How to Catch the Legendary Pokémon in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Pokémon Legends Z-A features three Legendary Pokémon: Zygarde, Xerneas, and Yveltal. Adding all three to your collection requires a significant time investment. Among these, Zygarde will appear during the main campaign, while Xerneas and Yveltal will appear afterward. To start your pursuit for the Legendaries, you must first complete the main story.
How to Catch Xerneas in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Once you beat the campaign, you will wake up in the hotel and learn about Infinite Royale. Your first battle will be against Zach in your first Battle Royale fight. After defeating him, return to the hotel to trigger the quests The One That Gives and The One That Takes.
The One That Gives
This quest begins with defeating three Alpha Pokémon found in the wild. Head to the Pokémon Research Center and speak with Mable, who will provide details on the task.
- Wild Zone 3: Steelix (Level 70)
- Wild Zone 5: Gallade (Level 70)
- Wild Zone 9: Pangoro (Level 70)
Once all three Alphas are defeated, proceed to Wild Zone 11. On the other side of the river, you’ll find a marker indicating Xerneas’s location. Xerneas appears at Level 75. To have an advantage, use Poison and Steel-type Pokémon against it.
Note: If you fail to catch Xerneas, you will need to start the encounter again from the beginning.
How to Catch Yveltal in Pokémon Legends Z-A
The second main quest involving a Legendary Pokémon is The One That Takes, where you will meet Grisham and Griselle. Accompany them to Quasartico Inc. and speak with Vinnie. You will face off against the Mega Evolved forms of Victreebel, Hawlucha, and Tyranitar.
The One That Takes
The three Mega Evolution Pokémon you battle here are very strong, and you won’t have any allies during the fight. If you fail to dodge their attacks well, you may blackout after taking multiple hits, forcing you to restart the battle.
After defeating all three Mega Evolutions, you will encounter Yveltal on the rooftop of Galerie de la Lune, located in the northern part of Lumiose City.
Yveltal is a Dark/Flying-type Pokémon, so using Electric and Ice-type moves will give you a natural advantage. Fairy-type Pokémon are also effective against it.
Pro tip: Make sure to catch Yveltal to avoid having to restart the quest and battle it again.
How to Catch Zygarde in Pokémon Legends Z-A
After catching both Xerneas and Yveltal, return to Hotel Z. Lysandre will approach you, and you must defeat him before facing Zygarde. Here is his Pokémon lineup in order of appearance:
- Pyroar (Level 78) – Normal/Fire
- Florges (Level 78) – Fairy
- Sableye (Level 78) – Dark/Ghost
- Garbodor (Level 78) – Poison
- Noivern (Level 78) – Flying/Dragon
- Mega Gyarados (Level 80) – Water/Dark
Once you defeat Lysandre, head to Wild Zone 20, located right in the center of Lumiose City. Zygarde will spawn here, and this is one of the most challenging battles in the game.
Zygarde is a Ground/Dragon-type Pokémon, weak against Ice, Fairy, and Dragon-type moves. Using Yveltal against it can be advantageous.
During this battle, Zygarde will force you to lock onto your current Pokémon. You won’t be able to switch unless your active Pokémon faints.
The battle consists of three forms and stages:
- Defeat Zygarde in its Dog form at 10% power.
- Defeat it in its Serpent form at 50% power.
- Finally, defeat Zygarde in its Robot form at full power.
If Zygarde’s move hits you, you will blackout, forcing the entire battle to restart from the beginning.
Once you defeat Zygarde, you will receive the Zygardite stone. This item allows you to Mega Evolve Zygarde during battle. Additionally, you will get the Zygarde Cube from Lysandre, which lets you switch between Zygarde’s Dog and Serpent forms.
Summary
- Xerneas: Accessible after defeating three Alpha Pokémon in The One That Gives quest.
- Yveltal: Encountered after beating Mega Evolved Pokémon in The One That Takes quest.
- Zygarde: Available after defeating Lysandre and completing a challenging multi-form battle in Wild Zone 20.
With patience, strategy, and well-planned Pokémon types, you can successfully catch all three Legendary Pokémon and add them to your collection in Pokémon Legends Z-A.