Why Won‘t My Pokémon Obey Me in Pokémon Sword?
If your once obedient Charizard or Tyranitar suddenly starts loafing around during battles instead of fighting in Pokémon Sword, it means you‘ve exceeded the level cap based on the number of badges you have collected. As a long-time Pokémon expert, I‘ll explain exactly how the obedience system works and how to prevent levels from spiraling out of control.
Badge Level Caps – The Bane of High Level Trainers
Unlike other RPGs where you can use powerful heroes from the start, Pokémon games restrict your team‘s strength until you progress far enough. Here are the exact caps set per badge count:
| Badges | Max Obedience Level | Traded Pokémon May Obey Up To |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 10 | 10 |
| 1 | 25 | 20 |
| 2 | 30 | 25 |
| 3 | 35 | 30 |
| 4 | 40 | 35 |
| 5 | 45 | 40 |
| 6 | 50 | 45 |
| 7 | 55 | 50 |
| 8 | 100 | 100 |
As you can see, it‘s very easy to overshoot if you do too much grinding early on! And it‘s even harder with traded Pokémon like the Level 70 Gengar your friend gave you.
"I lost my mind when my Level 50 Charizard stopped listening right before the 6th gym. All that hard training for nothing! Now I check caps religiously so I don‘t make the same mistake." – John K., Hoenn region gamer
So what happens when you break obedience? Let me paint you a picture…
Rude, Unruly and Downright Rebellious!
You eagerly start a gym battle, expecting your heavy hitting Aggron to demolish the opposition as usual. But when you call for a crushing Iron Tail, Aggron decides to plop down and take a nap! Then, the next turn when you desperately need a Steel defense, Aggron ignores you to lounge around "loafing around…" while you get pummeled.
Other fun flavors of disobedience include:
- Constantly falling asleep mid-battle
- Refusing to use their best moves
- Ignoring orders to come back and switch
Not exactly what you want to deal with versus Whitney‘s deadly Miltank!
"I lost 3 times against the 8th gym leader because my disobedient Staraptor kept using Safeguard instead of Brave Bird! I almost chucked my DS across the room. Who thought this was a good idea?!" – Sam P., Sinnoh region wrathful gamer
So what can be done to prevent this team-sabotaging insurrection? Read on!
Top 5 Ways To Maintain Order
As a Pokémon professor once told me, "Great power brings great responsibility." Follow these essential tips, and your team will give you unmatched power without the headaches:
1. Stop and Smell The Roses
Don‘t rush! I know it‘s tempting to grind your starter to Level 50 before Brock. But enjoy the journey, follow level curves, and don‘t let anyone outpace benchmarks early.
2. Monitor Level Gaps
Experts recommend highest level fighters stay under 25% higher than your lowest Pokémon. Any bigger and wild Pokémon won‘t provide enough XP to balance properly.
3. Catch New Recruits Often
Catch different monster types frequently to cycle into battle and share experience points. Ideally capture Pokémon 5-10 levels under your team‘s average to train up.
4. Keep Pokéball in Hand
If a team member shoots too high too fast, box them immediately! Carry extra Pokéballs and be ready replace with lower leveled creatures. Remember, benching is temporary.
5. Set Milestone Goals
Before each gym, target an appropriate level spread across the party. I recommend tracking with an old-school progress grid. Check caps often as you gain badges.
Stick to those principles my friends, and your Pokémon will salute you with utmost loyalty from first steps in Pallet Town to the heights of the Elite Four throne room!
Parting Words of Wisdom
So in summary, the obedience system prevents players from relying on the same powerhouse team and encourages raising new partners – albeit clumsily. But armed with knowledge of the caps and some discipline on level curves, you can mitigate frustration and enable smooth progression.
In closing, while disruptive at times, defying overconfident despots and questioning rigid systems is what charms us about Pokémon in the first place, right? Perhaps we have something to learn from this intentional restraint baked into the games. Keep pursuing your championship dreams, but don‘t forget to stop and laugh when your mighty Salamence throws a hissy fit because you got a little carried away at the training grounds!
Let me know if this guide helps you manage obedience issues. And remember – patience and moderation, young grasshopper. Patience and moderation!
