You’re standing on the edge of a cliff in Paldea, looking at a giant purple glowing stake in the ground, and you're probably wondering if this is actually worth your time. Honestly? It is. But Pokémon Scarlet legendary locations aren't exactly laid out for you on a silver platter. Game Freak decided to make us work for it this time around.
The hunt is a grind. It’s messy. It involves a lot of climbing, falling off things, and wondering why on earth you haven't upgraded your Koraidon's flight capabilities yet.
If you're looking for the box art legends, that's easy. You get Koraidon basically at the start of the game, though he’s more of a glorified motorcycle for the first thirty hours. To actually use him in battle, you’ve got to finish the entire main story—meaning the Path of Legends, Victory Road, and Starfall Street—and then head down into the literal depths of the earth. Area Zero is where the magic happens. After the credits roll, you head back down to the bottom of the Great Crater, near the lab, and there he is. Just sitting there. It’s a scripted encounter, so don't stress too much, but bring some Dusk Balls because it’s dark down there.
The Ruinous Quartet: Those Annoying Stakes
This is where most players get stuck. You've probably seen those glowing colored stakes driven into the ground across the map. There are 32 of them in total. Eight for each legendary. Pulling them all is the only way to unlock the shrines.
Wo-Chien and the Grasswither Shrine
If you like snails made of dead leaves, Wo-Chien is your guy. To find him, you’re looking in the South Province. Specifically, the purple stakes are scattered around Area One, Three, Five, and the South Paldean Sea. Once you yank all eight, head to the Grasswither Shrine. It’s tucked into a cliffside in South Province (Area One).
Wo-Chien is a defensive powerhouse. He’s bulky. He uses Tablets of Ruin to drop your Attack stat, which is incredibly annoying if you’re trying to muscle through with a physical attacker. Bring a Fire-type, but maybe one that can take a hit or two.
Chien-Pao: The Snow-Leopard Sword
Chien-Pao is probably the most "meta" of the bunch because of that ridiculous Speed and Attack. You'll find his yellow stakes in the West Province and the Asado Desert. The Icerend Shrine is located on the side of a mountain in West Province (Area One), near the Open Sky Titan’s area.
Pro tip: Chien-Pao has the Sword of Ruin ability. It lowers your Defense. If you aren't careful, he will sweep your entire team before you can even throw a Quick Ball.
Ting-Lu and the Grounded Power
Ting-Lu is a literal tank. Huge bowl on his head. To get him, you need the green stakes found around the Casseroya Lake and the North Province. The Groundblight Shrine is at the very top of the Socarrat Trail. It’s a forest area north of the lake.
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Ting-Lu is slow. Very slow. But his Vessel of Ruin ability drops your Special Attack. If you’re a fan of using Gholdengo or Flutter Mane, you’re going to feel the nerf.
Chi-Yu: The Fire Fish
Finally, the blue stakes lead to Chi-Yu. These are mostly in the North Province (Area One and Two) and around Fury Falls. The Firescourge Shrine is actually hidden inside a cave at the top of a waterfall. It’s easy to miss if you aren't looking up.
Chi-Yu’s Beads of Ruin ability drops your Special Defense. He hits like a truck. A very hot, very fast truck.
The Teal Mask and the Loyal Three
If you’ve picked up the DLC, the Pokémon Scarlet legendary locations expand significantly to the land of Kitakami. This isn't just about the main story legend, Ogerpon. You’ve also got Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti.
You don't just "find" them. You have to beat the main DLC story first. Once the "Loyal Three" are resurrected and subsequently defeated in their giant forms, they return to specific spots on the map as standard static encounters.
- Okidogi: He’s hanging out in the northwest corner of the map, specifically the Paradise Barrens. He’s Poison/Fighting. Bring a Psychic type.
- Munkidori: Find this one in the Wistful Fields in the southwest. Poison/Psychic.
- Fezandipiti: This bird is the hardest to reach. He’s in a cave system in Reveler’s Ridge. You’ll have to do some serious climbing.
Terapagos and the Indigo Disk
The Indigo Disk DLC takes you to the Blueberry Academy. The big draw here is Terapagos. You find him at the very end of the DLC story in the Underdepths of Area Zero. This isn't a "go find him" situation so much as a "survive the boss fight" situation.
But the real treasure for long-time fans is the returning legendaries. After you finish the Indigo Disk story, you meet a guy named Snacksworth at the entrance of the Academy. He gives you snacks. No, really.
These snacks trigger "Snacksworth Legendaries" to appear back in the main Paldea map.
Where the Old Legends Hide
You get snacks by completing BB Quests (Blueberry Quests). Some are solo, some require Union Circle (multiplayer).
- Rayquaza: He’s literally on top of the Great Crater. You have to fly to the rim and look for him.
- Kyogre: Look for the "Casseroya Falls" area. He’s in the water, obviously.
- Groudon: Inside Alfornada Cavern. It’s a tight squeeze for a continent-sized Pokémon.
- Suicune/Entei/Raikou: Scattered across the map. Suicune is on an island in Casseroya Lake. Entei is in the East Province (Area Three) near the coast. Raikou is in the West Province (Area One) near some ruins.
These aren't shiny locked in the way you might think—wait, actually, they are shiny locked. Don't waste your time soft-resetting for a shiny Rayquaza here. It won't happen.
The Paradox Problem
Technically, the Paradox Pokémon like Roaring Moon aren't "legendaries" in the traditional sense, but they might as well be given their rarity and power. In Pokémon Scarlet, Roaring Moon only spawns in one specific hidden cave in Area Zero.
Go to Research Station No. 3. Turn left out the door. Look for a small opening between some rocks. It leads to a hidden grove with a waterfall. That’s the only place he shows up. It’s a low spawn rate, so bring a Dragon or Dark encounter sandwich.
Making the Catch Easier
Look, catching these things is a pain. The catch rates are notoriously low (usually around 3).
- False Swipe is mandatory. Get a Breloom or a Gallade. Get them to Level 100.
- Status effects matter. Sleep is better than paralysis, but paralysis lasts forever.
- The Timer Ball is your best friend. If the fight goes past 10 turns, start chucking these.
- Quick Balls on turn one. You’d be surprised how often this works on the Ruinous Quartet.
A lot of people think you can just stumble upon these Pokémon Scarlet legendary locations by accident. You can't. The game is designed to reward exploration, but the stakes for the Ruinous Quartet are so well-hidden that you almost certainly need a map or a guide to find that last one tucked behind a random pillar in a wasteland.
Moving Forward with Your Hunt
Now that you know where the heavy hitters are, it’s time to prep. Don't go into these fights underleveled. The Ruinous Quartet are all Level 60. The DLC legendaries can go up to Level 70 or higher.
Your first move should be heading to the South Province to start pulling those purple stakes. It’s the easiest set to find and gets you Wo-Chien, a solid entry point for the "Ruin" series. If you’ve finished the DLC, go talk to Snacksworth immediately. Start grinding those BB Quests in the Terrarium. The more quests you do, the more snacks he gives you, and the more old-school legends start appearing in Paldea.
Check your map. Mark the shrines. Stock up on Ultra Balls. The trek through Paldea's peaks and craters is long, but filling those legendary slots in your Pokédex is the ultimate flex for any trainer.