Like past Pokémon games, there are a variety of “gift” Pokémon in Sword and Shield: Pokémon given out to the player through various in-game means. Sometimes, you may run into an NPC who kindly offers you a free Pokémon to take care of, like Pikachu, Eevee, or Toxel. This is a guide to all the gift Pokémon in the game.
IMPORTANT NOTE: A lot of these NPCs do not ask your permission to give you their gift Pokémon. That means once you interact with them, they will instantly give it to you. Be sure to save before you talk to the NPC if you would like to reset for a specific Nature, Ability, or gender.
Where to find Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble
Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Starter Pokémon are technically the first gift Pokémon in the games. In Wedgehurst, Champion Leon will offer the player character and his little brother Hop a choice between Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. Hop will choose the Pokémon with a Type disadvantage to yours while Leon will choose the one with a Type advantage to yours. These three Pokémon are Shiny-locked, meaning you cannot reset to get a Shiny version of them.
Grookey
Grookey is a Grass-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Overgrow. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 5 and know the attacks Scratch and Growl. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Scorbunny
Scorbunny is a Fire-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Blaze. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 5 and know the attacks Tackle and Growl. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Sobble
Sobble is a Water-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Torrent. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 5 and know the attacks Pound and Growl. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Where to find Gigantamax Pikachu and Eevee
You can get your hands on these big bois/girls at the train station at the Meetup Spot in the Wild Area. On the left side are two kids and a man sitting in front of them. If you have save data for Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! on your Nintendo Switch, you can speak to the girl to receive a Pikachu with the ability to Gigantamax. If you have save data for Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! on your Switch, you can speak to the boy to receive an Eevee with the ability to Gigantamax.
Of course, if you have save data for both games, you can receive both Pokémon. These two Pokémon are Shiny-locked, meaning you cannot reset to get a Shiny version of them.
Gigantamax Pikachu
Pikachu is an Electric-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Static. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 10 and know the attacks Growl, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave, and Double Team. It will come in a regular Poké Ball. This Pikachu cannot evolve.
Outside of this location, you can also catch wild Pikachu in Route 4, Stony Wilderness, and via Max Raid Battles and Strong Spawn in the Wild Area. Its pre-evolution, Pichu, can also be found in Max Raid Battles.
Gigantamax Eevee
Eevee is a Normal-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Run Away. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 10 and know the attacks Growl, Tail Whip, Sand Attack, and Quick Attack. It will come in a regular Poké Ball. This Eevee cannot evolve.
Outside of this location, you can also catch wild Eevee on Route 4 and via Max Raid Battles in the Wild Area.
Where to get Toxel
Toxel is a new Gen VIII Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield. There’s a Day Care Center on Route 5 where you can find a woman on the right along with a Toxel next to her. Speak to her and she’ll inform you she recently hatched that Toxel from a Pokémon Egg and would like you to take it.
Toxel is an Electric/Poison-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Rattled or Static. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 1 and know the moves Nuzzle, Growl, Flail, and Acid. It will come in a Luxury Ball.
Where to get Dracozolt, Arctozolt, Dracovish, and Arctovish
On Route 6, you’ll run into a woman giving out fossils. She’ll offer to combine two different fossils to revive a Pokémon, allowing you four different combinations for four different Pokémon. Here’s how to get the four fossil Pokémon in Pokémon Sword and Shield.
Dracozolt
To get Dracozolt, you’ll need to combine the Fossilized Bird and Fossilized Drake.
Dracozolt is an Electric/Dragon-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Volt Absorb or Hustle. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 10 and know the moves Tackle, Thunder Shock, and Charge. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Arctozolt
To get Arctozolt, you’ll need to combine the Fossilized Bird and Fossilized Dino.
Arctozolt is an Electric/Ice-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Volt Absorb or Static. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 10 and know the moves Powder Snow, Thunder Shock, and Charge. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Dracovish
To get Dracovish, you’ll need to combine the Fossilized Fish and Fossilized Drake.
Dracovish is a Water/Dragon-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Water Absorb or Strong Jaw. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 10 and know the moves Tackle, Water Gun, and Protect. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Arctovish
To get Arctovish, you’ll need to combine the Fossilized Fish and Fossilized Dino.
Arctovish is a Water/Ice-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Water Absorb or Ice Body. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 10 and know the moves Powder Snow, Water Gun, and Protect. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Where to get Type: Null
After you beat the game and become Champion of the Galar region, head to the Battle Tower to find a member of the League Staff. She’ll have a Type: Null she’ll say needs a trainer to care for it and will offer it to you. She’ll also give you all the Memory items it’ll need for once it evolves into Silvally.
Type: Null is a Normal-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Battle Armor. Its Nature will be random, but Type: Null is genderless. It will be gifted you you at Level 50 and know the moves Tri Attack, X-Scissor, Iron Head, and Take Down. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Where to get Charmander/Gigantamax Charizard
The last gift Pokémon in Sword and Shield is a Charmander that Leon will give you after you become Champion. Head to Postwick and enter Leon and Hop’s house. In Leon’s room, you’ll find a Poké Ball with a note attached. Inside the Ball is a Charmander with the ability to Gigantamax once it evolves into Charizard.
Charmander is a Fire-Type Pokémon that comes with the Ability Blaze. Its Nature and gender will be random. It will be gifted to you at Level 5 and know the moves Scratch and Growl. It will come in a regular Poké Ball.
Charmander evolves into Charmeleon at Level 16, and then into Charizard at Level 36. When it is a Charizard, it will gain the ability to Gigantamax.
More Pokémon Sword and Shield guides
Want more help with Sword and Shield? Check out one of our other great guides to assist you through the games!
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Written by Daniel Dell-Cornejo
Daniel is an editor at Nintendo Wire. Always with his head in the clouds, he is never apart from his creative thoughts – a blessing for an aspiring fiction writer. As a journalist and lifelong gamer, he aims to provide readers with the very best in Nintendo coverage.
