Starter Obedience Inquiry

[Bearadactyl]

It's a common known fact that in every Pokémon game your starter will obey you without question, regardless of how many badges you have. It's a fail safe implemented by Game Freak to prevent a snag should the rest of your team somehow wind up overleveled.

I've noticed that this is not the case in the Reborn game. As my Feraligatr wound up going a single level above the cap mid-gym battle.

So, is this intentional or is this an oversight?

I'm assuming it's intentional due to this game being intentionally more difficult than other Pokémon games, but it never hurts to ask.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Nutcase

[Amethyst]

The only Pokemon in the main series games that do not obey you are traded ones. In this game, that applies to all Pokemon. There was never a distinction between starter or non-starter, only Pokemon you caught yourself or someone else did.

It certainly isn't an oversight. The main reason I have the level cap in place is to prevent people from mindlessly solo-running the game. And that's done most often with the starter.

[Bearadactyl]

Hm, I could have sworn that at least in Gen I there was a distinction. Namely because as a child I used a Gameshark and leveled my entire team to 100 in Cerulean, and only my starter obeyed.

But, regardless that's irrelevant. And, that's what I had assumed the cap was in place for. It does certainly make things a little more difficult.

A quick question, seeing as I haven't had the opportunity to test it yet: Will the cap be raised after you defeat each gym, or do you actually have to obtain the badge to raise the cap? It's a bit of a concern to me after the few gym battles in game where you do not receive a badge immediately after defeating them. (The most recent being the most concerning.) Seeing as there are two that I know of and I never had the opportunity to test it out.

I'm trying to keep things vague as to not deliver any spoilers, by the way. So if I wasn't clear enough do tell me.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Nutcase

[Ikaru]

Apparently no, the battles that don't give you an official badge don't raise the level cap, because there's no way to do so without obtaining a badge- so I recall, anyway.

In my opinion, it's nice but only if you catch a lot of things; when my Blaziken got to the level it was at, I stuffed it in the box so it wouldn't break the cap and started using another Fire-type. I don't have a set team anymore so much as 7-8 things that are useful in different situations, and personally I like it.

[Bearadactyl]

I'm the type of person who likes to keep a set team, myself. So it seems Feraligatr will have to be saved for a big fight, I can make due with the rest of my team if need be. I typically keep a team roughly the level of the Gym Leader I'll be facing at the time with one or two a few levels higher, in this case being Feraligatr and Magmar. However, thankfully due to Fire Types requiring more EXP Magmar will be good to go for a few more levels. Garbodor is a monster even a tad under leveled, and seeing as as I just discovered a Croagunk that's roughly ten levels beneath my team I can make due with it as well. The rest of my team I hope will be more than enough to get me through the next episode. I really need a damn Magmarizer, though.