Is there a sophisticated level measure?

[cloa513]

People say their team is overleveled or underleveled and just mean compared to the opponents their pokemon is higher or lower level than the max of the opponents. The question is there something better than divide the total of levels of the team by the number of the team given that the effect of level is hardly uniform?

 

[pkmin3033]

If there is, I've never seen it...but do you really need one? Like most RPGs with a levelling system, Pokemon games will indicate pretty clearly whether your level falls within the expected range for you to overcome a challenge: the amount of damage you give/receive will increase/decrease depending on your level in comparison to your opponent's. The strategy you employ can affect this somewhat as well, but there is only so far that can take you as a substitute for the stat benefits that come from being at a higher level. Although Pokemon games aren't designed to wall you with level barriers: I think even skipping every trainer battle/random encounter you possibly can, you could still end up overlevelled for each major challenge, in the newer games especially.

If you want an average level measurement or something similar, you could easily do the calculation yourself using online resources, too. Individual Pokemon stats are very well documented on various websites, and it doesn't take much time to look them up and make some calculations using your own metrics. The best level measure is going to be the only you make yourself to fit your own personal playstyle.

 

[cloa513]

My question is then what is the low level measure that beats each generation's elite four rematch without using healing?

 

[pkmin3033]

Surely that would depend on a number of factors: the Pokemon you use - both type and number - the moves you use, the game you're playing, etc. There won't be a one-size-fits-all approach to this because of the differences across each game. You'd have to decide on your team, what moves you're going to give them, and compare that to what the Elite Four and Champion have.

 

[Amore]

At a guess, without healing you're going to be looking at fully-evolved high BST Pokémon at around 10 levels higher than the Champion's ace. But you'd have to actually do it to know for sure (and remember luck is a factor). This could be higher in BDSP as I believe they have maximum IVs, are EV-trained, and have a better AI than any previous E4.

 

[Corveone]

Comparing to the average is allways more fair than comparing to the opposing trainer's highest levelled. So, if your opponent's levels are 43, 43, 45, and 47, it makes more sense to go with all your team at 45 than with everyone at 47.

The Elite Four is a special case. In the first four regions the level curve is just stupid, so balancing your team around champion's levels means being overlevelled against at least the first two or three E4 members. The only way to keep your levels balanced against the entire E4 in those games is by using Rare Candies in between battles.

That said, the point of not overlevelling is to keep battles as fair as possible, however there are many more things to keep into account for that, not just levels. Ultimately, you're free to set up your rules and determine yourself what would be the "right" way to play.

Many players have our personal rules, and winning a battle without respecting those rules means in our headcanon that we didn't actually win, even if the game says we did.

 

[Duck]

There is not really a mathematical formula, nor are you likely to find one.

For example, there's a well known cheese strategy where you will most likely be able to beat every champion at a rematch without much trouble only using a full team of level 1 Pokémon.

On the other hand you might find that if you're using something like Sunkern, Wurmple or Magikarp, even at level 100 with perfect IVs and EVs, you might still find it hard to beat the champion.

It really depends on a lot of different factors that you can't just put down to "level" alone.

 

[cloa513]

If it is possible to completely beat the Pokemon League Rematch with Level 1s and no healing then someone would have made a video and put it on Youtube- they would get a million views easy? I saw someone struggle through Pokemon Red/Blue Elite 5+ Champion with Level 5s but it took him tons of healing and going from save points after every match.

 

[Duck]

If it is possible to completely beat the Pokemon League Rematch with Level 1s and no healing then someone would have made a video and put it on Youtube- they would get a million views easy? I saw someone struggle through Pokemon Red/Blue Elite 5+ Champion with Level 5s but it took him tons of healing and going from save points after every match.

Depends. The strategy I mentioned is rather cheesy and well known at this point, so probably not. But it's also not something you can do in RBY, so if you did do it in RBY it might garner interest? I don't think that'd be possible though.

That said, if your goal is going on YouTube it doesn't have to be the most challenging thing ever ... a lot of Poketubers do challenges that are a bit lukewarm because while novelty is a part of success, the content creator is what really makes the content.

People usually enjoy seeing the strategy and how they deal with certain road blocks and stuff like that. You should probably do a challenge you enjoy or think would be fun instead of trying to game The Algorithm.

 

[cloa513]

No, my point if this can be done then it would already be released . Most content creators are extremely bland showing just output.

 

[Duck]

No, my point if this can be done then it would already be released . Most content creators are extremely bland showing just output.

That doesn't track with my experience. Generally speaking PokéTubers will edit out blander parts like grinding yes, but I have yet to see a Pokétuber that does challenges that doesn't 1) explain the strategy, 2) show all the important and/or challenging battles.

Maybe things are different in other social media websites such as TikTok, due to medium restrictions or different target audience, but as far as YouTube, written stories and comics go, "just output" isn't the word I'd use to describe it.

Either way, we're starting to leave PGC and starting to veer into Challenges, Internet & Technology or maybe E&M.

As far as the games are concerned, level is part of the mechanics, and a part of the mechanics designed to give an advantage to younger kids who aren't very good with strategy yet, but it's far from the end all be all.