it. these days, i wouldnt really try without having an incentive to do so, because it is just so hard.
saying that, i am currently working to complete it in white 2 (currently at about 440 pokes owned), because i want that damn shiny stone. to me, an item that makes my shiny hunts easier is worth it.
but, to a lot of people it isnt, and i think thats the problem: people will want different things. To me, the shiny stone is a nice touch, a step in the right direction, even though i still feel the reward should be greater. But ive also heard ideas in the posts above this for other rewards, such as battle/breeding items, which, for me personally, would be pointless, cos i couldnt care less about that stuff. or catching pre-coded shiny pokemon like the haxorus, which again, i see as pointless, cos it devalues that specific pokemon (it will become common, like the red gyarados). It really is a quandry what they can offer to people for completion, as everyone has their own ideas. perhaps they could make several items, and you get a choice of what you want? that would be a good middle ground. but i certainly agree that there should be a reward greater than a certificate, and probably greater than the shiny stone.

[Jake♫]

Originally Posted by Miss Doronjo

Hm, well, what sorts of rewards did you guys want for completing the pokedex?

I'd love for a new area to get unlocked maybe, but if you already have completed the Pokédex there isn't much incentive for something like that. Maybe give us a rare shiny Pokémon that you can't obtain in the games otherwise (like a previous generation's legendary)?

[ProfessorBeeching]

I've never had an incentive to beat my Pokedex. I just play the game and battle, catching the things I want and ignoring ones I don't. Even 151 pokemon seemed too time-consuming for me to care when I played FRLG. But if I had to do it, I'd say a good incentive would be something similaw to BW2's key items and unlockable area. . .Not that you can't just cheat it, but if you want it legit, you'll work for it so...
Hm, maybe a place where Starters can be found in the wild? a 'Breeding Ground' place which makes getting our favourites with the right genders and IVs easier. I'd like that. Any way to get more Mudkip and Snivy would be fine by me.

[Neeni]

I've never completed a pokedex since pokemon Red back when I was a 4th grader.. I just never thought it was possible when they were only 151, and now.. forget it xD
hence, I've never had the motivation and and the games don't offer much for completing it
B2W2 had a start when they mentioned the critical capture thing, the only reason I started catching many pokes is because the more the caught, the easier it would be to catch legendaries and other pokes, it was a start for me and the shiny pokes item is just another good example!

although I still don't think I can complete the dex I'll try my best, maybe I can actually do it for once! =p

[Sabrewulf238]

Completed it once in Soul Silver. (It was a pretty amazing feeling since I've been playing since red, blue and yellow) I'm not sure if I'll do it again in XY. Maybe.

It's really not that difficult to complete the pokedex now that we have online wireless, it's just time consuming.

As for incentive...I would actually like them to add some kind wildlife preserve (not a safari zone) which you could add pokemon to and every pokemon has different effects on the eco system. (i.e bring pokemon population up or down, causing certain plants to flourish) For example some pokemon might attack other pokemon and make their numbers dwindle. How well each type of pokemon would survive depends on the plants and berries you plant in an area. The end goal would be to organise your nature preserve in such a way that every single type of pokemon lives in harmony. (albeit some kept a safe distance from each other) Also pokemon would breed on their own, so you'd have an overall population number for each pokemon.

Even if it's not that I think it would be incentive if they gave pokemon more unique purposes and effects. Even if they changed how the pokemon box works so that they appear in the professors back garden and you can watch how they interact (like pokemon ranch)

[Darkrai Lv.1000]

I've actually been completing the PokeDex since Pokemon Platinum. I've done it around 4 times already, and with the way I've been doing it, I now have at least one of every Pokemon so far sitting in my PC as of Black 2. Completing the PokeDex is always the biggest challenge for any player, and I enjoy the satisfaction of filling it completely.

I like how B2W2 offered something actually decent as a reward for completing the PokeDex, instead of a diploma like the rest of the games. Aside from the chance of a critical capture increasing as you catch more Pokemon(though I believe this was in BW as well), the Oval Charm and Permit are pretty cool, and though I still haven't seen one shiny Pokemon in Gen V to this day, the Shiny Charm is a way better motivator than a diploma.

I hope X/Y provide a good incentive for completing the PokeDex, like some super special awesome item or Pokemon or something.

[Aerilyn]

If they add the Habitat feature to the PokéDex again like in Black 2 and White 2, I may just make an attempt at it. Playing White 2, this has been the first time I'm actually striving to catch 'em all... or at least most of them anyway. I've yet to actually complete the PokéDex in any game, but who knows, maybe I'll give it a swing this generation.

... probably not. D:

[Astinus]

I haven't completed the Pokedex since the Blue version, and that was only because in those days I had the time to trade around Pokemon. These days, it's just too much effort for too little. The diploma is a disappointing reward for the work put into it, especially if one actually goes to events to get the rare Pokemon. It was a step in the right direction to have the reward in B2/W2, but I personally don't have time to do that all over again.

I hope that a better reward finds its way to X/Y to make even the thought worthwhile. When I heard about the reward in B2/W2, I did think about making an attempt to complete the Pokedex because shiny Pokemon are nice.

[Forever]

I might complete the regional dex, but not the national dex. Way too lazy to get all those mons, and completing the regional dex in Unova wasn't too hard honestly.

[Magmaruby and Aquasapphire]

Perhaps those who complete the dex can get access to a whole new area where a legendary event pokemon of choice from the past generations awaits...it'll be enough to motivate me further to complete the dex...which reminds me, I still need to complete the B2W2 dex...

[Cossolotto32]

I absolutely loved completing the dex in 3rd gen, 4th and now 5th gen. I have every pokemon in numerical order sitting in my PC in my black version now and its quite a sight. I don't know what got me motivated, but the reward for me wasn't at the end. It was having every single pokemon in the game! What could possibly beat that?

[Forever]

Originally Posted by Magmaruby and Aquasapphire

Perhaps those who complete the dex can get access to a whole new area where a legendary event pokemon of choice from the past generations awaits...it'll be enough to motivate me further to complete the dex...which reminds me, I still need to complete the B2W2 dex...

Way too big imo. Mainly because they'll have already completed the dex. XD; Unless it was a shiny fully IV'd/EV'd one but I honestly doubt that...

[ForeverDash]

I would try and complete the regional dex but not the national dex because that would take forever. 700+ Pokemon is just way too much. I wouldn't even spend my time on that. When I first played emerald I didn't even have the motivation the complete the Pokedex. I would probably consider doing that if there's like a prize if you complete it. It has to be a big one though :3

[bookishangel]

I completed the regional pokedex twice, and I came close to completing the national pokedex once. I'm never doing that last one again. Too tedious.

[Forever]

I kind of wonder if a reward for completing the pokedex could possibly be alternate formes for legendaries? Like I mean we have mewthree, and there could be other limited edition, "awakened" formes, exclusively for post game, given the amount of Pokemon there will be?

[Kitori]

I never completed a national dex before gen V and I am totally ready to complete the national dex in X&Y! I imagine after giving us the shining charm in BW2 that they should have something cool to give us for completing it in the new games?