So, you're hunting the Treasures of Ruin. It's a slog. Honestly, if you didn't look up a map for all ominous stake locations, you’re probably just wandering around Paldea aimlessly, hoping to see a glow in the distance. I’ve been there. It’s frustrating because some of these stakes are tucked behind rocks or on tiny ledges you’d never think to check unless you were specifically looking for them.
These stakes are the keys to unlocking the four legendary Ruinous Pokémon: Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, and Chi-Yu. There are 32 stakes in total. Eight for each color. You pull them out, the seal on the corresponding shrine breaks, and you get to fight a high-level disaster deer or a weird fire fish. It sounds simple, but Paldea is huge.
Why the Purple Stakes for Wo-Chien are Actually the Worst
Let's talk about the Grasswither Shrine first. This one is tucked away in the South Province, specifically Area One. To get Wo-Chien, you need the purple stakes. Most players find a few by accident while exploring the early-game areas, but the last two or three are usually hidden in the most annoying spots possible.
There's one stake sitting right on a cliff edge near the Los Platos path that everyone misses. You've probably walked past it ten times. Another is perched high above the Artazon area. If you haven't unlocked the climbing ability for Koraidon or Miraidon yet, don't even bother. Seriously. You’ll just waste twenty minutes trying to jump up a slope that’s too steep.
The purple stakes aren't just about finding them; they're about verticality. One is located in a small cavern south of the Poco Path lighthouse. You have to drop down from the top to see it properly. It's hidden in plain sight. Most of the community agrees that Wo-Chien is the "defensive" pick of the bunch, but getting to him feels like a parkour challenge you didn't sign up for.
Tracking Down the Yellow Stakes for Chien-Pao
Chien-Pao is arguably the most popular of the four because of its insane Speed and Attack stats. It lives in the Icerend Shrine. To open it, you need the yellow stakes. These are scattered across the West Province and the Alfornada region.
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- Check the Cascarrafa waterfalls. One is tucked behind a pillar.
- Look near the windmills in West Province (Area One).
- There's a sneaky one on a high plateau overlooking the Asado Desert.
The yellow stakes feel a bit more spread out than the others. You’ll spend a lot of time gliding. I found that the one near the Alfornada gym is the easiest to miss because players are usually focused on the gym challenge rather than scouring the cliffside. Honestly, the view from these stake locations is great, but by the time you're on your seventh yellow stake, you just want the cat.
The Green Stakes and the Ting-Lu Grind
The Groundblight Shrine is way up north in the Socarrat Trail. This is where Ting-Lu hangs out. For this, you need the green stakes. This area is a nightmare to navigate because of the thick trees and the constant spawns of aggressive Pokémon.
You’ll find a green stake near the Casseroya Lake, specifically on those tiny islands that look like nothing on the map. Another is hidden in a crevice on the side of Glaseado Mountain. The geography here is deceptive. You think you're at the right elevation, but you're actually fifty feet too low.
One green stake is located right on the edge of the map, near the northern ocean. It feels like the developers put it there just to see if you’d actually walk to the literal end of the world. It’s isolated. It’s quiet. It’s a pain to get to.
Blue Stakes: Finding Chi-Yu in the Firescourge Shrine
Chi-Yu is the little fire fish that hits like a freight train. Its shrine is in the North Province (Area Two), hidden inside a cave at the top of a waterfall. This is probably the coolest location of the four, but finding the blue stakes to open it is a chore.
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The blue stakes are mostly in the northeast corner of Paldea. There’s one inside a ruin near the Fury Falls. Another is on a tiny ledge inside the canyon system. You really need the "Sprinting" and "Climbing" abilities fully upgraded for these. If you're trying to do this early in the game, you're going to have a bad time.
One blue stake is particularly mean—it’s hidden in the trees near the Team Star Fighting Crew base. If you aren't looking specifically for that faint blue glow, you will never see it. It’s buried in shadows.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Shrines
A lot of players think you can just "brute force" these encounters. You can't. These Pokémon are Level 60. If you pull all the stakes and head to the shrine with a team of Level 40s, you’re going to get wiped. Especially Chi-Yu. That thing has no business being that fast.
Also, once you pull a stake, it stays gone. There's no way to track which ones you've already pulled within the game menu. This is a huge oversight. My advice? Use a physical checklist or a digital map where you can mark them off as you go. If you end up with 7/8 stakes and don't know which one you missed, you'll have to re-visit all 8 locations. It’s a nightmare. I’ve had to do it. It took two hours of retracing my steps just to find one stake I’d "sworn" I already grabbed.
Preparing for the Battle
Once you have all ominous stake locations cleared, the shrine will make a loud noise. That’s your cue.
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- Save your game right in front of the shrine.
- Bring plenty of Dusk Balls if you’re hunting at night, or Timer Balls if the fight goes long.
- Use a Pokémon with False Swipe.
- Bring someone who can inflict Sleep or Paralysis.
Wo-Chien is bulky. Chien-Pao is fast. Ting-Lu is a tank. Chi-Yu is a glass cannon that isn't actually that fragile. They all have the "Ruin" abilities which cut your stats just by being on the field. It’s a unique mechanic that makes these fights feel a lot harder than a standard Wild Encounter.
Making the Hunt Easier
Don't try to do all 32 stakes in one sitting. You'll burn out. Paldea's map is big, and the movement speed—even on a fully powered-up legendary—isn't fast enough to make this feel snappy. Break it down by color. Do the purple ones, catch Wo-Chien, then take a break.
The best way to handle this is to wait until you've finished the three main storylines (Victory Road, Starfall Street, and Path of Legends). By then, your Miraidon/Koraidon will have all the movement upgrades like swimming, gliding, and climbing. It makes the "hidden" stakes much more accessible.
If you're stuck on the very last stake, check the "rim" of the map. Game Freak loves putting these things on the absolute edge of cliffs or behind large rocks that you can only see if you rotate your camera 180 degrees while falling.
Actionable Steps for Your Hunt
First, ensure you have defeated all the Titans in the Path of Legends. Without the ability to climb walls, reaching at least 25% of these stakes is physically impossible. Once you have the mobility, pick one quadrant of the map—starting with the South for the purple stakes is usually the most logical path.
Open a high-resolution interactive map on a second screen. Do not rely on memory. As you pull a stake, physically check it off. If you hear the shrine "shout" (a text box will appear on screen), you know you've finished that set. Head to the shrine immediately to capture the Pokémon so you don't forget where the shrine is located. Each shrine is a large, glowing colored plate set into a rock wall; they are generally easier to find than the stakes themselves.
Lastly, bring a Pokémon with the "Damp" ability if you are worried about self-destructing moves, though the Ruinous Four don't typically use them. Focus on status effects. Capturing these four is essential if you want to complete the Pokedex and unlock the final post-game rewards. Just be patient. The stakes are there; you just have to look a little closer at the shadows.