Battle Factory Rentals and Swaps Explained

In the Battle Factory you never use your own Pokémon. Each round you pick three rentals from six, and after each win you can trade one of them for one of your opponent’s. How the game chooses those rentals, and how swapping feeds into that, decides how strong your team can get. Everything below is taken from the game’s code.

For Noland and general Factory strategy, see the Battle Factory guide.

How the rental pool grows with your streak

Every rental is a fixed set: a species with a set moveset, nature, held item and EV spread. The sets are grouped by strength, and the round you’re on decides which group you draw from.

Level 50

Round	Rental pool
1	Weakest group (mostly unevolved and early Pokémon)
2–3	Middle group, first and second moveset variants
4–7	Strongest group, a different moveset variant each round
8 onwards	The whole strongest group, now including legendaries, Dragonite and Tyranitar

Open Level

Round	Rental pool
1–4	Strongest group, a different moveset variant each round
5 onwards	The whole strongest group, including legendaries, Dragonite and Tyranitar

Your opponents draw from the same pools, so the battles get harder at the same rate as your rentals get better.

IVs go up every round

Every stat on a rental has the same IV, and it rises with your streak:

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7+
Rental IVs	3	6	9	12	15	21	31

There’s one exception: because of a bug, the rentals offered at the start of round 9 read past the end of this table and get random IVs instead of 31. The same happens to any stronger next-round rentals offered at the start of round 8 (see below). Those rentals can be noticeably weaker than they look.

How the six rentals are chosen

At the start of every round you’re offered six rentals:

• No two of the six hold the same item, so you never have to choose between two Pokémon over an item clash.
• You can check each one before you pick. Choose “Summary” to see its moves, held item, nature and stats.
• Some of the six can come from the next round’s pool. This is where your swap count comes in.

Your rental count unlocks stronger picks

The game counts every rental you take and every swap you make during a streak. Once the total reaches 15, some of the six rentals offered at the start of each round come from the next round’s pool, with its stronger sets and higher IVs:

Rentals + swaps in this streak	Rentals from the next round’s pool
Under 15	0
15–21	1
22–28	2
29–35	3
36–42	4
43 or more	5

The count is kept separately for Singles and Doubles, and for Level 50 and Open Level, and it resets when your streak ends. From round 8 at Level 50 (round 5 at Open Level) every round already uses the full strongest pool, so the count stops mattering much.

How swapping works

After each battle in a round except the last one, you can swap one of your three Pokémon for one of the three your opponent just used, or keep your team. The seventh battle ends the round, and you pick six new rentals for the next one.

A swapped-in Pokémon keeps its set exactly as the opponent used it. You’ve just watched it battle, so you know its moves and roughly how strong it is.

What to look for in your first six

Open each rental’s summary and ask:

1. Does it hit hard with reliable moves? Strong attacks with good accuracy, and at least two attacking types, matter most. Rentals with mostly status moves or weak attacks are a trap.
2. Is its item useful? Leftovers, Choice Band, a Lum Berry or a type-boosting item on the right attacker can carry a round.
3. Do the three cover each other? Avoid three Pokémon that share a weakness. A mix of physical and special attackers is harder for opponents to wall.
4. Is it fast or bulky enough? A Pokémon that’s both slow and frail rarely survives seven battles.
5. Who leads? Put your most flexible Pokémon first, and use the battle-style hint before each battle to swap your lead if you need to.

Skip sets that need several turns to work: Double Team, Minimize, weather sets, Baton Pass, or anything relying on a partner. Factory battles are short and the AI punishes slow starts.

When to swap and when not to

Swap when:

• the opponent had a clear upgrade for your weakest Pokémon: the same role with a better set or item;
• it fixes a shared weakness, even if the new Pokémon isn’t stronger;
• your count is just below a threshold (14, 21, 28…) and the swap costs you nothing, since it unlocks a better pick at the start of the next round.

Don’t swap when:

• the opponent’s Pokémon is bigger but its set is worse, like a powerful species with weak or status-heavy moves;
• it would remove your only answer to a common threat, such as your only Ground resist or your only special attacker;
• you’re about to face Noland (battles 21 and 42) and your team is working. A team you understand is worth more than a small upgrade;
• it’s late in a round and the swap only helps for one or two battles. Swaps don’t carry over into the next round, though they still count towards your total.

FAQ

Do swaps carry over to the next round?

No. Every round starts with six new rentals. Swaps only count towards your rental total, which decides how many stronger rentals you’re offered later.

Can I see the rental’s moves before I pick?

Yes. Select a rental and choose “Summary” to see its moves, held item, nature and stats.

Why are my round 9 rentals weaker?

A bug gives the round 9 rentals random IVs instead of the maximum of 31. From round 10 on, rentals have IVs of 31 again.