2026-10-23 · Einoow

Kanto Tactics beginner's guide: shop, gold, stars and synergies

Everything you need for your first campaign: how the shop works, when to spend and when to save, how your Pokémon gain stars and what types do.

Kanto Tactics is an autobattler: you build the team and the Pokémon fight on their own. Your job happens between battles, in the shop and on the board. This guide covers the basics for your first campaign.

First round of Kanto Tactics with Squirtle on the board and five Pokémon in the shop — The first round: one Pokémon on the field, 5 gold and the shop below.

1. The shop

Every round the shop offers 5 Pokémon. They cost 1 to 5 gold: the pricier, the stronger. What you buy goes to the bench (the bottom row) and from there you drag it onto the board. If you do not like the offer, Refresh rolls 5 new ones for 2 gold. The lock keeps the shop for the next round.

The Kanto Tactics shop: level, buy experience, refresh and five cards with their price

2. Gold: spend or save

You earn gold every round, and more if you win the battle. On top of that, saved gold earns interest: +1 for every 10 you hold, up to +5. That is why spending everything every round is a mistake: with 50 saved you collect 5 extra every round for free.

The starting rule: save until you have a cushion, and spend big when a tough opponent comes up or when you are losing health.

3. Level: how many Pokémon fit

Your level is how many Pokémon you can have on the board: two at level 2, eight at level 8. You level up on your own, little by little, or by buying experience (Buy XP, 4 gold). More Pokémon on the field almost always beats fewer, better ones.

4. Stars and evolutions

Three copies of the same Pokémon merge on their own into a 2-star version, much stronger. Three 2-stars make a 3-star. Many evolve when they gain stars: three Psyduck become a Golduck. That is why buying copies beats buying one of each.

5. Types and synergies

Every Pokémon has one or two types. With several of the same type on the board, their synergy turns on: the column on the left shows how many you have and how many you need for the next level. For example, Water gives extra energy on every attack: +6 with 2, +22 with 4 and +26 with 6. Tap a type to see what it does.

Kanto Tactics synergy panel with the Water type details open

6. Placing your team

Tough Pokémon in front (Geodude, Onix, Machop) and the ones that hit from range or break easily behind (Abra, Staryu). If an opponent keeps beating you on one side, move your toughest Pokémon there.

7. Items

After some battles you earn items. The basic ones (HP Up, Protein, Calcium, Carbos, Iron and Zinc) boost one stat, and two of them combine into a full item: two HP Up make Leftovers. Give them to your main Pokémon instead of spreading them out.

A Kanto Tactics battle against a Team Rocket grunt

8. The campaign

The campaign takes you through Kanto's eight Gyms, the Elite Four and the Champion. You choose some of the gyms and their order. Every loss costs health, and at zero the run is over.

The hardest stops, according to the data: Marowak's Ghost in the Pokémon Tower (only won 17% of the time), Giovanni (19%), Sabrina (37%) and Koga (43%). Reach them with gold saved and your team at 2 stars.

Now go play

The rest you learn by playing. Play Kanto Tactics for free in your browser, on PC or mobile.