If you’ve completed Pokémon Legends ZA, you know that the adventure doesn’t truly end after the credits roll. Capturing the three legendary Pokémon—Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygarde—requires completing specific post-game quests, but the process is both exciting and rewarding for dedicated trainers. In this guide, I’ll break down the steps, strategies, and tips for successfully capturing all three legends.
Prerequisites for Legendary Quests
Before attempting these quests, you need to:
Complete the main story and watch the credits.
Finish at least one night of Infinity Z Royale, the continuation of Z Royale.
Obtain a Challenger Ticket from Z Royale, which will be exchanged at Quazart Quink for a random reward.
After receiving your reward, Lisa from Team MZ will call you to inform that Lisandre is at Hotel Z. From here, you’ll begin the quests that lead to the legendary Pokémon.
Capturing Xerneas
The quest for Xerneas starts at the Pokémon Laboratory with May. You’ll need to locate and defeat three Alpha Pokémon in the wild zones:
Wild Zone 3: Stelix
Wild Zone 5: Gale Alpha
Wild Zone 9: Alpha Pangoro
Tips for Xerneas:
Bring your strongest Pokémon with diverse attacks.
Save your game before each Alpha battle to maximize your capture chances.
Alpha Pokémon have three perfect IVs, making them a great opportunity for strengthening your team.
Once all Alphas are defeated, return to May to receive Xerneas’ location in Wild Zone 11. Xerneas is a Fairy-type Pokémon with weaknesses to Steel and Poison, so plan accordingly. Using status effects like Poison or careful HP reduction will help ensure a successful capture. Keep in mind that Xerneas, along with the other legendaries, is shiny locked and cannot appear as a shiny.
Capturing Yveltal
Yveltal’s quest begins after speaking with Grision at the new café, connected to former Team Flare members who track legendary Pokémon. You will then travel to Lun Gallery to locate Yveltal perched atop a building. Yveltal is a Dark/Flying type with weaknesses to Fairy, Rock, Ice, and Electric attacks.
Tips for Yveltal:
Use attacks that exploit its multiple weaknesses.
Apply status effects to simplify capture.
This battle is generally easier than Xerneas due to its more accessible weaknesses.
Once defeated and captured, return to Hotel Z to proceed to the final legendary, Zygarde.
Capturing Zygarde
Zygarde awaits in Wild Zone 20. As a Ground/Dragon type, it has weaknesses to Fairy, Dragon, and Ice—Ice attacks are particularly effective, dealing quadruple damage.
The battle unfolds in three stages:
Initial Dog Form: Basic attacks work, prepare for mobility.
50% Form: Moves are stronger, requiring careful dodging and positioning.
100% Form: Fully evolved, requires strategy, dodging, and effective use of your Pokémon’s Mega Evolutions.
Tips for Zygarde:
Stock up on healing items and revive potions.
Position yourself to avoid massive attacks, often requiring side-to-side rolling.
Mega Evolution abilities can turn the tide if used at the correct moment.
After defeating Zygarde, you can capture it with any Pokéball. Using the Zygarde Cube allows you to change its form between dog, normal, or full 100% form, and it can even Mega Evolve when health is below 50%.
Legendary Attributes Overview
Here’s a snapshot of their stats from my playthrough:
Xerneas: Level 75, Nature Calm, 13 perfect IVs in HP, Attack, and Speed
Yveltal: Level 75, Nature Adamant, perfect IVs in HP, Defense, Speed
Zygarde: Level 84, Nature Quiet, perfect IVs in Special Attack, HP, Attack
All three legendaries are shiny locked, so resetting for shiny variants is not possible. However, they come with impressive stats, making them valuable additions to any team.
Capturing the legendaries in Pokémon Legends ZA requires careful preparation, strategic use of your strongest Pokémon, and patience. From Alpha Pokémon to the multi-stage Zygarde battle, the post-game content offers rewarding challenges. For trainers who want to expand their collections, learning these strategies ensures you won’t miss any legendary encounter. Additionally, for those looking to enhance their roster faster, you can choose to buy shiny Pokémon from the best website for ZA shiny Pokémon, although the in-game captures provide their own satisfaction and strategic depth.
