One of the goals that most Pokemon trainers strive to achieve is to catch every Pokemon in the Pokedex. Accomplishing such a time-consuming task will grant players the Shiny Charm, which makes it easier for Shiny Pokemon to spawn in the wild. Pokemon Scarlet & Violet has 400 Pokemon that trainers will need to catch, but with the release of The Teal Mask DLC, they have another Pokedex that will need completing.
Unlike the Paldea Pokedex, the Kitakami Pokedex only has 200 Pokemon. It's still a large number, but thanks to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet's compatibility with other Pokemon console games and HOME, filling out the entries may not take as long.
What to Do Before Getting the Kitakami Pokedex
The only way to get the Kitakami Pokedex is to start the Treasure Hunt, which includes the following main storylines:
- Victory Road
- Path of Legends
- Starfall Street
Once players obtain these objectives, they'll receive a phone call from their homeroom teacher, Jacq. Report back to Naranja/Uva Academy, and speak to Ms. Briar to initiate a scene. During this, Jacq will download the Kitakami Pokedex onto the player character's Rotom Phone.
Although there are 200 Kitakami Pokemon, some of the Pokemon in this new Dex can be caught in Paldea (ex: the Pichu-line, Riolu-line, and Rockruff-line). Thus, if players are starting Teal Mask after completing the main story, then it's possible they'll already have some Pokemon registered in the Kitakami Dex.
Despite this, players are going to need to go into Kitakami to catch the Pokemon exclusive to that region. So, speak to Ms. Briar to unlock the Kitakami region.
7 Tips for Completing the Kitakami Pokedex
The obvious way to complete the Kitakami Dex is for players to catch every Pokemon they see. Unless they're transferring these "new" Pokemon from another game, such as Brilliant Diamond, then they won't be able to catch/register them anywhere else. While Paldean Pokemon can spawn in Kitakami, Kitakami Pokemon will not appear in Paldea, even with the Teal Mask content.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when trying to fill out the Kitakami Pokedex:
Partake in Kitakami Tera Raids
Just as there are Tera Raids in Paldea, there are Tera Raids in Kitakami, too. They function the exact same as their Paldean counterparts, with 5-6 Star Raids being locked behind completing the main story and Ace Academy Tournament/postgame respectively.
Tera Raids are a good way to catch rare Pokemon (like Feebas) or Pokemon that can only be evolved through trading (like Golem). Trade-Evolution Pokemon are locked to 5-6 Star raids, so players won't be seeing them until they've cleared the main story. However, it's the only way to get them if trainers can't trade or if they can't transfer them from other Pokemon games.
It's highly recommended to have a Pokemon level 90-100 when tackling the 5/6-star Raids. Azumarill and Iron Hands are generally recommended for Raids in which they have the Type Advantage.
Talk to NPCs in Kitakami
Some of the Kitakami Pokemon are locked behind side quests. One example is Bloodmoon Ursaluna, which is obtainable in a side quest from Perrin, a photographer in Mossui Town. There are also the Legendary Pokemon of Kitakami (i.e, Ogerpon, The "Loyal Three"), which require the completion of the Teal Mask story.
Since these are Scarlet/Violet Pokemon, players can't transfer them from previous generations, such as Legends: Arceus or Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl. Thus, it's required for players to complete the necessary side quest(s) to complete the Kitakami Dex. The best way to know if an NPC is worth talking to, is if their speech bubble is yellow instead of white. This usually indicates they want to talk (or battle).
Use Different Types of Poke Balls for Catching
There are more than just the red-and-white Poke Ball. Great Balls and Ultra Balls have a higher catch rate than a Poke Ball, but it's best to stock up on other variants of Poke Balls, such as the Quick Ball and Timer Ball. For example, the Quick Ball has a 4x catch rate when used on the first turn. If it's used on turn 2+, its catch rate is reduced to that of a regular Poke Ball. The Timer Ball has the opposite effect, where its catch rate increases at the end of each turn in-battle. It caps out on the 30th turn at 4x catch rate.
Of course, it's possible for the Pokemon to break free of the Poke Ball, so it's good to stock up on Ultra Balls, or Poke Balls that have better catch rates depending on the environment. Dusk Balls work better in caves or at night, Dive Balls are good to catch Pokemon on/in the water, and Net Balls have a higher catch rate on Bug and Water-type Pokemon. Once trainers have all eight gym badges, they'll be able to buy every type of Poke Ball (not including the Apricorn Balls, such as the Heavy Ball) from Delibird Presents or at the shops near the Pokemon Centers.
Trade with Other Players for Version Exclusives
For some players, trading can be difficult in Pokemon Scarlet/Violet. It requires internet connection and a Nintendo Online Membership, which costs money. The subscription pass can last for a month up to a year, and its auto-renewal can be toggled in the Switch's settings on the Home Screen. Unfortunately, Scarlet/Violet have a few Version-exclusive Pokemon, forcing players to trade online if they don't have a copy of the opposite game or Pokemon HOME.
Players can trade Version-exclusives by doing a Link Trade or a Surprise Trade. However, since the goal is to get a Version-exclusive, it's better to do a Link Trade with a friend. This way, Scarlet/Violet players will know they're getting a Version-exclusive in return.
Kitakami has a few Version-exclusives such as Gliscor and Cramorant for Pokemon Scarlet, and Morpeko and Aipom for Pokemon Violet.
Transfer Pokemon using Pokemon HOME
With Scarlet/Violet being compatible with Pokemon HOME, players that have another Pokemon console game or a copy of the opposite version (i.e, has Scarlet and Violet) can easily transfer Pokemon without the need to trade. Only Pokemon that are in the Scarlet/Violet Pokedex will be able to transfer to Scarlet/Violet.
Using HOME to transfer Pokemon involves placing the desired Pokemon in the PC Box of the other Pokemon game (ex: Sword/Shield, Legends: Arceus, Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl). Then, open HOME and access the game with the Pokemon, and move them to the Basic Box. With the Pokemon in the Basic Box, it can now be moved to Scarlet/Violet. Once players Save and Exit, the transferred Pokemon will automatically be registered to the Scarlet/Violet Pokedex. HOME is great for getting Pokemon that only evolve by Trading, or for registering Version-exclusives.
Evolve Pokemon in Other Pokemon Games
Some Pokemon have evolutions that are just easier to initiate in another Pokemon game. One example is Feebas, which evolves into Milotic when it's traded while holding a Prism Scale. Those with a copy of Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl can just transfer their Scarlet/Violet Feebas into BDSP using Pokemon HOME. Once transferred, Feebas can evolve into Milotic by maxing out its Beauty Stat by feeding it Dry Poffins.
Other Pokemon that are easier to evolve in another game are Kadabra, Graveler, and Haunter. Transfer these Pokemon to Legends: Arceus and use the Link Cord item to evolve them. Once they're evolved, transfer them back to Scarlet/Violet using HOME. Alternatively, players can just catch an Alakazam, Golem, or Gengar in Legends: Arceus and transfer that one instead. Doing this means the Pokemon won't have the Trainer ID from Scarlet/Violet, but instead they'll have the Trainer ID from Legends: Arceus.
Catch and Evolve the Pokemon in Pokemon GO
Pokemon GO is another good way to catch Pokemon that are hard to find in Scarlet/Violet. If Pokemon GO is linked to Pokemon HOME (which can be done in Settings), then players can use Transfer Energy to select Pokemon to send them to HOME, where they can then be moved into Scarlet/Violet. Since Pokemon evolve with Candy in GO, players can bypass Trade-to-Evolve requirements.
Once a Pokemon is transferred to HOME, it can complete its transfer by going into Pokemon HOME on the Switch and selecting the GO icon. As long as there's room in the Basic Box, the GO!Pokemon can be moved. From there, transfer the Pokemon to Scarlet/Violet.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available for Nintendo Switch.