Pokémon Legends: Arceus has random events throughout its open-world areas, including Mass Outbreaks that vastly increase the spawn rates of certain Pokémon. Players can experience several different randomized events in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, including NPCs and rare monsters in the wilds. However, Mass Outbreaks play a unique role in accelerating player progress in the Pokédex. These events are also much easier to spot with the game’s overworld sprites, as players can quickly locate larger crowds of Pokémon in unusual areas.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes place in Ancient Sinnoh, called Hisui, where players must catch every Pokémon to complete their mission from Arceus. Players can explore five free-roam areas with unique environments and powerful native monsters. Different creatures appear under special conditions, but others are common spawns that constantly occupy specific spaces. Players must collect resources or obtain money to purchase the items necessary to battle, catch, and interact with Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ many creatures and Mass Outbreaks give them an excellent chance to do so.
Unfortunately, Mass Outbreaks aren’t timed events that players can activate manually. Instead, players have a randomized chance of experiencing a Mass Outbreak every time they leave Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ Jubilife Village. The Security Corps informs players of these occurrences, and the instance appears on the map when players choose their destination. Mass Outbreaks increase the number of Pokémon that spawn at a given time while also increasing the odds of finding a Shiny Pokémon to 1/158. Still, players should be careful when encountering Mass Outbreaks. Turn-based combat works differently in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, meaning that parties can swiftly be overwhelmed if they aren’t smart about battling the horde.
Unlike the Obsidian Fieldlands, Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ Crimson Mirelands is a grimy swamp filled with Ground-type and Poison-type Pokémon. The levels of local monsters are pretty high, meaning players must prepare themselves to endure powerful attacks and debilitating status effects to survive. However, this is also where Legends: Arceus' popular Sinnoh starter, Turtwig, can be caught, alongside its evolved forms: Grotle and Torterra. Unfortunately, players won’t be able to access the entirety of the region without first unlocking every rideable Pokémon in the game.
The local story missions prevent players from navigating freely until they’ve calmed the regional Noble Pokémon, Ursaluna. Additionally, Basculegion helps players cross deep rivers that aren’t traversable with Wyrdeer. These befriended monsters can best access the following Pokémon, who are the only species capable of experiencing Mass Outbreaks in the Crimson Swamps:
A big portion of Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ Pokédex mechanics requires players to catch a large number of the same species of Pokémon. This can be difficult for rarer monster spawns or those requiring specific conditions to appear in the overworld. Unfortunately, Mass Outbreaks can’t help players with this, as the list is confined mainly to spawning mass amounts of common species. This means players must depend on their patience and luck to fill out Professor Laventon’s Pokédex. Thankfully, Mass Outbreaks allow players to catch powerful variations of a monster, increasing the chance of perfect EVs or a Shiny.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ gameplay systems and mechanics are significantly different from traditional Pokémon games, but it’s reassuring to see that some mechanics have stayed. The evolution of certain gameplay features ensures that veteran players and new players alike can continue to experience a genuine, enjoyable Pokémon adventure. Mass Outbreaks have vastly changed and are now a threat to Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ player character and their party, but significantly enhances the game’s risk-reward system. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is now available exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
