A regular Nuzlocke already makes every faint permanent. A Hardcore Nuzlocke also removes the safety nets that let you out-level and out-heal the game. You face every boss at a fair level, without healing items during the fight and without a free switch after each knockout.
There is no single official Hardcore ruleset. The version below is the one most challenge runners use, and it is exactly what the level caps on PokéRuns are designed for.
The Hardcore rules at a glance
| Rule | Standard Nuzlocke | Hardcore Nuzlocke |
|---|---|---|
| Fainted Pokémon | Gone | Gone |
| Encounters | First per area | First per area |
| Level | Anything goes | Level cap before every boss |
| Items in battle | Allowed | Not allowed (held items are fine) |
| Battle style | Shift or Set | Set |
| Blackout | Run over | Run over |
Rule 1: Level caps
Before each major battle, no Pokémon in your party may be above the level cap. The cap is the level of the opponent’s highest-level Pokémon — usually their ace.
If Roark’s strongest Pokémon in Platinum is a level 14 Cranidos, your team must be level 14 or lower when you challenge him. After the badge, the cap rises to the next milestone.
Which battles set a cap?
Gym leaders, the Elite Four and the Champion always do. Many players also count rival battles and villain team bosses, because they are often harder than the gym before them. The PokéRuns game guides list every milestone in story order and mark optional battles, so you can decide which ones you respect.
What if a Pokémon goes over the cap?
It happens — a Rare Candy, a last-hit on a route trainer, a shared Exp. Share. The common solution: a Pokémon above the cap may not join the next capped battle. Box it until the cap catches up, or keep it out of the party for that fight.
Exp. Share in newer games
Level caps are much harder when every party member gains experience.
- X & Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Sun & Moon and Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon have an Exp. Share key item that can be switched off. Most Hardcore players turn it off.
- Let’s Go, Sword & Shield, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl and Scarlet & Violet share experience with the whole party and do not let you turn it off. Rotate Pokémon through the party, keep the ones at the cap in the box and plan your route trainers carefully.
Rule 2: No items in battle
You may not use items from the bag during a battle — no Potions, no Full Restores, no X Items. Held items still work, including Berries, and you can heal as much as you like between battles and at Pokémon Centers.
This one rule turns long boss fights into puzzles: you win with switches, typing and move choice, not by out-healing the opponent.
Rule 3: Set battle style
Change Battle Style to Set in the options menu. The game will no longer offer a free switch after you knock out an opponent’s Pokémon, so you cannot see what comes next and swap in a safe counter. Where a game has no Set option, simply don’t switch after a knockout.
Rules people often add
- Dupes clause and shiny clause — kept from the standard ruleset.
- No legendaries in the party, or at least not before the final battles.
- No Pokémon Center in the middle of a dungeon or during a gauntlet.
- Limit specific moves or items that trivialise a game — a common example is allowing only one sleeping opponent Pokémon at a time.
Whatever you add, decide before the run starts and keep it consistent.
How to prepare for a capped boss
- Know the team. Every PokéRuns game guide shows each boss’s party with levels and, where known, their moves.
- Bring several answers. At a fair level, one Pokémon rarely beats a whole team. Have two or three Pokémon that can handle the ace.
- Use the whole cap. A team at exactly the cap is much stronger than one five levels below it. Train everyone up before the fight.
- Plan the ace. The last Pokémon is usually the strongest. Save a healthy counter for it rather than spending it early.
- Mind the order of optional fights. In games with an open order, such as Scarlet & Violet, choose a route whose caps suit your team.
Level caps for every game
The level caps overview lists the first and final cap of all 22 game guides. Each guide has the full table in story order, with every boss team — from Red & Blue to Legends: Z-A, including the Challenge Mode of Black 2 & White 2.
The Nuzlocke tracker and the SoulLink tracker apply these caps automatically: choose the next opponent and your team is checked against its cap.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Hardcore Nuzlocke harder than a Soul Link?
They are hard in different ways. Hardcore limits your level and healing. A Soul Link limits your team choices and doubles your losses. Many players combine both — the SoulLink tracker has a Hardcore SoulLink preset.
Are Rare Candies allowed?
Yes, as long as nobody exceeds the cap. Many players even use them to reach the cap faster.
Do rival battles have caps?
That’s up to you. Classic Hardcore rules only cap gym leaders, the Elite Four and the Champion; many runners also cap rivals and team bosses.
