To catch Eternatus in Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield, defeat it twice at the Tower Summit: first in its ordinary form, then as Eternamax Eternatus. After you win the second battle, the story lets you catch it with any Poké Ball; the catch is guaranteed, so you do not need to use a Master Ball.
Where and when you encounter Eternatus
Eternatus is a required encounter during the main story’s climax, at the Tower Summit after the Chairman Rose events. It is not a roaming Pokémon or a Wild Area raid. The encounter proceeds through two battles, with a story scene between them. The sequence and capture details are documented by Serebii and IGN.
How to catch Eternatus
- Reach the Tower Summit. Continue the main story through the Chairman Rose sequence until the battle with Eternatus begins.
- Defeat Eternatus in its ordinary form. You cannot catch it during this first battle; continue when the story moves on to the next encounter.
- Win the Eternamax battle. Hop assists you, and the opening is scripted. Keep going through the sequence and defeat Eternamax Eternatus. You cannot Dynamax in this battle.
- Throw a Poké Ball after the victory. When prompted, use any Poké Ball you choose. The story capture succeeds, so save your Master Ball for another Pokémon.
What helps in the battles
Eternatus is a Poison- and Dragon-type Pokémon. Ground, Psychic, Ice, and Dragon attacks are useful matchup choices, according to the encounter walkthroughs. The Eternamax battle has a scripted opening, so do not mistake its initial behavior for a failed input or a requirement to Dynamax.
This is different from an ordinary Max Raid Battle, where defeating a Dynamax Pokémon gives you a chance to catch it. The Tower Summit story encounter instead gives you a guaranteed capture after the Eternamax battle. See the official Pokémon Max Raid Battles guide for the general raid rule.
#1 Best Overall
- Catch, battle, and trade Pokémon on an all-new adventure in the Galar region
- Choose from three new partner Pokémon and encounter never-before-seen Pokémon
- Unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta!
- Team up with other Trainers to participate in Max Raid Battles***!
- Battle wild Dynamax Pokémon in Max Raid Battles and try catching them***
Can you get Shiny Eternatus?
Shiny Eternatus was distributed through a separate retail-code promotion in 2022, not as part of the Tower Summit story encounter. The announced code-collection period ran from September 18 to October 1, 2022, at GameStop in the United States and Canada and EB Games in Australia and New Zealand. The official promotion announcement describes that limited-time offer; it does not establish an active distribution today.
For a valid code, Nintendo’s instructions are to open the X menu, select Mystery Gift, choose Get a Mystery Gift, then Get via Code/Password and enter the code. Mystery Gift unlocks after you battle the mysterious Pokémon in Slumbering Weald and speak to your mother. A received Pokémon goes to your party or Boxes; save after receiving the gift. See Nintendo’s Mystery Gift instructions.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
![Nintendo Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass (Retail Version) - [Switch Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51l34qxMYhL._SL160_.jpg)
- Continue your Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield adventure in The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, two new areas to explore that will be added to the Galar region as part of the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass or Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass
- Redeem your download code in the Nintendo eShop for either the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass. Upon redeeming the code, you will be prompted to select one Expansion Pass. Only redeemable for one Expansion Pass.
- You'll also see some familiar Pokémon that didn't appear in the Galar region before, a total of over 200 Pokémon
- Part 1: The Isle of Armor is available now; Part 2: The Crown Tundra is scheduled for release during the fall of 2020
- If you purchase the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass, you'll receive two codes redeemable to get two special uniform sets of in-game apparel as a bonus
Rank #3
- Revisit the Sinnoh region from the original Pokémon Pearl Version game and set off to try and become the Champion of the Pokémon League
- The Pokémon Shining Pearl game brings new life to this remade classic with added features
- Explore the Grand Underground to dig up items and Pokémon Fossils, build a Secret Base, and more.
- Test your style and rhythm in a Super Contest Show
- A reimagined adventure, now for the Nintendo Switch system
Rank #2
- New entries in the main series of Pokémon RPGs arrive on Nintendo Switch simultaneously in late 2019
- The Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games take place in the newly discovered Galar Region
- Galar is an expansive region with diverse environments - an idyllic countryside, contemporary cities, thick forest and craggy, snow-covered mountains
- Fans will have the opportunity to visit Gyms in the Galar region in their quest to become Champion
- Newly discovered partner Pokémon join in this new iteration of the games - Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble
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