Calling all Pokémon trainers! A new era of team strategizing has arrived with the launch of Planet Pokémon. This revolutionary platform offers a strategy guide site and a competitive Planner for your Pokémon team, alongside a host of unique features you won’t find elsewhere.
Currently, Planet Pokémon allows trainers to plan teams using its unique tools across four games: Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and Pokémon Sword and Shield. Even more games are being added to the platform soon!
The Planner’s statistics are powered by a comprehensive Pokédex, curated by a seasoned team of Pokémon experts. Let Eurogamer’s Pokémon lead, Lottie Lynn, guide you through this exciting new tool…
Mastering the Pokémon Planner
Whether you’re venturing into the world of Pokémon for the first time or preparing for your next challenging nuzlocke, the Pokémon Planner is your go-to tool for organizing your team!
The Planner is game-specific, ensuring you don’t mistakenly add Pokémon that aren’t catchable in your chosen game. It features a complete moveset for each Pokémon and all possible items they can hold. You can also experiment with EVs and IVs, making it easy to fine-tune your team’s composition.
If you’re eager to dominate the competitive scene, the Planner helps craft a well-balanced team! Curious about how swapping one Pokémon alters your team dynamics? The Planner reveals any potential weaknesses. And if you’re feeling adventurous, it even lets you assemble a team of six Magikarps!
Getting Started
To begin using the Pokémon Planner, first pick the game you wish to create a team for. Simply use the ‘Change Game’ dropdown menu at the top of the planner.
Before proceeding, ensure you’re logged into Pokémon Planet to save your team plans. The ‘Login’ button is at the top right corner, and you can also create an account if needed. Detailed instructions for saving your team are included later in this guide.
Adding Pokémon
After selecting your game, start building your team by clicking on one of the six ‘Choose Pokémon’ boxes, which opens a list of all available Pokémon in your game.
Rest assured, only the Pokémon listed in each game’s Pokédex are shown, ensuring no unavailable Pokémon appear. If crafting a team for a specific title like Pokémon Scarlet, be mindful of version exclusives.
Search for Pokémon by scrolling, typing their name, or filtering by type. You can even choose dual-type Pokémon or limit your search to Mega Pokémon, available in select titles.
With all game-specific Pokémon, including pre-evolved, Legendary, and Mythical, at your disposal, you’re free to design any team, whether it’s your current roster, a future goal, or potential additions. I recommend adding six Pokémon to maximize your strategic options.
Once your Pokémon are selected, it’s time to detail each one’s moves, stats, and items. Let’s delve into the stats first.
Adding Stats
The Stats section, located on the left of the Planner, displays each Pokémon’s Base Stats. You can also input its current Stats, including EVs and IVs.
Start by setting your Pokémon’s Level. By default, the Planner sets each Pokémon’s Level to 100, perfect for endgame planning.
If you wish to enter a different level, adjust the number ‘100’ or use the blue slider beneath it. Changing the level automatically updates all current Stats to reflect your choice.
Next, tackle EVs and IVs. These are Hidden Stats, meaning their exact values aren’t visible in-game. A quick guide on these follows if you seek a deeper understanding.
You’ve two approaches for inputting EVs and IVs: enter your target values or estimate them from in-game hints. Note that the IV Judge Function typically unlocks postgame.
Choose your method, then enter EVs via the blue slider or type them in the left column. The Pokémon Planner stops you from exceeding 510 EVs per Pokémon.
For IVs, modify the right column number. (Remember, having 31 perfect IVs for each stat is rare.)
Your changes dynamically reflect in the Stat layout at the screen’s bottom.
Adding Moves
Adding Pokémon Moves is straightforward. Click the ‘Add Move’ button under the ‘Move’ heading on the right to view all moves your Pokémon can use in your chosen game. Search for moves directly or browse the list. Moves learnable through TMs are also included!
Remember, each Pokémon can master up to four moves at once, a rule maintained in the Planner. To remove a move, hover over it and choose ‘Change’.
Adding Items
To equip an item, click ‘Add Item’. This displays a list of items available in your selected game. Browse or search for your desired item.
Select the item to add it to your Pokémon!
Repeat this process for each Pokémon in your team.
Team Defense and Team Coverage Explained
After completing your team setup, review the ‘Team Defense’ and ‘Team Coverage’ sections.
Team Defense offers insights into your team’s existing types and potential weaknesses. A blue line indicates included Pokémon types, while a red line flags type vulnerabilities.
Team Coverage shows which Pokémon types your team counters effectively. More blue dashes under a type signify greater coverage. If a type lacks a dash, consider revising your team!
How to Save Your Team
To keep your planned team, first log into Planet Pokémon via the ‘Login’ button at the screen’s top-right. Sign up if you’re new!
Then, click ‘Manage Teams’ above your Pokémon list to name your team, save it, organize with folders, and create new teams.
To save, name your team in the ‘Name your Team’ box, then click ‘Save Current Team’. This saves it in the selected folder.
Post-save, you can rename, duplicate, or delete your team using the right-side options. Move a team by dragging it to a different folder.
A Note on Hidden Stats
Each Pokémon’s EV and IV are termed Hidden Stats because, though you can estimate them, the exact values remain elusive.
Gen 3 introduced changes to EV and IV mechanics; this guide follows those updates and excludes Gen 1 and 2 rules.
EVs, or Effort Values, relate to the six main stats. A Pokémon can have 510 total EVs, with a maximum of 252 per stat. Different items, like Vitamins, Berries, or Feathers, influence EVs. Depending on your game, you might view EVs on the Pokémon’s Stat page, but exact values remain hidden.
IVs, or Individual Values, depend on a Pokémon’s Base Stats, Nature, and EVs. Changing IVs requires Hyper Training. They range from 0 to 31, with 0 being the lowest and 31 perfect. Most games offer a Judge Function, usually unlocked postgame, to estimate a Pokémon’s IVs.
But Wait… There’s More
Beyond the Planner, Planet Pokémon provides these valuable resources for Pokémon Legends: Z-A:
- A comprehensive, sortable Pokédex for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and Pokémon Sword and Shield.
- An interactive map for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, powered by Map Genie, detailing all Wild Zone Pokémon, Colorful Screws, Mega Stones, and more.
- A complete item database from Antidote to Zinc for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and Pokémon Sword and Shield.
For the latest updates on Pokémon Legends: Z-A, explore our guides on topics like How to Get Diancite and Baxcalibrite, discover all rare stone locations, find a full list of all TMs, and catch up on the latest news on upcoming updates.