Pokémon Shuffle General Discussion

[cassius335]

Took a run at Thunderus with MAero, but didn't quite work. Gonna save up over today then try tomorrow, possibly with a different Mega (wish I had MChomp).

Then I guess I'll go through 51-100 on Latios, then save up again for an all-items run on MSteelix...

Got Thunderus. Stuck with MAero. Mstart + Atk-Up; Caught at 22% with no Great Balls needed.

Moving along then...

 

[Aesnath]

I'm still working on M-Latios--my progress has slowed substantially and I'm only at level 145. At this point, I have to have a good run to beat the stage, anything mediocre won't cut it. Any advice for the next few stages, I'm trying not to use items if possible (until 150, at least).

I also did an itemless run on Thundurus, and, man, is that a crappy stage. I felt like the Tornadus-to-other pokemon ratio was particularly low. The screen was just stuffed with green genies throughout, making it difficult to do much.

 

[TrottingMinccino]

Managed to make it to Level 50 on Latios's stage. But what sort of sick ticket designed that thing?! Maybe i'll finally spend all of the coins I saved up and go all out on him with all of the power-ups save for Complexity -1. I still can't believe I caught the thing at 14%...

And before anyone asks why i'm only just making it there? I play casually on my own time...

 

[Rio!]

Thundurus is such a horrible stage. I brought Gallade today instead of Gabite and despite it activating its ability every time, I did a lot worse, like not even half health. I even evolved Garchomp earlier but only got to actually use it twice in the entire stage. Such BS. We need less of these stages, especially for a completely useless Pokemon.

You'd think with all the trouble one goes through to grab a 'once a day' Pokemon the reward would actually be worth it, but nope. The game itself seems to be coasting to where the effort far outweighs the reward for a majority of these stages. Not to mention mindlessly grinding for coins on a single stage I'm thinking of going back to playing extra-casually (is that even possible at this point?)come the end of the Escalation Stage. Ugh.
I'll still stop by since I like seeing certain folks posting helpful info/struggles.

 

[SpoinkyPearl]

Finally got Mega Speedup from the 100th level in Latios stage : P I first tried with MStart, DD and Time+10 with no avail and next time I had to take Attack+ too, then it was easy and I feel like an idiot spending those free items I was planning to save for later events : P And I still haven't beat Gardevoir, Moves+5, DD and MStart didn't help me at all! I quess I just got a bad start, but still. This is beginning to annoy me A LOT. Wonder if I even get to stages past Gardevoir.

I only started with Thundurus today so I don't think I'll be able to catch it by the end of the week since the level is difficult and I don't have ground type Mega. Steelix event stage is also rather difficult, but I'll do an item run later on and I really hope to get that Mega Stone by the end of the week. On a positive side, I've managed to catch plenty of new Pokémon from those newer stages I didn't yet have. Like Mr Mime and Pelipper.

 

[Kacho]

Latios is max level.
now working on the last Dragon type Pokemon.... Dratini and then I have all dragons max

also that the recent stages added fighting pokemon back so now I am training them to max again lol along with Nidoqueen

 

[Silversea]

Thundurus is a little more challenging than most limited stages. I thought attack + would have been overkill, but nope, still a ways off beating him. I don't actually think I managed any combos higher than 2 on any of the turns thanks to tornadus placement, so that's probably why.

 

[R_N]

spent Moves+5 to beat him and then used 3 great balls to capture (super catch powered to 60%)
probably should have just saved the coin, honestly.

You'd think with all the trouble one goes through to grab a 'once a day' Pokemon the reward would actually be worth it, but nope. The game itself seems to be coasting to where the effort far outweighs the reward for a majority of these stages. Not to mention mindlessly grinding for coins on a single stage I'm thinking of going back to playing extra-casually (is that even possible at this point?)come the end of the Escalation Stage. Ugh.
I'll still stop by since I like seeing certain folks posting helpful info/struggles.

this is the best way to describe the game now
and stages are theoretically only going to get harder & harder but like...there's not much on the player side to combat this other than items. The strong pokemon aren't released fast enough and may not be enough to combat inflating hp totals and the ability system just can not keep up. The really good abilities are generally low on the activation rates or spread across a ton of different types at assorted power levels

to people who have everyone: how many pokemon are released as of now?
not counting megas

 

[Psynergy]

to people who have everyone: how many pokemon are released as of now?
not counting megas

At the moment 349 is the highest number of Pokemon caught you can have (includes Meowstic/Rotom forms), so still not even half of the Pokemon in the game. Then 10 more right now in the list that aren't yet available (other two Unova starters, Landorus, Luxray, Loudred, Exploud). So yeah, that + Megas means we still have a ton of stuff left in this game with no sign of stages slowing down on the difficulty.

 

[psyrose3]

As I still have a ways to go on the main stages, I'm sure I'll catch up to the real difficulty spikes at some point. Got Mega Latios and caught Gengar, and now I'm up to Mega Gengar. Only problem is, I can't get any of my megas up fast enough to start combos, and the thing throws out disruptions every turn.

I also have no idea what mega to use: I've got Sableye at 7 but I can't get the mega to happen and the combo potential on it is really low. I tried Latios at 6 but had similar issues.

Been going in with Giratina 5, Zoroark 3 and Absol 7 as constants. Any suggestions?

 

[R_N]

At the moment 349 is the highest number of Pokemon caught you can have (includes Meowstic/Rotom forms), so still not even half of the Pokemon in the game. Then 10 more right now in the list that aren't yet available (other two Unova starters, Landorus, Luxray, Loudred, Exploud). So yeah, that + Megas means we still have a ton of stuff left in this game with no sign of stages slowing down on the difficulty.

the final boss will be Zygard 100% and it will be 100% terrible

e: I just realized we're running out of legendary Pokemon.
All of Gen 1 & 2 are complete. Gen 3 just needs Deoxys (& its formes, presumably)
Gen 4 needs the pixies (who will probably be a group of EX stages), Skymin (maybe!) & Regigigas
Gen 5 has the Tao Trio (+ the Kyurem formes, presumably?), Meloetta, Landorus (& he's likely next on the block), ~Red Genosect~
Gen 6 just needs the Zygardes, Hoopa & Volcanion and the latter 2 might never make it out at this rate (I was convinced Hoopa would be out by now)

Ideally the legends should be the best hope for high powered things but a lot of these are subpar types (FOUR, possibly 5, psychics, a normal, presumably a flyer, 2/3rds of the kyurems are likely redundant) or will probably be relatively weak (10% zygarde, meloetta, bound Hoopa)

 

[Rio!]

this is the best way to describe the game now
and stages are theoretically only going to get harder & harder but like...there's not much on the player side to combat this other than items. The strong pokemon aren't released fast enough and may not be enough to combat inflating hp totals and the ability system just can not keep up. The really good abilities are generally low on the activation rates or spread across a ton of different types at assorted power levels

Exactly. The system just comes across as being really unbalanced right now, especially when it comes to megas/typing/abilities. Especially abilities as certain Mega 'Mons like Gengar prove that you can not have a type advantage but as long as you're able to combo effectively on the board. Not only is the ability activation rate low like you mentioned, but then we get these really ridiculous stipulations for instance ghost types not being affected by Sleep Charm. Not only that, but it's interesting too how this little somewhat important tidbit of unspoken info is only discovered after people get frustrated with abilities not activating (unless you lurked or were active in communities). At first I was under the impression that Pokemon in general and especially Megas are supposed to be the ultimate wild card of sort that aids even more in combos. Thinking back, I do remember that paste-bin being released for Mega abilities then and kind of hoping maybe the devs would back track a couple of those? With that being said, maybe that's what I get for keeping my expectations high for this app, lol. The Kami Trio, these newer stages, and the Steelix comp kind of did it for me.

Ideally the legends should be the best hope for high powered things but a lot of these are subpar types (FOUR, possibly 5, psychics, a normal, presumably a flyer, 2/3rds of the kyurems are likely redundant) or will probably be relatively weak (10% zygarde, meloetta, bound Hoopa)

Since Ho-oh and the Kami Trio, I hope they don't pull a a 'Power of 5/+' stunt for them too. There's also still Mega Mewtwo X and Rayquaza, plus Primal Groudon/Kyogre to add onto that lists, at least when it comes to 'special'-slots. Hopefully the Tao Trio's primary typing will be their secondary (Ice, Fire, Electric).

 

[R_N]

Exactly. The system just comes across as being really unbalanced right now, especially when it comes to megas/typing/abilities. Especially abilities as certain Mega 'Mons like Gengar prove that you can not have a type advantage but as long as you're able to combo effectively on the board. Not only is the ability activation rate low like you mentioned, but then we get these really ridiculous stipulations for instance ghost types not being affected by Sleep Charm. Not only that, but it's interesting too how this little somewhat important tidbit of unspoken info is only discovered after people get frustrated with abilities not activating (unless you lurked or were active in communities). At first I was under the impression that Pokemon in general and especially Megas are supposed to be the ultimate wild card of sort that aids even more in combos. Thinking back, I do remember that paste-bin being released for Mega abilities then and kind of hoping maybe the devs would back track a couple of those? With that being said, maybe that's what I get for keeping my expectations high for this app, lol. The Kami Trio, these newer stages, and the Steelix comp kind of did it for me.



Since Ho-oh and the Kami Trio, I hope they don't pull a a 'Power of 5/+' stunt for them too. There's also still Mega Mewtwo X and Rayquaza, plus Primal Groudon/Kyogre to add onto that lists, at least when it comes to 'special'-slots. Hopefully the Tao Trio's primary typing will be their secondary (Ice, Fire, Electric).

4th gen wound up with Steel/Water/Ghost so the Tao being Electric/Fire/Ice would make sense

you know

in theory


but man, the Pixies are going to be such a bummer unless they have God Tier abilities

 

[Psynergy]

4th gen wound up with Steel/Water/Ghost so the Tao being Electric/Fire/Ice would make sense

you know

in theory


but man, the Pixies are going to be such a bummer unless they have God Tier abilities

Given all three of them were Dragon in Battle Trozei while the Gen 4 trio were all their primary (non-Dragon) type I don't have the highest of hopes. They've done it before but Shuffle is really good at letting us down. Hi Steelix.

 

[R_N]

Given all three of them were Dragon in Battle Trozei while the Gen 4 trio were all their primary (non-Dragon) type I don't have the highest of hopes. They've done it before but Shuffle is really good at letting us down. Hi Steelix.

They've changed a couple times by now, I believe. Gardevoir became Fairy rather than Psychic, for instance.
& by necessity Beedrill will have to become Poison

Don't worry, between power & abilities there's plenty of ways they can still ruin it

 

[Mega Altaria]

And I played Mobile Shuffle again. Fraxure is S-ranked. Now I attempt to S-rank Mega Ampharos.

 

[Rio!]

Given all three of them were Dragon in Battle Trozei while the Gen 4 trio were all their primary (non-Dragon) type I don't have the highest of hopes. They've done it before but Shuffle is really good at letting us down. Hi Steelix.

Ugh for this very reason I hope not. This is why I'm concerned about what's going to happen with Mega Rayquaza. So psyched at first but then the Lati happened.
Steelix is dead to me at this point. :I

They've changed a couple times by now, I believe. Gardevoir became Fairy rather than Psychic, for instance.
& by necessity Beedrill will have to become Poison

Don't worry, between power & abilities there's plenty of ways they can still ruin it

Siigh poor Beedrill. Base 60 with an ability that rarely activates, probably. Watch it be a rare-encounter pokemon in a new Safari you have to drive yourself insane capturing. /cough-Manectric-Garchomp.

but man, the Pixies are going to be such a bummer unless they have God Tier abilities

And now I'm suddenly wishing they had another typing to give a vague hope of them having a decent ability. I can see it now; BP of 70 with Power of 5 or Astonish. Potentially Barrier Bash. Wishing for something like Mind Zap+ would be too much, probably.

 

[Mega Altaria]

Now, challenged Thundurus and failed to beat it. Still failed to S-rank Mega Ampharos and Mienshao.

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

MBlaze+pyre team or MGengar+SkyBlast or MChar+pyre. On pyre's case, Emboar helps. Needs luck no matter the team.

"Pyre team"? "SkyBlast?" What in the world are you talking about? I need species names!

 

[R_N]

Ugh for this very reason I hope not. This is why I'm concerned about what's going to happen with Mega Rayquaza. So psyched at first but then the Lati happened.
Steelix is dead to me at this point. :I



Siigh poor Beedrill. Base 60 with an ability that rarely activates, probably. Watch it be a rare-encounter pokemon in a new Safari you have to drive yourself insane capturing. /cough-Manectric-Garchomp.



And now I'm suddenly wishing they had another typing to give a vague hope of them having a decent ability. I can see it now; BP of 70 with Power of 5 or Astonish. Potentially Barrier Bash. Wishing for something like Mind Zap+ would be too much, probably.

They'll get Mind Zap+ but it will have the worst activation rates

also another thing about abilities that sucks: they can only activate when a combo starts
this makes them basically useless in EX stages and annoying otherwise