Like every generation of Pokémon before it, Pokémon Sword and Shield have Pokémon that can only be found in one version or the other. It’s a long-held tradition used to encourage players to trade with owner others of the games.
For example, if you own Pokémon Sword, you won’t be able to find a Ponyta in the wild. You’ll need to trade with someone who owns Pokémon Shield if you want a Ponyta in your copy of Sword. Conversely, owners of Pokémon Shield won’t be able to find a Farfetch’d in the wild and they’ll need to trade with a Sword owner to get one.
Where Pokémon Sword and Shield change things up, though, is with the addition of version-exclusive Gyms, as well.
We’ve put together this guide to all the version exclusive Pokémon and Gyms in the games.
Exclusive to Pokémon Sword
Pokémon
The following 33 Pokémon can only be found in Pokémon Sword:
| Pokémon Name | Type | Locations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farfetch'd | Normal/Flying | Route 5, Giant's Mirror, Max Raid Battles | |
| Sirfetch'd | Fighting | Max Raid Battles | |
| Gothita | Psychic | Dusty Bowl, Giant's Cap, Max Raid Battles | |
| Gothorita | Psychic | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Gothitelle | Psychic | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Deino | Dark/Dragon | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Zweilous | Dark/Dragon | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Hydreigon | Dark/Dragon | Max Raid Battles | |
| Turtonator | Fire/Dragon | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Jangmo-o | Dragon | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Hakamo-o | Fighting/Dragon | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Kommo-o | Fighting/Dragon | Max Raid Battles, Strong Spawn in Wild Area | |
| Machamp | Fighting | Max Raid Battles, Strong Spawn in Wild Area | Machamp's Gigantamax Raid Battle is only available natively in Pokémon Sword. |
| Seedot | Grass | Route 2, Dappled Grove, West Lake Axewell, Max Raid Battles | |
| Nuzleaf | Grass/Dark | Route 5, Dappled Grove, Giant's Cap, Giant's Seat, Rolling Fields, South Lake Miloch, Max Raid Battles | |
| Shiftry | Grass/Dark | Max Raid Battles, Strong Spawn in Wild Area | |
| Mawile | Steel/Fairy | Bridge Field, Dusty Bowl, Max Raid Battles | |
| Solrock | Rock/Psychic | Route 8, Giant's Cap, Max Raid Battles | |
| Darumaka | Ice | Route 8, Route 10, Max Raid Battles | |
| Darmanitan | Ice | Max Raid Battles | |
| Scraggy | Dark/Fighting | Bridge Field, Dusty Bowl, Galar Mine No. 2, Giant's Cap, Motostoke Outskirts, Stony Wilderness, Max Raid Battles | |
| Scrafty | Dark/Fighting | Max Raid Battles | |
| Rufflet | Normal/Flying | Route 8, Bridge Field, Stony Wilderness, Max Raid Battles | |
| Braviary | Normal/Flying | Dusty Bowl, Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Swirlix | Fairy | Route 5, Giant's Mirror, Glimwood Tangle, Stony Wilderness, Max Raid Battles | |
| Slurpuff | Fairy | Max Raid Battles | |
| Coalossal | Rock/Fire | Dusty Bowl, Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles, Strong Spawn in Wild Area | Coalossal's Gigantamax Raid Battle is only available natively in Pokémon Sword. |
| Flapple | Grass/Dragon | Max Raid Battles | Flapple's evolutionary item, the Tart Apple, is only available in Pokémon Sword. Flapple's Gigantamax Raid Battle is only available natively in Pokémon Sword. |
| Stonjourner | Rock | Route 10, Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Indeedee | Psychic/Normal | Glimwood Tangle, Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | Only male Indeedee is exclusive to Pokémon Sword. |
| Zacian | Fairy | Energy Plant | |
| Passimian | Fighting | Glimwood Tangle, Max Raid Battles | |
| Basculin | Water | Hulbury, Motostoke Riverbank, North Lake Miloch, Max Raid Battles | The Red-Striped Form is exclusive to Pokémon Sword. |
Gyms
The following two Gyms can only be found in Pokémon Sword:
- Bea: Fighting-Type Gym Leader
- Gordie: Rock-Type Gym Leader
Exclusive to Pokémon Shield
Pokémon
The following 33 Pokémon can only be found in Pokémon Shield:
| Pokémon Name | Type | Locations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponyta | Psychic | Glimwood Tangle, Max Raid Battles | |
| Larvitar | Rock/Ground | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Pupitar | Rock/Ground | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Tyranitar | Rock/Dark | Max Raid Battles, Strong Spawn in Wild Area | |
| Solosis | Psychic | Dusty Bowl, Max Raid Battles | |
| Duosion | Psychic | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Reuniclus | Psychic | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Vullaby | Dark/Flying | Route 8, Bridge Field, Stony Wilderness, Max Raid Battles | |
| Mandibuzz | Dark/Flying | Dusty Bowl, Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Goomy | Dragon | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Sliggoo | Dragon | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Goodra | Dragon | Max Raid Battles | |
| Drampa | Normal/Dragon | Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Rapidash | Psychic/Fairy | Max Raid Battles | |
| Gengar | Ghost/Poison | Max Raid Battles, Strong Spawn in Wild Area | Gengar's Gigantamax Raid Battle is only available natively in Pokémon Shield. |
| Lapras | Water/Ice | Route 9, Max Raid Battles, Strong Spawn in Wild Area | Lapras's Gigantamax Raid Battle is only available natively in Pokémon Shield. |
| Corsola | Ghost | Giant's Mirror, Max Raid Battles | |
| Lotad | Water/Grass | Route 2, Dappled Grove, Rolling Fields, West Lake Axewell, Max Raid Battles | |
| Lombre | Water/Grass | Route 5, Dappled Grove, Giant's Cap, Giant's Seat, South Lake Miloch, Max Raid Battles | |
| Ludicolo | Water/Grass | Max Raid Battles, Strong Spawn in Wild Area | |
| Sableye | Dark/Ghost | Dusty Bowl, Max Raid Battles | |
| Lunatone | Rock/Psychic | Route 8, Giant's Cap, Max Raid Battles | |
| Croagunk | Poison/Fighting | Bridge Field, Dusty Bowl, Galar Mine No. 2, Giant's Cap, Motostoke Outskirts, Stony Wilderness, Max Raid Battles | |
| Toxicroak | Poison/Fighting | Stony Wilderness, Max Raid Battles | |
| Basculin | Water | Hulbury, Motostoke Riverbank, North Lake Miloch, Max Raid Battles | The Blue-Striped Form is exclusive to Pokémon Shield. |
| Spritzee | Fairy | Route 5, Giant's Mirror, Glimwood Tangle, Stony Wilderness, Max Raid Battles | |
| Aromatisse | Fairy | Max Raid Battles | |
| Oranguru | Normal/Psychic | Glimwood Tangle, Max Raid Battles | |
| Appletun | Grass/Dragon | Max Raid Battles | Appletun's evolutionary item, the Sweet Apple, is only available in Pokémon Shield. Appletun's Gigantamax Raid Battle is only available natively in Pokémon Shield. |
| Cursola | Ghost | Max Raid Battles | |
| Eiscue | Ice | Route 10, Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | |
| Indeedee | Psychic/Normal | Glimwood Tangle, Lake of Outrage, Max Raid Battles | Only female Indeedee is exclusive to Pokémon Shield. |
| Zamazenta | Fighting | Energy Plant |
Gyms
The following two Gyms can only be found in Pokémon Shield:
- Allister: Ghost-Type Gym Leader
- Melonie: Ice-Type Gym Leader
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!
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.
