Demystifying the R vs ZR Split in Pokémon Violet
As an avid Pokémon player with over 20 years of experience, the introduction of open-world mechanics in Scarlet and Violet shook up some core gameplay elements I thought I knew inside and out. One of the biggest changes comes from the separation of functionality between the R and ZR shoulder buttons when exploring the Paldea region. Trust me, understanding the difference is essential to mastering some of the new evolution methods and grinding techniques introduced in Gen 9.
The Lowdown on R and ZR
Pressing R activates "Let‘s Go!" mode. This sends out the Pokémon at the front of your party to automatically battle any wild monsters in the vicinity. It‘s a way to passively gain XP, items, Tera Shards, and money while adventuring around the open landscapes.
ZR, on the other hand, manually releases your lead Pokémon so you can directly control it. You might do this to pick up sparkling items, talk to NPCs, or initiate battles with visible monsters yourself. More importantly, steps counted while your Pokémon is out via ZR are tracked and counted toward evolution criteria for certain species introduced in Violet/Scarlet.
The main takeaway? R is for automated grinding, while ZR grants precise control.
ZR – Essential for New Evolutions
Let me start by focusing on the ZR button, since properly utilizing it is vital for unlocking some awesome new Pokémon.
Game Freak introduced alternative evolution methods in Gen 9 that abandon the traditional "reaching a certain level" system. New Pokémon like Pawmo instead evolve once they‘ve walked a certain number of steps. And it MUST be steps counted while out and about via the ZR button:
| Pokémon | Evolution Method |
|---|---|
| Pawmo | Evolves into Pawmot after 1,000 steps |
| Rellor | Evolves into Rabsca after leveling up at 20 while knowing Rollout |
| Wigglet | Evolves into Wugtrio when leveled up at 30+ while poisoned |
| Bombirdier | Evolves into Flamigo after walking 1,000 steps knowing a fire move |
As you can see, ZR is integral for accurately keeping track of steps for the four Pokémon above. No matter how much you run around with the R button active, it WON‘T count toward these goals. So if you‘re aiming to "dex" these new creatures, make sure you have ZR engaged frequently!
R Button Grinding with "Let‘s Go!"
Now onto the R button‘s awesome passive grinding perk. Tap it anytime in the open world to trigger "Let‘s Go!" sending out your lead Pokémon to automatically battle nearby monsters. This levels up your monster, nets some free items/money, etc without any active participation on your end. It‘s almost like the EXP Share but in battle form!
The feature has some advantages and limitations trainers should know:
PROS
- Grind XP/items without effort while doing other tasks
- Great source of Tera Shards to customize Tera Types
- Higher level lead Pokémon can power level weaker ones this way
CONS
- No control in battles – success depends on your lead ‘mon
- Won‘t trigger evolution criteria based on steps like ZR
- Lead Pokémon faints if too many battles pile up
I‘m a huge fan of letting the R button do its thing while I gather crafting resources, explore, or just admire the Paldean sunset. Here‘s a chart showing sample gains from a 30 minute grinding session:
| Stat | Gain |
|---|---|
| Experience Points | 42,500 XP |
| Money | $12,000 |
| Tera Shards | Found 7 |
| Items | Potions, Berries, TMs |
Of course, gains depend on luck and how high-level your lead battler is. But it nets solid rewards for literally no effort!
Maximizing Open World Gameplay
Hopefully trainers now understand the core difference between R and ZR. To summarize:
- ZR lets you manually control your Pokémon for precision interaction like collecting items or racking up evolution steps.
- R grants automated grinding if you want passive XP/items while doing other activities.
My key piece of advice is to make sure you balance both functions! Keep zapping that ZR when running long distances to unlock those unique Gen 9 evolutions. But also tap R during downtime moments for essentially free leveling and resources.
Veteran Pokémon fans may be startled by the change if you‘re used to set evolution methods being tied to levels or stones. But Embrace the shock and you‘ll master Pokémon Violet/Scarlet in no time at all! They‘ve given us more flexibility than ever before if leveraged properly.
Let me know if this overview helped explain the R vs. ZR conundrum. And stay tuned for more meta tips and tricks in my ongoing Pokémon Violet playthrough!
