Having your Pokémon follow you around the world is a feature that goes back to Pokémon Yellow and has been revisited in many releases since. Following Pokémon return in Scarlet and Violet with a few additional features alongside it. You gain the ability to have a Pokémon partner on the field with you early in your adventure, and you’ll want to keep them there to optimize your leveling.
Besides the ability to pick up items hidden in tall grass or at the bases of trees, the Player’s companion can also battle wild species in real time for quick and easy item grinding. Below is everything to know about the follow ability in Scarlet & Violet.
How to Unlock & Use The Follow Ability Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
To use the follow ability, players must first unlock the Let’s Go feature via the tutorial.
After the first few introductory scenes, you’ll reach the small town of Los Platos, where Nemona gives you a brief lesson about the Pokémon Center, the TM Machine, and the PokeMart. She’ll also show you how to use the Let’s Go feature, which enables Pokémon to follow you outside their Poke Ball.
Simply press the R button (the right bumper) to release your Lead Pokémon and let it wander near you. If you want to return the Pokémon to its ball, press the ZR button (the right trigger), and you’ll remove the Pokémon from the field.
When a Pokémon is following you, it can engage in battles on its own with any other wild Pokémon roaming about and pick up items it finds in your immediate vicinity. Whenever your following Pokémon enters a battle, it will fight automatically. There are no menus or other input needed from you for auto-battling to function, but type advantages and weaknesses still apply. If your follower comes up against a Pokémon with a type advantage, expect the fight to go poorly.
You’ll be able to keep tabs on your following Pokémon’s condition using the icon in the bottom left of the screen, showing their current health. This bar depletes as battles occur, and when it gets low enough, the following Pokémon won’t be able to keep fighting or exploring. You can, however, heal them with a Potion or other recovery item from the menu to keep them active.
