Common Beginner Mistakes
Things experienced players wish they'd known earlier. Avoid these frequent mistakes and save yourself frustration.
These are the mistakes most players make. Some waste resources. Some waste time. All are avoidable.
Not Catching Pokémon Early
The Mistake: Using only your starter through the first few routes.
Why It's Bad: Your starter can't cover every type matchup. You'll hit Falkner or Whitney unprepared.
Fix: Catch a Normal-type (Sentret, Furret) and a Geodude before Violet City. Both are immediately useful and don't require babying.
Related: Recommended Teams by Phase
Hoarding TMs Forever
The Mistake: Never using TMs because "I might need them later."
Why It's Bad: Many TMs are reusable in Polished Crystal. The ones that aren't are still worth using when they solve a problem now.
Fix: Check if a TM is reusable. If it is, use it. If it's one-time, ask whether it helps you beat the next gym. If yes, use it.
Related: Move Tutor & TM Management
Skipping the Pokégear Phone Numbers
The Mistake: Ignoring trainers who ask for your number.
Why It's Bad: Some trainers call with rematches. Others give you locations for rare Pokémon. A few give you free items.
Fix: Say yes to everyone. Delete numbers later if you want.
Related: Helpful NPCs & Services
Not Using the PC Item Storage
The Mistake: Tossing items to make room in your bag.
Why It's Bad: You can store items in the PC. You don't need to throw anything away.
Fix: Deposit items you're not using right now. TMs, evolution stones, and held items can all go in the PC until you need them.
Ignoring Abilities
The Mistake: Not checking what your Pokémon's ability does.
Why It's Bad: TMs are infinite in Polished Crystal. Holding them back wastes power you could be using now.
Fix: Look up the ability before you spend time training the Pokémon. If it has a bad ability, consider catching a different one. Fix: Use TMs freely. If a move helps you beat the next gym or a boss, teach it.
Related: Abilities Guide
Why It's Bad: HMs take up moveslots. Some are good moves (Surf, Waterfall). Most aren't (Cut, Flash, Whirlpool). In Polished Crystal, HM field moves can be used out-of-slot just by having the TM/HM and a compatible party member, so dedicating an HM mule is rarely necessary.
The Mistake: Skipping dialogue with NPCs in Pokémon Centers and houses. Fix: Teach the good ones if they’re strong coverage. Use field HMs without teaching when you only need the utility. Don’t teach Flash to your starter.
Why It's Bad: NPCs give you free items, teach moves, trade Pokémon, and unlock features. Some are mandatory for progression. Others just save you time.
Fix: Talk to everyone at least once. If they're standing in a Pokémon Center, they probably do something useful.
Why It's Bad: Polished Crystal uses modern EXP scaling (Gen 5/7/8 formula). Underleveled Pokémon gain more EXP; overleveled gain less. Enemies do not scale to your level, and there are no in-game level caps.
Fix: Use the Exp. Share to catch up new team members efficiently. Fight trainers and bosses instead of grinding wild Pokémon.
Using Stat-Boosting Moves in Story Battles
The Mistake: Trying to use Swords Dance or Calm Mind against gym leaders.
Why It's Bad: Badges gate obedience in the usual way, and EXP scaling reduces gains for overleveled Pokémon. An overleveled solo carry is inefficient and risks obedience issues.
Fix: Just attack. Setup moves are for competitive battles or specific boss fights where you know you can survive a hit. Fix: Keep your team within 3–5 levels of each other. Rotate Pokémon to balance experience.
Teaching HMs to Your Main Team
Why It's Bad: You can relearn moves your Pokémon forgot, plus some pre-evolution and evolution moves without breeding.
Why It's Bad: HMs take up moveslots. Some are good moves (Surf, Waterfall). Most aren't (Cut, Flash, Whirlpool). Fix: Visit the Move Maniac in Cianwood City. Bring a Gold Leaf.
Fix: Keep one or two HM users in your party or PC. Don't teach Flash to your starter.
Related: HMs and Field Moves
Why It's Bad: Some items have better uses. Nuggets sell for cash, but Silver Leaves are used for move tutors. Evolution stones evolve Pokémon.
Not Using Held Items
The Mistake: Leaving the held item slot empty.
Why It's Bad: Held items are free stats or utility. Leftovers heals every turn. Type-boosting items increase damage. Berries prevent status.
Fix: Give your Pokémon held items. Even a basic Oran Berry is better than nothing.
Related: Items
Skipping Rematches
The Mistake: Not calling trainers back for rematches.
Why It's Bad: Rematches give more experience than wild Pokémon and drop better items.
Fix: Use the Pokégear to call trainers. Fight them again when they're ready.
Not Using the Exp. Share
The Mistake: Boxing it because "it makes the game too easy."
Why It's Bad: Polished Crystal has level-based difficulty scaling. If you're underleveled, you'll struggle. If you're overleveled, enemies scale up.
Fix: Use the Exp. Share when you need to catch up a new team member. Don't grind wild Pokémon for hours.
Ignoring Type Matchups
The Mistake: Using Normal-type moves against Ghost-types. Using Electric moves against Ground-types. Why It's Bad: Some matchups deal zero damage. Others deal 25% damage. You're wasting turns.
Fix: Learn the type chart. Polished Crystal has some changes from vanilla, so check the updated chart.
Related: Type Chart
The Mistake: Fighting legendary Pokémon or gift Pokémon without saving first.
Why It's Bad: If you knock them out or catch them with a bad nature/IVs, they're gone. Some are one-time encounters. Fix: Save before every legendary. Save before every gift Pokémon. If you care about natures, soft reset until you get one you like.
The Mistake: Repelling through every route to avoid wild encounters.
Why It's Bad: Wild encounters give experience and money. Repels cost money. You'll end up underleveled and broke. Fix: Only use Repels when you're specifically looking for a rare encounter or trying to reach a Pokémon Center.
Not Checking Trainer Lineups Before Gyms
Why It's Bad: You'll pick the wrong team and waste healing items.
Fix: Talk to NPCs outside the gym. They'll tell you what type the leader uses. Adjust your team before going in.
Training Only One Pokémon
The Mistake: Overleveling your starter and ignoring the rest of your team.
Why It's Bad: Polished Crystal has level caps. Your overleveled Pokémon will stop obeying or stop gaining experience efficiently.
Fix: Keep your team within 3-5 levels of each other. Rotate Pokémon in and out to balance experience.
Related: Difficulty Scaling
Not Using Status Moves
The Mistake: Never using Thunder Wave, Toxic, or Will-O-Wisp.
Why It's Bad: Status conditions cripple opponents. Paralysis cuts their speed. Poison chips their health every turn. Burn halves their attack.
Fix: Carry at least one Pokémon with a status move. Use it on tough fights.
Selling Rare Items for Cash
The Mistake: Selling nuggets, shards, or evolution stones to the Poké Mart.
Why It's Bad: Some items have better uses. Nuggets sell for cash, but shards are used for move tutors. Evolution stones evolve Pokémon.
Fix: Check what an item does before you sell it. If you don't need it, keep it in the PC anyway.
Not Using Berries
The Mistake: Hoarding berries and never planting or using them.
Why It's Bad: Berries cure status, restore HP, and boost stats. They're renewable. You can plant them and grow more.
Fix: Use berries in tough fights. Plant berries you don't need. Harvest them later.
Skipping the Move Reminder
The Mistake: Not knowing the Move Reminder exists or can teach egg moves.
Why It's Bad: You can relearn moves your Pokémon forgot. You can also learn egg moves without breeding.
Fix: Visit the Move Reminder in Blackthorn City. Bring Heart Scales.
Related: Helpful NPCs & Services
Using the Same Team for Everything
The Mistake: Never rotating Pokémon in and out based on upcoming challenges.
Why It's Bad: Some gyms or routes are easier with specific types. Swapping one or two Pokémon makes fights trivial.
Fix: Keep a PC box with backups. Swap in a Rock-type before Falkner. Swap in a Fighting-type before Whitney.
Not Checking Evolution Methods
The Mistake: Assuming all Pokémon evolve by level.
Why It's Bad: Some evolve with stones. Some evolve with friendship. Some evolve with specific moves or held items.
Fix: Look up how your Pokémon evolves before you waste time grinding levels.
Ignoring Hidden Grottoes
The Mistake: Not checking Hidden Grottoes or not knowing they exist.
Why It's Bad: Grottoes contain rare Pokémon with hidden abilities, rare items, and evolution stones.
Fix: Check every Grotto you pass. They respawn daily.
Related: Hidden Grottoes
Not Reading Ability Descriptions
The Mistake: Assuming you know what an ability does based on its name.
Why It's Bad: Some abilities have effects that aren't obvious. Some are better than they sound. Some are worse.
Fix: Read the full description. Check if it works outside of battle.
Related: Abilities Guide
Using Pokémon Centers Too Often
The Mistake: Flying back to a Pokémon Center after every battle.
Why It's Bad: You're wasting time. Carry Potions and use them between fights.
Fix: Heal at Pokémon Centers when you're actually in danger of losing. Use items for everything else.
Not Using the Day Care
The Mistake: Ignoring the Day Care entirely.
Why It's Bad: The Day Care levels Pokémon while you play. It's also the only way to breed for egg moves or specific natures.
Fix: Drop off Pokémon you want to level passively. Check back after a few hours of gameplay.
These Aren't Rules
This isn't a list of things you must do. It's a list of things that trip up most players.
If you're doing any of these and it's working, keep doing it. If you're stuck, check this list and see if one of these is why.