If you’re still wandering around Alola trying to figure out why your Pokedex has giant, gaping holes where the gods should be, you aren’t alone. Finding legendaries in Pokemon Sun is a weirdly specific process that feels nothing like the older games. Gone are the days of just stumbling into a cave and seeing a static sprite waiting for a fight. Well, mostly. In the seventh generation, Game Freak decided to make us work for it through a mix of dimensional hopping, post-game chores, and a massive amount of luck with Beast Balls.
The thing about Alola is that it’s crowded. Between the Tapus guarding the islands and the literal aliens falling out of the sky, you've got a lot of ground to cover.
Honestly, Solgaleo is just the tip of the iceberg. Most players finish the main story and think they've seen it all, but the actual hunt for legendaries in Pokemon Sun starts when the credits roll. If you haven't visited the Ruins of Abundance or tracked down a small, stinky cloud-child named Cosmog, you're missing half the roster.
Solgaleo and the Alolan Power Dynamic
Let’s talk about the big lion in the room. Solgaleo isn’t just a mascot; it’s a Steel/Psychic powerhouse that basically defines the endgame. You get it at the Altar of the Sunne, but what’s interesting is how the game handles the "capture." Unlike previous generations where you could accidentally kill the box legendary and have to restart, Sun makes it pretty clear that Solgaleo wants to be on your team. It’s part of the narrative arc with Lillie.
But here’s what people forget: you can get a second one. Sort of.
If you take your Solgaleo back to the Altar during the night (in-game time), a portal opens to the "Reverse World." You travel to the Lake of the Sunne, and there, you find a second Cosmog. It’s tiny. It’s weak. It’s basically a paperweight until you level it up to 53, where it evolves into Cosmoem, and then finally into another Solgaleo at level 53. You can't get Lunala in the Sun version this way—you’ll have to trade that extra Solgaleo to a friend who has the Moon version. It’s a classic Pokemon maneuver to force social interaction, and it’s still annoying years later.
The Tapu Guardians: More Than Just Island Flavor
The Guardian Deities are arguably more important for competitive play than the box art legendaries. They are the backbone of the Alolan ecosystem. You've got Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, and Tapu Fini. Each one sits in a specific ruin on each of the four main islands.
Tapu Koko is the one everyone knows. You fight it immediately after becoming the Champion. If you knock it out, don’t panic. Just beat the Elite Four again and it’ll be back at the Ruins of Conflict. It’s fast. It’s loud. It sets up Electric Terrain automatically, which is a nightmare for anything that likes to sleep.
The others are a bit more tucked away:
- Tapu Lele is at the Ruins of Life on Akala Island. You need Machamp Shove to get to her. She’s arguably the strongest because Psychic Surge prevents priority moves like Quick Attack or Sucker Punch.
- Tapu Bulu hides in the Ruins of Abundance on Ula'ula Island. Getting there is a pain because you have to navigate the Haina Desert. If you get lost, you're just circling sand dunes for twenty minutes.
- Tapu Fini is at the Ruins of Hope on Poni Island. You need Mudsdale Gallop to reach the inner sanctum.
These things have a notoriously low catch rate. I’m talking "throwing 40 Ultra Balls and watching them all break on the first shake" low. Bring a Pokemon with False Swipe and a status move like Thunder Wave or Spore. Actually, scratch Spore for Tapu Koko—Electric Terrain prevents sleep. Use paralysis instead.
✨ Don't miss: Why 24 7 Pyramid Solitaire Is Actually Harder Than You Think
The Ultra Beast Hunt is Basically a Noir Detective Novel
Once you finish the game, Looker shows up. Yes, the bumbling international police officer from the Sinnoh region. He and Anabel (who fans might remember from the Emerald Battle Frontier) task you with hunting down the Ultra Beasts. While technically categorized differently in the code, most players treat these as legendaries in Pokemon Sun because of their base stat totals and rarity.
This questline is linear but mandatory if you want to find the "true" final legendary. You start with Nihilego in Diglett’s Tunnel or Wela Volcano Park. Then you move on to Buzzwole (which is exclusive to Sun—Moon players get Pheromosa). Buzzwole is... a lot. It’s a mosquito with human muscles. It spends half the fight flexing.
The hunt continues through Xurkitree, Kartana, and finally Guzzlord. Guzzlord is the hardest to find, tucked away in the basement of Resolution Cave. It has a massive HP pool but moves like a glacier. Honestly, the hardest part of the Ultra Beast quest isn't the fighting; it's the repetitive nature of going back to the motel to report to Looker every five minutes.
Necrozma: The Real Final Boss
After you’ve dealt with all the Ultra Beasts, Looker mentions a mysterious "black shimmer" over Melemele Island. He thinks it’s another Ultra Beast. He’s wrong.
It’s Necrozma.
Necrozma is a pure Psychic type and stays hidden in the deepest part of Ten Carat Hill (the Farthest Hollow). You have to crawl through a small opening to find the patch of grass where it spawns. Unlike the others, this isn't a scripted encounter with cutscenes. It’s a random encounter in the grass. Use a Max Repel with a level 70 Pokemon at the front of your party to force it to appear.
It’s a brutal fight. Necrozma is level 75, which might be higher than anything else on your team at that point. It has Prismatic Laser, which hits like a truck. If you’re trying to catch it in a regular Poke Ball for the "aesthetic," bring plenty of Revives. You’ll need them.
The Mythical Problem: Magearna and Marshadow
You can’t just "find" Mythical Pokemon. That’s not how this works. For legendaries in Pokemon Sun that fall into the Mythical category, you usually need an outside hook.
Magearna is the exception to the rule of "limited time events." Even now, years later, you can still get Magearna. You just need to find the QR code online (it was distributed via the Pokemon website), scan it using the in-game QR scanner, and then head to the Antiquities of the Ages shop in Hau'oli City. A deliveryman will just hand it to you. It’s level 50 and comes with a Bottle Cap, which is a nice bonus for hyper training.
👉 See also: Grand Lift of Dectus: How to Actually Get It Moving
Marshadow and Zeraora, however, are a different story. They were event-only distributions. If you didn't get them during the specific windows in 2017 or 2018, you’re stuck trading on the GTS or looking for someone on Reddit who has a spare clone. It’s a frustrating part of the modern Pokemon experience—content locked behind a calendar.
Zygrade: The 100-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
We have to talk about Zygarde. It’s technically a Kalos legendary, but it’s a huge part of the Sun and Moon endgame. Throughout your journey, Dexio and Sina (Professor Sycamore’s assistants) give you the Zygarde Cube.
You have to find 100 green sparkles hidden across Alola.
- Cells are just there for collection.
- Cores teach Zygarde moves like Thousand Arrows or Dragon Dance.
Once you have enough, you go to the trailer on Route 16. You can assemble a 10% Form (the dog) or a 50% Form (the snake). If you manage to find all 100 pieces, you get the Power Construct ability, which allows Zygarde to transform into its "Complete Form" during battle when its HP gets low. It becomes a massive titan that looks like a mecha. Is it worth the hours of squinting at the ground for green pixels? Maybe not for a casual run, but for completionists, it’s the ultimate badge of honor.
Why Silvally is the Sleeper Hit
People often forget Type: Null is a legendary. Gladion just gives it to you at Aether Paradise after the main story. It’s a "Synthetic Pokemon" built to hunt Ultra Beasts.
When you max out its friendship, it evolves into Silvally. Silvally is fascinating because of the RKS System (a nod to Arceus). You can give it "Memories" to hold, which changes its type. Want a Fairy-type legendary? Give it the Fairy Memory. Need a Fire type? Use the Fire Memory. It’s the most versatile member of any post-game team, even if it doesn't have the world-ending lore of Solgaleo.
Practical Steps for Your Legendary Hunt
If you're jumping back into Alola, here is the most efficient way to round out your collection without wasting hours:
💡 You might also like: The Sopranos: Road to Respect and Why the PS2 Game Didn't Totally Suck
- Stock up on Timer Balls. Most legendary fights in Sun go long. After turn 10, Timer Balls become more effective than Ultra Balls.
- Get a "Catcher" Pokemon. Smeargle is the king here. Teach it False Swipe, Spore, and Soak (to turn Ghost types into Water types so False Swipe hits them).
- Synchronize is your friend. If you want a specific Nature (like Jolly for Solgaleo), put a Pokemon with the Synchronize ability at the front of your party. There’s a 50% chance the legendary will have the same Nature.
- Don't ignore the GTS. While it's filled with "troll" trades, you can often find legitimate Lunala trades if you offer up your spare Solgaleo or a Kartana.
- Check your QR Scanner. Scan that Magearna code immediately. It’s a free level 50 legendary with zero effort.
The grind for legendaries in Pokemon Sun is as much about patience as it is about strategy. Alola’s legends aren't just trophies; they are the narrative payoff for a story that's surprisingly dark for a kids' game. Whether you're chasing a giant space bat or a muscular mosquito, the post-game is where the real challenge lies. Get your Zygarde Cube ready and start hunting.