Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players are manipulating RNG to ensure their deadliest attacks always hit

Pokemon Violet sinistea chips malicious armor ceruledge
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players are claiming they can manipulate the games' random number generation system to make sure their moves always hit.

The claims first started doing the rounds on social media over the weekend, exemplified by the post just below. In short, Scarlet and Violet players claim the games' Battle Stadium uses the same RNG for every battle, meaning they know if some moves, such as one-hit KO attacks, are going to hit.

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RNG is, if you're unfamiliar, background calculations made by a game to determine the outcome of a variable. In this case, the RNG in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet work to determine whether an attack with a less-than-perfect accuracy rating will actually hit, or miss entirely.

What players are now alleging is that the RNG determination in Scarlet and Violet's Battle System never changes. Therefore, if an attack misses once, it's destined to always miss under the same RNG settings, but by that same token, attacks that always hit will forever connect with their target.

Because of this, Scarlet and Violet players can determine which one-hit knockout attacks will never miss. If a risky attack like Sheer Cold, which can knock an opponent out should it strike home, hits in one circumstance, it'll always hit, meaning players have got a reliable source of manipulating the Battle Stadium to always win. One such example, demonstrated above, is Air Slash into Sheer Cold, a combination that will always work as long as the player, not their opponent, moves first.

So far at least, Scarlet and Violet players are claiming this problem only exists in Battle Stadium, and doesn't extend to online battles or Tera Raids. We'll have to see if Game Freak changes this problem in the near future.

Check out our Pokemon Scarlet and Violet PokeDex guide for a full walkthrough of every new and returning creature for the two games. 

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.