How to Catch Pokémon in Legends Z-A: To Pokemon In

Learn how to catch Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A! Discover Wild Zones, master Poké Ball throws, and improve your catch rate with expert tips.

Hey there! So, you're diving into Pokémon Legends: Z-A and wondering how to snag those adorable (or fearsome!) creatures? It's a bit different from other Pokémon games, but don't worry, I've got your back. Let's break down how to catch 'em all in Lumiose City!

Where to Find Pokémon:

Forget wandering through tall grass in the wild. In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you'll find most wild Pokémon chilling inside **Wild Zones**. These areas are clearly marked with a green barrier around their edges. You'll start with access to about 5 Wild Zones, but don't sweat it – more will unlock as you play through the story, eventually giving you access to up to 20!

But not *all* Pokémon are confined to these zones. Keep an eye out in alleyways, on street lamps, and especially on the rooftops of Lumiose City. If you spot a ladder or a holovator, that's your ticket to those higher-up Pokémon!

How to Catch Pokémon:

Alright, you've spotted a wild Pokémon – awesome! First things first, you'll need some Poké Balls. You get some for free at the start, but you can always grab more from any Pokémon Center.

To throw a Poké Ball, just hold down the ZR button to aim, use the right stick to line it up with the Pokémon, and then release ZR. Easy peasy!

Now, here's a pro tip: you can actually catch Pokémon without battling them first, just like in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. But just lobbing balls randomly isn't the best strategy. Instead, try this:

• Press the left control stick inwards to crouch.
• Find some tall grass or a wall to hide behind.
• Sneak up behind the wild Pokémon and aim for a back strike! This gives you a much better chance.

If you're facing a tougher Pokémon, or just prefer the classic approach, you can always battle them. To send out your Pokémon, press Up on the D-Pad. If you need to switch Pokémon, use Left and Right on the D-Pad to cycle through your party in the bottom-left corner. To attack, hold the ZL button and use the face buttons (A, B, X, or Y) to pick a move.

Your goal here is to lower the wild Pokémon's HP. The lower their health, the easier they are to catch. Just try not to use super-effective moves unless the Pokémon is really high-leveled or tough, otherwise, you might accidentally knock them out!

Once their HP is low enough, go ahead and start throwing those Poké Balls. If you're successful, the Pokémon will join your party if you have space, or head straight to your boxes. You can manage your party and boxes by pressing X to open the menu while exploring.

How to Improve Your Catch Rate:

Sometimes, catching can be a bit tricky. Here’s how to give yourself the best odds:

• Use Better Poké Balls: Great Balls are better than regular Poké Balls, and Ultra Balls are even better! You can buy these at the Pokémon Center as you progress.
• Increase Your Z-A Royale Rank: A higher rank means better catch rates, especially for high-level Pokémon. If you're struggling, play more of the story to boost your rank.
• Stay Stealthy: Back strikes are great, but Pokémon are easiest to catch when they don't know you're there. If a Pokémon sees you or notices something (you'll see a question mark above its head), your catch rate drops.
• Lower HP and Status Conditions: As we mentioned, lower HP means an easier catch. Plus, inflicting status conditions like Paralysis or Sleep will also significantly boost your chances!
• Blue Canari Plush: If you use Colorful Screws to get a Blue Canari Plush from Racine Construction, you can get improved catch rates. There are three levels of plush, with Level 3 being the best.

A Few Extra Notes:

• Alpha Pokémon: These are tougher than normal Pokémon, so don't get discouraged if you struggle. Interestingly, if you knock out an Alpha Pokémon, they become easier to catch than normal ones. For fixed Alpha spawns, knocking them out and waiting for them to respawn might be a good strategy, but probably not for random or shiny Alphas.
• Shiny Pokémon: Good news! Shiny Pokémon are actually easier to catch than regular ones. Plus, once a shiny appears, it'll stick around until you scare it off or knock it out – even if you leave the area or close the game.

That's the rundown on catching Pokémon in Legends: Z-A! Happy hunting!