Pokemon: The best Nuzlocke rules for every single game

Steven Rondina Published 09/02/2025

Diehard Pokemon fans are no doubt familiar with the Nuzlocke challenge, but the rules have become more malleable thanks to Sword, Shield, Scarlet, Violet, and Legends: Arceus.

The Nuzlocke challenge has grown from being a curiosity among hardcore fans to a broadly popular way to play Pokemon. YouTubers and Twitch streamers who aren’t associated with Pokemon often turn to the Nuzlocke to add extra stakes and drama to their streams.

The trouble is that Nuzlocke challenges were initially envisioned for the early-generation Pokemon games. So what are the rules for more recent games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

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The basic Nuzlocke rules for Pokemon games

There are exactly two rules for Nuzlocke challenges; Pokemon that are knocked out are regarded as dead and players only have the opportunity to catch the first Pokemon they encounter upon entering a new area in the game.

These rules work for the overwhelming majority of mainline Pokemon games. However, more recent titles have new gameplay mechanics that make the latter rule unfeasible. This requires players to get creative in order to randomize which Pokemon become available to them.

While there are many other rules that players associate with a Nuzlocke challenge, the original proposition only had these two conditions. Here are some of the other common Nuzlocke rules.

Extra, optional Nuzlocke rules

Players must name each Pokemon they catch
Legendary Pokemon cannot be used
Players can catch the next Pokemon they encounter if they previously caught the first Pokemon they encounter in a new area

Players naming their Pokemon is common practice in Nuzlocke challenges, but it’s not technically a rule. It’s believed to increase a player’s attachment to their party to make surprise deaths more impactful.

The handling of legendary Pokemon depends on the game. Some games force legendary encounters as part of the story, while others don’t. In the latter’s case, like in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, players would need to either knock it out or capture it and then place it in their box.

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Rules to make a Nuzlocke run harder

A Nuzlocke challenge is tough, but experienced players may want something even more challenging. Players have come up with a variety of optional rules to accommodate this. Here are some of the commonly used methods:

Disable EXP Share
Change battle mode to “Set”
Players can only use a Pokemon Center once
Players can only use one item per, or cannot use items at all
Players cannot purchase items from in-game stores
Level caps for each gym battle

Most of these are easy enough and simply require players to either adjust their settings or make a mental note. Others, like level caps, can be approached in multiple ways and may require the use of external resources.

In the case of level caps, players will typically be prevented from having Pokemon exceed the level of the next gym leader they encounter. This is an especially challenging rule for first-time Nuzlockers, as it prevents them from simply having one wildly over-powered Pokemon that carries them through the game.

Which games can be played with basic Nuzlocke rules?

Players can use the basic Nuzlocke rules for each game from the first seven Pokemon generations, and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Players do not need to make any special accommodations or use any external resources for a straightforward playthrough of these games:

Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow
Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal
Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pokemon Black and White
Pokemon Black 2 and White 2
Pokemon X and Y
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Pokemon Sun and Moon
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

The key reason that these games can be played with basic Nuzlocke rules is that each one has random encounters. Most modern Pokemon games like Legends: Arceus don’t have these, with wild Pokemon visibly roaming around the map. In these games, players need to take a different approach.

How to Nuzlocke Pokemon Sword and Shield

Players can run a Nuzlocke challenge in Pokemon Sword and Shield using the normal rules, with some extra adjustments made to randomize which Pokemon can be caught and how to handle the Wild Area.

Two key issues arise when doing a Nuzlocke challenge for Pokemon Sword and Shield; Pokemon can be seen roaming around the world and the story forces players to repeatedly return to the Wild Area to progress in the story. Thankfully, there are easy ways to address this.

Here is a basic set of rules for doing a Nuzlocke challenge in Pokemon Sword and Shield:

Pokemon that are knocked out are considered dead
Players can only catch the first Pokemon encountered in shaking grass in each area
Players can catch one Pokemon in the Wild Area each time they return to the area to progress in the story, but can only catch the first Pokemon they encounter in a Max Raid Den of their choosing
For mines and areas without tall grass, players can catch the closest Pokemon to the entrance of the area the first time they enter

Shaking grass offers players a battle against an unknown Pokemon, similar to a true random encounter. Things get a bit trickier when it comes to areas like the Galar Mine. Here, the best approach is simply catching the first Pokemon that spawns near the entrance. The Pokemon that appears is determined at random and while players can see what they’re getting in advance, they can’t control it.

Finally, recent Pokemon GO addition Max Raid battles give players a reliable means of randomizing what Pokemon they get from the Wild Area. There’s a broad assortment of possibilities, but be warned; catches aren’t guaranteed.

Can you Nuzlocke Pokemon Legends: Arceus?

Doing a Nuzlocke challenge in Pokemon Legends: Arceus is difficult due to the game’s multifaceted progression system. However, dogged players can find some methods of doing so.

Here is a workable ruleset for doing a Nuzlocke run of Pokemon Legends: Arceus-

Pokemon that are knocked out are considered dead
Players can catch a Pokemon after first entering a new map, after finding a new camp, after obtaining a new ride Pokemon, and after major battles, then add it to their party freely
Players can also freely catch Pokemon to raise their Pokedex Rank, but those Pokemon must be immediately released
Players must release a Pokemon from their party if the player character is knocked out by wild Pokemon
Pokemon cannot be used if they over-leveled (the definition of “over-leveled” is subjective)

Pokemon Legends: Arceus splits from the series’ traditional model by having multiple types of combat and different benchmarks for progression. There are also technically just a handful of areas on the map, and there are few methods for possible random encounters. Not only that, but players can get endgame-strength Pokemon very early.

As such, players need to use an honor system even moreso than a regular Nuzlocke challenge. Still, Pokemon Legends: Arceus can offer an extra-challenging experience if they are willing to stick to self-imposed rules.

How to Nuzlocke Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Players can use largely standard Nuzlocke rules in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but need to adhere to a self-imposed level cap to make it a challenge.

As with Pokemon Sword and Shield, Scarlet and Violet players have to find their own ways to randomize what Pokemon they get. Thankfully, this

Pokemon that are knocked out are considered dead
Players can catch a Pokemon from the surrounding area after first exiting Mezagoza, then after each time they defeat a gym leader, clear a Team Star base, or knock out a Titan Pokemon
New Pokemon must be caught in the area directly surrounding the city or location where the previous qualifying encounter
To determine which Pokemon can be caught, players must walk into an area in the wilderness, open their map with the Y button, close the map, and then catch one of the Pokemon whose sprite appears the furthest to the north on the mini-map
Stick to a level cap, and box any Pokemon that exceed that level cap

While Max Raid Battles are ideal for randomizing Pokemon in Sword and Shield, Scarlet and Violet’s Tera Raid battles are considerably harder. Even with fully optimized Pokemon, these can border on impossible. Because of that, players are best served by just getting creative.

The best method is using the mini-map. After opening the town map, the mini-map shows a random assortment of potential nearby Pokemon. Players can use an arbitrary method, such as selecting the Pokemon that was shown furthest north.

Hoppip is the northernmost Pokemon, in this example.

The other key rule for a Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Nuzlocke run is adhering to a level cap. Because the game has a forced EXP Share and players can travel anywhere, it’s very easy to have a Pokemon become wildly over-leveled. There also isn’t a defined order that players must adhere to. Still, players can use this guideline for a level cap and the various “bosses” they’ll face along the way:

Level 25- Cortando Gym, Titan Klawf, Artazon Gym, Titan Bombardier, Dark Star Base, Levincia Gym
Level 35- Fire Star Base, Titan Orthrworm, Cascarrafa Gym, Poison Star Base
Level 45- Medali Gym, Montenevera Gym, Titan Iron Treads or Great Tusk
Level 55- Glaseado Gym, Fairy Star Base, Fighting Star Base
Level 70- Final Bosses, Elite Four
Level 80- Area Zero

It’s worth noting that, because of the nature of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, players will be forced into bending the rules during a Nuzlocke at some point. Because of this, players should just use their judgment and look to have fun along the way, rather than being persnickety about rules.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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