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Read the League challenge first
Open Play and find the locked partner you want. Its challenge tells you what the profile needs before the catch can happen. Think of this as two checkpoints. The challenge decides whether the encounter is eligible. The catch decides whether that partner joins the roster.
- ChallengeCheck the condition and your recorded progress.
- EncounterFind the eligible target in a later Classic run.
- CaptureUse the throw prompt, then confirm the partner in Play.
When you need to meet a counter, give the game a chance to record the result. Return from the end-of-run screen before checking the challenge again. Reloading or closing the window mid-run does not count as a finished attempt.
One League challenge encounter per Classic zone
Finish a partner’s challenge, then start a Classic run. The game offers eligible partners in League order, one challenge target per zone. If Bulbasaur and Charmander are both ready, look for Bulbasaur first and Charmander in the next zone. A target you miss or let escape can appear on a later run.
The next encounter takes time to appear. Keep moving and building strength rather than immediately resetting the run. Ordinary shiny encounters and the sanctuary’s encounters have their own rules.
Worked example: unlock a second starter
Say you start with Squirtle and want Charmander. In this edition, the remaining starters use a challenge that requires two recorded runs. You can use Classic for both attempts. Finish each one and go back through its result screen. After the second, reopen the partner selection and check Charmander’s condition before launching again.
Take Squirtle into another Classic run and work through the region. Keep looking for a League encounter as you explore. The completed counter does not force Charmander to stand beside the spawn point. If an encounter has not appeared yet, keep playing the route rather than resetting your profile. The Classic map guide shows how to find a guardian and continue through the region.
In a controlled test with the challenge already complete and a Charmander encounter set up, Water Gun weakened the target and Throw Poké Ball appeared. Pressing E showed Charmander joins your League! If more than one challenge is ready, follow the encounter order above and advance to the next zone for another chance.
Weaken the encounter and throw when prompted
- Keep a route away from the crowd while damaging the marked target. An ordinary wild Pokémon in the horde does not offer the same League interaction.
- When the target is ready to catch, close the gap until you see Throw Poké Ball. Press E with the game focused if you use the default keyboard controls.
- Watch the feedback after the throw. An ordinary escape leaves a short opportunity to retry, with better odds for the next throw. The encounter flees after three failed throws. If the prompt returns, use it while you still have a safe approach.
If the game is responsive but the key does nothing, check the prompt before assuming input is broken. The target may still need damage, or you may be out of range. If all controls stop responding, use the game-window focus checks.
Check the League, not just the Pokédex
| What you see | What to do next |
|---|---|
| The challenge still has progress left | Finish the displayed condition and check it again after the result. |
| A family is visible in the Pokédex | Open Play to see whether the partner is selectable. |
| The partner is selectable in Play | Choose it to start a new run with its own starting move and passive. |
Finish the run and reopen Play in the same browser profile. The League and this edition’s progress are local. If a different device or private window shows a fresh roster, return to the original profile or use the backup and restore instructions.
Legendary and shiny encounters have special rules
Certain League legendary encounters in this browser edition add the normal partner when you weaken it. If that encounter offers a shiny catch, follow the separate throw prompt for the shiny appearance. Check the exact prompt in front of you. Defeating a boss in Survival does not by itself establish that you have recruited a new partner.