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Pokémon Legends: Arceus spreads its special encounters across the main story, postgame missions, and Requests. Dialga and Palkia are story encounters; the lake guardians, Heatran, Cresselia, Regigigas, Giratina, and the Forces of Nature are tied to later progression. Manaphy, Phione, Shaymin, and Darkrai are Mythical Pokémon with separate Request routes, and Shaymin and Darkrai require compatible save data. Arceus is the endpoint of the Pokédex journey.
Before you hunt
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a Nintendo Switch game. You can approach Pokémon and throw a Poké Ball, use stealth to improve your chance of getting close, or start a battle with one of your Pokémon and try to catch the target after weakening it. Which approach works best depends on the encounter and the Pokémon’s behavior.
Time of day and weather can affect Pokémon behavior and availability. If a target is not where you expect, check the relevant mission or Request, revisit the area under the conditions it calls for, and use the in-game map and journal to track your progress. There is no single capture method that applies to every special encounter: some are part of the story, while others involve a battle, a puzzle, or a Request.
Legendary Pokémon caught during the story
Dialga and Palkia
Both are encountered in the Temple of Sinnoh during the story arc. Your choice of clan determines which one you encounter first; the other follows later in the story, so the choice does not permanently lock you out of either Pokémon. The game’s roster identifies the Origin Formes of Dialga and Palkia as Legendary Pokémon. Follow the story missions to reach their encounters rather than searching for them as ordinary map spawns.
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- Action meets RPG in this new take on the Pokémon series
- Study Pokémon behaviors, sneak up on them, and toss a well-aimed Poké Ball to catch them
- Unleash moves in the speedy agile style or the powerful strong style in battles
- Travel to the Hisui region—the Sinnoh of old—and build the region’s first Pokédex
- Learn about the Mythical Pokémon Arceus, the key to this mysterious tale
Postgame Legendary Pokémon
After the main story, continue through the plate-related missions. The postgame route leads to the lake guardians, Heatran, Cresselia, Regigigas, and Giratina. These are mission encounters, not a set of freely roaming Pokémon to find by searching the map at random.
Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf
The lake guardians are tied to the postgame mission sequence. Each is associated with one of the lakes in Hisui: Lake Acuity, Lake Verity, and Lake Valor. Follow the mission objectives for the individual encounters; do not assume that one shared capture tactic or environmental condition applies to all three.
Heatran
Heatran is encountered at Firespit Island through the postgame mission route. Reach the island as directed by the mission and follow the encounter’s instructions; it is not simply a standard overworld catch.
Rank #2
- This game comes in UK packaging, but it is region-free and compatible with all Nintendo Switch consoles worldwide.
Cresselia
Cresselia’s postgame encounter is at Moonbreak Arena. The mission leads you there, where you must deal with the encounter rather than treating it as an ordinary wild spawn.
Regigigas
Regigigas is found at Snowpoint Temple as part of the postgame progression. Follow the mission and the temple encounter’s requirements to reach the catch opportunity.
Giratina
Giratina becomes available after the relevant plate-story progression. Continue the postgame missions and follow their lead to its encounter; it is not part of the initial Temple of Sinnoh sequence.
Rank #3
![Nintendo Pokémon Legends: Arceus - Standard - Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51obvZjDksL._SL160_.jpg)
- Action meets RPG in this new take on the Pokémon series
- Study Pokémon behaviors, sneak up on them, and toss a well-aimed Poké Ball to catch them
- Unleash moves in the speedy agile style or the powerful strong style in battles
- Travel to the Hisui region—the Sinnoh of old—and build the region’s first Pokédex
- Learn about the Mythical Pokémon Arceus, the key to this mysterious tale
Forces of Nature and Enamorus
Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus
The Forces of Nature are Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus. Their encounters are part of a postgame Request and are affected by environmental conditions, so arriving at the right area is not always enough. Use the Request and Pokédex research to track the sequence rather than relying on a fixed assumption about when each will appear.
Enamorus
Enamorus is a separate catch target in the same broader sequence. Completing the required Pokédex research for the original trio leads to Cogita’s follow-up and the Enamorus encounter. Catching Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus alone does not finish this part of the hunt.
Mythical Pokémon and save-data requirements
The following Pokémon are Mythical, not Legendary. They are included because they are special encounters many players expect in a complete guide. Their Request routes are separate from the core story encounters.
Rank #4
- Included is the following: Pokémon Legends: Arceus for Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, 8 pack of PremGear 4 different Colors Thumb Grips (Joystick Cap Covers Compatible with Nintendo Switch/Lite/OLED), PremGear 24 Slot Game card Case/Holder with 2 Slot MicroSD Memory Card Adapter and PremGear Quality Cleaning Cloth
- Action meets RPG in this new take on the Pokémon series
- Study Pokémon behaviors, sneak up on them, and toss a well-aimed PokéBall to catch them
- Unleash moves in the speedy agile style or the powerful strong style in battles
- Travel to the Hisui region - the Sinnoh of old - and build the region's first Pokédex
Manaphy and Phione
Manaphy and Phione are obtained through a Request-based encounter pair. Follow the Request’s clues and instructions to reach the encounter; they are not unlocked simply by completing the Legendary postgame missions.
Shaymin
Shaymin is tied to a Request that requires compatible save data from Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield. Make sure that save data is present on the Nintendo Switch console where you play Legends: Arceus; do not assume the Request will be available on every save.
Darkrai
Darkrai is tied to a Request that requires compatible save data from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Pokémon Shining Pearl. As with Shaymin, verify that the relevant save data is on the console you use for Legends: Arceus before looking for the Request.
How to reach Arceus
Arceus is the culmination of the Hisui Pokédex journey, not a Pokémon waiting at a map marker early in the game. Progress through the story and catch the Pokémon needed to complete the Hisui collection; once the game recognizes that collection as complete, continue into the concluding sequence to encounter Arceus.
The save-data-gated Shaymin and Darkrai Requests are separate bonuses, not part of the ordinary story route to those encounters. The special encounters in the story and postgame are the ones to prioritize when progressing toward the Hisui collection. Use the Pokédex to identify what remains rather than relying on a checklist that treats every Mythical Request as a required story step.
Quick Recap
Quick route by Pokémon
| Pokémon | Route | Area or encounter context | Special gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dialga | Main story | Temple of Sinnoh | Clan choice determines which is encountered first |
| Palkia | Main story | Temple of Sinnoh | The other follows after the first story encounter |
| Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf | Postgame missions | Lake guardian sequence | Mission progression |
| Heatran | Postgame mission | Firespit Island | Mission encounter |
| Cresselia | Postgame mission | Moonbreak Arena | Mission encounter |
| Regigigas | Postgame mission | Snowpoint Temple | Mission and temple encounter |
| Giratina | Postgame progression | Encounter follows relevant plate-story progression | Mission progression |
| Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus | Postgame Request | Forces of Nature sequence | Environmental conditions and Request progression |
| Enamorus | Follow-up to Forces of Nature sequence | Cogita’s follow-up | Required research on the original trio |
| Manaphy and Phione | Request | Request-based encounter pair | Request clues and objectives |
| Shaymin | Request | Save-data-gated Mythical encounter | Compatible Pokémon Sword or Shield save data on the console |
| Darkrai | Request | Save-data-gated Mythical encounter | Compatible Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl save data on the console |
| Arceus | Concluding sequence | Reached after the Hisui collection is complete | Pokédex progression |
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