6th Gen Game Difficulty v2

Old thread died, reposting it to continue the discussion!

Jake♫ said:

A lot of people would argue that the games are easy, while others would argue that they are rather challenging. B2/W2 brought us some new tools: Easy and Challenge modes, to make the game easier or harder, respectively. Would you like to see these options brought back? Would you like the standard difficulty of the game to be harder/easier? Discuss!

I would just like to have the options for Easy and Challenge modes right from the beginning instead of having to unlock them, so I can play through the game at whatever difficulty I would like to. I mean, I would STILL probably play through normally first, but the option would be nice. In general I find Pokémon games to be in the middle of the road for difficulty, but I would just like the variety to be present!

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Having difficulty mode options in Pokemon X and Y would be very much appreciated. Some people like to play in Easy mode, while others who prefer a more difficult playthrough would love the Challenge mode. Personally I like the Challenge mode in B2/W2 as it made the game tougher. You had to train your Pokemon instead of just plowing through all opponent trainers like in the previous games. :)

Would love to have real difficult settings. Not this ridiculous stuff we have in B2/W2.

Rookie - Easy (For beginners, includes tutorial)
Ace - Standard (Recommended, includes tutorial)
Master - Hard (For veterans, no tutorial)

Rookie - Slightly lower leveled Pokemon. AI trainers don't have any items.
Ace - Keep things the same as they have been.
Master - Moderately higher leveled Pokemon. AI trainers have more items. AI trainer's Pokemon have beneficial natures, held items, abilities, and move sets.

I'd like to see difficulty settings, yeah, but not unlockable or like the joke it was made in B2/W2. Sure, they have more Pokemon and higher levels... whoop-de-doo. Nothing a little more training in grass won't help. Sure, you can play the game after unlocking it, but if you want to rebattle gym leaders with it, have fun restarting your entire save! No, what it should be in these games would be a bit like the above suggested.


- Unlocked from the start of the game, so you can enjoy a challenge without going through the same old stuff again.

- Instead of just levels and added Pokemon, go all out. Give gym leaders a ton of items they can use and have them all have hold items to thier advantage, not to mention added Pokemon again, since that was pretty good, but not good enough.

- Added AI is always a nice thing to have. Just give all the Gym Leaders/Elite 4 the highest AI the game has to offer and then give average trainers a much better one than in normal modes.

Fallowing the same system as above...

Rookie- For beginners. Gives a full out tutorial that explains the basics of the game. Gym Leaders are leveled a bit less and don't have as much AI, having no items at all.

Normal- Go through the experience like it has been before. Get a small optional tutorial on newer features and maybe a few other pointers. Gym Leaders have the highest AI in their area and have items and a normal amount of Pokemon. Elite 4 plays out normally, blah blah blah.

Expert- Play this as if you knew what you were doing and could beat a Pokemon game no sweat. Gym Leaders have max AI, a ton of items at their use (more than potions) and have 6 Pokemon (maybe not the first few, but you get the idea). Elite Four will be the hardest challenge you will face before post-game and they will be completely merciless.


Perhaps not everything here, but you get the idea. Man, longest post I've ever made on here. I like the idea of difficulty in B2/W2, but it just wasn't executed right. What I have here isn't even all that there should be.

tl;dr: Please yes

I would appreciate difficulty modes, but not if they just change the levels. I'd want them to modify the EXP rate instead of changing the levels.

And also on the subject, I want them to abolish the current training system entirely. They need to make online play accessible to everyone, not just to obsessive players. Or at least give us a tag-along option instead of just battling, so we can help out in our friends' games (in real-time or with a ghost mechanic.) Right now mutliplayer in Pokemon is completely inaccessible to new players. It's ruining the original purpose of Pokemon, which was for kids to play together!

Oh, that would be cool bring them back! Easy, Normal or Hard? Yeah i suggest they bring that back since ppl rrrllllyyyy are mad for the games benf easy. So i suggest they bring it back.

The Easy, Medium and Hard modes we're excellent features (and long over due). I hope they carry these features onto future games, it makes them a little more challenging and enjoyable.

I'm absolutely in favor of a harder mode for the game

As I pitched elsewhere, I believe they should have a "Pokemon Master" mode. It would be available from the start. No having to beat the elite four first.

In which :

Gym leaders have full teams of 6
Gym leaders pokemon all have ideal natures EVs and held items
Gym leaders have surprise coverage moves to balance out their weaknesses

Even the 1st gym leader would have 6 pokemon. You'd be forced to assemble an entire team early. Including your starter, your pidgey equivalent, your rattata equivalent, your caterpie equivalent, and whatever else you can even find early on.

The Elite 4 are weather based teams instead of just type based
The Champion uses all uber legendaries

Myself said:

Elite Four #1 : Sandstorm team :
Tyranitar, Excadrill, Lucario, Empoleon, Steelix, Garchomp

Elite Four #2 : Drought team :
Ninetales, Venusaur, Rhypherior, Tangrowth, Exeggutor, Charizard

Elite Four #3 : Rain team :
Politoed, Kingdra, Ludicolo, Jolteon, Bronzong, Ferrothorn

Elite Four #4 : Hail team :
Abomasnow, Weavile, Mamoswine, Cloyster, Jellicent, Reniculus

Champion : Overpowered legendary squad
Arceus (Fire), Rayquaza, Mewtwo (Awakened/Mewthree), Genesect (Shock drive), Kyurem, Giratina

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Additionally :

Wild pokemon would all be a few levels higher than they'd normally be

Random trainers would be a little harder, but not the same way as Gym leaders/Elite four would be.

Like usually a random trainer has 1 or 2 joke excuses of Pokemon. Well, instead they could have 3 or 4 with held items

Random Ace trainers could be about as ridiculous as the Elite four though.

Also it would be good if in this mode you are gifted all 3 starters at the start of the game, so that you can have decent pokemon to work with considering that even the 1st gym leader has 6 pokemon with held items lol

I do agree with having the difficulty levels available from the start, and I'd actually personally love to see a difficulty level like that, as it would easily force you to play more tactically. However, I don't really see it happening either. The majority of people have no idea how EVs/IVs/<insert competitive aspects here> even work, and having that sort of difficulty based on knowledge that most people don't have doesn't exactly make the most practical sense. I'd love to see Game Freak do something to show they're more into the competitive area of battling than they have in the past, but maybe that's not the best way =P