Do you ever use guides?

Either online, or the guidebook thingies, if anyone still ever buys those. I don't see the point of either except in a few circumstances, but given that guides continue to get made some people must be using them.

Admittedly, I often use guides in the post-game areas. Post-game in Pokémon tends to open up a lot of small quests without really telling you about most of them, and I usually am not in the mood to explore the entire region a second time just to find them all. In that situation, it's definitely of use.

How about you? Have you used guides, and if so why? Also which game, I'm curious to see if there's any particular game that some people have more difficulty than normal.

Not really, not in Pokemon, or at least not since seventh/eighth grade. I'm not any particular expert on finding hidden treats within a game but I've gotten good enough to just roll without a guide and be like "Oh shit I found something!" And even with Gym Leader strategies...I'll just check said Leader's team, restart, and change up mine.

I've never really used a strategy guide before tbh, my cousin had one back in DPP and I flicked through it a couple of times but never really gave it a proper read. That being said, I can see where Angie is coming from, it's quite interesting to see what content is actually inside them.

never, not in pokemon games, RPG's are my thing
the only time i got stuck in a pokemon game was in red and blue when i was a kid, i got lost in rock tunnel bc i didn't knew where to get flash and i had saved the game, when i finally made it (i felt my way out) my pokemon were around level 55 heheh

the only time i needed to use a guide was with Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey because the final boss decimated me even at level 99

In the first couple games I didn't need guides, they were pretty self-explanatory. I mean Gen 1 and 2.

I think Gen 3 was little more complex since there was a lot of stuff that wasn't explained, like for example having the Wailord and Relicanth in your party to find the Regi's. I think they had some kind of weird writing that I couldn't read.


I had to use online guides in Black 2, Y and Omega Ruby during the story because honestly had no idea where to go next, not so much Y, but the other two. I think when I started Omega Ruby I got lost in Mauville City since they turned it into Mall of America.

Also for pokemon weaknesses and what moves do.

I think with so many ways you can go there's no clear direction like in the early games of which way to go to be honest.
I just used the Eon Flute for the first time yesterday and to be honest I'll stick to Fly.



In terms of physical guides even though I gave up Pokémon during Gen 3 I bought Diamond/Pearl and Black2/White2 Pokedex books in order to see what new Pokémon were added.

I happened to get a guide for every game but XY before playing most of them (which were too new at the time) at thrift stores, so I did look through them.
I mostly use guides just to check where I get a item/TM I need, or where I get a Pokemon I'm set on having on my team. So I'm not just encounter hunting for no reason at all. Some of the maps are nice that show you the exact location of each item, especially from 4th gen on since the over worlds are rather large.

I use databases to check movesets of Pokemon and their locations and such, but I've never actually used a text walkthrough for a Pokemon game before...they're fairly basic for RPGs, so I've never needed to.

Buying an actual, physical strategy guide is almost always a waste of money. For any game.

I'll look stuff up on Serebii or Bulbapedia if I wanna know what moves a Pokemon learns, or where a TM I might be missing is, or whatever, but in terms of getting to the end credits, I'm not sure I've ever needed help.

I bought the Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire strategy guide just for the pull-out type chart, which is always handy to have on hand.

Well, that isn't entirely true, but it was a nice bonus.

*looks at bottom shelf of bookcase* Yes, I have bought ten strategy guides for Pokemon games. The ten strategy guides I have bought are as follows:

Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire: Official Trainer's Guide
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: The Official Pokemon Scenario Guide
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: The Official Pokemon Full Pokedex Guide
Pokemon Battle Revolution: The Official Pokemon Battle Revolution Strategy Guide
Pokemon Platinum: The Official Pokemon Strategy Guide
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky: The Official Pokemon Strategy Guide
Pokemon Black & Pokemon White Versions: The Official Pokemon Strategy Guide: Volume 1
Pokemon Black & Pokemon White Versions: The Official Unova Pokedex & Guide: Volume 2
Pokemon Black Version 2 & Pokemon White Version 2: Collectors Edition: The Official Pokemon Unova Strategy Guide
Pokemon X & Pokemon Y: The Official Kalos Region Guidebook

I have guide books for the first 5 generation games & when I was younger, they were my favorite books to read.

I don't get the guide books anymore, because not only are they expensive (or rather, they were at the time) & I can now use my phone to find all the answers I need for free.

I do look for guide to how to solve various gym puzzles that kinda hard to crack, but never such a guide.

not since thrid gen I have used a guide

I haven't used nor have I bought a guide since I bought Emerald when it released. I use the internet and various videos for playthroughs.

I have never used a single guide (Unless it's for breeding) but other than that I have never once used a guide on pokemon and never will do so anytime soon.