Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Obedience Guide

Quick Links

• Disobedience in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

  • How Obedience Works in Gen 9

• Obedience Level and Badge Requirements in Scarlet & Violet

  • Understanding Gym Badges

• Will Transferred or Traded Pokemon Still Obey?

  • Does OT Matter?

Obedience has been a core gameplay mechanic in Pokemon since the series began, evolving with each generation. In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, the obedience system remains crucial, with a unique twist that sets it apart from previous games. Generally, Pokemon will obey trainers up to level 20 without any badges. To increase this obedience level to 25/30 and beyond, trainers must collect gym badges. In Scarlet & Violet, an over-leveled Pokemon may refuse orders, but there's a significant difference in how obedience is managed compared to earlier generations.

Disobedience in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

How Obedience Works in Gen 9

In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, obedience is determined by the level at which you catch a Pokemon. If you're starting your journey, "Pokemon caught at level 20 or below will listen to your commands." This means that if you catch a Pokemon above level 20, it won't obey you until you earn your first gym badge. However, if you catch a Pokemon within the obedience range, it will continue to obey your commands even if its level exceeds the limit.

For instance, if you catch a level 20 Fletchinder with zero badges and it levels up to 21, it will still listen to you. Conversely, if you catch a level 21 Fletchinder with no badges, it won't obey until you obtain your first badge.

When a Pokemon refuses to obey, you'll notice a blue speech bubble over its icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen during auto-battle. In regular battles, a disobedient Pokemon might not use moves, go to sleep, or even hurt itself in confusion.

Obedience Level and Badge Requirements in Scarlet & Violet

Understanding Gym Badges

To check the level at which your Pokemon will obey you, view your Trainer Card:

1. Open the map with the Y-button.
2. Press the X-button to select the Profile option.

To catch stronger Pokemon and ensure they listen to you, you'll need to progress through the Victory Road story quest. This involves collecting all 8 gym badges in Paldea and then challenging the Pokemon League. Each badge you earn increases the obedience level by 5 levels.

In the open-world setting of Scarlet & Violet, you can battle Gym Leaders in almost any order. New players might want to start with the Cortondo Gym or the Artazon Gym.

Here are the badge obedience levels:

Badge No.Obedience Level1Pokemon caught at level 25 or lower will obey your commands.2Pokemon caught at level 30 or lower will obey your commands.3Pokemon caught at level 35 or lower will obey your commands.4Pokemon caught at level 40 or lower will obey your commands.5Pokemon caught at level 45 or lower will obey your commands.6Pokemon caught at level 50 or lower will obey your commands.7Pokemon caught at level 55 or lower will obey your commands.8All Pokemon will obey your commands regardless of their level.

The obedience level is determined by the number of badges you have, not the specific Gym Leader you defeat. For example, defeating Brassius first will raise the obedience level to 25, and defeating Katy next will increase it to 30.

Will Transferred or Traded Pokemon Still Obey?

Does OT Matter?

Each Pokemon has an ID called OT, which stands for Original Trainer. In games before Scarlet & Violet, the OT could affect a Pokemon's obedience. If you received a Pokemon through trade with a different OT/ID number and it leveled beyond the obedience threshold, it would stop listening to your commands.

In Scarlet & Violet, the OT no longer affects obedience. When transferring or trading Pokemon, the level at which the Pokemon is transferred or traded is considered its "met level".

For example, a Pokemon traded to you at level 17, which you then level beyond 20, will still obey your orders. However, if you receive a Pokemon at level 21, it won't listen to you until you earn the necessary badges.