It’s impossible to try and write a guide on how to handle each and every threat in the Battle Royale since there’s hundreds upon hundreds of pre-set Pokemon the NPCs you face off against will use, but here’s a healthy collection of tips to help you win as many battles as you can.

Maximize the coverage of your three-Pokemon team¶

Only having three Pokemon means you have to cram more into half the spots, so make sure you never have more than two Pokemon sharing a common type weakness!

Make sure your lead Pokemon can also handle as many type threats as possible in the four moveslots it has so that you can avoid switching if at all possible.

Switching in the Battle Royal is usually a very bad idea¶

With this being a free-for-all, the chance of you getting ganged up on by two or three trainers at once is high and should always be considered (and feared).

Nothing sucks more than switching out, and getting knocked out before you even had a chance. It is of crucial importance, as a result, that your lead Pokemon be as capable of being a solo show as possible.

Slow, tanky Pokemon are often at a disadvantage¶

Bringing durable, tanky, defensive Pokemon to sponge hits sounds good in theory, but the number of KOs you amass matters more than your survival. Plus, even the most powerful of tanks can only take so many hits before going down, and getting ganged up can rapidly overwhelm your most defensive setup.

Worse, if you have a slow tank, there’s a high chance an NPC will KO the Pokemon you were targeting before you get to move, leaving you with nothing to claim. If you attempt to hit a Pokemon that gets KOed before your turn to move, your move will fail instead of get redirected! As a result, Speed and priority moves are an absolute must.

A team full of fast, frail Pokemon will be too fragile¶

Remember, you have to survive until someone loses all three of their Pokemon. Until then, you are on the playing field trying to not be that person.

Packing a team full of slow, defensive Pokemon will not help you much, but having a team full of Pokemon as frail as Blacephalon will not help your case either. Fast and frail Pokemon will often have overwhelming offenses, but if they can’t take out the entire field in one hit, they will likely fall too soon.

You can compensate for this by balancing speed with durability and picking Pokemon with naturally balanced and powerful base stats. Pokemon like Latios are fast but are also capable of taking a hit or two. You should also make sure you are using a Pokemon’s natural type defenses to their advantage.

A unique Pokemon to take note of is Mimikyu. Due to its Disguise ability, Mimikyu is guaranteed to be able to take one hit, giving it natural protection against a lot of threats.

Priority moves matter¶

Carrying a priority move or two is basically mandatory in the Battle Royal. It lets you snipe your opponents before they can move and beat an otherwise disadvantageous Speed stat matchup. Always carry at least one priority move on your team. It’s best if all your Pokemon have one. A slow, defensive tank with a priority move can wreak havoc, for example!

Yes, you can Mega Evolve and use Z-Moves!¶

And your opponents will, too!

Z-Moves in the Battle Royal carry much more of a punch because they are great as a one-time nuke to turn the tide of battle in your favor and secure a win. It takes timing and practice to know when best to unleash your trump card, but a well-placed Z-move blast can be devastating!

On the other hand, Mega Evolution allows your Pokemon to turn into nonstop machines of destruction, but if the Pokemon faints, then there goes your plan. If a Pokemon faints after using a Z-Move, it likely has already served its purpose and done enough damage to go out proud.