Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s difficulty balancing is terrible. It doesn’t have level scaling at all, and it can shift from being incredibly easy to hard in a few footsteps. While the game features several improvements over Sword and Shield, there’s no semblance of balance anymore, to the point where it seems like Game Freak didn’t even try.
Is the difficulty balanced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?
The difficulty in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is only balanced for around the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the game. After that, things fell apart.
Once you get sent on your journey, you can leave Mesagoza through either the west or east gate. The gyms, titans, and Team Star hideouts you face have different types depending on which path you choose, but the journey is similar.
You’ll follow a route curving toward the north of the Great Crater of Paldea, and the difficulty will gradually rise until you start hitting wild pokemon in the level 30-40 region. However, if you go further north, you’ll find that everything is from level 45-50, which is likely too strong for you unless you’ve grinded, which leads to a big problem.
Is there level scaling in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?
There is no level-scaling in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This is a huge issue, since you inevitably have to backtrack to the beginning of the path you didn’t take out of Mesagoza and battle your way through the gyms, titans, and hideouts you missed.
Since the levels don’t scale, you’ll find yourself at level 40 or higher going up against trainers, wild pokemon, and gym leaders that are significantly weaker than you. It breaks the illusion that you’re on a Pokemon journey when you face a gym leader and defeat them in one move per pokemon.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Difficulty Scaling FAQ
A: In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the difficulty is somewhat balanced for about the first third to half of the game. However, afterward, it lacks consistency, with areas close to each other having wild pokemon with a significant difference in levels, which can make your journey either too easy or unexpectedly challenging.
A: No, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet don’t have level scaling. This becomes apparent when, after following one path out of Mesagoza, you need to backtrack to the beginning of the alternate path. You’ll then encounter trainers and gym leaders who are much weaker than your higher-leveled pokemon, often leading to overly easy battles.
A: Yes, the absence of level scaling can disrupt the immersion of your Pokemon journey. For instance, if you’re at level 40 or higher, you might find yourself defeating gym leaders using just one move per pokemon, which diminishes the challenge and excitement of the battles.
