Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is finally here, bringing lots of new activities to spend your time on. And like in every other Pokémon game, there are a few items in this latest installment that players find especially useful, such as Encounter Power.

And while making food is not an entirely new concept in the Pokémon series, the sandwiches are among the new mechanics waiting for players in Scarlet and Violet, as they are made up from nutrients that can provide the Encounter Power buff. But what does Encounter Power do in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet? Let’s answer that!

What does Encounter Power do in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

You can get Encounter Power by eating a certain type of food, which can either be purchased from stores and vendors or a sandwich made in a picnic with your Pokémon. Also, the type of Encounter Power may vary based on the Pokémon it focuses on.

For instance, if a player makes a sandwich or eats a special item that boosts the Encounter Power for Normal-type Pokémon, they have a much higher chance of finding that type of Pokémon. Despite not being a specific Pokémon, pretty much any Pokémon fits that type.

So what you should try to do is create a sandwich or eat a meal for a particular Pokémon type that you want to find in the wild. Whenever you find yourself in an area where you are certain a Pokémon might spawn, you should try creating a sandwich for that Pokémon’s type and search around the area.

And there’s a very good chance of luring the Pokémon out of hiding, even if they don’t appear on your mini-map. This is something you should do if you’re trying to complete your Pokédex or capture Shiny versions of a particular Pokémon.