Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: How to Autobattle Wild Pokemon

The Paldea region is massive, and with so many new Pokemon to capture and even Legendary Pokemon to find, you're going to be quite the busy trainer now that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has officially released.

But battling all those Pokemon and even hunting for shinies can be difficult. Luckily, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company have added a new feature to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet called autobattling, making it much easier to tackle multiple Pokemon without having to direct the combat yourself.

How to Autobattle in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Autobattling basically allows you to dump your Pokemon on the ground, then let it run around, battling wild Pokemon without having to direct the combat yourself. It's exceptionally useful when you're exploring and want to level up a certain Pokemon but don't want to have to deal with the grind yourself.

Normally, you'd need to direct the flow of battle in Pokemon games. However, with the autobattle feature, your Pokemon directs itself, and will even hold off on attacking shinies (special Pokemon that collectors aim to catch) so that you have a chance to catch them. But how exactly do you take part in this activity? Well, it's actually very simple.

All you need to do to take part in autobattling is explore the world and throw down your lead Pokemon by pressing ZR anywhere in the overworld. It is worth noting that you cannot throw down your Pokemon inside of cities or even inside of buildings. As such, it's best to leave this kind of activity for the wild lands surrounding the central city and towns that you'll come across.

When autobattling, your lead Pokemon will roam around you within a certain radius and attack other Pokemon that it sees. This is great for clearing out big events like Mass Outbreaks, which can see upwards of 100 of the same type of Pokemon spawning into the area.

One thing worth noting here, though, is that you can only throw down your lead Pokemon. So, if you want to use this feature to train up your Pokemon, you're going to need to change out who your lead Pokemon is within your party.

You can also continue battling Pokemon and trainers while your lead Pokemon performs autobattles. However, sometimes your lead Pokemon will return to you and take part in the battles too. Leveling up is especially useful if you're looking to get your starter evolutions added to the PokeDex.