Pokemon Sword & Shield - HELP THREAD (Don't ask about Victini)

[Ophie]

So the only difference is the level and that they have a different number of max IVs?

No difference in likelihood of HA, egg moves etc or different rewards between a 1 star red raid and a 5 star yellow raid?

If it's the same species and draws from the same pool, it'll have a higher number of guaranteed maximum IVs, be at a higher level, and have a higher range of possible Dynamax levels. Everything else is the same.

If it's a Gigantamax den based on an event (currently, that'd be Drednaw, Centiskorch, Sandaconda, Corviknight, Butterfree, and Snorlax), the level will be higher, there is one more guaranteed maximum IV, and the Dynamax level range is higher too.

The same location will draw from a different pool depending on if it's the regular beam or the powerful beam. The regular beam is the common den; the powerful beam is the rare den. In most such cases, they have a lot of Pokémon in common but not all of them, and the rare dens have a larger list of possible Hidden Abilities (and a higher likelihood they'll have them). For instance, a den in Hammerlocke Hills spawns Ice-type Pokémon. The common den is Den 23, and the rare one is Den 73. Both dens allow for a Froslass with a Hidden Ability (Cursed Body). However, only in Den 73 can you find Mr. Rime with a Hidden Ability (Ice Body). Inversely, only in Den 23 can you found Frosmoth with a Hidden Ability (Ice Scales). The other den has the Pokémon, but it's always the regular Ability. Den 73 contains Glaceon, while Den 23 contains, depending on the version, either Eiscue or Darmanitan.

 

[Deleted member 409606]

If it's the same species and draws from the same pool, it'll have a higher number of guaranteed maximum IVs, be at a higher level, and have a higher range of possible Dynamax levels. Everything else is the same.

If it's a Gigantamax den based on an event (currently, that'd be Drednaw, Centiskorch, Sandaconda, Corviknight, Butterfree, and Snorlax), the level will be higher, there is one more guaranteed maximum IV, and the Dynamax level range is higher too.

The same location will draw from a different pool depending on if it's the regular beam or the powerful beam. The regular beam is the common den; the powerful beam is the rare den. In most such cases, they have a lot of Pokémon in common but not all of them, and the rare dens have a larger list of possible Hidden Abilities (and a higher likelihood they'll have them). For instance, a den in Hammerlocke Hills spawns Ice-type Pokémon. The common den is Den 23, and the rare one is Den 73. Both dens allow for a Froslass with a Hidden Ability (Cursed Body). However, only in Den 73 can you find Mr. Rime with a Hidden Ability (Ice Body). Inversely, only in Den 23 can you found Frosmoth with a Hidden Ability (Ice Scales). The other den has the Pokémon, but it's always the regular Ability. Den 73 contains Glaceon, while Den 23 contains, depending on the version, either Eiscue or Darmanitan.

Thanks a lot for your help, that’s good to know.

 

[Entradius1]

I have a couple of questions:
Is it possible to get a golden bottle cap from the digging duo? and Is there a way to easily spawn a rare den?

I only ask because I have spent a LOT of watts on the hiking duo (had 80 bottle caps, 300 of the common fossils, and 50 of the rare fossils before I gave up) and I have also spawned 250 max raids without getting a single g-max raid (at the correct dens).

Edit: I would also like to say that on my sword version I have 75 fozzilized fish and only 50 fossilized drake so the fish seems to be 1.5 times as common.

 

[Ghost94]

I have a couple of questions:
Is it possible to get a golden bottle cap from the digging duo? and Is there a way to easily spawn a rare den?

I only ask because I have spent a LOT of watts on the hiking duo (had 80 bottle caps, 300 of the common fossils, and 50 of the rare fossils before I gave up) and I have also spawned 250 max raids without getting a single g-max raid (at the correct dens).

The brother of the Digging Duo closest to the daycare can dig up a Gold Bottle Cap. And to spawn a rare den, save in front of the den of choice then change your text speed to slow. Use a Wishing Piece and when the game asks if you want save the game, select yes and quickly press the Nintendo Switch Home Button. You’ll get a glimpse of the beam just before you’re taking to the home screen. If it was red, close the application and start the process over again until you see a purple beam. There’s also an exploit which will help you find Gigantamax Pokémon easier check out a tutorial on it here:

 

[pikadon92]

Not quite an in-game help, but a question that I can't sleep at night over. Those who've "somehow" gotten Cosmoem in sword/shield, how does version-exclusive evolution work in this generation? Is it the case where Cosmoem evolve into Solgaleo in sword and Lunala in shield, or is its evolution locked out because sword and shield are technically neither sun nor moon?

 

[Entradius1]

Thanks for the info it should help out quite a lot. Hopefully I can manage to nab one soon. I really do not know what they were thinking with these super low rng g-max dens. Prior to this I have spent at least 400 wishing pieces trying to spawn a G-max raid with no luck... ouch.

 

[Kingudora]

Not quite an in-game help, but a question that I can't sleep at night over. Those who've "somehow" gotten Cosmoem in sword/shield, how does version-exclusive evolution work in this generation? Is it the case where Cosmoem evolve into Solgaleo in sword and Lunala in shield, or is its evolution locked out because sword and shield are technically neither sun nor moon?

According to the datamines the evolution is still version-exclusive, with Solgaleo for Sword and Lunala for Shield. With that said, I haven't seen if anyone has actually tested it and confirmed it (and there are people who could).

 

[Vasubandu]

Just got my son a Switch and Pokemon Sword and Shield. I have to admit a lot of disappointment in both products. The game defaults to local? In 2019?

Here is my problem. I created an account for me too because we play these games together. Everywhere I go on my account, I see a red gym good for watts every 300 feet, and I can easily go from active dent to active den. My son't account with the exact same settings, it takes a few minutes find a red gym good for watts, and he has no active gyms at all.

After a lot of research and turning on internet and resetting everything I could find, last night, I had his the same as mine. Today I am back to square one with a twist. There are 2 active dens in the whole game. Both have Snorlax and are completely unbeatable Level 80 Gyarados gets a time amount of damage with Max.

This is the point where being an adult, I would get the instruction book, but of course those do not exist.

What am I doing wrong, and how can I get to see active dens like I do?

 

[Team Volt Grunt]

Just got my son a Switch and Pokemon Sword and Shield. I have to admit a lot of disappointment in both products. The game defaults to local? In 2019?

Here is my problem. I created an account for me too because we play these games together. Everywhere I go on my account, I see a red gym good for watts every 300 feet, and I can easily go from active dent to active den. My son't account with the exact same settings, it takes a few minutes find a red gym good for watts, and he has no active gyms at all.

After a lot of research and turning on internet and resetting everything I could find, last night, I had his the same as mine. Today I am back to square one with a twist. There are 2 active dens in the whole game. Both have Snorlax and are completely unbeatable Level 80 Gyarados gets a time amount of damage with Max.

This is the point where being an adult, I would get the instruction book, but of course those do not exist.

What am I doing wrong, and how can I get to see active dens like I do?

What point in the game have you both reached? Have you changed the clock or done any kind of system transfer of the saved data? and are you 100% sure you have checked the entire wild area for active dens? are you able to join other people's raids?

There should usually be 5 active dens if I recall correctly, and clearing those 5 will cause 5 more to spawn, or they reset after a certain amount of time. I've never run into an instance like this where there are almost no active or semi-active dens to collect watts from.

I might recommend connecting to the internet and getting the Wild Area news.

 

[Ophie]

Based on my experiences, there can be as many as 12 active dens per cycle and as few as 1. It should be impossible for the entire Wild Area to have no active dens; the game automatically refreshes to the next cycle when it detects no active dens.

Here's the thing though: the Wild Area consists of a southern half (Meetup Spot, Rolling Hills, Dappled Grove, Giant's Seat, Lake Miloch, Lake Axewell, Watchtower Ruins, Axew's Eye) and a northern half (Motostoke Riverbank, Bridge Field, Stony Wilderness, Giant's Cap, Giant's Mirror, Dusty Bowl, Hammerlocke Hills, Lake of Outrage). While you initially are intended to visit only the southern half, with the northern half unlocked after your third Badge, the game keeps track of ALL dens in both halves. That can lead you to think there are no active dens when there may be some in the northern half that you cannot easily reach due to the high-leveled wild Pokémon. (Do NOT enter there if there's a thunderstorm there if you don't yet have the bicycle. There will be wild Pokémon there easily twice or three times your level that can outrun your player character on foot.)

Bear in mind that the Max Raid Battles scale up as you progress through the game, indicated by a number of stars from 1 to 5, but you can potentially connect to someone else's Max Raid Battle with any star rank via the Y-Comm. Most of these will be 4- and 5-star raids, so they can be overwhelming if you haven't reached at least near the end of the game yet.

 

[Golden_Arcanine]

Quick question, does the "nationality" of the game depend on what language you choose? Or is it based on the actual game itself?

 

[Team Volt Grunt]

Quick question, does the "nationality" of the game depend on what language you choose? Or is it based on the actual game itself?

In the case of whether your game matches your system and is compatible to play, the game itself. Example: you can't play an Australian game on a North American 3DS.

In the case of whether your pokemon is a different language for masuda method breeding, it depends on the language you select at the beginning of the game (starting gen 6 and on) or the region your game was released in (pre-gen 6)

I can't think of any other instance where the "nationality" of a game would matter. Hope that answered your question.

 

[BCVM22]

The Switch and its games are region-free, so that no longer matters. “Nationality” of your game is dependent entirely upon language.

 

[Marzbar]

I have looked and looked in every possible section and I cannot find any VGC 2020 discussion section/thread anywhere on these forums. Am I blind? Or do we not have one?

I need VGC help...

 

[Chaoto87]

I've finally caught a Gmax Alcremie from a max raid battle. But I can't use it online. Does anyone know why?

I caught it in a max raid battle where I joined another random player, I wasn't the host. It isn't a hacked pokemon and still has its move set with no items attached.

 

[Tsukuyomi56]

I've finally caught a Gmax Alcremie from a max raid battle. But I can't use it online. Does anyone know why?

I caught it in a max raid battle where I joined another random player, I wasn't the host. It isn't a hacked pokemon and still has its move set with no items attached.

Likely they haven't updated the rules yet to include the G-Max Pokémon that are part of the new Max Raid event.

 

[Emboar_Rulez]

Will I need a new Scorbunny to Gigantamax my Cinderace or can my starter that I received at the beginning of the game do it?

 

[Ignition]

Will I need a new Scorbunny to Gigantamax my Cinderace or can my starter that I received at the beginning of the game do it?

The Direct phrases it as if your original Cinderace gains it as opposed to getting one who can and the website says Pokémon who travel with you gain the ability to GMax. Though we’re not 100% sure

 

[thebushmaster]

hello all,
its been a very long time since i posted on internet forums(use to be heavily active)
i would spend the time searching for answers but this community is amazing so ill ask away(apologizes for crappy grammar).

has anyone tried downloading mystery Gift items after beating SWORD/SHIELD? if so have you every thought about restarting the game with a new save? if you did my important question is this:

if you start a new save do you lose your mystery gift items or does it stay with your account(i got the game on cartridge not digital)?

i am asking the question because i had used the online to trade with randome's and the person on the other end did not trade me my sword legendary back. and now i have shield legendary in pokemon sword.

what i want to do; is when Pokemon Home comes out i want to transfer all my pokemon from sword, so that i can start a new save and get my sword legendary back and re-complete the pokedex. just worried that i loss my mystery gift items.

 

[Ghost94]

hello all,
its been a very long time since i posted on internet forums(use to be heavily active)
i would spend the time searching for answers but this community is amazing so ill ask away(apologizes for crappy grammar).

has anyone tried downloading mystery Gift items after beating SWORD/SHIELD? if so have you every thought about restarting the game with a new save? if you did my important question is this:

if you start a new save do you lose your mystery gift items or does it stay with your account(i got the game on cartridge not digital)?

i am asking the question because i had used the online to trade with randome's and the person on the other end did not trade me my sword legendary back. and now i have shield legendary in pokemon sword.

what i want to do; is when Pokemon Home comes out i want to transfer all my pokemon from sword, so that i can start a new save and get my sword legendary back and re-complete the pokedex. just worried that i loss my mystery gift items.

You’re either going to need a second Nintendo Switch and a second Pokémon Sword/Shield game or you’ll need someone you can trust to trade over your items to and they hold onto them until you start the new save file at which point you trade back for them. Based off of what we know about Pokémon Home and Pokémon Bank we cannot store away/transfer items.