PokéSurvivor Beginner Guide: How to Play, Tips and Run Timeline
PokéSurvivor is a free Pokémon survivors-like in your browser: pick a partner from 966 Pokémon, your moves fire on their own, and you dodge hordes for 30 minutes until Arceus arrives. Play free →
Controls
- PC: move with WASD or arrows · switch moves with 1–4 or Q/E · pause with Esc.
- Phone / tablet (landscape): drag anywhere to move, tap a move to switch, top-right button to pause.
Run timeline
The map cycles through 3 biomes (Shady Forest, Crystal Cave, Ash Volcano), changing every 4 minutes.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0:00 | Run starts with your starting move (2 moves with the Repertoire upgrade). |
| 1:15 | Rifts can start opening. |
| 2:00 | Weather can start. |
| 3:00 | Boss 1: 1,400 HP, 34 damage per hit. |
| 6:00 | Boss 2: 3,200 HP, 42 damage per hit. |
| 9:00 | Boss 3: 5,600 HP, 48 damage per hit. |
| 12:00 | Boss 4: 9,000 HP, 56 damage per hit. |
| 15:00 | Boss 5: 16,000 HP, 68 damage per hit. |
| 28:00 | No more rifts. |
| 30:00 | The Judgment of Arceus begins. |
Level-up stat cards
Each level you pick one of three cards: a new move, an upgrade for a move you have, or one of these stats. Some stats are also the condition for evolving a move.
| Card | Effect | Max picks |
|---|---|---|
| Vigor | +20 max HP (and heals it). | ∞ |
| Power | +10% damage with every move. | 40 |
| Sprint | +7% movement speed. | 8 |
| Reflexes | -8% cooldown on every move. | 10 |
| Armor | +6% damage reduction. | 12 |
| Synthesis | +0.9 HP regenerated per second. | ∞ |
| Magnet | +30% experience pickup radius. | 6 |
| Learning | +12% experience gained. | 8 |
| Sitrus Berry | Restores 45% of your HP right now. | ∞ |
Weather
From minute 2, every 60 s there is a 18% chance of weather, which lasts about a minute and affects you and the enemies alike.
| Weather | Damage changes | Side effect |
|---|---|---|
| Harsh sunlight | Fire ×1.5 Water ×0.5 | — |
| Rain | Water ×1.5 Electric ×1.2 Fire ×0.5 | — |
| Sandstorm | Rock ×1.3 Ground ×1.3 Steel ×1.3 | Chip damage to everyone except Rock/Ground/Steel types |
| Snowfall | Ice ×1.5 | Chip damage to everyone except Ice types, and slows them |
| Fog | Ghost ×1.3 Fairy ×1.3 Psychic ×1.3 | — |
Rifts and the Judgment of Arceus
Rifts are portals to 18 legendary arenas, one per type. Win and you get tickets, coins and a bond that fuses your moves. At minute 30, Arceus descends: it cannot be hurt and chases you while ever-stronger legendaries join every 5 seconds. Rifts →
Tips to survive longer
- Move in wide circles so the horde follows you in a line.
- Switch to the move that is super effective against what is in front of you.
- Circles and lines filling up on the ground are attacks about to land: step out.
- Kill healers and shield-casters first.
- Enter rifts: bonds are the only way to fire several moves at once.
- Spend coins on permanent upgrades for your main partner; they only apply to that Pokémon.
Frequently asked questions
Is PokéSurvivor free?
Yes. It is a free, non-profit fan game with no ads or purchases, playable in the browser on PC and mobile.
Can I play PokéSurvivor with friends?
Yes: online co-op for up to 4 players. Experience is shared, and you can revive a fallen teammate by standing next to them.
How long is a run?
A normal run lasts 30 minutes; then the Judgment of Arceus starts and the goal is to survive as long as possible. Leaderboards count time survived.
Is my progress saved?
With an account (name and password, or Google) your progress is saved in the cloud. Guest progress is not saved.
Game data from PokéSurvivor · Last updated