So you want to catch Zacian and Zamazenta in Pokémon Sword and Shield? Well, good and bad news on that. You can catch them, but only one per game. Here’s how to get the legendary monsters for the 8th generation of games.
Can You Catch Zamazenta in Pokemon Sword or vice versa?
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to catch Zamazenta in Pokemon Sword. Neither is it possible to capture Zacian in Shield. These two are version exclusives, and cannot be bred inside the nursery. You will just have to find someone willing to trade theirs to you instead if you want both. Anyway, here’s how to get the legendary for your version.
And yes, you will need to complete the game before you can normally catch Zacian and Zamazenta. That means having to get all the way through the Gym battles and the Championship Cup. You will be returned to your home after being Leon and claiming the mantle of Champion in Galar. From your house, the old professor shows up to give you a Master Ball, you will need this.
Head back into the Slumbering Weald. Head into the area and back to where you first got the Relics for the Legendary Pokemon.
After you defeat Hop this time, a cutscene will play prompting you to go up to the shrine and return the Rusted Sword and Shield. Make sure to save before you return the Sword and Shield though. This will then trigger two new characters to enter the scene. Swordard and Shielbert will show up, claiming to be the royal descendants of the ancient Heroes of Galar. And because it’s a Pokemon game, they challenge you to a battle. The player will fight Sordward in Sword or Shielbert in Shield, while Hop faces the other.
Both have level 60 Pokemon. I wiped the floor with Swodard using Fire and Flying moves. Shielbert will have a slightly different roster the first time you fight him, but the same weaknesses to those aforementioned types.
Hop will lose no matter what allowing the duo to escape. This will then prompt the post-game questline. The Galar region has once again been beset by Dynamaxed nightmares. The player must travel to each of the Gyms, you can use fast travel, to eliminate the threat. Once the other Gyms have had their infestations cleared, you will need to head back to Hammerlocke.
After you have cleaned up these brats mess, you will once again be sent back into the power plant where you fought Rose. After defeating the foe here, you will once again be sent back to the roof where you fought the final boss. Here is the final encounter, and will begin your only chance to catch a Legendary in the base game. If you are playing Shield, this will be Zacian. If you are playing Sword, you will face Zamazenta. The fight happens in two stages just like Eternatus.
You need to defeat the first Legendary first, and then it will call in the other Legendary. This is the point where you can catch the other Legendary. Shield players will be able to capture Zamazenta, while Sword players must catch Zacian. Use the Master Ball, and you can then catch Zacian or Zamazenta.
After finally capturing the Legendary for your game, and returning the Weald again, you find Hop back at the Shrine. He will capture the other Legendary and begin a battle with you. Bring your A-team here, as this isn’t going to be easy. Once that’s done, the game is finally complete.
