Is the Pokémon Sword/Shield DLC Worth It?

[thelongestj]

Yes, the DLC is great and I agree with the comments that it elevated the game to being one of the better main series games, especially if you like filling out the Pokedex. Also, the expansion dex brought back Alakazam, Scizor and Absol, three out of my top five all-time favorite Pokemon that were missing.

 

[demondance]

I just started this game and immediately put five hours into it. I'm already enjoying it as is, so knowing the last chunk of content is the best has me excited!

 

[Quinton]

Definitely.

 

[Pyro]

Alakazam, Scizor

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I helped a friend evolve the former the other day and didn't realize he had the expansion pass as well. That's awesome to hear because it seems to add some of my favorites (Gen 2/3) like Milktank

 

[ERAsaur]

I'll add that Isle of Armor tends to be a bit more fun when you do it as soon as possible, even if you end up overleveling for the main story just a little bit. The early reports were correct when they said it "scales", just it only scales to >=60 after beating the game, if you do it as soon as you reach the wild area it ranges from like 12-30. But yeah, a certain fight is a lot more fun when you're both around 20-25 and a certain tower becomes actually challenging if your Pokemon is underleveled, really gotta think with items there.

Also while you technically can do parts of Crown Tundra early, I wouldn't recommend it because having a level 70 Suicune with your OT before the first badge isn't as fun as it sounds.

 

[Lukar]

Absolutely. The Isle of Armor is kind of just okay, but the Crown Tundra is great. Honestly the best content in the game.

 

[names2hard4you]

Don't have much to add here OP, other than sharing in the fact that I too started Sword recently and am looking forward to getting to the DLC! I put the game down after about 10hrs when it launched, so I just decided to start from scratch. Been having a blast (although I wish the game wasn't as easy as it is)

 

[Pyro]

Don't have much to add here OP, other than sharing in the fact that I too started Sword recently and am looking forward to getting to the DLC! I put the game down after about 10hrs when it launched, so I just decided to start from scratch. Been having a blast (although I wish the game wasn't as easy as it is)

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Yeah I laughed when I beat the first two gyms without even needing to dynamax but found the game got challenging on the 4th gym (Ghost) onwards.

The early reports were correct when they said it "scales", just it only scales to >=60 after beating the game

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Ah ok. I'm getting my team to 60 before doing the Champion's Cup so that's perfect. But...

But yeah, a certain fight is a lot more fun when you're both around 20-25 and a certain tower becomes actually challenging if your Pokemon is underleveled, really gotta think with items there.

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...does it scale based on the party I bring when I first come to the Isle of Armor? If so I have plenty of Pokémon in my boxes to swap out for when I arrive so that it's more challenging.

Also while you technically can do parts of Crown Tundra early, I wouldn't recommend it because having a level 70 Suicune with your OT before the first badge isn't as fun as it sounds.

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And does Crown of Tundra cap out at 60 too? If so I might put away my Level 60 team after the Champion's Cup until I get to CoT.

 

[KillstealWolf]

...does it scale based on the party I bring when I first come to the Isle of Armor? If so I have plenty of Pokémon in my boxes to swap out for when I arrive so that it's more challenging.

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It's really just a checkbox. If you have beaten the main story then everything gets set to around level 60 (It's not quite the final fight where it happens, it's the one before it, should be obvious, big cutscene, won't say because spoilers, but it's essentially reach credits) Otherwise it's set to around Level 15-30.

The Isle of Armour does give an EXP Charm fairly early on though, even without the EXP Charm most people find themselves overleveled for the main game. I imagine you would be even higher leveled if you do Isle of Armour early.

 

[Pyro]

It's really just a checkbox. If you have beaten the main story then everything gets set to around level 60 (It's not quite the final fight where it happens, it's the one before it, should be obvious, big cutscene, won't say because spoilers, but it's essentially reach credits) Otherwise it's set to around Level 15-30.

The Isle of Armour does give an EXP Charm fairly early on though, even without the EXP Charm most people find themselves overleveled for the main game. I imagine you would be even higher leveled if you do Isle of Armour early.

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Ah ok cool. I'll just try to bring a Level 60 team to both DLCs then, like a second Level 60 team just for CoT that way my first isn't overpowered from doing IoA.

 

[thelongestj]

I helped a friend evolve the former the other day and didn't realize he had the expansion pass as well. That's awesome to hear because it seems to add some of my favorites (Gen 2/3) like Milktank

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Yes, in the end I pretty much got all my Gen II favs other than Houndoom. All in all most of my favorites made it into the Dex eventually and hopefully with the remakes later this year I will get the remaining Pokemon.

 

[milkyway]

It rounds out the game, but idk honestly for me it was mostly about getting new Pokemon. Nothing super thrilling about it but Dynamax adventures were cool.

 

[Fj0823]

The DLC makes it a halfway competent Pokemon game

 

[diakyu]

It's the best part of the game by a long mile, if you liked Swsh already it's a no brainer

And if you love exploring every nook and cranny for stuff boy do we have a sidequest for you

 

[Lothars]

they seem pretty good. I picked it up but haven't got to the dlc just yet.

 

[PokémonSpears]

just to have your Pokémon follow you around it's worth the pay

 

[Red]

S/S would have been praised on release if the DLC was part of the base game. It's great stuff.

 

[jon bones]

i wish these games had a Hard mode - this all sounds great but the campaign is so easy it bores me

 

[PokémonSpears]

I'll just share more pictures of Pokémon to try to convince anyone that hasn't got the DLC (and because I don't have anywhere else to share lol)

Spoiler

You can even get hugged by a wild Magmortar

 

[Pyro]

just to have your Pokémon follow you around it's worth the pay

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[thecouncil]

What exactly about the DLC makes it turn from a bad game into a good one?

 

[TheAggroCraig]

Crown Tundra is definitely the better of the two, but I did like both overall and would say it's worth the price of entry.

 

[Efejota]

I'm a bit on the fence like the OP, but I instead wanted something that made the region itself better rather than adding these new areas as something isolated so I haven't bothered picking them up yet or even continuing the campaign. That's why I'm hoping they do Sword&Shield 2 at some point before moving on to a new gen. I'm sure they had a lot more of ideas for Galar that couldn't get done, and it could result in a really polished game now that half the work is done.

 

[totofogo]

I just started this game and immediately put five hours into it. I'm already enjoying it as is, so knowing the last chunk of content is the best has me excited!

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I'm chugging through Let's Go and will probably finally pick it up after... glad to hear!

 

[PokémonSpears]

What exactly about the DLC makes it turn from a bad game into a good one?

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I'd say being able to see this

or Calyrex using an unconscious man to communicate with you

tbh for me it's in first place, the Pokémon, though I think even those without the DLC are able to get them through trade or Home. The things they ask you to do are more entertaining than the main story. There's like a lot of stuff to collect. Also Crown Tundra got more legendaries, not just the ones from the raids, but there's the Unova Trio, including Keldeo, the Galarian birds, the horses, the regis, you get the towers from Isle of Armor, you get to see more of the Gen VIII Pokémon roaming in the wild that you don't get to see in the main game, your Pokémon follows you around, I don't know, in general is a much more enjoyable experience to play in the DLC areas than the rest of the game. Probably the only thing missing is a day care.

 

[totofogo]

What a bummer that the follow feature (afaik) was only added to the new areas though, and not patched back into the whole game. Weird choice.

 

[Pyro]

i wish these games had a Hard mode - this all sounds great but the campaign is so easy it bores me

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Idk I finally beat it last night and overall found Gym 4 (Ghost) onwards a decent challenge . It was a struggle having to juggle KO'd party members against Leon (final boss) with Max Revives because they throw curveballs by giving Pokémon unexpected type moves.

I remember throwing in Lanturn (Water/Electric) against Charizard (Fire) thinking it was in the bag until he used a freaking Grass attack, almost one hitting me.

 

[jon bones]

Idk I finally beat it last night and overall found Gym 4 onwards a decent challenge . It was a struggle having to juggle KO'd party members against Leon (final boss) with Max Revives because they throw curveballs by giving Pokémon unexpected type moves.

I remember throwing in Lanturn (Water/Electric) against Charizard (Fire) thinking it was in the bag until he used a freaking Grass attack, almost one hitting me.

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thanks, i think i spoke too soon! will give it another go bc its very charming