Progression · 3 min read
Choosing a Difficulty in PokéBonk
Updated
TL;DR · Start on Normal. Move to Hard once you can clear a region comfortably: it pays ×1.75 Stardust. Nightmare (×2.5) adds a third Totem and exploding elites.
Difficulty comparison
| Difficulty | Stardust | Enemy scaling | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | ×1 | baseline | In zone 1 an Alpha hit takes at most 15% of your HP (Patch #4). |
| Hard | ×1.75 | +70% | More and faster enemies, more elites, bigger and earlier swarms; +12% enemy damage from zone 2 (Patch #3–4). |
| Nightmare | ×2.5 | +160% | Everything from Hard plus a third Totem and elites that explode on death; +25% enemy damage from zone 2. |
Time Attack medals
Season 2 recalibrated Normal medal times: Silver 24:00, Gold 18:00, Champion 13:30. Global Time Attack sums your fastest win in each region, on any difficulty; regions won count first, then total time.
When to step up
- You beat the region guardian with HP to spare.
- You have bought core Lab upgrades (damage, HP, a vitamin slot).
- You understand at least one reaction combo your partner can trigger.
Frequently asked questions
What difficulty should a beginner choose?
Normal. Hard and Nightmare raise enemy numbers, speed and damage substantially.
Does Nightmare give more Stardust?
Yes — it was shown as ×2.5 Stardust versus ×1 on Normal.
Related guides
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