Difficulty modes
Pokémon Otherside has three difficulty modes, and every trainer has a team for each of them:
Easy
Slightly lower levels, lower IVs, fewer EVs and sometimes simpler moves.
Normal
The reference experience of the game.
Hard
Higher levels, better IVs and EVs, stronger moves and items.
Pick your mode with the Easy / Normal / Hard switch: levels and teams update everywhere, and your choice is remembered on every trainer page.
Finding a trainer
- Trainers are sorted by level, which roughly follows the order you meet them in the adventure.
- Gym Leaders have their own filter. You can also filter by trainer class (Hiker, Scientist, Rival…).
- The search box finds a trainer by name, class or by one of their Pokémon.
Trainer pages
- Some trainers are fought several times: each battle has its own team (Battle 1, Battle 2…).
- The rival’s team depends on your starter: switch between variants with the Pokémon buttons.
- Each Pokémon shows its level, item, ability, nature, moves, and its stats with IVs and EVs.
- When the game doesn’t set a value, the page says so: random ability or nature, and default moves (the last 4 learned by that level), IVs (level ÷ 2, max 31) and EVs (level × 1.5, max 85).
Weather-based teams
Teams aren’t written in advance for each weather. In the game’s Rules (Difficulty family), the optional “Weather-based teams” rule is off by default. When it’s on and a battle starts in special weather, a single Pokémon of the team, picked at random, is replaced by a Pokémon of the weather’s type:
Rain · Storm
Water, Electric
Snow · Blizzard
Ice
Sandstorm
Rock, Ground, Steel
Sun
Fire
Fog · Swamp
Ghost, Dark
Petals
Grass, Fairy
Forest
Grass, Bug
Mire
Poison
Cave
Rock, Ground
Clouds · Wind
Flying
Underwater
Water
Power plant
Electric
- The replacement keeps the replaced Pokémon’s level and slot, but has no item, its default ability and its natural moves.
- It is picked among the Pokémon carried by the game’s trainers at a similar level. Its strength depends on the mode: never stronger in Easy, comparable in Normal, never weaker in Hard.
- Bosses (Gym Leaders, Elite, rival, commanders…) are never affected, except in some quest battles. In clear weather, nothing changes.
- On each affected trainer page, the Weather-based team panel shows the possible replacements for each weather, and the list’s Weather-based filter groups them.
AI level
Each trainer class has an AI level that decides how cleverly it battles: Basic (below 32), Intermediate (32+), Advanced (48+) and Maximum (100). Gym Leaders, the rival and bosses generally have the maximum level.