• Hi all. We have had reports of member's signatures being edited to include malicious content. You can rest assured this wasn't done by staff and we can find no indication that the forums themselves have been compromised.

    However, remember to keep your passwords secure. If you use similar logins on multiple sites, people and even bots may be able to access your account.

    We always recommend using unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication if possible. Make sure you are secure.
  • Be sure to join the discussion on our discord at: Discord.gg/serebii
  • If you're still waiting for the e-mail, be sure to check your junk/spam e-mail folders

Pokemon Sword/Shield Box Legendary Discussion

B. Thunder Tiger

Well-Known Member
So who wants to take a guess on their potential typing from what we have seen? For myself, I think first and foremost that their primary typing will at least be Steel, for both or for at least one of them.

If they are both Steel-type, they could be mono, but I like to think they are Dual-type with Steel being primary. As such, here are my guesses as what their secondary typing could be, if Steel is their first:

Zacian: Steel, Steel/Fighting, Steel/Water, Steel/Ice, or Steel/Flying.

Steel/Fighting = Because of the sword it has, and sword attacks, such as Sacred Sword, which is classed as Fighting type.
Steel/Water = Its sword transforms at the end, becoming larger, and its pommel turns into a tail fin of a dolphin or shark.
Steel/Ice = Not much other than the blue color scheme and the blue glowing sword, which I think leads more towards Water.
Steel/Flying = Because Zacian has wings in its design, and attacked from leaping into the air and diving straight towards its opponent.

Zamazenta: Steel, Steel/Fighting, Steel/Ground, Steel/Fire

Steel/Fighting = Because of the shield it has. Shield attacks aren't classed as Fighting type though, so who knows here?
Steel/Ground = Zamazenta is a heavy looking, defensive oriented Pokémon, stomping on the ground. Its Shield design evokes heat, which could be geothermal.
Steel/Fire = Its shield face/mane, when active, fully folded and powered up, looks like a stylized flame and emits intense heat.

Note, this is just speculation on my end. For all we know, GF can also just go with absolute weird typing we would never think of.
 

lolipiece

Pictured: what browsing Serebii does to a person
Staff member
Moderator
Sword wolf is best wolf.

Interesting that they seem to be allies, box legends are often oposites and either oppose each other or don't meet, but it makes sense swords and sheilds are used together.

I keep seeing people say that, but are they really? Zacian attacked Zamazenta and it looked liked they were going to brawl before whatever the wind was interrupted them.

I guess it could be a friendly rivalry.
 

Ultra Beast Lover

Well-Known Member
It's hard to tell, it seems like they might've been briefly sparring or Zacian just decided to sneak attack Zamazenta to test his reflexes. They got into a battle stance, looked at each other, then walked over to each other before sensing something amiss. It's also possible that Zacian was tracking something and was so on the edge that he attacked wildly because after the attack both seemed to calm down a little then walked over to each other so as to converse.
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
The Pokemon Direct just released today and I'm already seeing a few remixes on the Legendary Pokemon's possible theme lol. Pokemon really does have some dedicated fans doesn't it?
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
Neither of them looked all that angry in the fight, it seemed more like a noble duel. For instance, they may oppose each other for one reason or another but not be enemies.

In their official info I find it interesting that their sword and shield respectively "appears to be" or "seems to be" said armaments. I guess because they are actually parts of their bodies, but I wonder if there is more to it. I especially want to see how Zacian puts away the sword (surely its not always in its mouth).
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
I think the box Legendaries will have aesthetically-designed forms like Solgaleo's Radiant Sun form and Lunala's Full Moon form because at the very end of the trailer, we saw the two wolves glowing red and blue. Basically what I'm saying is that I think the Sword & Shield legendaries will have forms that aesthetically look cool but won't really change anything.
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
For me, I think Zamazenta would be a Fighting/Steel-type and Zacian would be a Fighting/Flying-type. Sacred Sword is a fighting-type move and there's a number of defensive Fighting-type moves like Bulk Up or Detect. Steel is obvious for the Shield Pokemon but for the Sword Pokemon, I think Flying-type makes sense because a lot of Flying-type moves are slice n dice moves. Not only that but Zacian has a wing-like design to it which adds to this possibility
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
I really don't like Zamazenta's design, it looks like Solgaleo with the shield acting as the mane.

Zacian might be overdesigned and difficult to make out in silhouette, but at least it doesn't look derivative to the prior generation's legendary.

I also dislike how these legends suggest a design process. GameFreak came up with the name Sword and Shield first and designed the legends around that motif. That's the wrong way to construct a region. It should have begun with the Pokemon, and the region and lore built around that.
Well you gotta admit, at this point any large, four legged predatory mammal pokemon is likely to look to some degree derivative of some past legendary or non-legendary (there are only a few variations available on that body plan). Though honestly its front feet reminded me more of Solgaleo than its "mane" did.

And I don't think this indicates a "name came first" thing any more than Xerneas and Yveltal do, or Lunala and Solgaleo. I'd say its more complicated than that.
 

SuperArtNinja

Suicune Trainer
Here's my observations:

I think both legendaries will be part Fighting. Fighting seems to be the typing most associated with honor and heroism and these are both knights of sorts. It's also a typing we've never seen on a box legendary before.

Zacian prediction: Fighting/Fairy

I noticed something interesting about Zacian. It has a VERY subtle feminine coding to the design. It's features have a 'roundness' to them that Zamazenta's doesn't. Its mask has round wing designs, it has long flowing braid like tassels on either side of its head. The colors are paler and more pastel. A surprising amount of pink including the light tint of its white fur and nose. The proportions are slightly smaller than its counterparts. The snout is thinner and the head is overall smaller. Looks slightly shorter too. This leads to my biggest connection: Zacian is a Valkyrie. If you look at the way the details are lined up, it has details similar to the winged horses the Valkyries rode. The wing shapes on the back, the vague horse-like structure of the tail, and even the blue fur looks like tabards that hang off a knights' horse. I think Fairy over Flying type for one main reason and that's that 1. Fairy/Fighting is a unique typing, 2. Fairy/Fighting is VERY offensively strong still, 3. Valkyries are basically the equivalent to a norse warrior angel. Fairy is seen as an ultimately 'good' typing, especially against dragons... Which I think the third legend will be some form of. It's also a magical typing and a typing we still have few of for major trio legendaries.

Zamazenta prediction: Fighting/Steel

Zamazenta seems to have a more traditional Paladin kind of aesthetic going on, and has a more masculine coding to its bigger and bulkier design. The darker colors also give that more masculine touch with how loud and bold they are. It also has darker details like having a more grayish fur color and a black nose as opposed to Zacian's bright pastel color scheme. Fighting/Steel is a good defensive typing, and has a more physicality to it. It has a LOT of metal plating on it's front, and even has some neat little foot guards that Zacian doesn't have (it shares this with Dusk Mane Necrozma). It also resists Dragon types... And covers most of Zacian's weaknesses. Like Poison or Steel if said dragon is one of those other types. Even Flying would only do neutral damage. So the defensive typings line up extremely well with Zamazenta being able to cover Zacian if they are to team up against a third legendary.
 

lolipiece

Pictured: what browsing Serebii does to a person
Staff member
Moderator
Game Freak loves coding the Legendary pairs as masculine and feminine ever since Gen V (probably even before that), but the masculine Legendaries are always the Physical attackers while the feminine ones the Special attackers.

I can't really see Zacian being feminine (it just looks like a wolf to me), but having a feminine Legendary be the attacker would be a change of pace.

We were close with Xerneas (even though it's technically a stag. Guess it could be reindeer), but it and Yveltal's Phy and Spe stats are equal.
 
Last edited:

SuperArtNinja

Suicune Trainer
I'm aware of them coding the legendaries like that, but I think that only supports the theory though. Like I said, the coding is VERY subtle. I think comparing their faces is the easiest way. Zacian's features are softer and use more round shapes. Its snout being thinner and daintier in appearance. The eye shapes for Zamazenta are more angular than Zacian's too. Also note that Zacian has far fewer spikes and looks more fluid and soft. I also really looked at these designs for a good while with a more 'analytical' eye (I'm a fantasy artist and I adore trying to 'figure out' and find patterns in games and general media) specifically trying to find these patterns and connections.

I agree with you though, I think it's a nice change if my theory is correct. Though, Meowstic sort of does that too.
 

ChavaWM

Well-Known Member
Anyone else get mega manetric vibes from the shield legendary?
I'm very curious as to how the sword works? Did he find it? Does he always carry it? I'm indifferent right now because it seems forced, like they needed to give him a sword because that's what the game is called.
 

SuperArtNinja

Suicune Trainer
Actually, the sword being in the wolf's mouth has an actual mythology basis.

"When the gods presented Fenrir with the curiously light and supple Gleipnir, the wolf suspected trickery and refused to be bound with it unless one of the gods would lay his or her hand in his jaws as a pledge of good faith. None of the gods agreed, knowing that this would mean the loss of a hand and the breaking of an oath. At last, the brave Tyr, for the good of all life, volunteered to fulfill the wolf’s demand. And, sure enough, when Fenrir discovered that he was unable to escape from Gleipnir, he chomped off and swallowed Tyr’s hand.

The fettered beast was then transported to some suitably lonely and desolate place. The chain was tied to a boulder and a sword was placed in the wolf’s jaws to hold them open. As he howled wildly and ceaselessly, a foamy river called “Expectation” (Old Norse Ván) flowed from his drooling mouth. And there, in that sordid state, he remained – until Ragnarok."

Comes from:

The Poetic Edda. Lokasenna, stanza 38.
Eyvindr Skáldaspillir. Hákonarmál, stanza 20.
Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda. Gylfaginning 34.

All this is from Norse mythology. Same as the Valkyrie theming going on in Zacian's design. Zacian seems to have a TON of nordic inspiration.
 

B. Thunder Tiger

Well-Known Member
Okay, watched the trailer again with the legends, and wow, I didn't notice it before. The wings of Zacian actually detach and merge with the sword in its mouth, transforming it into a larger sword, matching the transformation sequence of Zamazenta's shield mane. That is pretty rad to say the least, and gave me more respect for Zacian's design.

Watch carefully for its easy to miss. You would have to pause the video at just the right time to see it.

 

TheWanderingMist

Paladin of the Snow Queen
I really don't like Zamazenta's design, it looks like Solgaleo with the shield acting as the mane.

Zacian might be overdesigned and difficult to make out in silhouette, but at least it doesn't look derivative to the prior generation's legendary.

I also dislike how these legends suggest a design process. GameFreak came up with the name Sword and Shield first and designed the legends around that motif. That's the wrong way to construct a region. It should have begun with the Pokemon, and the region and lore built around that.
Zacian looks just like Midday Lycanroc but covered in some sort of weird armor.
 

Orphalesion

Well-Known Member
Actually, the sword being in the wolf's mouth has an actual mythology basis.

"When the gods presented Fenrir with the curiously light and supple Gleipnir, the wolf suspected trickery and refused to be bound with it unless one of the gods would lay his or her hand in his jaws as a pledge of good faith. None of the gods agreed, knowing that this would mean the loss of a hand and the breaking of an oath. At last, the brave Tyr, for the good of all life, volunteered to fulfill the wolf’s demand. And, sure enough, when Fenrir discovered that he was unable to escape from Gleipnir, he chomped off and swallowed Tyr’s hand.

The fettered beast was then transported to some suitably lonely and desolate place. The chain was tied to a boulder and a sword was placed in the wolf’s jaws to hold them open. As he howled wildly and ceaselessly, a foamy river called “Expectation” (Old Norse Ván) flowed from his drooling mouth. And there, in that sordid state, he remained – until Ragnarok."

Comes from:

The Poetic Edda. Lokasenna, stanza 38.
Eyvindr Skáldaspillir. Hákonarmál, stanza 20.
Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda. Gylfaginning 34.

All this is from Norse mythology. Same as the Valkyrie theming going on in Zacian's design. Zacian seems to have a TON of nordic inspiration.

Yeah but in Fenrir's case the sword was placed there in a vertical position, with the pommel touching one part of his mouth (either the bottom or the top part, and the sword's tip pierced into the other half, they didn't give him a sword to chew on and fight with like it looks with Zacian, they forced it in there in a painful position to keep him from biting.
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
Okay, watched the trailer again with the legends, and wow, I didn't notice it before. The wings of Zacian actually detach and merge with the sword in its mouth, transforming it into a larger sword, matching the transformation sequence of Zamazenta's shield mane. That is pretty rad to say the least, and gave me more respect for Zacian's design.

Watch carefully for its easy to miss. You would have to pause the video at just the right time to see it.
Cool! That definitely seems to be a further indication that the sword itself may be made of parts of Zacian's body that its able to detach and "shift" around to form a construct that resembles a sword.
 

B. Thunder Tiger

Well-Known Member
Cool! That definitely seems to be a further indication that the sword itself may be made of parts of Zacian's body that its able to detach and "shift" around to form a construct that resembles a sword.

I can see that happening. It would make sense seeing the shield is part of Zamazenta's face and body. At first they looked a bit funky, and while I liked Shield's legend, it really takes a good eye to see how they are actually designed and how it all works together.
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
How different Zacian and Zamazenta look from each other similarly takes a bit of effort to appreciate (it doesn't help that some of the art seems to underplay the differences in their builds). I, like many, had the initial impression that aside from their armor-like body extensions they looked pretty much identical, but once you really examine them a lot of that impression goes away.

I do worry a bit though that having two box legends look even as similar as these do could hurt Sword and Shield's marketability.
 
At first glance both of the legendaries looked a bit odd, but now I've grown to like them. I prefer Zamazenta, it kinda "works" better as an organic being, and I'll be going with the Shield version. But I do appreciate Zacian's design as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if they shared the same type and just had different stat spread (other being more offensive, other defensive). Would be a first, at least. Steel/Fighting, maybe? I dunno.
 
Top