Where to Catch Rare Pokemon in Pokemon Sword and Shield

Pokémon Sword and Shield are out now, and folks are already scouring the Galar Region for new friends and Pokémon on their journey to become Galar’s Champion. Like every game in the series, Pokémon Sword and Shield has a ton of unique Pokémon and locations to uncover, with an abundance of rare monsters to find in the wild. Some of these rare finds include returning Pokémon from previous games, while other encounters are brand new. The question, though, is where to go to catch them to add them to your team. This Where to Catch Rare Pokemon in Pokemon Sword and Shield guide will show you the way. 

Locations of Rare Pokemon

What constitutes a rare Pokémon in Pokémon Sword and Shield? Most of the Pokémon on this list are either located only in one location in the game or have an incredibly low encounter rate across a few locations. Some Pokémon are exclusive to fixed in-game Routes, while others are only found in specific Wild Area zones during certain weather conditions. 

A lot of the Pokémon on this list will have an encounter rate of 10% or less. Please note this does not include every single Pokémon who could constitute a rare encounter, as some are scattered across several locations with different percentage chances attached to them. A few of the Pokémon can also be found in fixed locations during the game’s storyline.

Lastly, it should be noted that almost every single Pokémon in the game has a chance to be involved in a Max Raid Battle. The mechanics of Max Raid Battles are still being discovered at this time, though it is believed each Pokémon den in the game has an ‘encounter table’ similar to the overworld that governs it. 

With all that out of the way, let’s go through each Pokémon. The list will be based on route order, then end with rare Wild Area Pokémon.

Route 2 - Feebas

Type: Water
Rarity: 1%
Other Locations: None

A returning Pokemon from its debut in Generation 3 is Feebas. This Pokemon has been known as incredibly rare to the point many players gave up trying to catch one in Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. Feebas can be found by fishing in the lake next to Professor Magnolia's Home.

Feebas is at a 1% encounter rate with this being the only location in the game. To evolve Feebas into Milotic, you will need to give your Feebas the Held Item Prism Scale, trade it to a friend, and then, of course, trade it back.

You can find a Prism Scale west of the Professor's Home on the lake glistening after you unlock the Water Bike. Unlocking the Water Bike will require players to make their way through the game's story. Other places to find the Prism Scale are South Lake Miloch and through the Isle of Armor DLC at Ballimere Lake.

Route 3 - Sizzlipede

Type: Fire/Bug
Rarity: 1% in the Grass (May vary)
Other Locations: None

Sizzlipede is actually one of the earliest rare Pokémon you can get in the game, and arguably one of the rarest to find in the wild. Located only in Route 3 on the wild (save for Max Raid Battles) this tiny Fire/Bug type is definitely a potent attacker that is well worth adding to your team if you need some extra firepower. 

Probably to compensate for the rarity, Sizzlipede also has a special encounter during the third gym challenge against Kabu, giving players a better chance at capturing one outside of route 3. The only catch is that players will have to wait longer for it, though patience is always a virtue in Pokémon. 

Sizzlipede's encounter rate can be manipulated. Any Pokémon with the Flash Fire ability at the head of the party increases the presence of Fire-types encountered in the grass. This also includes overworld encounters, such as wild Vulpix and Growlithe, which are also on Route 3. 

Route 4 - Pumpkaboo 

Type: Grass/Ghost
Rarity 1% overworld (XL-size only)
Other Locations: Hammerlocke Hills, Giant’s Mirror

Pumpkaboo is a returning Pokémon from Generation 6 and is unique among most of the encounters in this game due to the vast size differences you can encounter. The big gimmick for Pumpkaboo is it comes in four different sizes, which directly affect their stats for competitive purposes. The small, normal, and large-size versions, while having various degrees of rarity in the overworld, pale in comparison to the rarity of what is arguably the best form of Pumpkaboo, the XL-size. 

Pumpkaboo-XL across the board is a 1% encounter rate wherever Pumpkaboo is found. Route 4 is the earliest location to find it, with two Wild Area sections, Hammerlocke Hills and Giant’s Mirror, offering a chance to find the ghostly pumpkin as well. Hammerlocke Hills depends on the weather conditions, while Giant’s Mirror will only see Pumpkaboo in normal weather.
 

Route 4 - Eevee

Type: Normal
Rarity: 1%-5% overworld (version differences)
Other Locations: None

Everyone’s lovable Eevee gets a special mention for being only found on Route 4. Eevee will roam around on the overworld with a 1% chance of spawning in Pokémon Sword, while Pokémon Shield yields a 5% chance. Interestingly enough, Pikachu takes the place of the counterpart to Eevee, being a 1% spawn chance in Shield, and a 5% spawn chance in Sword. 

Eevee’s multiple evolutions are scattered across the game as well, though it is only in the Wild Area as strong spawns. All of these Eeveelutions are uncatchable until you complete some of the story, but it does offer a quicker version to grab an Eeveelution. 

It should also be noted that players who have saved data from Pokémon Let's Go can also get a guaranteed, Gigantamaxed version of Eevee and Pikachu. Players will need to talk to the couple located in the station right before entering the Wild Area for the first time. If you have saved data for Let's Go Eevee, you get the special Gigantamax version of Eevee, and vice-versa for Let's Go Pikachu. It is a guaranteed spot that arguably gives you a stronger version of Eevee to use. 

Route 5 - Applin 

Type: Grass/Dragon
Rarity: 10% in the grass
Other Locations: Dusty Bowl, Giant's Mirror, Stony Wilderness

Applin is a brand-new Grass/Dragon-type that thankfully has a higher encounter chance than most rare Pokémon in the game. First encountered on Route 5 and located, depending on the weather, in three different sections in the Wild Area, Applin is an odd choice for this list not because the Pokémon itself is rare, but rather because of how to evolve it is rather difficult.

Applin has a split-evolution, with the split evolution being a version exclusive to Sword and Shield. Applin’s evolution is governed by version-exclusive items. The Tart Apple, available only in Sword, evolves Applin into Flapple, while the Sweet Apple, found exclusively in Shield, evolves Applin into Appletun. 

The two apples you need to find are rare items in their own right. Outside of one given to you it can be located only in the city of Hammerlocke. Players will need to give a boy near the left exit of the city an Applin, who will in turn give the player either the Tart or Sweet Apple depending on their game. Players can repeat this process several times, and farm apples this way for trade bait and for raising a competitive Applin.

Route 6 - Trapinch 

Type: Ground
Rarity: 1%-5% overworld (version differences)
Other Locations: Hammerlocke Hills (Shield Only)

Trapinch returns from Generation 3, and once again is a rare find in a Pokémon game. This time around, much like Eevee before it, Trapinch is an overworld find that varies depending on the game. Also, like Eevee, Pokémon Sword gets a 1% chance to find Trapinch, while Pokémon Shield gets the higher 5% chance. 

Unlike Eevee, Trapinch does make an appearance in the Wild Area in Hammerlocke Hills. Though,Trapinch can only be found during a Sandstorm, with a 2% chance of encountering in Pokémon Shield. Pokémon Sword is compensated with Axew in place of Trapinch here. 

Route 8 - Falinks

Type: Fighting
Rarity: 2% in the grass
Other Locations: Lake of Outrage

One of the new Pokémon in Sword and Shield, Falinks. A creature that, contrary to its centipede-like appearance, is a group of smaller Pokémon who fight as a unit. What’s unique about Falinks is their location in Route 8 is also a special encounter that is fixed, marching in formation across the map at various points.

Otherwise, Falinks can be found at a 2% chance in the grass, or at the Lake of Outrage in the Wild Area. Players have a better chance of finding Falinks in the Wild Area with a 4% chance, but only during overcast weather. This makes Falinks one of the rarest Fighting-types in the game, even rarer than another singular route Pokémon like Hawlucha. 

Route 9 - Pincurchin

Type: Electric
Rarity: 5% in the grass
Other Locations: None

Another new Pokémon, Pincurchin is a random Electric-type found with a bunch of Water-types along the route. Pincurchin is a unique encounter because it’s only a 5% chance to find in the grass, and like other rare Pokémon, is only found on Route 9 outside of Max Raid Battles.

Pincurchin is also a unique Pokémon because it’s the only one in the game with the Electric Surge ability, which dominated Generation 7 thanks to Tapu Koko. Unfortunately, Pincurchin’s Electric Surge ability is its hidden ability, which will make it a challenging capture for competitive players, but likely one well worth obtaining. 

Route 9 - Dhelmise

Type: Grass/Ghost
Rarity: 1% overworld Circhester Bay/Outer Spikemuth
Other Locations: None

Dhelmise is another returning Pokémon, this time from Generation 7. This Grass/Ghost type has a history of being a rare find, only located in Seafolk Village in Sun and Moon.

In Galar, Dhelmise continues to be a rare find once again and is only located in one section along Route 9. This time it is specifically found in the last two sections of Route 9, Circhester Bay and Outer Spikemuth, with a 1% chance to spawn in the overworld. Dhelmise is a powerful Pokémon if you are able to find it, so hunting it down might be worth the effort if you have the patience for it.

Route 10 - Duraludon

Type: Steel/Dragon
Rarity: 1% overworld
Other Locations: Lake of Outrage

Duraludon is probably a strange choice for the snowy Route 10, but it is not the last oddball we will see on this Route. The final Route in the game is packed with tough challenges from powerful Ice-types to incredibly rare Pokémon that could become a staple for your team immediately. 

Duraludon is one such Pokémon, with a 1% chance of spawning in the overworld. This powerful Steel/Dragon-type is arguably one of the strongest Pokémon on Route 10, and well worth a capture if you can find it. The Lake of Outrage is also a rare spot as well, with a 2% chance of encountering it during a snowstorm. 

Route 10x - Stonjourner & Eiscube 

Types: Rock (Stonjourner) Ice (Eiscube)
Rarity: 2% in the grass (Stonjourner in Sword, Eiscube in Shield) 
Other Locations: Lake of Outrage

Route 10 is perhaps the only route in the game to contain so many rare Pokémon. Unlike Duraludon, which is available for both versions, Stonjourner and Eiscube are rare finds and version exclusives.

Stonjourner is a pure Rock-type only found in Pokémon Sword. With a 2% rate of encounter, Stonjourner is the rarest random encounter in the grass, and the 2nd rarest on the route after Duraludon. Lake of Outrage also has Stonjourner appear during sandstorms and intense sunlight, with its highest encounter rate reaching 5% in the sandstorm.

Eiscube, the penguin-looking Ice-type, is a 2% rarity for Pokémon Shield. Like Stonjourner, it is the 2nd rarest encounter on the route, and like the Lake of Outrage, it is only found in two forms of weather, this time being in both snow and snowstorms. 

Glimwood Tangle - Sinistea

Type: Ghost
Rarity: 10% (Phony) and 1% (Authentic) in the grass
Other Locations: None

Sinistea, the Ghost-type pre-evolution of Polteageist, is only located in the haunting Glimwood Tangle, one of the larger forest areas in the game that is on a fixed route. Sinistea is unique though, because it has two different catch-rates in the game based on something odd as well, whether Sinistea is a forgery or not.

Most Sinistea are found in phony teacups, with a tiny 1% chance of them being in an authentic teacup. Outside of a single tag on the teacup, there are no aesthetic or stat differences between both forms of Sinistea.

You can only evolve Sinistea by using another held item, in this case, a Cracked or Chipped Teapot. Only authentic Sinistea can evolve into Polteageist through the Cracked Teapot and the Chipped Teapot is used to evolve the phony Sinistea. Players can purchase the Cracked Teapot and the Chipped Teapot at Porto Marinada Auction House.

Bridge Field - Cufant

Type: Steel
Rarity 1%-10% overworld.
Other Locations: None

The Wild Area is filled to the brim with an abundant amount of Pokémon, but a few new monsters are only found in the singular locations in the Wild Area. The first one to highlight here would be Cufant, the Steel-type Elephant Pokémon. Cufant is only found in the Bridge Field, a piece of the Wild Area that is connected to the Stony Wilderness and the Motostoke Riverbank. 

Cufant only shows in a few different weathers. Normal weather yields a low 1% chance, while overcast and intense sun gives you a 5% chance of encountering it. Ironically, Cufant seems to like the snow the most, with a 10% chance of encountering it during a snowstorm. 

Lake of Outrage - Dreepy

Type Dragon/Ghost
Rarity 1%-2% in the grass
Other Locations: None

Dreepy is the Galar region's new pseudo-Legendary and is one of the rarest Pokémon in the whole game. Dreepy is entirely dependent on the weather found in a singular section in the Wild Area, the Lake of Outrage.

The Lake of Outrage is the endgame location in the Wild Area. Containing tons of rare Pokémon from Ditto to version-exclusive pseudo-Legendaries such as Jangmo-o and Larvitar, the vast majority of what you find here are fully evolved, difficult Pokémon to catch. Dreepy of course is no exception, only being found in foggy, overcast, and thunderstorm weather at a paltry 1%-2% spawn rate. 

Another unique aspect is that Dreepy's evolution, Drakloak, is also found in the region with a 1% spawn rate in the overworld. Drakloak shares the same weather patterns as Dreepy and is arguably rarer to find. Personally, finding Dreepy is much more satisfying to have it reach its final form of Dragapult, but either Dreepy or Drakloak are rare finds.

Gotta Catch Them All

There is certainly no shortage of rare Pokémon in Sword and Shield, so hopefully, this guide helps illuminate some of the rarer monsters found in the game. Of course, a ton of Pokémon are incredibly rare finds, but part of the fun is discovering where, and when, players can find a brand-new Pokémon for their team, to complete their Pokedex, or just to catch them all.

Be sure to head over to our Sword and Shield game page, where we have a huge number of different articles on the game.