Pokelike

Play Pokelike, a Pokémon roguelike autobattler. Start a run, compare Gen I starters, and use the decisions below to plan your next route, matchup, and item choice.

The game starts after you choose a mode.

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Before your first run

What you control in Pokelike

Battles resolve automatically. Your decisions happen around them: choose a starter, follow branching nodes, recruit Pokémon, equip items, and arrange the team. The first living Pokémon in your lineup fights first; the next living teammate takes over when it faints.

This guide covers the embedded v1.6 build. The starter comparison is for Gen I, Normal Mode, with default level-5 moves and no held items. Gen II, Nuzlocke, and Battle Tower change the decisions, so check the mode before applying a tip.

Gen I · Opening matchup

Which starter helps against Brock?

Brock opens with level-12 Geodude and level-14 Onix, both Rock/Ground. Compare the move your starter actually uses with both defending types, rather than choosing by move power alone.

Default level-5 moves without held items. The factor is type effectiveness against Rock/Ground, not final damage or a chance to win.
Starter	Default move	Power	Type factor
Bulbasaur	Magical Leaf · Grass	40	4×
Charmander	Incinerate · Fire	60	0.5×
Squirtle	Bubble · Water	50	4×

Grass and Water each exploit two weaknesses here. Fire is resisted by Rock, so Charmander's higher move power does not settle the matchup. If you choose Charmander, use early catches to find an answer to Brock; if you choose Bulbasaur or Squirtle, still check levels, HP, and the move shown on the card.

Compare Gen I & II starters and coverage plans View the rules and review method

How to plan your first run

Use the visible next fight to decide what the team needs. A reward is useful when it changes a matchup, not simply because it looks rare.

Choose the mode and inspect the starter

Start with Normal Mode to learn the map. In Gen I, compare the starter's displayed move with Brock's Rock/Ground team. A dual-type Pokémon does not automatically choose a countering move for every opponent.

Choose a route for the gap you have

If the team cannot damage the next boss effectively, prefer a reachable catch opportunity over another damage item for the same bad matchup. If coverage is already adequate but HP is low, look for recovery before adding another fight.

Set the lead and inspect its held item

The first living teammate becomes active. Put an appropriate attacker in front before entering battle; check that an item has not changed its move type or added a survival cost. Metronome, for example, changes a dual-type holder to its other attack type in this build.

Review one reason for the loss

Record the mode, opponent, lead's move, HP, and item. Change one decision next run: a catch for coverage, a safer branch, a different lead, or a less costly item. This distinguishes a fixable preparation error from random damage or critical hits.

Normal, Nuzlocke, or Battle Tower?

These are different rule sets. Pokédex and Hall of Fame are progress records, rather than extra battle modes.

Normal Mode

Learn the route and preserve HP between encounters. In the reviewed story code, moving to the next gym map fully heals the team; this is not a full heal after every ordinary battle.

Nuzlocke

Fainted teammates are normally removed permanently, so a sacrificial lead has a lasting cost. The reviewed Gen II code has an exception for a won Silver rival battle: it keeps the roster and heals it afterward. Do not generalize that exception to other fights.

Battle Tower

Type traits add another team-building constraint. In the reviewed build, two non-shiny Water-type teammates activate the first Water trait. Compare the benefit of reaching a trait threshold with the coverage lost by replacing a teammate; a matching type alone does not make a stronger lineup.

Worked decisions

Three decisions to try on your next run

Original examples built from the embedded game's rules. The arithmetic isolates one effect; these are not recorded wins or complete battle simulations.

An Electric lead against Brock

Your Electric move has a 0× type factor against Brock's Ground typing. In this build, the battle engine replaces an immune attack with typeless, 50-power Struggle, so the lead can still deal fallback damage.

A healthy Grass or Water attacker instead uses a favorable 4× type factor against Rock/Ground. An Electric-specific damage boost does not boost the replacement Struggle move.

Inspect the lead's move and the battle log. Put the suitable living attacker first when you can, rather than relying on the immunity fallback.

Life Orb and Shell Bell use different numbers

For an illustrative holder with 40 maximum HP, Life Orb's 10% max-HP recoil costs 4 HP per damaging attack. Four such attacks cost 16 HP from recoil alone, before enemy damage.

Shell Bell instead restores 15% of damage dealt, limited by missing HP: a 20-damage hit restores 3 HP. That 15% and Life Orb's 10% have different bases. Life Orb also raises damage by 30%, so compare how quickly a fight ends with how much HP the next node needs.

For a worn-down lead on an attrition route, check the recoil budget before choosing the damage boost. These item values belong to this embedded version, not every Pokémon game.

Prepare for the whole Gen I Elite Four sequence

The reviewed Gen I sequence is Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, Lance, then Gary. Its between-fight transition is timed, unlike the separate Gen II preparation screen.

An opener suited only to the first opponent is not a plan for all five fights. Before starting, inspect the remaining team's moves, held items, and HP as well as the lead. Do not rely on having the Gen II reordering screen between Gen I battles.

Use the opponent information and roster you actually have. Prepare multiple answers before the sequence, rather than expecting one starter matchup to carry every fight.

Choose items and calculate the holder's HP budget

Pokelike questions before you play

Practical answers for this embedded version. Read the review notes above when comparing a guide written for another build.

Can I play Pokelike online without a download?

Yes. Press Start the run to load the embedded game. Choose the generation and mode shown in its title screen. This guide does not require an account; the embedded game may offer its own optional sign-in or save features.

Which Gen I starter is best for the first gym?

For Brock's Rock/Ground team, the reviewed default Grass move on Bulbasaur and Water move on Squirtle have a 4× type factor. Charmander's default Fire move has a 0.5× factor. Those factors favor Grass or Water for that matchup, but do not rank whole runs or guarantee a win.

Does team order really affect automatic battles?

Yes. The reviewed engine uses the first living teammate as the active Pokémon and sends the next living teammate when it faints. Check the lead's actual move, HP, and held item before the fight.

Does a dual-type Pokémon automatically choose a super-effective move?

No. The reviewed build selects its default attack type by its rules, with some species exceptions. A held Metronome can switch a dual-type Pokémon to its other type. Read the move on the card instead of assuming adaptive move selection.

Does the team fully heal after every battle?

No. Normal story progression fully heals the team when moving to the next gym map in the reviewed build. Ordinary encounters can carry HP loss forward, and Nuzlocke adds permanent losses. Plan around the recovery opportunities you can actually reach.

Why should I be careful with Life Orb?

In this embedded build it raises damage by 30% but costs 10% of the holder's maximum HP per damaging attack. A 40-max-HP holder loses 4 HP each time. Consider the next encounter as well as the current damage gain.

What if the game does not load, or my save is missing?

Reload the frame once and check whether your browser blocks embedded content or storage. A save in another browser, profile, or game origin may not appear here. Before clearing site data, inspect the game's Settings and any save or account options it provides.

Is Pokelike.cc affiliated with Nintendo or the game developer?

No. This is an independent site that embeds a fan-made game and publishes its own guide. It is not affiliated with Nintendo, Game Freak, or The Pokémon Company, and it does not claim to develop or publish the game.

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Play the embedded browser game and use this guide to improve route choices, team order, Battle Tower planning, and Elite Four preparation.

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