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 Hisui Pokemon species 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, which increases all of their stats and reduces the damage they receive from status conditions, and increases combat capabilities that are found all over the Hisui region. These Pokemon are called Alpha Pokemon.
In this guide, we will learn where to find an Alpha Rhyhorn!
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 always spawn and can be found in certain areas 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 an Alpha Rhyhorn.
Alpha Rhyhorn
Rhyhorn is a Rock and Ground type Spikes Pokemon with a gray body that looks like that of a rhinoceros and is covered with rocky plates, four short legs with two white claws on each foot, spiked ridges on its back, smooth rear and underside, a triangular head, a pair of narrow and red eyes, a short horn on the tip of its snout, a wide mouth with two fangs coming out of its upper jaw. According to its Pokedex entry in the game, Rhyhorn is so strong that the mountain will shatter if it butts its head on it. However, it struggles with turns because of its short legs and cannot stop unless it collides with something.
An Alpha Rhyhorn can be found in the middle of Diamond Heath (south of Shrouded Ruins or east of Lake Valor) in the Crimson Mirelands and can be found here at all times of the day and in every weather condition. The Alpha Rhyhorn that can be found in this location is a Level 45 Pokemon.
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 Rhyhorn’s preferred foods are Dazzling Honey, Springy Mushroom, Hearty Grains, and Plump Beans.
Suppose you plan on battling a Rhyhorn first before catching it. In that case, it is worth noting that, as mentioned, Rhyhorn is a Rock and Ground type Pokemon which means it has a weakness to Fighting-type, Ground-type, Ice-type, Steel-type, and especially Grass-type and Water-type moves (super effective), resistance to Poison-type and, especially, Fire-type, Flying-type, Normal-type, Rock-type moves (not very effective), and immunity to Electric-type moves (no effect).
Aside from the Alpha Rhyhorn that can be found in the Crimson Mirelands, the regular, non-alpha, Rhyhorn can also be found in other parts of the Crimson Mirelands (in Bolderoll Slope and Shrouded Ruins) and in the Coronet Highlands (in Celestica Trail and Sacred Plaza) and Rhyhorn can be found here at all times of day and in every weather condition. Aside from that, Rhyhorn can also be found in Massive Mass Outbreaks in the Crimson Mirelands and the Coronet Highlands.
Now that the player has an Alpha Rhyhorn, the player can try to use the Alpha Rhyhorn to complete other requests, missions, or Arceus’ task for the player, which is to catch ‘em all!
