How to Catch Pokemon

Seek, observe, and weaken a Pokemon first before trying to catch it. Learn more about how to catch Pokemon, how to use a Poke Ball, tips to catch a Pokemon, and what other items help in catching a Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

How to Catch Pokemon

How to Catch Pokemon
Search for the Pokemon. Throw a Poke Ball or start a battle. A puff of steam indicates a successful catch.

Video Explanation

Search for the Pokemon

As a Survey Corps member, you'll regularly set out to different areas of the Hisui region to do research tasks. Luckily, the Hisui region is home to different kinds of Pokemon that you can study.

However, there are certain types of Pokemon that only appear under the right conditions, such as during a particular time of day or in certain kinds of weather.

You can check the Pokedex to see the location of Pokemon and where they appear in the map.

Weather Guide: All Weather Types and Effects

Choose a Method to Catch the Pokemon

There are two ways to catch a Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. You can either throw a Poke Ball at it directly or start an encounter to lower its HP.

Method 1: Throw a Poke Ball in the overworld

Steps in Catching Pokemon in the Overworld
1	Aim your equipped Poke Ball by holding the ZR button
2	Release the button to throw the Poke Ball. You can cancel throwing a Poke Ball by pressing the B button.

Method 2: Engage in battle

Sometimes you'll fail to catch Pokemon just by simply throwing a Poke Ball at it. It can either run away from you or will get agitated, rendering any thrown Poke Balls in the overworld useless.

In these cases, you'll need to start a battle by throwing a Poke Ball with your Pokemon inside to the wild Pokemon.

How to Start Wild Battles
Throw your Pokemon to a wild Pokemon by aiming with the ZR button and releasing it.

Battle System: Is Battle Turn-Based?

Puff of Steam Indicates a Successful Catch

You can tell a Pokemon has been succesfully caught by the steam puffed from the top of the Poke Ball, along with a sound bite indicating your sucessful attempt!

Tips to Catching Pokemon

Tips to Catch Pokemon
Hold the ZL Button to focus on the Pokemon Be Stealthy Observe the Pokemon's Behavior Distract it with a berry Throw a Poke Ball from behind Don't alert it Dodge its attacks Weaken aggressive Pokemon in battle

Press and Hold ZL Button to Focus on the Pokemon

You can hold down the ZL button to target-lock at the Pokemon so you do not have to aim manually.

Additionally, you can also see if it's easy to catch based on the color of the Arrow Indicators on its head. You can also tell it from the number of arrows pointing upwards. The more arrows the indicator has, the easier it is to capture the Pokemon!

Catch Difficulty Icons
Easy	Medium	Hard

Be Stealthy

Pokemon that are less aware of your presence are easier to catch, so be sure to sneak up to them as much as you can. You can Press B button to crouch and make yourself harder to see.

You can also use the different structures in the overworld to get near them, like a big rock or a tree, and hide behind them, but crouching on tall grass work best!

Once you're near enough, throw a Poke Ball at the Pokemon to try and catch it.

Observe the Pokemon's Behavior

Certain Pokemon react differently to trainers depending on the species. Some will charge towards you, while some flee as soon as they spot you. Other Pokemon can even charge straight at you, making you stagger.

Observe the Pokemon you want to catch and remember to tailor your approach on different kinds of Pokemon to successfully catch them.

Pokemon Behavior and Effects

Distract It With a Berry

Throwing a berry near a Pokemon will distract it. When it starts eating the berry, it becomes less aware of your presence. Thus, making it the perfect time for you to throw a Poke Ball at it!

Use the Back Strike Technique

If a Poke Ball you've thrown hits a Pokemon on its back, you will have a higher chance of catching it. This is known as a Back Strike.

Use this to your advantage by couching and sneaking up to the Pokemon from its back.

Back Strikes also work when starting Pokemon battles, as hitting a wild Pokemon's back with your Pokemon will catch it unaware, giving you advantage in the battle.

Don't Alert It

If an aggressive Pokemon spots you or you fail to catch it on your first sneak attempt, it will have an X Icon on its head and enter an alert state that will deflect any Poke Balls thrown its way.

You'll know a Pokemon has spotted you if a red bar with an eye icon appears at the top of your screen. You must battle the Pokemon if you want to catch it once it goes on this phase.

Dodge Its Attacks

Pokemon that are aggressive will attack you directly. Taking damage from a Pokemon will make your character appear red. If you take a lot of damage, you'll black out and lose some of your items. Remember to always utilize your dodge to avoid blacking out!

Weaken Aggressive Pokemon In Battle

Aggressive Pokemon will have an X icon on top of them, indiciating that they cannot be caught by simply throwing a Poke Ball in the overworld and needs to be fought so you can attempt to catch it.

Capture an aggressive Pokemon, including Alpha Pokemon, by weakening them in a battle first. You can save your progress first before starting the encounter so you can reset the game if you knock it out accidentally.

Helpful Items for Catching Pokemon

Smoke Bombs

Smoke Bombs help conceal your presence from wild Pokemon. These bombs are a great aid in catching Pokemon in areas where there are no rocks or other obstacles to hide behind. They are also very helpful when trying to catch a Pokemon that immediately flee at the sight of a trainer!

How to Craft and Use Smoke Bombs

Heavy Balls

Heavy Balls are a special type of Poke Ball that are more effective against Pokemon that haven't noticed you yet. They're heavier than regular Poke Balls so they don't fly very far when you throw them. Make sure to sneak close to a Pokemon before using one of these!

Using Smoke Bombs and Heavy Balls together is a good strategy since the former conceals your presence as you sneak to a Pokemon.

Heavy Balls: Crafting Recipe and How to Use

Feather Balls

Feather Balls are a special type of Poke Ball that flies faster than the regular Poke Ball. These are more effective against agile Pokemon such as Flying-types or skittish Pokemon.

How to Get Feather Balls: Crafting Recipe and Effect

Pokemon Legends: Arceus Related Guides

Beginner's Tips & Guides

Pokemon Legends: Arceus Tips and Guides