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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe Dupes Clause is an optional Nuzlocke rule that lets you skip an encounter if it is a Pokémon you already have, then try again for an eligible Pokémon. It can reduce repeat team members and add variety, but it is a house rule—not a requirement for a Nuzlocke.
How the Dupes Clause works
In a typical Nuzlocke, you get one capture opportunity in each area. If you use the Dupes Clause and your first encounter is a duplicate under your chosen definition, you may pass it over and continue looking. Nuzlocke University describes the rule as letting a player continue until they encounter a Pokémon they do not own; it can help avoid multiples when early routes offer a limited selection. Nuzlocke University’s Nuzlocke rules explains the convention.
The clause changes what happens after a duplicate encounter; it does not require you to catch a particular Pokémon or guarantee that you will find a new one.
Choose what counts as a duplicate
There is no single required definition. Common interpretations differ in which Pokémon are treated as duplicates and how many retries are allowed. The Nuzlocke Forum terminology guide lists variants including these:
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| Rule choice | How it works |
|---|---|
| Exact species | Skip a Pokémon only if you have already caught or own that same species. |
| Evolution family (often called Species Clause) | Skip Pokémon from an evolution family you have already caught—for example, if your rule treats every member of that family as a duplicate. |
| Limited rerolls | Allow a fixed number of duplicate encounters before the area’s encounter is forfeited. |
| No rerolls | A duplicate first encounter consumes the area’s encounter, as it would without the clause. |
These are alternative house rules, not stages of one official rule. Pick the version that fits the difficulty and variety you want.
Decide whether fainted Pokémon still count
A Pokémon you caught and later lost can raise an edge case: does it still make another member of its species a duplicate? Nuzlocke rules are self-imposed, and players do not have one universal answer. For example, you might count every Pokémon ever caught, only living Pokémon, or only Pokémon currently owned. A player asked about this situation in a Pokémon Forums Nuzlocke question, illustrating why it helps to settle the detail in advance.
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Set your rule before the run
Write down your interpretation or announce it before a disputed encounter comes up. Include three decisions:
- Whether duplicates mean the exact species or the whole evolution family.
- Whether you can reroll indefinitely, only a set number of times, or not at all.
- Whether Pokémon you caught but that later fainted still count as duplicates.
Applying those choices consistently keeps the encounter rule clear and avoids changing it to suit a particular outcome. You can also choose to play without the clause; a Nuzlocke does not depend on using it.
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