Catching Pokémon is always one of the most exciting things in a new game. If you played Pokémon Legends Arceus, the way you catch Pokémon is very similar.

Where to find Pokémon¶

As always, the first step is to find the actual Pokémon.

Unlike previous games, you won’t find wild Pokémon outside, roaming around the fields and whatnot. Instead, you’ll find them within Lumiose City itself.

Most wild Pokémon can be found inside Wild Zones, which are locations clearly identified by a green barrier at its perimeter. There are numerous Wild Zones inside the city. At first, you can access 5 Wild Zones, but as you progress the story, you’ll automatically unlock up to 20.

Despite the city’s best efforts, not all Pokémon are contained inside Wild Zones. Some Pokémon can be found in alleyways, on street lamps, etc. Or more commonly on the rooftops of the city. To reach the rooftops, look for ladders or holovators.

How to catch Pokémon¶

Once you’ve stumbled upon a wild Pokémon, this is where things get exciting.

Before you begin, you’ll need some Poké Balls. Initially, you’ll receive some Poké Balls for free. But if you want to keep catching, you can buy them from any Pokémon Center.

To use a Poké Ball, hold the ZR button to begin aiming. Aim with the right control stick, then release the ZR button when the target overlaps with the Pokémon.

Like Pokémon Legends Arceus, you can catch Pokémon right off the bat, without needing to battle them. However, mindlessly throwing Poké Balls may not be the best idea.

Instead, press the left control stick inwards to crouch down. Then find some tall grass to hide in or a wall to hide behind. Try to get behind the wild Pokémon and then throw your Poké Ball, aiming for a back strike!

For tougher Pokémon, you’ll probably want to battle them. To battle a Pokémon, send out your own Pokémon by pressing Up on the D-Pad. If you need to change Pokémon, use Left and Right to cycle through your list on the bottom-left corner. After that, hold the ZL button and use the face buttons (A, B, X or Y) to select a move.

Your aim is to lower the wild Pokémon’s HP with your moves. The lower the wild Pokémon’s HP, the easier it is to catch them. Try to avoid using super-effective moves, unless you’re facing a high Level or tanky Pokémon. In case you knock them out. Once the wild Pokémon’s HP is low enough, begin throwing Poké Balls!

If successful, the wild Pokémon will be automatically added to your party if there’s space. Otherwise, they’ll be sent to your boxes. You can access your boxes by pressing X to open the menu while exploring. From there, you can move Pokémon between your party and boxes.

How to improve your catch rate¶

Catching Pokémon isn’t always easy…

Firstly, the type of Poké Ball you use is extremely important. Great Balls work better than Poké Balls, while Ultra Balls work better than Great Balls. You can buy Great and Ultra Balls from the Pokémon Center as you progress the story.

Next, your Z-A Royale Rank is also very important. If your rank isn’t high enough, you may struggle to catch high Level Pokémon. So if in doubt, keep playing the story for a bit until your rank rises, then go back and try again!

As mentioned above, back strikes will improve your chance. However, in general, if the Pokémon isn’t aware of your presence, you’ll have a higher chance. A Pokémon is aware of you if they can see you or they’ve noticed something and there’s a question mark above them.

Also, as mentioned, the lower the Pokémon’s HP, the higher the chance of success. On top of that, if you inflict a status condition like Paralyze or Sleep, the chance will also be higher.

Finally, if you use Colorful Screws to exchange a Blue Canari Plush from Racine Construction, you can enjoy improved catch rates. There are 3 levels of plush that you can acquire (Level 3 obviously being the best).

Other Notes¶

Alpha Pokémon are always harder to catch compared to normal Pokémon. So if you’re struggling, that’s normal. That said, if you knock out an Alpha Pokémon, they’re easier to catch than normal Pokémon.

If you’re dealing with a fixed Alpha spawn, you may find it easier to knock it out and try to catch it that way. If you fail, you can leave and wait for it to respawn. Of course, this probably isn’t a good idea for a random Alpha or a shiny Alpha.

Speaking of Shiny Pokémon, these are a lot easier to catch than normal Pokémon. Also, if a shiny spawns, it will always remain there, even if you leave the area or close the game, etc. It will only disappear if you scare it away or knock it out.

More information and a capture calculator can be found at Rotom Labs.