Pokemon Scarlet and Violet – What is LP and how to get LP
LP is a brand-new mechanic introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This is actually a very important part of the game, so it’s crucial to know how LP works.
As a concept included for the first time, it’s natural that several questions arise about LP. We’ll do our best to cover all of them below.
Here, we’ll explain what LP is in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and the best ways to get LP quickly.
What is LP in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?
LP stands for League Points, which act as a currency in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This currency is completely separate to the normal Pokemon Dollars, and gets accumulated in different ways.
The main difference is that LP can be used to create TMs (aka Technical Machines). These will teach your Pokemon new moves, making them a crucial resource for any Pokemon Trainer.
There is still overlap with Pokemon Dollars because LP can be used instead of Pokemon Dollars in shops. These are effectively interchangeable at a 1 LP to ₽1 exchange rate.
Since Pokemon Dollars cannot be used to create TMs, this means LP are more valuable than Pokemon Dollars. You should therefore generally spend your normal money first if possible.
NOTE: TMs will also require various resources along with the League Points.
How to use LP in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Using LP is a simple process. If you wish to spend LP instead of Pokemon Dollars in shops, just select the item followed by the option to ‘Pay with LP’.
When you want to use LP for TM creation, head to the TM Machine where you should select the option ‘I want a TM made’. Each TM you wish to create will have a set LP cost, as well as a handful of materials that must also be exchanged.
As the moves learnt from the TMs get stronger, the amount of LP required gets higher. The most expensive TMs like Hyper Beam and Draco Meteor cost a whopping 14,000 LP, plus various rare resources as well.
How to gain LP in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
There are lots of different ways to accumulate a huge amount of LP in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The good news is that many of these can be done organically without much effort.
Tera Raid crystals
One of the easiest ways of gaining some LP is to interact with the Tera Raid crystals that are found on the map. The best thing is that you do not have to take part in the Tera Raid to gain LP.
Simply interact with the crystal and regardless of your participation, you will be awarded some free LP. This is arguably the most straightforward way of bolstering your LP, which can be done whilst barely going out of your way.
If you do choose to participate in the Tera Raid, you will also gain LP for its completion. Furthermore, you will inevitably gain some materials that can be swapped for more LP (see below). Tera Raids are therefore one of the most efficient ways of getting huge amounts of LP.
Trade materials
You can also trade materials for LP, allowing you to get rid of any surplus resources you have found. It’s natural you will gather a lot of these materials, which are commonly dropped by Pokemon or found out in the wild.
At the TM Machine, select the option to exchange materials for LP. You’ll then be able to cycle through the materials you’ve gathered and swap them for varying amounts of LP depending on the rarity of the materials.
However, you should note that these materials may also be required to craft the TM you want. Be careful you aren’t trading in any resources you need, or you might have to go and farm them again.
It is still very likely you’ll end up with an excess of certain materials, making it an excellent way of gaining LP in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
Beat Star Bases
If you progress the Starfall Street storyline, you are sure to end up with a lot of LP.
There are five Star Bases that will reward you with LP once they are cleared. This entails exploring the base with three Pokemon who must defeat 30 Pokemon in 10 minutes by Auto-Battling. When you have beaten enough of them, you will face off against a boss who must be defeated.
After each completed Star Base you’ll receive a set amount of LP. Your first Star Base will earn you 5,000 LP, gradually increasing until your fifth Star Base earns 20,000 LP.
Once you have completed the main story, you will also be able to rematch the Star Bases and gain even more LP. This is definitely a great way of farming LP, but only after the main story is beaten. Beforehand, you will only be able to get a total of 48,000 LP for clearing all of the bases.
After completing Pokemon Scarlet or Violet, you will get more LP the quicker you clear the bases. With high level Pokemon, you can clear a Star Base in a matter of minutes and earn thousands of LP. However, in the post-game you will need to beat 50 Pokemon to clear the base rather than 30.
Defeating or catching Tera Pokemon
Tera Pokemon can be found all over Paldea, denoted by the Pokemon’s glowing form. If you defeat or catch one of these Pokemon, you will be awarded League Points. The higher the level of the Pokemon in question, the more LP you will receive.
There are 68 wild Tera Pokemon, who will respawn every day in the same places. This gives you an opportunity to repeatedly take them on and earn lots of LP. You can even adjust your System Settings on the Nintendo Switch to move the Date forwards by a day, which will cause them to respawn without having to wait.
The highest level wild Tera Pokemon are Tera Lucario and Tera Dragonite, who are both at level 75. Keep tackling Tera Pokemon to build up your stock of LP, but be careful because some of these can be tough.
That’s everything you need to know about what is LP and how to get LP in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. For more Pokemon Scarlet and Violet content, check out the articles below:
