Classic mode by default is the only mode available in PokéRogue other than Daily Run. When you start a new game you are taken to a starter select screen where you may choose any owned starters you have for use.
The maximum combined Starter Cost you can bring is 10.
There are also level caps for your Pokémon in Classic Mode. For every 10 waves completed, the level cap increases. You can bypass the level cap only by using Rare Candies.
All level caps
| Waves 0-10: Level 10 | Waves 51-60: Level 48 | Waves 101-110: Level 94 | Waves 151-160: Level 150 |
| Waves 11-20: Level 16 | Waves 61-70: Level 56 | Waves 111-120: Level 104 | Waves 161-170: Level 162 |
| Waves 21-30: Level 24 | Waves 71-80: Level 64 | Waves 121-130: Level 114 | Waves 171-180: Level 174 |
| Waves 31-40: Level 32 | Waves 81-90: Level 74 | Waves 131-140: Level 126 | Wave 181-190: Level 188 |
| Waves 41-50: Level 38 | Waves 91-100: Level 84 | Waves 141-150: Level 138 | Waves 191-200: Level 200 |
Classic Mode Biomes
Every 10 waves the biome will change following this chart.
Whenever the biome changes, all of your Pokémon will be returned to their Poké Balls and be healed. This also removes any stat changes.
Having a map allows you to choose which biome you go to next from the connected biomes. If you find a map in Town, you get the choice between Plains, Metropolis, and Lake.
The % chances on the biome chart are the chances of the biome appearing as a route your player can take. If you have the map item, you have that % chance of being able to select that biome.
Classic Mode Standard Trainers and Gym Leaders
Standard Pokémon Trainers will challenge you during your run, appearing randomly after you leave the Town biome, as well as a guaranteed fight on wave 5 against a Youngster.
There’s a 50% chance of a run having its first gym leader battle on wave 20, and an equal chance of it happening on wave 30. After that, gym leaders are at predetermined waves, spawning every 30 waves after your first gym battle.
For info on which gym leaders spawn in which biomes, and a glimpse at what Pokémon they might have on their team, visit the biomes page and look for the biome you’re in, or you can navigate to this page for a full list.
Classic Mode Evil Teams
Evil Teams will accost you during your run. Your first encounter with the Team Grunts will be on wave 35, they will then appear on waves 62, 64, 66, 112, and 114, you will then be challenged by the leader of the Evil Team on waves 115 and 165.
The Elite Four and Champion
The Elite Four and Champion will always be from the same region. You will face off against the Elite Four on waves 182, 184, 186, and 188 before fighting the champion on wave 190.
Rival Fights
Your Rival will challenge you at the same waves of every classic run. Those waves are: 8, 25, 55, 95, 145, and 195.
On the first and second rival encounter, after defeating them you will be given an EXP Share.
Your Rival will randomly pick a starter from the mainline games. In the first fight, it’ll be stage 1. It will evolve with every subsequent fight until it reaches its full evolution. From fight 4+, it will always be terastallized. Regional variants of starters cannot be used by the Rival.
Your Rival will also randomly pick 1 bird from Pidgey, Hoothoot, Taillow, Starly, Pidove, Fletchling, Pikipek, Rookidee, and Wattrel. If it’s a 3 stage evolution, it’ll evolve at the 2nd and 3rd fight. If it’s a 2 stage evolution, it will only evolve at the 3rd fight.
The 3rd Pokémon will be a single stage evolution with at least 450 BST that isn’t a legendary, mythical, Eternal Floette, or Bloodmoon Ursaluna.
The 4th and 5th Pokémon will be fully evolved 540+ BST multi-stage evolutions that don’t overlap in typings.
The 6th and last Pokémon will be a Rare Shiny Rayquaza that will be Mega Evolved on the last fight.
Your Rival will gain 1 Pokémon per encounter you have with them.
Boss Pokémon
Every 10 waves, if you do not fight a gym leader, a Boss Pokémon will spawn. These Pokémon have shields on their health that make it harder to make them faint. You cannot catch a Boss Pokémon until their health bar is in the last segment.
End Biome
Waves 191-200 will take place in the End Biome. In this biome, Paradox Pokémon will spawn every wave. If you have hatched the Paradox Pokémon you’re fighting before, you can throw Poké Balls to try and catch a second one. Otherwise, Pokémon in the End Biome are uncatchable.
Final Boss
On wave 200, you will face off against the final boss of classic mode: Eternatus. Their moveset is Eternabeam, Sludge Bomb, Flamethrower, and Cosmic Power.
After Eternatus gets down to their last shield (their HP cannot not be further lowered), they will transform into Eternamax Eternatus, restore their health and shields, gain an additional shield and obtain a Mini Black Hole. Status conditions and existing effects such as from Leech Seed are removed and one of their stats will be sharply raised. However, any stat changes from the first phase will be carried over.
After they Eternamax, the battle transitions into a double battle and Eternamax Eternatus’ moveset changes to: Dynamax Cannon, Sludge Bomb, Flamethrower, and Recover. This Recover is set to only have 1 max PP as opposed to the base 5 it typically has, but can still be restored via Leppa Berry.
Once you meet the requirements to unlock Eternatus, you may catch them if they are on their last shield.
If your Pokémon is over level 200, Eternatus’ Dynamax Cannon will deal more damage, scaling with how far over the level cap your Pokémon is. Like in the games, Encore fails against Dynamax Cannon.
| % Over Level Cap | Level Range | Base Power |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | ≤200 | 100 (Default) |
| 1% | 201-202 | 120 |
| 2% | 203-204 | 140 |
| 3% | 205-206 | 160 |
| 4% | 207-208 | 180 |
| 5%+ | 209+ | 200 |
Rewards for Winning
Upon winning Classic Mode, you will earn a Ribbon and an Egg Voucher Plus for each of the starters of the Pokémon in your party only once. If you have a DNA Spliced Pokémon, only the Primary (1st) in the fusion will receive a Ribbon and Egg Voucher Plus.
You will get both the Ribbons and Egg Vouchers for the Pokémon and its previous evolutions if there are multiple starters in that line. You will not receive additional Ribbons or Egg Vouchers for any other final evolution from that starter if it was not on your winning team.
Examples:
1) Winning with an Azumarill will give you Ribbons and Egg Vouchers for both the Marill and Azurill starters.
2) Winning with a Hitmonlee with give you Ribbons and Egg Vouchers for both the Hitmonlee and Tyrogue starters, but not Hitmonchan.
