Pokemons first DLC The Isle of Armor introduced a lot of new mechanics to Pokemon Sword & Shield, many of which bringing with them positive changes. The Isle of Armor has also refreshed the game for many players, making them want to play Pokemon again. Out of everything added, five things stand out as the best new features that The Isle of Armor brings to the table.
1. Max Soup
The best new feature in The Isle of Armor is without a doubt the Max Soup. This item allows you to unlock the Gigantamax form on any Pokemon that has access to one. This means you no longer have to catch Gigantamax Pokemon in raid dens. You can now turn any Pokemon you have bred, a Pokemon with a unique mark, or a shiny you have captured into a Gigantamax one.
It can be time consuming to gather Max Mushrooms for Max Soup though, and rightfully so, as its effects are permanent. If you want to know how to farm Max Mushrooms, check out my guide!
2. New Moves
Next we have the 18 new moves introduced in The Isle of Armor. You can only obtain these moves through the Move Tutor inside the Dojo, so you must have the DLC to get them.
One of the best things about these new moves is how dynamic they are, giving rise to new team possibilities and changing up the meta for Pokemon.
Several of the Move Tutor moves work in complex ways to synergize better with specific Pokemon. For example, the new ghost move Poltergeist deals a massive 110 damage to an opponent if they are holding an item, in a meta where every Pokemon has an item.
3. EV cleaner
Previously, the only way to clear Pokemon EVs was through berries. These berries can take a long time to gather, and only reduce the specified stat by 10 points. This could be quite a hassle when trying to reset the EVs on a Pokemon with 100-225 points in a stat.
However, in The Isle of Armor there is a new NPC who will erase all of a Pokemon’s EVs. This service will cost you 10 Armorite Ore though, so make sure you really want to reset the Pokemon’s EVs.
This helpful NPC can be found on a small island in the Workout Sea.
4. Cram-o-matic
The Cram-o-matic within the Dojo gives Players a lot of options when trying to get items. By combining specific items, players can get things for competitive play, such as a Flame Orb or Life Orb. This is helpful because then players do not have to waste their hard earned Battle Points to obtain these items.
It can also provide items not used in competitive, such as Apricorn Pokeballs. The Cram-o-matic can also be a useful money maker, as it allows you to turn Nuggets into Big Nuggets, Pearls into Big Pearls, and so on. Effectively, you can make the minor money-making items into the big ones.
5. Improved Wild Area
The Wild Area on The Isle of Armor is better than the one in the base Pokemon Sword & Shield. In the base game, the Wild Area is basically one large plain with hills and lakes. But the Wild Area on The Isle of Armor has a lot more character and feels much better.
There are winding caves, looping forest, a vast sea, and mini islands, giving players a lot to explore. Even though The Isle of Armor is small, it feels large because of the environment.
Game Freak also did a great job of giving the Pokemon that spawn there some character. For example, whenever you go through the seas, angry Sharpedos will hunt you down.
All these special features, quality-of-life improvements, and little extra touches make The Isle of Armor so much fun. I have high expectations for the upcoming Crown Tundra DLC and its Wild Area, which should be even more impressive.
