>>29687255As for my idea on this:
Normal:
>Gen VI-tier difficulty, AI, teams, etc>Gen V EXP scaling, except there's no exp reduction for defeating lower leveled monsHard:
>Smarter AI, better teams and more pokemon per team>Gen V EXP scaling with a harsher exp reduction for defeating lower leveled mons>Catching pokemon doesn't yield exp>Switching pokemon splits up the EXP instead of giving 100% to pokemon usedChallenger:
Same as Hard but with Battle facility-tier AI, much better teams
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EXP Share is given early on in all difficulty modes. In normal, it works as it does in Gen VI. In Hard and Challenger, it's still a key item but it splits EXP into portions, and gives the bigger portions to the underleveled pokemon in your party.
I think since most casuals play normal, they won't choose an "Easy" option when they see one, so it makes sense for the difficulty that GF wants the average player to playthrough would be named "Normal".
Also, all difficulty levels are interchangeable any time outside of battle. I like your idea with the whole "mark" thing, so it should of course, opt you out of receiving it as soon as you use a lower difficulty level. But I don't think it should make you unable to go back to a higher difficulty.
I mainly want to remove tedium as much as I'd want to feel like I'm being challenged, so I think all of the modes should be playable without having to grind, and instead use strategy by making use of what you have and what you're able to find. I'd want the player to feel more encouraged to look for new options and strategies than to mindlessly grind. That's why I like Gen V's EXP scaling, it takes out a lot of the tedium while simultaneously trying to keep you from being too overleveled. Glad it's back in SM.
