While past Pokémon games traditionally provided a linear experience for players to explore, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are breaking that mold. Thanks to the new games’ Treasure Hunt conceit, players can take on the game’s main tasks and experience everything it has to offer in any order they please. This may lead to a little bit of choice paralysis: if you’ve never had to choose your own adventure in a Pokémon game before, how do you know which path to pick?
While Scarlet and Violet will likely require players to complete all of the three possible Treasure Hunt paths to actually finish the game, you can still pick whichever interests you the most to tackle first. Your choice will have more to do with how you prefer to play Pokémon games than anything else. We’ve detailed what each path entails below and what kind of player it will appeal to the most to give you an idea of what you should aim for as soon as the tutorial ends.
So, which Treasure Hunt path should you pick first?
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Treasure Hunt paths and details
Path of Legends
If you enjoyed hunting down and battling powerful Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus or you enjoy the thought of an actual treasure hunt, the Path of Legends might be the best first choice for you. In Path of Legends, players will be paired with Arven, an upperclassman who is looking for special ingredients called Herba Mystica. Arven enjoys cooking for his Pokémon, so it makes sense that he would be interested in these legendary ingredients.
Herba Mystica ingredients aren’t just laying around waiting to be found, though. In order to find them, you’ll need to take on a series of stronger-than-average Pokémon known as Titan Pokémon. Titan Pokémon appear to be larger, more powerful versions of existing Paldean Pokémon who pack a punch. Each resides in a specific area, and you’ll encounter them on your way to unearthing Herba Mystica ingredients.
If you want to learn more about Paldea and explore all of its nooks and crannies, Path of Legends is a good place to start. You’ll also likely learn more about Arven, his Pokémon, and how they fit into the game’s scholarly setting.
Victory Road
Victory Road is the most traditional of Scarlet and Violet‘s paths. If you’re the type of Trainer who wants to be the very best like no one ever was, you’ll probably want to pick this path first. Like most previous Pokémon games, Paldea has a series of gym leaders that players can challenge. While you aren’t required to defeat the gym leaders in any set order, they do have predetermined levels, so some will be much more difficult to beat right off the bat.
Just like Arven is the featured character in the Path of Legends path, Nemona will feature prominently on players’ path to the championship. She’s a well-trained battler herself and will often provide information for new players and those returning to Pokémon after a long absence.
Victory Road is a good first choice for those who want to see all of Paldea’s Pokémon and build their own battle-tested team as quickly as possible. It’s also a good way to quickly see what Scarlet and Violet have done to change up the usual Gym Challenge structure, especially if you were bored by Pokémon Sword and Shield‘s relatively traditional gyms.
Starfall Street
Were you a big fan of characters like Marnie and Piers from Sword and Shield? Do you love finding out more about each region’s villainous team? Are you desperately hoping for a deeper plot in a Pokémon game? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Starfall Street might be the right path for you to start with.
Starfall Street features the story of Team Star, a group of delinquent Academy students who are trying to cause trouble all around Paldea. One Team Star boss, Mela, was featured in pre-release trailers, and there are likely plenty more out there for players to encounter. The team likely has its own story as to why its members are misbehaving and what their mysterious goals are–you’ll have to play this path to find out.
Related: Best order for all Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Paths from Upcomer
