Pros and Cons of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Daycare Alternatives

Pokémon Crimson and Violet finally changed the way players get Pokémon eggs, and that came with a whole bunch of good and bad.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet mark the first change in Pokémon breeding since Gold and Silver, a change that brings many new benefits and drawbacks. Instead of getting eggs at Pokémon Daycare, eggs are now found during Pokémon Picnics. Players can gain egg power from sandwiches and restaurant meals to increase the likelihood of finding an egg.

In Pokémon Crimson and Violet, during a picnic, members of the player's team will sneak eggs into the picnic basket. You can store up to 10 eggs in the basket, so it's best to check periodically to collect eggs and avoid worrying too much about storage limits. Players can earn egg power from some of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's best sandwich recipes and restaurant meals to increase the likelihood of finding an egg.

The Pros of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s Day Care Replacement

Of course, there are many benefits to this new Pokémon Crimson and Violet system. Egg moves are easier than ever because they no longer come from eggs. Picnic Moves replaces the old system, in order to get these new moves, delete one of the Pokémon's moves and then have a picnic Move it to the vacant spot with another person who knows the required picnic move. Another bonus is that eggs are now more readily available. Previously, the player had to run around until the daycare attendant said he found an egg. In Generation 9, regular checking of picnic boxes is the only step.

The Cons of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s Day Care Replacement

Perhaps the most obvious negative effect of the new system was lower overall efficiency. In older games, in addition to the best Pokémon breeding methods and tools, any existing eggs could hatch as players ran around to acquire new eggs, creating a cycle. This is no longer possible in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Similarly, waiting an arbitrary amount of time to pass until an egg appears isn't fun, especially when there's no indication of when an egg is created, as in the 6th, 7th, and 8th generation games. Therefore, the new day care system is not a direct upgrade of the old system.

Overall, like any major change to the existing system, changes to Pokémon breeding in Crimson and Violet will have their champions and detractors. Whether the traditional breeding system will return for future races is a mystery. One thing's for sure, though, and that's that Egg Pop Sandwiches are pretty much a must for Pokémon breeding in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

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