You can’t complete your Galarian Pokedex in Pokémon Sword & Shield if you aren’t capturing every Pokémon you see. As you progress through Galar, catching Pokémon gets tougher and tougher. If you want to make catching Pokémon much easier, we’ve got a few tips to help. You’ll need more than just the best PokeBalls!
Catching Pokémon is basically based on three factors. You’ll need to use the best Pokeballs, lower the HP of your target Pokémon as much as possible, and use status effects like Sleep or Paralyze. Sometimes, using specialty Pokeballs like Net Balls or Dusk Balls will make capturing certain Pokémon easier, but in my experience, it’s all about HP and status effects.
More Pokémon Sword & Shield guides:
How To Evolve All The New Galar Region Pokémon | Evolution Guide | What’s Exclusive To Each Version? | How To Catch Shiny Pokémon | Pick This Starter Pokémon For An Early Advantage | How To Easily Evolve Farfetch’d Into Sirfetch’d | Brilliant Aura System | How To Catch Improved Pokemon
How To Catch Pokémon Easier | Tips For Catching Tricky Pokemon
To make catching Pokémon much, much easier you’ll need a Pokémon with two critical moves — False Swipe, and moves that can put your target to Sleep or Paralyze. Here are a few options you can use.
Nincada & Ninjask | Slightly Earlier Method
Ninjask is a good early option you’ll find on Route 5. He’s slightly easier to get than our next option, but he isn’t nearly as good. Continue on to the next entry for one of the best Pokémon to use for capturing.
You can catch Nincada on Route 5 outside Turffield. At Level 10 this Pokemon gains False Swipe — a move that leaves Pokemon with 1 HP. You’ll find Level 10 Nincada in the tall grass as a random “!” encounter. The leveled-up Ninjask also has False Swipe, but they’re harder to find in the Stony Wilderness area of the Wilds.
Ralts, Kirlia & Gallade | The Best Method
The best method I’ve found is to get yourself a Gallade with False Swipe and Hypnosis.
Start by catching Ralts in the Wilds — this small Pokemon is found in the Dappled Grove, Rolling Fields, South Lake Miloch — basically anywhere in the southern section of the Wilds.
Make sure to catch a Male Ralts, then reach Level 20 to evolve into Kirlia. Next, use a Dawn Stone on Kirlia to evolve into Gallade. This Pokemon can learn incredibly useful moves; False Swipe and Hypnosis.
- Ralts / Kirlia learns Hypnosis at Level 9. This is a non-damaging move that puts enemies to sleep.
- Gallade learns False Swipe at Level 23. This attacks always leaves Pokémon with 1 HP.
Gallade can also learn the Thunder Punch move, which is incredibly useful and often paralyzes the target. Later in the game, Thunder Punch will be available for sale at the Pokemon Center in Wyndon.
And finally, if you choose to breed Gallade, it’s possible to get the Mean Look Egg Move, which prevents targets from fleeing. That’s basically required for some of the tougher-to-catch Pokemon. It isn’t required for Legendary Pokemon, so you can skip going for Mean Look.
