Leveling up to make characters more powerful isn't just a staple of Pokémon games, it's pretty standard for any mobile games with even the slightest RPG leanings. Pokémon Masters is no exception in that regard, but instead of training only your Pokémon, you're training Sync Pairs: duos of specially bonded Pokémon and trainers. The good news is that since a Sync Pair is for all intents and purposes a single character, there isn't anything tricky about the leveling process.
However, there are some ways for your favorite Sync Pairs to "get good" that are faster than others, so let's demystify leveling up on Pasio and find out exactly what those are.
Do you need any special items to level up Sync Pairs?
Actually, you don't. One of the more pleasant aspects of Pokémon Masters is that Sync Pairs gain XP with every battle fought, so they will level up just through using them more often. There's also no energy system to limit how often you play specific levels, so it's possible to grind out levels just by repeatedly playing the same battles you already know you can beat. The 'Auto' button is a great help here, as you can simply tap it to let the AI take control of your team and you won't even have to play battles yourself while you farm XP actively.
That said, the amount of XP you earn during battles is relatively low, making the leveling process for your Sync Pairs slow if you're only depending on grinding. To speed things up, you really need to get your hands on some Level-Up Manuals.
What are Level-Up Manuals, and how do you use them?
Level-Up Manuals are the in-game items in Pokémon Masters that instantly add XP to any Sync Pair, allowing them to level up (that's some truth in naming for you) faster -- even instantly, in many cases. One assumes your trainer just reads the Manual, and it imparts some amazing wisdom about how to function better as a team with their Pokémon.
To use Level-Up Manuals, simply tap the 'Team' icon at the bottom of the main game screen, which will bring up a screen that looks like this:
Tap the 'Level Up' option, and you'll move on to a screen that shows all of the Sync Pairs on your roster. Tapping on any Sync Pair will show you their current stats and how many XP they need to reach the next level. You'll also see the number of Level-Up Manuals you have in stock -- they come in 1- to 3-star varieties, with more stars granting more XP.
Just use the plus and minus buttons to add the number of Manuals you want to use, tap the 'OK' button at the bottom of the screen and voila: Your Sync Pair is now stronger.
Where can you find Level-Up Manuals?
Not at Pokémon-themed bookstores, even if that's a good guess for this franchise. Level-Up Manuals can be obtained in several different ways, so we'll go through them from most to least obvious.
- You can buy Manuals for coins in the Item Exchange; just tap the 'Shop' icon on the main screen, then 'Exchange Items' and you can put those coins to good use in the shop, though there's a monthly limit on coin purchases.
- In the Training Area, it's possible to grind Level-Up Manuals from the Level-Up Course -- and as a bonus, the Sync Pairs you use to fight battles while grinding will also earn XP and maybe a few levels along the way.
- Some Missions also give Level-Up Manuals as rewards, in both the General and Daily sections, so be sure to check in on your Poryphone to see what Missions are available.
- Finally, you can win Level-Up Manuals in Pokémon battles, you just don't want to rely on this method since it's the least certain.
What happens when my Sync Pairs hit their level cap?
Yep, as fun as it is to level up Sync Pairs and watch them grow ever more powerful, there comes a time when you simply can't teach them anything else no matter how much mandatory Level-Up Manual reading time you assign them. Once they've hit their level cap, that's it.
The level caps are set initially like this:
- 3-star Sync Pairs: Level 30
- 4-star Sync Pairs: Level 35
- 5-star Sync Pairs: Level 40
As you play through the Main Story mode in Pokémon Masters, you'll uncover the 'Unlock Level Cap' option in the Team menu. From there you can choose any Sync Pair on your team and see what you need to raise that cap a little higher. Specifically, you'll need items called Buff Blends, which you'll start earning in battle from the very beginning of the game.
If you have the required type and number of Buff Blends, you'll see an 'Unlock' button at the bottom of that Sync Pair's profile. Just tap it and confirm your choice and you're all set.
So what's the fastest way to level up Sync Pairs overall?
Almost everything you do in Pokémon Masters is working toward leveling up your Sync Pairs, so there's really no need to keep it front of mind unless you've hit a point where even your most powerful Pairs just aren't cutting it. There are also other ways to make your Sync Pairs more formidable in battle, particularly evolving Pokémon and teaching your Pairs new moves.
Still, there's a faster method for leveling, so let's review:
- Play the Level-Up Course to grind out Level-Up Manuals.
- If you still need more, buy Manuals in the Item Exchange with coins.
- Complete, then turn in Missions that award Level-Up Manuals.
- Once a Sync Pair is maxed out, use Buff Blends to raise the level cap.
Got more questions about leveling up Sync Pairs?
We're happy to help! Just drop any leveling queries in the comments section, and we'll assist you in making all your Sync Pairs as powerful as possible.
Get more Pokémon Masters
