Honestly, the moment Game Freak announced that not every monster would make the cut, the internet basically exploded. It was "Dexamageddon." People were genuinely furious. But looking back at the Pokémon Sword and Shield Pokédex now, years after the dust has settled and the DLCs have rounded things out, the Galar region's roster is actually a masterclass in thematic design. It isn't just a list of names; it’s a reflection of British culture, folklore, and some of the boldest competitive shifts we’ve ever seen in the franchise.
Galar started with 400 Pokémon. That sounds like a lot until you realize there were nearly 900 in existence at the time.
What People Get Wrong About the Pokémon Sword and Shield Pokédex
The biggest misconception is that the "Dexit" cut was just laziness. If you talk to high-level players or people who actually dig into the metadata, the reality is more about balance. By trimming the fat, the developers forced us to stop relying on the same Landorus-T or Garchomp strategies we’d been using since 2006. It felt fresh. It felt scary. You had to actually look at new additions like Corviknight or Grimmsnarl and figure out how to make them work.
The Galar Pokédex is split into three distinct chunks: the Base Dex, the Isle of Armor, and the Crown Tundra.
When you first step off the train in Wedgehurst, you’re greeted by a mix of old favorites and weird new faces. The base 400 is heavily weighted toward the "British" vibe. Think about it. You’ve got Polteageist (a literal ghost in a teapot), Sirfetch’d (a knighted duck with a leek sword), and Galarian Weezing, which looks like a Victorian industrialist with smokestack top hats. It’s cheeky. It’s localized. It’s exactly what a regional Pokédex should be.
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The Weirdness of Regional Variants
Regional forms weren't new—Alola started that trend—but Galar took it to a darker, more interesting place. Galarian Corsola is a perfect example. In previous games, Corsola was a pink, happy coral. In Sword and Shield, it’s a bleached, white ghost. It’s a direct nod to climate change and coral bleaching. It’s heavy stuff for a "kids' game," but it adds a layer of depth that makes the Pokémon Sword and Shield Pokédex feel grounded in a real, albeit magical, world.
Then there’s Obstagoon. Taking the Zigzagoon line—historically just "Route 1 fodder"—and turning it into a KISS-inspired punk rocker was a stroke of genius. It gave a forgotten family a second life.
Navigating the DLC Expansions
If the base game felt a bit thin to you, the Expansion Pass was the apology tour. The Isle of Armor added about 100 returning Pokémon, and the Crown Tundra brought back almost every legendary from previous generations.
The Isle of Armor focused on growth. Kubfu, the legendary mascot of this area, is a literal martial arts student. You have to evolve it by choosing a tower, which changes its typing to either Single Strike (Fighting/Dark) or Rapid Strike (Fighting/Water).
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The Crown Tundra focused on exploration. This is where the Pokédex gets truly massive. Calyrex, the "King of Bountiful Harvests," is the star here. But the real draw for many was the Dynamax Adventures, which let you hunt down Suicune, Rayquaza, and the rest of the gang.
By the time you finish both DLCs, the total number of available species in the Pokémon Sword and Shield Pokédex jumps to over 600. It's not a "National Dex," but it's enough to keep any completionist busy for months.
The Competitive Shake-up
Let’s talk about Dracovish. This monstrosity shouldn't exist. It’s a fossil Pokémon made of two mismatched halves, and it became a competitive nightmare. Its signature move, Fishious Rend, doubled in power if it moved first. Combined with the Strong Jaw ability and a Choice Scarf? It could one-shot almost anything that didn't resist it. This is the kind of "broken" fun that defines the Galar era. The restricted Pokédex allowed these weird, niche threats to shine in a way they never could in a world full of Mega Rayquazas.
Dynamaxing also changed how we viewed the Pokédex entries. Seeing a Gigantamax Meowth that is roughly the size of a skyscraper is hilarious, but it also changed the math of every battle. Every Pokémon became a potential nuke for three turns.
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How to Actually Finish the Pokédex Today
Completing the Pokémon Sword and Shield Pokédex in 2026 is actually easier than it was at launch, but you still need a plan. You can't catch 'em all in one version. That’s the oldest trick in the book.
- Version Exclusives: If you have Sword, you're getting Zacian, Sirfetch’d, and Stonjourner. If you have Shield, you're getting Zamazenta, Galarian Ponyta, and Eiscue.
- The Trade Problem: Some Pokémon, like Machamp or Gengar, still require trading to evolve. If you don't have a friend nearby, the "Link Code" system is your savior. Community-driven codes like 4444 4444 for Ditto trading are still somewhat active, though specialized Discord servers are a better bet now.
- Weather Matters: This is the part that trips everyone up. The Wild Area changes its spawns based on the weather. Some Pokémon, like Lucario or Mimikyu, only show up during specific conditions like Fog or Blizzards. You can "cheese" this by changing your Nintendo Switch system clock, but be careful—doing this can lock out time-based events like Poké Jobs for 24 hours.
The Reward for Your Trouble
Is it worth it? Yes. Completing the base Galar Pokédex (the first 400) gets you the Shiny Charm. This item triples your chances of finding a Shiny Pokémon. If you're into the "shiny hunting" subculture, this is the holy grail. There is nothing quite like the feeling of hatching a shiny Dreepy after 500 eggs. It’s a grind, sure, but it’s a rewarding one.
The Legacy of the Galar Roster
We often judge a generation by its starters. Cinderace, Inteleon, and Rillaboom are polarizing. Some people hate the "humanoid" look they all eventually take on. Personally? I think Rillaboom’s drum kit is a bit much, but his Hidden Ability, Grassy Surge, made him a god-tier competitive threat. Cinderace with Libero is essentially a faster, fire-type version of Protean Greninja.
The Pokémon Sword and Shield Pokédex didn't just give us cool designs; it gave us tools. It gave us a meta that felt fast and explosive.
Actionable Next Steps for Trainers
If you're jumping back into Galar today, don't just rush to the end. Here is how you should handle the Pokédex efficiently:
- Capture everything on the first pass. Don't tell yourself you'll come back for that Rookidee later. Just throw the Quick Ball now.
- Abuse the Surprise Trade feature. While you're exploring, keep a constant stream of Surprise Trades going in the background. You’ll frequently get "breedjects"—high-quality Pokémon discarded by competitive breeders—that fill out your Pokédex entries effortlessly.
- Focus on the Wild Area dens. Raid battles are the fastest way to get Exp. Candy. Feeding these candies to a Pokémon is infinitely faster than grinding wild encounters to get that level-up evolution.
- Download Pokémon HOME. This is non-negotiable. It’s the easiest way to move Pokémon between games and complete your collection using the Global Trade System (GTS). You can search for exactly what you need, like a Zacian-for-Zamazenta swap, and usually find a taker within minutes.
The Galar region might have been the center of a massive controversy, but the Pokédex itself stands as a vibrant, quirky, and strategically deep collection of monsters. It’s a snapshot of a time when the series decided to stop looking backward and start experimenting with what a modern Pokémon game could actually be.