How to Catch Xerneas in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Post-Game

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Xerneas is a Fairy-type legendary Pokémon that first appeared on the cover of Pokémon X and Y. While Pokémon Legends: Z-A doesn’t feature many legendary Pokémon to catch, Xerneas is one of the few available, along with its counterpart.

You won’t be able to catch Xerneas in Pokemon Legends: Z-A until you finish the main story. We’ll walk you through how to trigger the special encounter below.

If you don’t want to find out what happens after the movie ends, stop reading now – this contains spoilers!

Pokemon Legends: Z-A – How to Catch Xerneas

‘The One That Gives’

After finishing the main story in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, you’ll unlock the Infinite Z-A Royale. This allows you to continue battling trainers in the Battle Zones at night, just like you did throughout the game. Now, though, you can earn rewards from Quasartico and take part in special Reward Matches.

Start by playing the first stage of the Infinite Z-A Royale. You’ll need to score 50,000 points and win a Challenger’s Ticket. Then, take the ticket to Quasartico and talk to the man at the front desk to fight Zach the Driver. After you beat him, Lida will contact you and ask you to go to Hotel Z.

Once you finish talking, you’ll receive two new main quests: “The One That Gives” and “The One That Takes.” We’ll guide you through the first one, which will lead to a meeting with the Pokémon Xerneas. To begin, simply talk to Mable at the Research Lab, located near Wild Zone 1.

Mable needs your help! She’ll send you to Wild Zones 3, 5, and 9 to battle and defeat a special, unusual Alpha Pokémon in each location.

Finding the Alpha Pokemon in Wild Zones 3, 5, and 9

In Wild Zone 3 (Rouge District), you’ll find the Alpha Pokémon right in the center. Fighting, Ground, Fire, and Water attacks are all super effective against it, so they’ll help you defeat it quickly.

To find the Alpha Pokémon in Wild Area 5, simply travel to the area quickly, and you’ll likely see one with red eyes roaming around.

We caught it surprisingly easily with an Ultra Ball, approaching from behind. If you’re going to fight it, though, Fairy, Ghost, and Flying-type moves work best.

To find the Alpha Pokémon in Wild Zone 9, look for a Pangoro on the rooftops. Start by finding a ladder in the northwest corner of the zone, climb up, turn left, and walk straight to reach the roof where it appears.

Okay, so looking at the map I shared, the arrow points you right from where you climb the ladder to where you’ll find the Alpha Pangoro. I also put a video below that shows exactly how to find it – it’s super helpful!

Pangoro is weak to Fighting, Fairy, and Flying-type moves.

Now that you’ve dealt with the three Alpha Pokemon, return to Mable at the Research Lab. She’ll ask you to go to Wild Zone 11 – that’s where you’ll find Xerneas!

(You can find the location of Wild Zone 11 in our interactive map above for Pokemon Legends: Z-A).

Battle With Xerneas

Head to Wild Zone 11 (or the closest accessible area) and find the marker by the river to trigger a cutscene and begin a battle with the Legendary Kalos Pokemon. Important: you absolutely have to catch Xerneas after weakening it – you can’t progress in the mission without doing so.

If you defeat Xerneas and then try to catch it with a standard Poke Ball, it will probably escape, forcing you to battle again. Fortunately, the game won’t let you accidentally fail to catch it – if your Poke Ball misses, the game will automatically restart the catching process.

I suggest using an Ultra Ball. It worked for me on my second try – a regular Poke Ball didn’t work the first time.

This Pokémon is a Fairy type, which means it’s weak against Poison and Steel attacks. It’s a good idea to fully heal your team before battling it, as it can be a challenging opponent if you aren’t prepared.

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2025-10-21 21:07