Zacian is one of the “box” Legendary Pokémon of Sword & Shield. In particular, it’s the sword-wielding Legendary. Longtime fans of Pokémon probably know the drill by now – box Legendaries are typically encountered, and caught, as part of the story. But there’s a little bit of a difference with Zacian that collectors will want to note.
How To Catch Zacian
It goes pretty much without saying, but Zacian is exclusive to Pokémon Sword. Sword & Shield follow the trend of having the box Legendary come to your aid to fight a world-ending threat. In this case, Zacian helps you fight Eternatus when Chairman Rose summons it. However, you can’t catch it during this battle.
Instead, you’ll need to beat Leon and become the champion without a Legendary. Then you can play the post-game story, which sees you chasing the sword and shield brothers. Go to Slumbering Weald and meet Hop to start this storyline. At the end of it, you’ll be given the opportunity to get Zacian.
Trading For Zacian
Shield players looking for Zacian will need to trade for it. One word of warning though: Zacian can only transform into its full-power form when it holds the Rusted Sword. If you’re arranging a trade for keeps, make sure the person you’re trading with gives you Zacian with the Rusted Sword attached.
What Zacian Does In Battle
Zacian is a Legendary, so it’s automatically a beast on the battlefield. A strong Fairy move like Play Rough works great, but be sure to give it something to deal with Steel-types. Close Combat should work. Zacian can also learn many of the good biting and fang attacks, which is odd considering it holds a sword in its mouth.
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