Let’s be real. You probably started the "Eerie Apparitions in the Night" request in Pokémon Legends: Arceus thinking it would be a fun little side quest. Then you realized there are 107 wisps scattered across Hisui. Vessa gives you that Odd Keystone, tells you a creepy story, and suddenly you're squinting at the horizon at 2:00 AM in-game time because these purple flames are basically invisible during the day.
If you’re trying to find all wisp locations legends arceus has hidden away, you’re in for a long haul. This isn't just about completionism, though. Tracking these down is the only legitimate way to encounter Spiritomb. No wisps, no spooky ghost-tower-soul-cluster. Simple as that.
The struggle is that Hisui is vertical. It’s mountainous. It’s full of aggressive Alpha Pokémon that want to knock you off your Wyrdeer while you’re just trying to grab a glowing orb on a ledge. Most players get stuck at 106 wisps, wandering the Crimson Mirelands in circles, wondering which pixel they missed.
Jubilife Village: The Easy Start
You can't even leave the village without snagging the first few. Vessa basically hands you the first one as part of the tutorial behind the Ginkgo Guild house. But the others in town are surprisingly easy to miss if you aren't looking behind the right buildings.
There’s one tucked away behind the Training Grounds. Another sits quietly behind the Galactic Hall. Honestly, the village ones are a bit of a breather compared to what's coming. You don’t need Braviary to get these. Just your own two feet and a bit of curiosity. Check the back alleys near the pastures too. People forget that Jubilife actually has seven wisps in total.
Obsidian Fieldlands: Climbing the Heights
The Obsidian Fieldlands is where the scale of this task actually hits you. There are 20 wisps here. Because this is the first area of the game, a lot of players try to find them all immediately. Don't do that. You’ll just frustrate yourself. You need Sneasler or Braviary to reach the ones sitting on the high ridges of the Obsidian Falls or the heights of Ramanas Island.
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The Problem With Daytime Hunting
Seriously, stop looking for these when the sun is up. The draw distance for wisps in Legends: Arceus is significantly higher at night. During the day, you have to be almost on top of them for the glow to render. At night? You can see them from across the map. Go to camp, talk to the Galaxy Member, and rest until nightfall every single time.
In the Fieldlands, keep a close eye on the Grueling Grove. There’s a wisp there that blends into the background weirdly well. Also, check the tiny islands in the river. One is sitting on a rock in the middle of the water near the bridge. It’s tiny. It’s annoying. You’ll love it.
Crimson Mirelands: Mud and Misery
The Mirelands are arguably the worst place to hunt for all wisp locations legends arceus provides. The terrain is flat but broken up by deep muck that slows you down. There are 20 here as well.
You’ll find a lot of them clustered around the Gapejaw Bog and Scarlet Bog. One wisp is famously annoying, tucked inside a small cave-like indent near the Brava Arena. If you’re flying over with Braviary, you might miss it because the "roof" of the rock ledge hides the glow.
- Look behind the trees in the Cloudpool Ridge.
- Check the very edge of the map near the Cottonsedge Prairie.
- Don't forget the ruins. Wisps love sitting on broken stone pillars.
Cobalt Coastlands: Bring a Basculegion
The Coastlands shift the challenge. Now you’re dealing with vertical cliffs and open water. 20 wisps are waiting. Some are on those tiny, jagged rocks sticking out of the ocean near Sand's Reach—you know, the part of the map that looks like a giant hand.
Getting these without Basculegion is impossible. You'll spend half your time jumping through the waves. One wisp is hidden on a high ledge at Firespit Island. If you try to get it while the volcano is active or while dodging Magmar, it's a headache. Pro tip: clear the noble Pokémon quest for the area first so you can hunt in peace.
The Veilstone Cape has a few wisps tucked into the folds of the cliffs. Sneasler is your best friend here. Just climb everything. If a cliff looks like a dead end, there’s probably a purple glow waiting at the top.
Coronet Highlands: Verticality at Its Peak
This is where the map design gets truly mean. The Highlands are a maze of caves and multi-leveled cliffs. You have 20 wisps to find, and many are inside the Wayward Cave.
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If you get lost in the dark, you aren't alone. The cave wisps don't care if it's day or night outside, but they are still tucked into corners that require you to smash rocks or find hidden paths. The Ancient Quarry also has wisps perched on the very top of the stone structures.
The Lonely Wisp
There is one wisp near the Moonview Arena that requires you to scale a near-vertical wall. Even with Sneasler, it feels like you're cheesing the game. But that's the point. These weren't meant to be easy. They were meant to make you explore every square inch of the Hisui region.
Alabaster Icelands: The Final Push
The last 20 wisps are in the freezing cold. The Icelands have terrible visibility during blizzards, so if the weather turns, go back to camp and sleep. You need clear night skies.
The Avalanche Slopes are a prime hunting ground, but keep an eye out for the wisps hidden inside the underground ice caves. Yes, there are holes in the ground you can drop into. One of the wisps is down there, glowing against the blue ice. It’s actually quite beautiful, in a "I've been doing this for six hours" kind of way.
Check the Snowpoint Temple. There are wisps both outside and inside. The ones inside are tricky because the temple layout is a bit of a puzzle itself.
Why You're Stuck at 106 Wisps
It happens to everyone. You check your map, you’ve gone through every region, and Vessa tells you there is one left. Usually, it's one of these three:
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- The Jubilife Wisp: You forgot there were wisps in the village itself.
- The Cave Wisp: You flew over a cave in the Highlands or Icelands, but the wisp was actually underground.
- The Tiny Island: A rock in the Cobalt Coastlands that you thought was just part of the scenery.
There is no in-game map marker for these. You just have to be methodical. The best way to handle the "final wisp" syndrome is to pick one region and do a "grid sweep" at night. Start at one corner and move in lines. It’s tedious, but it works.
The Reward: Encountering Spiritomb
Once you finally collect all 107 (the 108th is basically Vessa herself, if you pay attention to the lore), you return to the Shrouded Ruins in the Crimson Mirelands at night.
This isn't just a cutscene. You actually get to battle and catch Spiritomb. This is vital for completing the Pokédex and getting the Shiny Charm later. If you're going for a "Perfect" dex entry, you'll actually need to catch multiple Spiritomb or see it use certain moves, which means you'll be glad they start spawning rarely in that same spot after the quest is done.
Actionable Strategy for Efficient Hunting
To wrap this up and get you back into the game, follow this specific workflow to save yourself hours of backtracking.
- Wait for Night: Always. Do not attempt to hunt during the day.
- Unlock All Mounts First: Don't seriously hunt until you have Braviary. Being able to fly and see the glow from above is the single biggest advantage you can have.
- Mark Your Map: Use the stamps feature on your Arc Phone. When you find a wisp, mark it. Or, if you're following a map, mark the ones you haven't checked yet so you can see your progress.
- Check the "Inside" Areas: Remember that Snowpoint Temple and Wayward Cave have their own internal counts that contribute to the regional total.
- Audio Cues: Listen closely. Wisps make a distinct, low-frequency shimmering sound when you are near them. If you’re wearing headphones, you can actually directionalize where they are.
Once you have Spiritomb, your path to meeting Arceus is officially wide open. Happy hunting, and watch out for those Alpha Garchomps in the Icelands while you're looking at the sky.