How to Battle Your Friends in ‘Pokémon Sword and Shield

Last Updated: Feb 7, 2024 by

Are you ready to take your Pokémon skills to the next level and battle your friends in Pokémon Sword and Shield? With the latest installment of the popular franchise, players can now battle against their friends in real-time, adding a new level of excitement and competition to the game.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps of battling your friends in Pokémon Sword and Shield and provide some tips and tricks to help you come out on top.

How to Battle Your Friends

Before you can battle your friends in Pokémon Sword and Shield, you’ll need to make sure you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. This is required for all online features, including battling and trading with friends.

Once you have a subscription, follow these steps to battle your friends:

Step 1: Connect with Your Friend

The first step is to connect with your friend in the game. You can do this by selecting the “Y-Comm” option on the main menu. From there, you can choose to connect with a specific friend or search for a friend to connect with.

Step 2: Set Up a Link Battle

Once you are connected with your friend, you can set up a link battle by selecting the “Link Battle” option in the Y-Comm menu. You can choose to battle with your current team or create a new team specifically for the battle.

Step 3: Choose Your Battle Format

Next, you and your friend will need to agree on a battle format. There are three options to choose from:

  • Single Battle: Each player chooses three Pokémon to battle with.
  • Double Battle: Each player chooses four Pokémon to battle with.
  • Multi Battle: Each player chooses two Pokémon to battle with, and they can switch between the two during the battle.

Step 4: Battle!

Once you have chosen your battle format, the battle will begin. You and your friend will take turns choosing moves for your Pokémon and trying to defeat each other’s team. The battle will continue until one player’s team is completely defeated.

Tips for Winning Battles

Now that you know how to battle your friends in Pokémon Sword and Shield, here are some tips to help you come out on top:

Know Your Pokémon Types

One of the most important aspects of winning battles in Pokémon is knowing your Pokémon types. Each Pokémon has a type, such as fire, water, or grass, and each type has strengths and weaknesses against other types. For example, a water type Pokémon will have an advantage against a fire type Pokémon.

Make sure to have a well-rounded team with a variety of types to cover all your bases and be prepared for any type of battle.

Use Status-Effect Moves

In addition to damaging moves, many Pokémon also have status-effect moves that can affect the opponent’s Pokémon in various ways. These moves can cause paralysis, confusion, or even put the opponent to sleep, making it easier for you to defeat them.

Be strategic with your status-effect moves and use them to your advantage to gain the upper hand in battles.

Train Your Pokémon

The more you battle with your Pokémon, the stronger they will become. Make sure to regularly train your Pokémon by battling against other trainers or wild Pokémon. This will increase their stats and make them more powerful in battles.

You can also use items such as Rare Candies or Protein to boost your Pokémon’s stats even further.

Use Held Items

Held items are items that can be given to your Pokémon to hold during battles. These items can provide various benefits, such as increasing a Pokémon’s stats or healing them during battle.

Make sure to equip your Pokémon with the right held items to give them an advantage in battles.

Battle Your Friends and Become a Pokémon Master

Now that you know how to battle your friends in Pokémon Sword and Shield and have some tips for winning battles, it’s time to put your skills to the test. With the ability to battle against your friends in real-time, the competition has never been more intense.

So gather your team, connect with your friends, and get ready to become a Pokémon master in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Gulrukh Ch

About the Author: Gulrukh Ch

Gulrukh Chaudhary, an accomplished digital marketer and technology writer with a passion for exploring the frontiers of innovation. Armed with a Master's degree in Information Technology, Gulrukh seamlessly blends her technical prowess with her creative flair, resulting in captivating insights into the world of emerging technologies. Discover more about her on her LinkedIn profile.