In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, players will need to have the Pokemon in their party gain EXP to reach the next level. EXP can be gained through several different methods such as battles, wild Pokemon encounters, and items, just to name a few.
Earning EXP and raising the level of your Pokemon is very important, as each monster can unlock new moves to use or evolutions at higher levels. In order to level up your Pokemon as quickly as possible, farming EXP through a variety of methods is important. All reliable methods for gaining EXP and raising Pokemon levels have been outlined in the Pokemon Legends: Z-A guide below.
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How to Level Up Fast in Pokemon Legends: Z-A (EXP Farming Guide)
In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, there are several ways to get your Pokemon to gain EXP. This includes encountering and capturing wild Pokemon, battling other Trainers and participating in the Z-A Royale, utilizing different consumable and non-consumable items, and destroying map obstructions. Further details on each of these methods can be found below:
Farming EXP Through Capturing Pokemon
In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, EXP can be earned both from winning Pokemon battles against Trainers or against wild Pokemon. However, when it comes to wild Pokemon, you gain more EXP from capturing them than you do from simply defeating them and letting them de-spawn.
This means that one of the most reliable methods for farming EXP is through spamming Pokemon captures in repetition. It would be recommended to buy a whole bunch of Poke Balls, and then set up in one or more Wild Zones. Specifically, you tend to gain more EXP for capturing Pokemon after defeating them, so be sure to do both to gain the most EXP possible from each encounter.
Farming EXP Through Items
In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, there are also more items that can grant additional EXP and help your Pokemon to level up quickly. Some of these items are consumables, while others are long-term key items that add bonus multipliers to any EXP gained.
Rare candies are one item that can be acquired through various methods, such as Side Missions. For each Rare Candy you feed your Pokemon, it will automatically go up one level.
EXP Candies are another consumable item that can be used to boost the EXP meter of your Pokemon towards the next level. There are five different variants of this item – EXP Candy XS, EXP Candy S, EXP Candy M, EXP Candy L, and EXP Candy XL.
From order of XS to XL, each Candy gives a bigger boost of XP to your Pokemon. For lower to medium-leveled monsters, an EXP Candy M-XL will often boost them up one, if not multiple levels.
In addition to this, there is also the Red Canari Plush item, which, when obtained, increases the EXP multiplier for the rest of your journey. You can continue collecting additional Red Canari Plushes as you progress through the game, meaning you can continue raising your EXP bonus on multiple instances.
To obtain additional Red Canari Plushes, you will need to collect Colorful Screws, then visit the construction worker merchant. This guy is willing to take them as currency for various Canari Plush, offering different bonuses and effects.
To find Colorful Screws, you will need to explore Lumiose City and look out for Purple Poke Ball items across the ground. Item Poke Balls give you an item when picked up, but purple ones in particular will always provide notable collectibles or key items.
Farming EXP Through Exploration & Destroying Barriers
Lastly, as you explore Lumiose City, you will also encounter several obstructive barriers such as boulders, thorns/brambles, and piles of sludgy gunk.
These barriers can be destroyed by various Pokemon moves, enabling you to pass through. More importantly, though, each time you destroy a barrier or breakable structure, you will gain some EXP. There are heaps of structures/breakables all over Lumiose City, so you can actually wrack up quite a surprising amount of EXP through this method, especially if you pair it with others.
Here is a list of all known breakable structures/barriers and how to get rid of them in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
- Boulders – use Rock Smash to break
- Crystal Chunks – use Rock Smash to break (can also provide you with Mega Crystals upon breaking!)
- Thorns/brambles – use a Fire Type move, such as Ember.
- Piles of poisonous sludge/gunk – use a Water Type move, such as Water Gun.
This list will also be updated if more breakables are discovered.