How to Play Cobblemon: Beginner's Guide and Tips (2026)

Short answer: In Cobblemon, you pick a starter Pokémon, then explore Minecraft to find wild Pokémon. Press R to send out your Pokémon and start a battle, weaken the wild Pokémon, then throw a Poké Ball to catch it. Heal your team at a healing machine or Pokémon Center, level up by battling, and your Pokémon evolve just like in the main games. On Complex Cobblemon (cobblemon.mc-complex.com), you pick your starter at the starter NPC at spawn (or press M), you can heal for free at /warp heal, and you can take on all 18 gyms.

Before you start​

Cobblemon is a free mod for Minecraft Java Edition. If it isn't installed yet, follow How to Download and Install Cobblemon first. You can play it in single player or join a server like Complex Cobblemon to play with other people.

Step 1: Pick your starter​

Press M to open the starter screen and choose your first Pokémon. On Complex Cobblemon, you can also right-click the starter NPC at spawn. Once you pick, your rival shows up and asks if you want to /rtp straight into the open world or explore spawn first.

Step 2: Battle and catch Pokemon​

1. Find a wild Pokémon. They spawn all over the world, and different biomes have different Pokémon.
2. Look at it and press R to send out your Pokémon and start a battle.
3. Pick moves to lower its health. Don't knock it out.
4. Throw a Poké Ball at it. The weaker it is, the better your chance of catching it.

You can also throw a Poké Ball at a wild Pokémon without battling it, but the catch rate is much lower.

Step 3: Heal your team​

Your Pokémon don't heal by themselves after a hard battle. Use a healing machine to restore your whole team. On Complex Cobblemon, type /warp heal to visit the free public Pokémon Center any time.

Step 4: Get more Poke Balls​

• Craft them: Poké Balls are crafted from Apricorns, which grow on Apricorn trees around the world. Check your recipe book to see each ball.
• Buy them: on Complex Cobblemon, buy Poké Balls from the /shop.
• Buy from players: browse player shops with /pwarp, where players sell items through chest shops.

Step 5: Level up and evolve​

Your Pokémon gain experience from battles and level up over time. Most evolve at a certain level, just like in the main Pokémon games. Some need an item, high friendship or a trade instead. Want to make your team stronger? See How to EV Train in Cobblemon.

Cobblemon controls and keybinds​

To see every Cobblemon key or change one, open Options, then Controls, then Key Binds, and scroll to the Cobblemon section. If a key doesn't work, check that another mod isn't using the same key.

Beginner tips​

• Catch a variety of types: a mixed team handles more battles.
• Always carry Poké Balls: rare Pokémon can appear anywhere.
• Heal before big fights: gyms and strong wild Pokémon hit hard.
• Explore different biomes: each one has its own Pokémon.
• Protect your base: on Complex, claim your land with /claim. See the Claiming Guide.

What to do next on Complex Cobblemon​

• Your first week: type /journey to claim a free reward on each of your first 7 days of play. Your starter will also find you a Mysterious Egg (check it with /egg), and new players compete in a 14-day Rookie League (/rookies) for coin prizes.
• Gyms: take on all 18 gyms in order with /gyms. See Cobblemon Gyms in Order.
• Battle Tower: climb endless floors for Coins. See the Battle Tower Guide.
• More to do: beat the Battle Cafe, fight World Bosses and earn daily rewards from hunts, contracts and bingo.
• Legendaries: they spawn naturally for every player. See How to Get Legendaries in Cobblemon.
• Make money: sell, trade and run your own shop. See the Complex Cobblemon Server Guide.

How to Play Cobblemon FAQ​

How do you start Cobblemon?​

How do you catch Pokémon in Cobblemon?​

How do you heal Pokémon in Cobblemon?​

How do you get Poké Balls in Cobblemon?​

How do Pokémon evolve in Cobblemon?​

Where can I see all the Cobblemon keybinds?​