How to level up fast & farm EXP in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Joaquín Frere
Chansey in Pokemon Scarlet Violet

If you’re wondering how to level up fast in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, we’ve got you covered. These are some of the best EXP farming methods available, including the use of some special items and a specific Pokemon hunt.

Having a strong team in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is key to tackling all the post-game content the game has in stock for players. Your team will level up naturally as you explore Paldea and Kitakami, but some challenges might need you to level up your Pokemon fast.

Players can look forward to earning EXP fast with the following methods, but battling every trainer on sight or hunting down certain Pokemon are some of the best strategies to start. If you want more, here are the best farming methods in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

How to farm EXP fast in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

The best methods to farm EXP fast in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet include participating in Tera Raid Battles or taking on some of the toughest post-game content. Battling specific Pokemon or using certain items like EXP candies or a Lucky Egg will help as well.

With our detailed instructions on different farming routes, trainers will net all the EXP they need to power up their teams.

Hunt Chansey for fast EXP in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Chansey farm in Paldea on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Hunting Chansey in the wild is one of the best methods for leveling up fast in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

Hunting Chansey in large numbers nets Pokemon a huge amount of EXP points when defeated in Scarlet and Violet. This is one of the oldest farming methods in Pokemon history, and Paldea is no stranger to it.

To easily find Chansey, players need to travel to their spawn point in North Province (Area Three) and start eliminating them one by one. If you are struggling to find this Pokemon, eating a Ham Sandwich will increase the Normal-type Pokemon spawn.

Give your Pokemon a Lucky Egg for more EXP in S&V

The Lucky Egg is one of the best key items in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet because it can give a decent boost to earned EXP to the Pokemon holding it. This will also increase the overall shared experience of the EXP Share feature when battling against wild Pokemon, route trainers, or Gym Leaders.

To get your first Lucky Egg, simply advance the story and Professor Jacq will give players one before approaching the sixth Paldean Gym.

Battle route trainers in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Trainer on random route in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Talking to every Scarlet and Violet trainer in the wild of Paldea will initiate a Pokemon battle with them, and defeating said trainers will net more EXP points than Wild Pokemon. This is the best passive way to earn EXP throughout your whole Scarlet and Violet adventure.

Participate in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Tera Raid Battles

Tera Raid Battles are a great way to level up your favorite Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet, especially as you’ll usually get a bunch of useful items like EXP Candies of different sizes as a reward for winning.

The Pokemon Dens that initiate Tera Raid Battles come with different difficulties, but during a regular walkthrough, you can challenge up to 5-star raids only. When you finish the game, the 6-star and 7-star raids will become available, but those are some of the toughest challenges in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Use EXP Candy or Rare Candy in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

This is the simplest way to level up a Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet, where players just need to use the different EXP Candy or Rare Candy on their Pokemon. In this case, it is a better practice to save all of them for later, as your high-level Pokemon will need a lot of EXP to level up in the late game.

If you give a Large or XL EXP Candy to a low-level Pokemon they will most likely gain multiple levels from one single use. You can find different sorts of candies inside Pokeballs scattered in the wild or as a prize in Tera Raid Battles.

Take on Academy Ace Tournament in Pokemon S&V post-game

The Academy Ace Tournament in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
The Academy Ace Tournament is a post-game must for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet players.

When you finish Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the post-game content will be unlocked, and behind it is one of the best farming methods in the game. Players will take part in a tournament hosted by the Pokemon Academy with some of the best trainers in Paldea, earning tons of EXP points in the process.

Although this method might be very time-consuming, it’s a great way to practice battling against high-level opponents and earn a lot of EXP. Combine this with a Lucky Egg and EXP Share, and your Pokemon’s level will fly up high in no time.

Remember EXP Share is active in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

EXP Share remains a permanent feature in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. This means whenever you take part in a battle, all Pokemon in your party will get EXP Points, not just the Pokemon that is fighting.

If you have a low-level Pokemon that needs to catch up with the rest of your team, place it at the end of your party and take on some high-level wild Pokemon, or hunt Chansey, and watch it quickly level up.

Now that you know the best methods to farm EXP, check out some more of our Pokemon Scarlet & Violet guides below:

How to catch Shiny Pokemon in Scarlet & Violet | How does EXP Share work in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet? | How to catch all Legendaries in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | How to breed eggs in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Stake locations: All Shrines | All Pokemon not in Scarlet & Violet | How to check IVs in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | How to beat Scarlet & Violet Elite Four: Champion of Paldea

About The Author

Joaquín is a new Senior Writer for Charlie Intel with years of experience on games journalism. Focusing on all things JRPGs and a videogame developer at heart. Graduated from Game-Dev School and Public Relations, his current work is Charlie Intel and Infobae for LATAM. You can contact Joaquín at [email protected]