How To Do A Soul Link Nuzlocke In Pokemon?

If you’re getting bored of playing regular Pokemon games, it might be time to try a challenge. While the games feature many Pokemon, you probably ignore some of them. Challenges like Soul Link or Nuzlocke encourage you to use Pokemon you’ve never considered, making it a great way to rediscover the game and try new Pokemon.

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Soul Link Nuzlocke is an especially unique experience since playing with a partner adds chaos and fun, making it feel like an entirely new game. In this guide, we explain what Soul Link Nuzlocke is, its variations, extra rules, solo mode, and more.

Soul Link Nuzlocke, Explained

The Soul Link Nuzlocke challenge adds a unique twist to the classic Nuzlocke formula by requiring teamwork, communication, and a shared sense of victory and defeat.

Whether you’re playing with a friend or testing yourself with a solo variant, this challenge will make even the most familiar Pokemon games feel brand new! If you’re up for the challenge, grab a partner and dive in!

A Soul Link Nuzlocke is a Nuzlocke challenge that two players can take on together. But before we dive into it, let’s clarify what a Nuzlocke actually is. If you’ve never heard of it before, a Nuzlocke is a self-imposed challenge designed to make the standard main series Pokemon games both harder and more engaging. There are three fundamental rules:

• You can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in each route or area.
• If a Pokemon faints (meaning its HP drops to zero), it is considered “dead” and must be permanently stored in the PC or released.
• You should nickname every Pokémon you catch (this is optional, but it strengthens the emotional bond, making the challenge even more dramatic).

Now that you understand the basics, let’s get into what makes Soul Link Nuzlocke different. Unlike a standard Nuzlocke, a Soul Link Nuzlocke is meant to be played by two people at the same time.

The Basic Rules Of A Soul Link Nuzlocke

Before jumping into the rules, both players need to be playing either the same game or corresponding paired games from the same generation. For example, if one player is playing Pokemon X, the other must be playing either Pokemon X or Pokemon Y.

Now, onto the real challenge:

• Pokemon that are caught in the same area by both players are considered Soul Linked to each other. This applies from the moment you receive your starter Pokemon. If one player chooses Charmander and the other picks Bulbasaur, those two are now Soul Linked.
• If a Pokemon that is Soul Linked faints in battle, the other Pokémon in the link is also considered “dead” and must be stored in the PC or released. So, if Player One’s Charmander faints, Player Two’s Bulbasaur is immediately considered gone, even if it wasn’t in battle.
• If a Soul Linked Pokemon is placed in the PC, its linked counterpart must also be stored. Their connection remains even in storage.
• You are still limited to catching only the first Pokemon you encounter in each area, but both players must successfully catch their Pokémon for the Soul Link to be valid. If one player catches a Pokémon and the other accidentally knocks theirs out or fails to catch it, both players must forfeit their catch for that route. The captured Pokemon must be released.
• Because of this rule, players need to communicate effectively before entering an area and ensure they are fully prepared with Poke Balls.

Additional Rules

• If you find that certain Pokemon appear too frequently and limit your team diversity, you can introduce the Dupes Clause to add flexibility. If you encounter a Pokemon you already have in your party or PC, you may skip it and attempt to catch the next unique encounter.
• For an even wilder experience, you can randomize the game using Universal Pokemon Randomizer to ensure every encounter is fresh and unpredictable.
• If you want to ramp up the difficulty and make the experience fairer, you can introduce a Level Cap Rule—your Pokemon cannot exceed the highest-level Pokemon of the next Gym Leader. This prevents overleveling and makes Gym Battles much more intense.
• To further increase the challenge, both players can limit their team size in Gym Battles. For example, if Brock has two Pokemon, both players can only bring two Pokemon into the battle.

Things To Consider In A Soul Link

Catching as many Pokemon as possible is crucial when doing a Soul Link Challenge. Because of this, both players should always have enough Poke Balls. Before entering a new route, make sure to check how many you have.

Additionally, ensure you have plenty of healing items. It’s especially important to carry enough items to cure status ailments. Poisoned Pokemon can put you in a tough situation, so always be prepared for that scenario.

Who Should You Do a Soul Link With?

There isn’t a definitive answer to this, but playing with someone who has an interest in Pokemon will make the experience enjoyable for both of you. Playing together in person can make things more fun, but you can also do a Soul Link remotely with a friend through online communication.

Doing a Soul Link with a careless friend will make things more difficult but can lead to a fun and hilarious experience. Playing with someone unfamiliar with Pokemon who wants to learn makes the challenge even harder, but it can also be a great opportunity to teach them about the game.

Player Interaction In Soul Link

Want to make your Soul Link run even more cooperative? Try these:

Can More Than Two People Play A Soul Link Nuzlocke?

Yes! But it makes things much harder.

• If you have three players, all must be playing corresponding games from the same generation.
• If all players have their encounters Soul Linked together, things can get chaotic. If one Pokemon faints, it affects the entire party across all players, making the challenge brutally difficult.
• A more manageable alternative is a rotating link system—Player A links with Player B for one encounter, then Player B links with Player C for the next, and so on. This keeps the challenge interesting while reducing the odds of a complete disaster wiping out everyone’s teams.

Can You Do A Solo Soul Link Nuzlocke?

Absolutely! If you don’t have a friend to play with, you can still experience a Soul Link challenge on your own:

• Every two Pokemon you catch are considered Soul Linked.
• If one faints, its linked partner must be stored permanently or released.
• If one is placed in the PC, the other must also be stored.

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