Around here people that didn't play the whole time I've seen have a tough time being above 33. The legendary raids get better organized and have more turnout from Discord when started by levels 36 to 40. In that sense it makes a difference. However, I have a bunch of depth I obviously don't use: dozen Rhydons above 2600, dozen Golems above 2300, dozen Vapes above 2500, 5 Tyranitars above 3050, 4 big Dragonites, 5 Gyarados above 2800. I could have started at Gen 2 and I'd functionally be close to where I am now in terms of raiding with 6 top attackers
GamePress
Comparing stats to players of similar levels
While waiting for a raid today, I was scanning through some stats of a couple guys in my raid group. I don't have their stats memorized but here's the estimate (I wasn't focusing on battles won either):
Player 1: Level 35
10,000 pokemon caught
1000 km walked
Player 2: Level 37
14,000 pokemon caught
1000 km walked
Me: Level 36
15,386 pokemon caught
2013 km walked (truthfully, most through driving/drifting)
A little background:
Player 1: played last summer, picked it up again this summer around level 25. Plays all the time now. Spends a lot on raid passes and incubators. I expect he will pass my xp within a few weeks.
Player 2: played last summer, picked up the game again in late spring around level 20. Made it to 32ish by summer. Spends a lot on raid passes and incubators. Notably, he basically went from 33-36 during the Go-Fest bonus event by grinding HARD.
Me: played consistently since last summer. I picked it up more around February and now play more than ever, but not as much as these other 2 players. I am free-to-play and my gym coins generally go towards incubators.
I guess my question is about "empty" xp. Have you noticed it as well? Does it matter? Is this all evidence that this game is play-to-win (for the record, I don't think it really is since I feel like I'm doing just fine as a free player)? Am I reading too much into all of this? I wish I knew how these players top lineups/attackers matched up with mine as I feel like that would answer a lot of my questions. Anyway, discuss!
TL;DR Does gaining xp quickly since the onset of raids vs. slowly and surely since day 1 make a difference in players lineups?
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Answers
When everyone was talking about 'stardust drought' I was speaking of the XP to Stardust ratio.
This is basically a working example of the changes in that ratio, with real life players.
A long term grinder that plays even if there is no XP/candy event, and was of a significant level before raids became a thing, will have collected far more stardust than those that play mostly during 'bonus' events, or raid.
I have said it before, a new account to level 30 will have a vastly inferior line up to the one I had at level 30...and all of this without even considering that many used to get passive stardust from gyms.
TL/DR The changes in stardust to XP ratio will create a massive difference to a players lineup at comparable levels.
None, I am quite convinced now that you had not beaten Alakazam at the time of our conversation. Btw, I double-checked that Alakazam picture you posted a while ago. Of the 4 higher cp Alakazams, two or three seem to be level 30 or below. So it is unclear whether they have in fact been powered up or whether they started their careers as high level abras you caught. Still, you do have a lot of Alakazams, there is no question to that.
Full disclosure: At this moment, I am at 41,184 pokemons caught, 3,775.2 km walked and 1,214 eggs hatched (looks as if I spent a lot less on incubators than you).
To make one thing clear: I do not consider you a troll and I appreciate that you try to help people on this forum. Most of your advice is solid and will be helpful for the less experienced. But your advice is not original and does not drive the knowledge of experienced players who access all available web-resources like this site, pokebattler, reddit etc. forward.
This is not a problem per se in my opinion. My problem with you is that you are also narrow-minded and married to your opinions. And when cornered, you resort to irrational and illegitimate means to defend these opinions (e.g. making unfounded claims re Alakazam solos or unfoundedly assuming that someone must be an egoist and not team-orientated just because he uses his brain, estimates the odds and chooses a team accordingly before entering a battle). This I don't like one bit as it might keep interested players from getting more refined and knowledgeable.
Still, there is no reason to be opponents. Just don't overestimate yourself, know your limitations and be aware that an opinion is just that: an opinion. If someone doesn't share it, it should not be considered a personal offense. And opinions should - in my opinion - not be presented as if they were irrefutable truths.
Intersting btw, I never thought you might be an old guy. Do you mind telling me how old (no offense if you do not, of course, I am just curious)?
I am intrigued.
How did you go from my numbers caught, to adjudging I could never have solo'd Alakazam?
What is the magic correlation that you have found?
I really am intrigued on how you make that leap.
Most of your advice is solid and will be helpful for the less experienced. But your advice is not original and does not drive the knowledge of experienced players who access all available web-resources like this site, pokebattler, reddit etc. forward.
I never claimed my advice is original. In most cases I even post links as a means for others to verify or inform themselves in the same way I did. You may verify that too by looking at my post history.
As for the rest...you are free to think what you like.
I have said before, I don't care whether you believe I solo'd Alakazam or not - it was only ever brought up when you asked if I had done it, because you thought if I hadn't then perhaps it meant my information on an unrelated topic would become invalidated.
Since then you have been obssessed with it, as if whether I have or not has some deep and heavy meaning.
Tbh...no one, other than you cares if I have or not - even after I posted screenies of Alakazam caught by raid pokeballs.
It was fun when we used to chat when you had your older account...why don't you post on that account anymore?
Then you are just another that for some reason has felt the need to tell me your opinion, and basically grade me on my performance on these forums.
It is weirdly something that seems to happen to me on this site in particular.
I am glad I made an impact.
As for the question of age...let's just say that I probably have socks older than you.
You should consider investing in your wardrobe then:-)
But seriously: I think I understand you better now and I feel truly sorry if I hurt your feelings. I think you are an ok guy. Really. It's just that I don't like what you do when you are on defense - I don't like to be played for a sucker. I feel you could be better than that considering that you try to encourage and help people on this forum. But you are right, ultimately it's none of my business.
What? You have now applied some kind of stereo type based on age and think you have a greater understanding of me?
I have been a gamer since Atari and Commodore64 was a thing (look it up)...so be careful what stereo types you apply.
All you know of me is that we share an interest in PoGo...let's keep it to that.
EDIT That sounded harsh, but the previous post reads as a little condescending.
I always shake my head at the high level players with under 500 km walked. I'm "only" at 1600 but haven't seen anybody in the lobby more than 50km above mine. The local level 40 is one of the two who are above me but I feel like I'll catch up and pass everybody cause all anybody does is raid nowadays
The xp:stardust ratio of raids is often referred to as a drought but that's not the problem
Pidgey 100xp (plus throw bonus) = 100 stardust
Pidgeotto 300xp (plus throw bonus) = 300 stardust
Pidgeot 500xp (plus throw bonus) = 500 stardust
Legendary raid 10,000 xp = 100 stardust
I've played consistently since the summer when the game came out. I'm level 37 and my walk stat is 3171 Km, caught 23,706 . Although drift accounts for a small portion of that, there are also times when the game doesn't credit me for distance I do walk. So, I think I have really walked three thousand Km while playing the game.
Although, I play for dust rather than XP, the legendary raids are fun, and I've been getting empty XP that way, but I don't evolve anything unless the result might be a mon I can use, and the raids have only been a thing since I was level 35.
Anyway, I can come up with a good squad to oppose any raid boss, that are type effective, high DPS, and at least level 30 mon. I almost always get a personal damage bonus, and will hold my own, if the raid is a little short-handed.
I think someone who got to my level by mass evolving pidgies wont be able to make the same claims.
Stardust has always been more important than XP because I was trying to take down level 10 gyms, and needed the buffed up pokemon. I wanted more stardust per level that I gained, so I quit taking the time to evolve the commons (I have 18000 pidgey candy). Even the not so common I didn't evolve unless it meant adding t my pokedex, or if it had 90%+ IVs. I also hatch hundreds of eggs to get the best fighters. So, to me having a great fighting team is more important than leveling, although I am a 39 now. To each their own, and it's whatever helps you enjoy the game the most.
Consistent playing may have granted you with a complete pokedex of good IV mons. In your example you can tell who is a veteran player just looking at the walked distance.
In top tier pokemon, they may have better candidates of the mons in raids, whereas you may stand out in good specific counters that aren't raid available.
In my personal case, playing raids, I noted myself having a better group of powered top tier counters than most people. I have walked nearly 2000km more than most people. Have a complete pokedex (excluding some regionals) of +87% IV (most species are +91%). This is what walking everywhere and being a consistent player grants you. Like you I don't spend much time playing (play in my way from home to work and from work to home). I don't do many raids, specially with the beasts (2-3 raids for each in total) and I 'm free to play. Don't worry about people getting easy XP. XP never was very useful in PoGo, nor an indicator of your skill as a player.
I'm actually a bit annoyed at how much XP the raids give since I'm that player that is trying to stock up on TMs and Rare candy and is always grinding for dust but doesn't really want to hit the level cap any time soon. Granted, I'm not quite level 38 yet and those last couple levels probably require about as much XP as the previous 5, but it's nice to have that progress bar for as long as possible. Hoping Niantic increases the player level cap at some point, even if the mons never get any stronger.
That's what happens when you can get 10,000XP per $1.
What are their other stats? How well are they in the other portion of the game? Gyms. It shows you battles won but I wish it showed how many hours defended?
What are everyone's numbers? Do any of your local players that only Raid know who are the ones giving them Bonus Balls by maintaining the gyms?
Level 36
16,295 Caught
1,392.8 km walked
5,206 Battles Won
Who cares? By the time you hit level 37 you aren't even half way to level 40. The difference between Level 37 and 40 is the more than ENTIRE history of the level 37 player's career.
There are people who have made it to level 40 without ever choosing a team. Which mean's they've never battled in a gym. Does that make them a better player than someone else? No, they just played the game differently. I have no idea where this self righteous one-upmanship comes from but it's pretty stupid.
