Pokemon Sword & Shield: Post-Game Activities (& Where to Find Them)

The quest to become the Pokemon Sword & Shield Champion has come to an end, but players are still itching to feed the need to play more Pokemon. For many trainers, the game ends once the credits roll, but there is still plenty to do for those who want to continue their journey.

Like most mainline Pokemon games, Pokemon Sword and Shield have plenty of post-game activities and quests to take part in. While the past few main titles have had more of a story-driven post-game, Pokemon Sword and Shield offers trainers the opportunity to play the post-game how they want to play it. Here are a few of the things trainers can do to occupy their time after becoming the Galar Champion.

Catch Zamazenta or Zacian in Pokemon Sword & Shield

During the main story, players catch Eternatus with the help of both Zamazenta (Shield Exclusive) and Zacian (Sword Exclusive). Eternatus, Zamazenta, and Zacian are all three legendary Pokemon in Pokemon Sword & Shield. After the player catches Eternatus, both Zamazenta and Zacian run away into the sunset leaving the player wondering if they will ever see the two doggos again.

Luckily, after you have defeated Leon and claimed the title of Champion a questline will become available that will allow you to catch one of the two legendary dogs. Players will need to head to the shrine in the Slumbering Weald where they had visited prior as a part of the main story. Once there, players will be greeted by two gentlemen with funny-looking hair, and from there the game will lead you all over the Galar Region leading up to the moment when you will be able to catch either Zamazenta or Zacian.

And after that, you will once again have the chance to mercilessly defeat your rival Hop in one last battle.

Obtain the Master Ball, Beast Ball, and TM Steel Beam in Pokemon Sword & Shield

Pokemon Sword & Shield continues the tradition of Apriballs, which are special Pokeballs that players are usually only able to obtain one of per game. These balls can be traded amongst players for other valuable items and even powerful Pokemon. While their purpose is purely aesthetic, these Pokeballs carry a high value, and some of them are only available during the post-game.

The Master Ball, the most popular and powerful of the Apriballs, can be obtained at your home in Postwick. Enter into the kitchen after beating the game and Professor Magnolia will enter behind you and give you the Master Ball. The Master Ball is special as it has a 100% catch rate of any Pokemon it is used on. Master Balls are among the most valuable of the Apriballs and are often traded for Shiny Pokemon.

The Beast Ball is another ball obtainable after becoming Champion. It is obtained by visiting Stow-on-Side and talking to the blonde-haired man under a multi-colored umbrella. He will have a single Beast Ball for you which can be used to catch Pokemon or can be traded for other valuable items/Pokemon.

In addition to Apriballs, a special TM or move can be obtained during the post-game. A man hiding in the lower portion of Motostoke will offer you the move Steel Beam. Steel Beam as an incredibly high power of 140 but deals damage to the user as well. The man offering the move can be found near the cargo crates after walking down the metal stairs that are accessed from the upper level of Motostoke.

Obtain Gigantamax Charizard in Pokemon Sword & Shield

While Gigantamax Charizard can be found in the wild, it is much easier to claim a free, no-hassle Gigantamax Charizard after you’ve beaten the game. Once again, return to the player’s hometown of Postwick, but instead of entering the player’s home they will need to visit their rival Hop’s home. Inside Leon’s room, a normal Pokeball can be found on the floor. A letter attached explains that this ball is meant for the player to take. It contains a Charmander which when evolved into a Charizard will be able to Gigantamax.

It should also be noted that this Charmander cannot be shiny so soft resetting will only result in the same Charmander. Shiny Gigantamax Charizard can only be found in Raids in the Wild Area.

Obtain the Catching Charm, Oval Charm, and Shiny Charm in Pokemon Sword & Shield

Three charms that will greatly improve certain tasks are available to players after they’ve beaten the game: the Catching, Oval, and Shiny Charms.

The Catching Charm is actually available during the main story after the player first visits Circhester. The charm can be obtained by entering the left hotel located at the Circhester town circle. Head up the elevator and enter the room at the end of the left hallway. Talk to the doctor in the room and he will give you the Catching Charm. This charm increases the chances for critical captures to occur.

The Oval Charm can be obtained inside the same building as the Catching Charm. Head upstairs once but instead of entering the last room on the left, the player will enter the first door on the left. Talk to the man dressed as a police officer. The player will need to defeat his team of six Pokemon before he gives you the Oval Charm. The Oval Charm will increase the rate at which the trainer can receive eggs from the daycare.

The Shiny Charm can be obtained at any point in the game after the player has visited Circhester. All the player has to do is to catch or obtain each of the 400 species of Pokemon available in Pokemon Sword & Shield. This can be accomplished before beating the game but it is much easier after the and post-game story missions have been accomplished. After this has been accomplished the player can talk to the doctor who gave them the Catching Charm and he will give you the Shiny Charm. The Shiny Charm will greatly increase the base odds at which a player can find a Shiny Pokemon.

Obtain Type: Null in Pokemon Sword & Shield

Type: Null, a fan favorite Pokemon introduced in Gen 8, can be obtained after beating the main story. Type: Null is a gift Pokemon meaning all the player needs to do is talk to a specific NPC in order to obtain it. The player will need to visit Rose Tower in Wyndon where an NPC can be found to the left when entering the building. She is hard to miss as she is standing next to Type: Null. Talk to her and she will hand over Type: Null free of charge along will all of the memory disks that will change Type: Null’s evolved forms typing.

The Battle Tower in Pokemon Sword & Shield

The Battle Tower, also known as Rose Tower, can be accessed during the post-game. It is where trainers can battle much stronger NPCs and earn Battle Points which can be used to buy special items that can’t be obtained anywhere else. Players will also have the opportunity to unlock the IV Checker and Hyper Trainer. Trainers can use their dream team or rent pre-built teams to battle other trainers at the tower.

Other Post Game Activities in Pokemon Sword & Shield

The longevity of Pokemon Sword & Shield is what players decide to make. Outside of what the game provides as strictly “post-game content”, trainers can also breed Pokemon to build competitive or dream teams. They can shiny hunt their favorite Pokemon, or shiny hunt the entire Pokedex. They can catch one of each species of Pokemon to complete the living dex. Or they can look for more creative ways to play such as speedrun the Rotom Rally or farm money and watts until the game caps out.

There are plenty of ways for players to continue their journey after they have claimed the title fo Galar Region Champ, and there will be even more in the future once the Pokemon Sword & Shield DLCs drop later in 2020.

Pokemon Sword & Shield is available on Nintendo Switch.

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