Spin-Off The Pokémon Shuffle (ポケとる): 3DS and Mobile Thread (Read OP first!)

[Almonds]

This is the Pokemon Shuffle thread for the 3DS and Mobile. There has been a Pokemon Shuffle discussion thread in the past, but now that it's on mobile as well, I decided that a new-&-expanded thread is necessary.

Things you can do in this thread:

1. If you're stuck on a stage, you can ask for team/item recommendations
2. If you want to share your own tips, you can post your strategies
3. If you want to share different experiences between the 3DS and Mobile, you can express your opinion

Recently, the Mobile version underwent a massive update, and Mobile users can share friend codes without having to rely on Facebook!

However, due to privacy and safety issues, I am going to quote part of the OP of the Friend Safari Sharing thread before anyone posts their code:

If you would like to add someone, send them a Visitor Message or a Private Message and ask them if it's okay to add you. If they say "No", then please respect their decision and don't hassle them.

I won't be making a public spreadsheet for the codes for the time being, but you are free to create your own spreadsheet and submit it to this thread if the demand for sharing among members is high enough.

 

[Stratelier]

The v1.4 update to Pokemon Shuffle certainly was massive, all right....

I'm far enough into the game that I generally spend most of my time grinding coins from stage 37 (Meowth) or doing whatever event stage at the moment appeals to me. I have a tendency to grind Escalation battles up to 50/100 (for those free enhancement items) and I always make one try at the competitive stages.

I like how the Escalation Battle Pokemon occasionally gets "angry" and receives a level boost, however, I wish it wouldn't happen so often right after spending my last heart on the level. Try to keep at least one 'purchased' Heart in reserve specifically for cases like these (3DS version can give you free Hearts for Streetpass tags).

I like the new "fast match" format of competitive stages. Move-limited stages have always yielded better results than time-limited stages, but the 1.5x bonus for making a quick match is a nice compromise. Plus, they seem to have banned the Complexity-1 item, which is good because that item is simply too expensive (worth it, but expensive). Now it only takes 3-4 days to grind enough coins for a shot at a high ranking score, instead of the whole week.

But the question does remain, what are they going to do about Ditto? Ditto is TOTALLY broken right now (for those who've hacked it in).

I find that the diagonal slash Mega effect (Absol, Garchomp, Mawile) is one of the most useful. Especially in 3-Pokemon stages (like the Safari events) they have significantly high combo potential (easily scoring 30+ combos).

The mission objective to get 100 Coins means you have to get 100 Coins in a single play -- the only stage you can do that on is the Sunday Meowth stage. People recommend bringing along Mega Rayquaza / Mewtwo Y for it.

Is purchasing a Great Ball to catch a Pokemon 'worth it'? It's effectively the same probability as beating the stage two more times, so it does save you two Hearts (equivalent 3DS cost: 2000 Coins a.k.a. 2/3 Jewel [Jewels are valued at 3000 Coins], or 60 minutes) PLUS whatever powerups you'd need to beat the level two more times. If you can readily beat a level "for free", the Great Ball isn't worth buying (unless Super Catch Power is in effect), but if you have to buy powerups to win a stage, the Great Ball is most definitely cheaper than making two more attempts.

Spoiler

Plus, at least on the 3DS version, buying a Great Ball isn't auto-saved, so if it misses you can just close the game right there and get those 2500 coins back.)

 

[Almonds]

Mantyke is a beast. I had no trouble battling Castform yesterday, so I assumed that this week of daily pokemon would be a cinch.

Turns out I was wrong. This tiny, cutesy, itty-bitty baby ray has a lot - A LOT - of HP. And it spawns itself in the most convenient places where it promptly cuts off combos... and it can replicate itself when its ability is triggered.

I really don't want to use items on this guy because I'm saving for the Latiosnite stage and Zygarde Perfect Form.

 

[Hellpest]

I don't play shuffle anymore, but I'm egotistical and want your admiration.

Post about Pokémon Shuffle - Miiverse | Nintendo

 

[Stratelier]

Mantyke is a beast.

Egad, tell me about it. Every other Daily Pokemon in the current lineup was easy to beat/catch, but Mantyke can go back in whatever handbasket he fell out of.

 

[Almonds]

I want to cry.

Bellossom is refusing to get caught. I got the catch rate up to 42%, and the previous attempts (more than 5 attempts... aurgh) had all been around the 30%-ish range. It shouldn't be too bad, considering how it should get caught out of 3 or 4 tries. But Bellossom hates me. Her ability is supposedly good for a Grass-type team, but she's refusing to get in the ball.

And I really wish they'd update the Shuffle Meowth stage to the same as the 3DS stage. I really hate the unfair farming that doesn't even guarantee 320 coins.

 

[SirOni]

It happened. It happened! Hariyama escaped from a Great Ball at 99%!!!

 

[Almonds]

I caught Ash-Greninja today.

My team had leveled up since the last time it appeared - and I caught Zapdos along with Bellossom (she was very persistent). So I went with Mega Amphy, Sceptile, Zapdos, and Bellossom, bought one Power-Up and won against it with 15 seconds remaining.

I was really surprised when it got caught without any resistance. That would have helped, like, weeks ago... but good thing I have it on my team now. I should take it the Magmortar stage.

Btw, the Safari spawns coins if you happen to take certain pokemon with you. So if you have a Frillish on your team, the Frillish stage will spawn more coins. I'm trying to get this to work by having the two pink jellyfish on my team with Elgyem. Hopefully it would work.

 

[Stratelier]

I've caught all the current Safari Pokemon except Beheeyem. I barely encounter him at all, and he's escaped two Great Balls so far (cumulative catch rate so far: over 150%).

It's interesting that they made the Groudon and Kyogre stages cost coins instead of hearts. I gave Groudon that free Skill Booster item because I've basically never seen his Quake ability actually trigger (Kyogre's Rock Break, on the other hand, is pretty reliable).

I finally unlocked and caught Luxray, but seriously, that stage was impossible with so many black clouds over the board.

 

[Almonds]

I'm constantly dying to Kabutops D: I'm terrible at time attack stages, so I'm really frustrated...