Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set in olden times in the Pokemon world when it was rare to find harmony between people and Pokemon. Set in Hisui, modern-day Sinnoh, you will join the Galaxy Expedition Team (Galaxy Team for short) as a member of the Survey Corps stationed in Jubilife Village. You will be tasked to meet every species of Pokémon from the Hisui region to complete the region’s first-ever Pokédex.
In the game, there are Pokemon who appear larger than their regular counterparts with glowing red eyes, which means they are filled with Wild Might that increases all of their stats and reduces the damage they receive from status conditions, and increased combat capabilities are found all over the Hisui region. These Pokemon are called Alpha Pokemon.
In this guide, we will learn where to find an Alpha Gyarados!
Alpha Pokemon
The Alpha Pokemon will always be at a higher level than their regular counterparts. They will always be aggressive once they notice the player (except for Mantyke and Mantine) and will never run away (except for when the type of Alpha Pokemon appears during a certain time of day or if a Space-Time Distortion appears around them). Alpha Pokemon will roar and release a shockwave once they notice the player, and if the player is close enough, the player may get staggered and get knocked to the ground for a short while.
The player will be able to catch Alpha Pokemon, regardless of the Alpha Pokemon’s level, by battling with it and then eventually throwing a Poke Ball. The player, however, can catch Alpha Pokemon without battling by sneaking around the Alpha Pokemon in the tall grass or by using stealth items and then throwing a Poke Ball; however, the player cannot do this if the player’s current obedience level is significantly lower than the Alpha Pokemon’s level.
Additionally, suppose the player has a hard time catching an Alpha Pokemon. In that case, the player can increase the catch rate of catching an Alpha Pokemon by raising the player’s Star Rank (the player’s Survey Corps rank), which can be done by completing Research Tasks and talking to Professor Laventon in any of the Base Camps.
Three types of Alpha Pokemon can be found in the game: fixed Alpha Pokemon that will continuously spawn and can be found in some regions of the game and will always be at a fixed level; random Alpha Pokemon, which may only appear once the player has quelled the area’s frenzied Noble Pokemon, and Alpha Pokemon in Massive Mass Outbreaks which can appear as a second wave in the same location as the first wave.
As the other two are random, we will discuss fixed Alpha Pokemon, specifically Alpha Gyarados.
Alpha Gyarados
Gyarados is a Water and Flying type Atrocious Pokemon with a long, blue and cream-colored body that looks like that of a serpent’s, cream-colored spots on its side, a pair of small eyes with red pupils, a large and gaping mouth with yellow lips and four visible pointed teeth, one barbel, small white fins on each side of its face, a dark blue crest on its forehead that has three points, four spike dorsal fins that are colored white, a tail that looks like the crest on its forehead but has white fins in between. According to its Pokedex entry in the game, it is suspected that Gyarados’ true identity is that of a dragon written in ancient texts claiming that it destroyed an entire village with white-hot beams from its maw.
Alpha Gyarados can be found in the waters west of Lake Verity (north of Sandgem Flats or south of Floaro Gardens) in the Obsidian Fieldlands and can be found here at all times of the day and in every weather condition. The Alpha Gyarados that can be found in this location is Level 60.
Another Alpha Gyarados can be found in the waters north of Sand’s Reach (east of Tranquility Cove or south of Lunker’s Lair) in the Cobalt Coastlands and here at all times of the day and in every weather condition. The Alpha Gyarados that can be found in this location is Level 58.
It is recommended to sneak to the back of the Alpha Pokemon, using the tall grass or stealth items like Smoke Bombs, and throw the player’s Pokemon or Poke Ball on its back to catch it unawares, which assures that the player moves first in battle.
If you plan on distracting it with food before catching it, it is worth mentioning that Gyarados’s preferred foods are Springy Mushrooms, Hearty Grains, and Plump Beans.
Suppose you plan on battling a Gyarados first before catching it. In that case, it is worth noting that, as mentioned, Gyarados is a Water and Flying type Pokemon which means it has a weakness to Rock-type and especially Electric-type moves (super effective), a resistance to the Bug-type, Fighting-type, Fire-type, Steel-type, and Water-type moves (not very effective), and an immunity to Ground-type moves (no effect).
Aside from the Alpha Gyarados that can be found in the Obsidian Fieldlands, the regular, non-alpha Gyarados can also be found in other parts of the Obsidian Fieldlands (in Obsidian Falls), in the Cobalt Coastlands (north of Sand’s Reach), in the Coronet Highlands (in the waters southwest Primeval Grotto). Gyarados can be found at these locations at all times of the day and in every weather condition. Aside from that, Gyarados may also be found in Massive Mass Outbreaks in the Cobalt Coastlands.
Now that the player has an Alpha Gyarados, the player can try to use the Alpha Gyarados to complete other requests, missions, or Arceus’ tasks for the player to catch ’em all!
