How to Catch Calyrex in Pokémon Sword and Shield: A Comprehensive Guide

Calyrex, the regal and powerful High King Pokémon, is the centerpiece of the Crown Tundra DLC in Pokémon Sword and Shield. Capturing this legendary Pokémon is a multi-stage process, requiring exploration, puzzle-solving, and, of course, a challenging battle. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step needed to encounter and successfully catch Calyrex, ensuring you add this magnificent creature to your team.

Prerequisites: Getting Started

Before you can even think about encountering Calyrex, you’ll need to have certain prerequisites fulfilled:

1. Purchase and Install the Crown Tundra DLC: Calyrex is exclusive to this DLC, so make sure you’ve bought and installed it from the Nintendo eShop.
2. Progress in the Main Story: You don’t need to have completely finished the base game of Sword and Shield, but you’ll need access to the Wild Area which should be accessible reasonably early in your game. The DLC content is accessible from Wedgehurst Station.
3. Begin the Crown Tundra Adventure: Travel to Wedgehurst Station and speak to the train conductor. He will take you to the Crown Tundra.

The Crown Tundra Introduction and the Beginning of the Calyrex Quest

Upon arriving in the Crown Tundra, you’ll be greeted by Peony, a character who will play a crucial role in your journey. He’ll introduce you to the region, give you your initial Legendary Clue, and get you started. Here are the initial steps:

1. Head to Freezington: Peony will direct you towards the town of Freezington. This will serve as the base for your Crown Tundra exploration.
2. The Max Lair and Peony’s Base: Upon entering Freezington, you’ll find that Peony has somewhat converted one of the resident’s houses into his base of operations and the entrance to the Max Lair.
3. Investigate the Statue: As you explore Freezington, you will come across a statue in the middle of town. Examining this statue is the first step in the actual Calyrex questline.

Encountering Calyrex: The King of Bountiful Harvests

After examining the statue, the game will progress the story towards the first encounter with Calyrex. Here’s how to proceed:

1. The Initial Encounter: Calyrex will appear and attempt to speak to you telepathically. Unfortunately, you will not be able to understand it.
2. Speak to the Mayor: You’ll need to learn more about Calyrex. You can do so by speaking to the Mayor of Freezington (who happens to be the resident whose house Peony has taken over.) The Mayor will tell you about the legend of Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests and his loyal steed.
3. The Wooden Crown: The Mayor will tell you about Calyrex’s crown, which was damaged. You will need to create a new crown for Calyrex.
4. Gather the necessary Wood: You need specific wood to fix the crown. This will require speaking to a local craftsman. He will ask you for specific wood, that you can find in the surrounding area.
5. Crafting the Crown: Take the wood back to the craftsman, and he’ll reforge the crown.
6. Return to Calyrex: Once the crown is repaired, return to the statue in the center of Freezington. Calyrex will appear and place the crown back on its head.
7. The Calyrex Battle: You will now be able to properly communicate with Calyrex. It will ask for your help to restore its power. You will now battle Calyrex. This battle is a story battle, it does not need to be captured at this point. This battle can be considered a mid-boss battle.

Reuniting Calyrex with its Loyal Steed

Calyrex will now explain the history of its steed. It tells you that it needs to reunite with its steed to regain its full power. Calyrex’s steed was either Glastrier or Spectrier, and these are two different paths you will need to choose between.

Choosing the Right Steed:

The choice you make here will determine the form of Calyrex you will obtain and the type of mount you will battle. You will only be able to capture one of these legendary mounts so the decision is crucial. Calyrex will tell you about the carrot seeds that attract his loyal steed.

• Glastrier (Ice Type): If you choose to grow an Icy Seed, you’ll attract Glastrier. This results in Calyrex combining with Glastrier to form Ice Rider Calyrex (Ice/Psychic). You will need to plant the seed at the graveyard in the graveyard.
• Spectrier (Ghost Type): If you choose to grow a Shadow Seed, you’ll attract Spectrier. This results in Calyrex combining with Spectrier to form Shadow Rider Calyrex (Ghost/Psychic). You will need to plant the seed in the field beside the town.

Planting the Seed and Capturing the Steed

Follow these steps to grow the seed and attract the steed you’ve chosen:

1. Obtain the Icy Seed or Shadow Seed: Calyrex will require you to collect specific items in the wild area in order to grow the seed.
2. Plant the Seed: Depending on your seed you will need to plant this in the appropriate location as stated previously.
3. Battle the Steed: Once the seed has been planted the relevant steed will appear and become hostile. You will have to weaken the steed and defeat it in order to move on with the story. You do not need to capture it at this stage.

The Final Battle: Catching Calyrex

After successfully dealing with the steed, Calyrex will merge with the steed and create its ultimate Rider form. Now is the time to finally capture it.

1. Prepare Your Team: Before the fight, make sure your team is strong and varied. Consider bringing Pokémon that can deal Super Effective damage to the dual typing of Calyrex (Ice/Psychic or Ghost/Psychic), as well as some utility Pokemon such as one that can put it to sleep or paralyze it, as well as those that can deal some good damage to lower its health.
2. Location: The battle will take place where you initially planted the seed.
3. The Calyrex Battle: Battle the combined Calyrex. The battle will be a challenge, so use your best strategies, items, and abilities. Consider using status moves, such as Sleep or Paralysis. Weaken the combined Calyrex down as low as possible, while also making sure it doesn’t knock out your Pokémon.
4. Catch Calyrex: Once you’ve weakened Calyrex, begin throwing Poké Balls. The Ultra Ball is a great choice at this point. Be persistent. You’ll eventually catch it. Be warned, if you knock out the merged Calyrex, you will be required to defeat the legendary steed again and rematch the merged Calyrex.

Tips for Catching Calyrex

• Save Before the Battle: Always save your game before battling any legendary Pokémon. This allows you to restart the battle if things go wrong or you fail to catch it.
• Status Conditions: Utilize status conditions like Paralysis or Sleep. These can significantly improve your chances of catching a Pokémon.
• False Swipe: If you have access to a Pokémon with the move False Swipe, it’s an excellent way to lower the health of Calyrex to 1HP without knocking it out, making it much easier to catch.
• Ultra Balls: Ultra Balls are very effective at capturing legendary Pokémon. Bring a large supply.
• Patience: Catching legendary Pokémon can sometimes take several attempts. Be patient and don’t give up.

After Catching Calyrex

Once Calyrex is caught, the main storyline of the Crown Tundra DLC will come to a close and you will be free to continue your adventure or take on some of the other side-quests or Dynamax Adventures. Calyrex is a powerful addition to your team and a testament to your skill as a trainer. Enjoy exploring Galar with the High King Pokémon by your side!

Conclusion

Catching Calyrex is a challenging but rewarding experience in Pokémon Sword and Shield. By following these detailed steps and tips, you’ll be well-equipped to overcome the challenges and add this incredible legendary Pokémon to your collection. Remember to be patient, strategize effectively, and, most importantly, have fun on your adventure through the Crown Tundra!

Good luck, trainers, and may your journey in the Crown Tundra be filled with excitement and success!