Introduction

Pokémon Sleep is a unique addition to the world of Pokémon games, emphasizing a more passive and relaxed gaming experience. With its distinct mechanics and a focus on sleep patterns, it offers a refreshing take on the beloved franchise. Whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) player or someone who doesn’t mind investing in the game, this ultimate beginner’s guide aims to provide valuable insights and strategies to help you navigate the world of Pokémon Sleep effectively.

General Philosophy

Before delving into the nitty-gritty details of Pokémon Sleep, it’s essential to establish a general philosophy for playing the game. First and foremost, remember that Pokémon Sleep is a marathon, not a sprint. Unlike traditional Pokémon games, it prioritizes a more leisurely and passive gameplay style. Enjoy the journey rather than obsessing over reaching the destination.

Ignore the comparisons with veteran players who might be light-years ahead. Everyone progresses at their own pace, and the thrill of Pokémon lies in the adventure itself. While some may rush to the late game, it’s advisable to focus primarily on the early game until you reach around Level 50 Pokémon or the third sub-skill unlock. The game’s evolving mechanics and new Pokémon additions mean that it’s best to take it slow and adapt to changes as they come.

Learn the Mechanics

Understanding the mechanics of Pokémon Sleep is crucial for success. While tier lists can be helpful, mastering the game’s intricacies will enable you to create your own strategies tailored to your playstyle. Natures, main skills, sub skills, meal preparation, sleep score, and drowsy power are all vital components of the game that you should become familiar with before relying on external tier lists.

Naps

Naps can be a useful feature in Pokémon Sleep, especially in the early stages. They help you build a solid roster by increasing encounters. However, as you progress and gather a diverse range of Pokémon, it becomes more effective to focus on one substantial sleep session for higher-quality spawns. Keep in mind that biscuits, which are used to attract Pokémon during sleep, are relatively rare. Using them for fewer spawns of higher quality is often a better choice.

While some players advocate napping to maintain mons’ productivity by replenishing their energy, this may lead to using bonus biscuits on lower-quality spawns. In the long run, it may be more advantageous to wait for a feature that allows mons to regain energy slowly while in storage. Aim to achieve a sleep score of 100 each night, and focus on one substantial sleep session for optimal results.

Raising Pokémon

One of the critical decisions you’ll face in Pokémon Sleep is how to allocate resources like candy and shards to your Pokémon. To make informed choices, consider the following tips:

1. Prioritize Early Game: Concentrate on Pokémon that perform well in the early game, as the late game remains uncertain. Evaluate a Pokémon’s first three sub skills, its nature, and its usefulness on earlier islands. It’s more advantageous to have a Pokémon with an excellent Level 10 sub skill than one that only becomes powerful at Level 25 or beyond.
2. Avoid Overinvesting: Refrain from pouring all your candy into a single Pokémon, even if it’s considered a powerhouse for both early and late game. Building versatile teams of lower-level Pokémon can often outperform teams centered around a single MVP. Allocate candy and shards strategically, focusing on milestones like evolution or Level 10 sub skills before you need to roster them.
3. Green Grass Advantage: Stick to Green Grass environments for an extended period. While moving to other environments might seem tempting, Green Grass offers more accessible levels and a wider variety of Pokémon. It’s a safer bet for raising well-balanced teams, especially during the early game.

Befriending Pokémon

Befriending Pokémon is a nuanced aspect of Pokémon Sleep that can vary significantly for F2P and non-F2P players. Here’s an approach that strikes a balance:

1. Prioritize First Stage Pokémon: Focus on befriending first-stage Pokémon, as they are cheaper to feed and each evolution grants a level increase to their main skill. Once you reach Friendship Level 10 with them, they guarantee a gold sub skill in their first slot. These Pokémon are also more abundant, making it easier to reach Friendship Level 10.
2. Incremental Feeding: Adopt a strategy of feeding Pokémon incrementally over time, especially once you have a decent collection. This method ensures you always have Pokémon with partially completed Friendship Levels, which is particularly useful for optimizing your roster and adjusting to changing priorities. Reserve biscuits for high-priority Pokémon and weekends.
3. Weekend Feeding: Save your feeding efforts for later in the week when you have more biscuits. The higher your drowsy power, the more spawns and higher rarity Pokémon you’ll encounter. A well-stocked biscuit inventory can significantly enhance your weekend spawns.

Pokémon Tiers

Determining the value of Pokémon in Pokémon Sleep can be challenging, but here’s a simplified approach for prioritizing them in the early game:

1. Pikachu Line: Pikachu and its evolutions are excellent additions to your roster early on. They scale well, possess versatile skills, and their ingredients are useful for various meals, making them a valuable asset.
2. Starter Pokémon: Pokémon like Squirtle, Totodile, Charmander, and Cyndaquil are excellent choices for the second and third islands, offering long-term value due to their strong base stats.
3. Berry Pokémon: Pokémon like Doduo, Swablu, and Cubone that specialize in berries are essential for building a well-rounded squad for the Cyan and Taupe islands. Having favorite berries for each island is beneficial for your progression.
4. Versatile Pokémon: Consider Pokémon like Eevee, Rattata, and Caterpie, as they have versatile evolutions and can be valuable throughout the game. Caterpie, in particular, is a powerful generalist when evolved into Butterfree, making it an excellent addition to your early-game team.

The Perfect Team Composition

While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to creating the perfect team in Pokémon Sleep, aiming for a well-rounded team composition can set you on the right path. A balanced team typically includes:

• 2-3 berry specialists with favorite berries
• 1-2 ingredient specialists with synergizing ingredients and favorite berries
• 1 skill specialist with energy for everyone

Building this composition may not be easy in the early game, but it’s a goal to work towards. For instance, a team consisting of 3 Totodile, 2 Squirtle, and 1 Jiggly/Wiggly or Sylveon can excel in Cyan Beach, particularly against Snorlax.

Powering Up Snorlax

Progressing through the early game involves a relatively straightforward approach to powering up Snorlax:

1. Berry Producers: Aim to roster 1-2 berry producers with a double berry bonus. This maximizes your progress until you gain access to more ingredients and improve ingredient production. If you can’t find suitable berry producers, consider using Pikachu as a high-velocity berry producer.
2. Meal Production: As your pot capacity and ingredient variety increase, meals become more critical. Initially, focus on cooking one lower-level recipe consistently with your berry producers and add ingredient Pokémon as needed. The more you cook a meal, the higher its level and power will become.

Gradually, you’ll discover the right balance of double berry and ingredient Pokémon to steadily boost Snorlax’s power. As you progress, consider incorporating skill Pokémon that synergize with your team. Tools like the team calculator can help optimize your lineup.

Determining Pokémon Quality

To evaluate a Pokémon’s quality, primarily consider its sub skills and nature. Here’s a high-level framework:

• Focus on the first three sub skills, as they are more relevant in the early game.
• Sub skills should align with a Pokémon’s specialty. For instance, a berry specialist benefits from the Berry Finder S sub skill.
• Silver and gold skills are generally superior, but their effectiveness depends on the situation.
• Some natures are straightforward, while others have nuances. Natures like “Speed of Help Down” and “Exp Down” can have drawbacks, so consider their implications carefully.
• “Helper Speed Up” is often a desirable nature, as it enhances the efficiency of your Pokémon.

Closing Thoughts

Pokémon Sleep offers a unique gaming experience within the Pokémon franchise. With this ultimate beginner’s guide, you have a framework to navigate the early phases of the game successfully. Embrace the journey, take it slow, and enjoy the relaxing world of Pokémon Sleep. If you come across any additional tips or find inaccuracies in this guide, feel free to share your insights. Happy snoozing, Pokémon Trainer!