Fighting is a key feature of Pokémon, not just story-wise, competitive fighting is a big deal nowadays. Many different aspects can be adjusted for different strategies. Move-sets, EVs/IVs and, of course, retained items.
Each Pokémon can contain an item to use in battle. Over the years, more and more items have been added to further diversify your options. No matter your strategy or fighting style, you can find plenty to make it more effective.
I will provide the top 10 best kept items in Pokemon Sword & Shield. Using this list, you’ll be able to find an item for each of your favorite Pokémon, as well as some items to keep your character.
10. Terrain Extender
Terrain created through abilities (such as tyrannite summoning a sandstorm) usually last 5 turns. With this item held, the terrain will last 8 turns.
Very useful for strategies involving hippowdon also. While weather/terrain related strategies aren’t that great competitively, you should definitely keep this item in mind if you intend to use one on your team.
Found in route 8or in the battle tower.
9. Type boosters
For every type that exists in the game, there is an item held that increases the power of attacks by 20%. to find them, save on the side markets is the most likely place.
In general, you’ll want to equip your Pokémon with a buff of the same type, if you don’t have a better item for them. It’s more damage, you can’t go wrong!
8. Amulet Coin
(Spoilers ahead if you haven’t completed the story)
After finishing the story, you will be able to do the championship battles again. Equipping an amulet coin will double your earnings per battle, awarding an incredible amount of money for such a short time commitment.
7. Berries
Berries have all kinds of uses. There are dozens of them, all of which are consumed once to provide a nice little bonus. Some provide a stat boost, some restore health or even PP. It really depends on you, there is a list in Serebii which shows you what each berry decides.
Ideally, healing or health restoring berries are best. Watch out for berry trees throughout the Galar region!
6. Power Items
There are power items to increase the EV of equipped Pokémon. If you don’t know, EVs are hidden values, the higher your Pokemon’s EVs, the more the stats will grow when it levels up.
There are 4 power items available, one each for Attack, Attack Sp, Defense and Defense Sp. Such training boosts are crucial for competitive battles, you really need your best Poké to have the highest stats they can get.
However, while equipped, the speed stat is reduced.
You can find them in the BP store at hammerlocke.
5. Expert Belt
An expert belt increases the power of super effective attacks by 20%.
This held item is absolutely insane on a Hitmonchan that knows Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, and Fighting Move. It is also found from the first gym in Sword & Shield, in Turffield. Be careful though, getting a Hitmonchan with an Expert Belt so soon means the game is ridiculously easy.
4. Lucky Egg
Only obtainable at Hulbury after completing the main story. Visit the seafood restaurant and talk to the chef.
Any Pokémon that has this item will receive 50% more experience from all sources.
Acquiring a wide variety of battle-ready Pokémon can take a while. All capture/breeding, training, etc. it takes time. With the Lucky Egg, you can have your Pokémon level up and ready for battle in no time.
3. Life Orb
A staple of the competitive Pokémon community since its introduction in the Diamond/Pearl/Platinum games, the Life Orb is a great store item. Opportunity to be given by the ball boy after winning the championship again or find it in the Battle Tower store.
All attacks deal 30% more damage with this item, at a high cost of 10% of the attacking Pokémon’s max HP. Competitively, it’s a good price to pay, even the smallest margins can win a battle, so a 30% damage increase is pretty good.
2. Focus band
Quite simply, Focus Band leaves your Pokémon with 1 HP if they were otherwise taken out in one hit.
It is primarily used to confirm the location of entry hazards, such as toxic spikes Y stealth rock.
Another item found at Stow-on-Side Markets.
1. Leftovers
Gradually restoring HP each round (1/16 of the possessor’s maximum HP), Leftovers are considered the most useful held item in the game. Regardless of the battle situation, restoring health is always amazing. Status effects like being burned or poisoned have their effectiveness significantly reduced!
A quick and easy way to get leftovers is the giant’s seat location in the wild area.