Your first run: hit the threats before they escape
Start with Story for a supplied team or Classic for your collection. Inspect the next wave before spending run money.
A ₽700 opening you can actually buy
Spend ₽400 of ₽700; keep ₽300 before choosing a third unit.
Opening purchase: ₽400 / ₽700 · Remaining: ₽300
| Pokémon | Cost | Role and tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
 Charmander | ₽200 | Fire coverage; cannot reveal hidden Ghosts. |
 Squirtle | ₽200 | A different attack type; legal Water-line placement. |
 Gastly | ₽300 | Optional next purchase for Ghost revelation; spends the reserve. |
Try it in this order
- Choose Route 1 in Classic and select the supplied opening lines.
- Place Charmander and Squirtle near bends, inspect Next Wave, then start.
- Pause to inspect a leak. Add Gastly for hidden Ghosts or save for the needed evolution.
These are legal budget examples based on mechanics, not a tested clear. Gastly cannot damage Normal targets with its default Ghost attack.
Choose the right mode
Open the original PokéDefense game, then choose Story for a chapter-specific team or Classic for a lineup from your collection. The starting collection contains six lines; hatches expand your choices. Classic allows up to 12 lines, but each placement still costs run money. To learn the controls, begin with Kanto's First Steps: it supplies ₽600 and 100 lives across 12 waves. Those numbers belong to this chapter, not every map or mode.
Buy coverage before duplicates
Look at the route and Next Wave preview before pressing Start. Place an attacker where several sections of path fall inside its range, then check its attack type against the coming enemies. Electric attacks cannot hit Ground targets; adding another Electric attacker leaves that gap. Reserve money for an evolution or another damage type. Use the matchup checker and map records to identify an actual weakness, then choose a purchase that solves it.
Separate your three currencies
The ₽ shown during a run buys placements, evolutions and signature moves. Poké Coins persist between runs and buy eggs or held items. Candy mainly comes from duplicate hatches and upgrades items. Spending one does not spend the others. The original game saves after each wave, while this guide's saved planner inputs remain separate. Once your opening works, inspect your starter's full evolution cost and choose the next upgrade that fits your remaining run budget.