How to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A

Getting your Pokemon to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A can make a huge difference, especially when taking part in the intense Z-A Royale. Since ranking up only happens at night, managing your time and using the right methods can save you a lot of grinding.

Here are a few methods to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the author's views.

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Ways to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A

Make every battle count

Wild Pokemon's lore (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The first rule to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A is simple: catch, don’t just defeat. When you beat a Wild Pokemon, you earn experience points, but catching it afterward gives you even more. Once you drop its HP to zero, it becomes catchable, and successfully doing so nets you an extra two-thirds of the EXP you earned from the battle itself.

Note that defeating Alpha Pokemon like Alpha Houndoom, Alpha Gastly, and Alpha Camerupt also lets you earn a lot of XP, as they are higher level.

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Use the Battle Zone to your advantage

Battle Zone is great to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A (Image via The Pokemon Company)

When night falls in the city, part of it transforms into the Battle Zone. This is where the Z-A Royale takes place, which is a free-for-all with trainers of similar ranks. It can be overwhelming for beginners, but it’s also one of the best ways to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A if you know what you’re doing. Winning battles here in Legends Z-A not only boosts your experience points, but also helps you climb the ranked ladder faster.

If you’re struggling early on, focus on picking opponents that you’re confident you can beat instead of charging into random fights. Build up EXP gradually until your team is strong enough to handle tougher trainers.

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Equip items that boost EXP

A few key items can make a big difference in how quickly your Pokemon gain levels. One of the most useful is the Red Canari Plush, which boosts the amount of EXP earned from battles. You can grab this from Tarragon early in the game during Main Mission 05.

Keep it equipped to maximize gains while you grind through battles in Z-A Royale.

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Collect and complete Bonus Cards

Bonus Cards lore (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Once you’ve progressed far enough in the story, entering a Battle Zone starts spawning Bonus Cards around the area. You can pick them up just by walking over and pressing the prompt button. Each card gives you a mini-challenge, like landing a super effective hit or using certain types of moves.

Finishing these tasks rewards you with bonus points and medals, which is a good way to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A and gives you extra money. You can hold up to three cards at once, and if you get duplicates, they stack.

That means if two of your cards say 'Use a super effective move,' performing that move once will complete both. It’s an easy way to double your rewards without extra effort.

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Take advantage of ambush battles

Sneak well and ambush to level up fast in Pokemon Legends Z-A (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Sneaking is a powerful trick during trainer battles. If you manage to sneak up on a trainer first, you can ambush them for a free opening hit. In many cases, that one early strike can knock out a Pokemon instantly, giving you a massive edge in battle.

Not only does this make fights faster, but it also helps you win more consistently, which translates into more EXP and better ranking progress.

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Don’t skip the main missions

Vinnie in Pokemon Legends Z-A (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Story progression ties directly into your rank, and certain missions offer major rank jumps. For example, in Main Mission 10, you’ll face Vinnie in a special promotion battle that lets you skip from Rank W straight to Rank F. Winning this not only gives a huge EXP payout, but also raises your Obedience level, letting higher-level Pokemon listen to your commands.

After defeating him, you can return to the standard Z-A Royale loop and continue climbing ranks from there.

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You can check out more guides on the game:

• All Pokemon Legends Z-A new Mega Evolutions: Stats, type, and abilities
• Complete Pokemon Legends Z-A Pokedex
• Pokemon Legends Z-A Walkthrough: How to complete Escape from the Battle Zone