You’re standing in the Wild Area, staring at the horizon, wondering where that giant island went. You paid for it. You saw the trailer. You want your Kubfu. But for some reason, the game isn't exactly holding your hand. Honestly, figuring out how to get to the Isle of Armor is one of those things that should be simple, yet somehow feels like a chore if you haven't checked your email or talked to the right NPC.
It’s annoying.
First off, make sure you actually bought the right version. I know that sounds like I’m insulting your intelligence, but people mess this up constantly. If you have Pokémon Sword, you need the Sword Expansion Pass. If you bought the Shield version for a Sword cartridge, you’re out of luck and out of thirty bucks. Nintendo doesn't do refunds easily. Double-check the little icon on your Switch home screen before you do anything else.
The Wedgehurst Station Bottleneck
You can’t just fly there. You’ve gotta go to Wedgehurst.
Once you’ve updated your game to the latest version—and yes, you need an internet connection for this—head over to the Wedgehurst Station. This is the same place where you first took the train at the start of your journey. You’ll see a prompt, or rather, a Galarian Slowpoke will just be lounging there like it owns the place.
This is the trigger.
Talk to the station attendant near the turnstiles. If you haven't done the "Slowpoke event" yet, you’ll have to catch that pink, lazy lizard first. It’s level 12. Don’t accidentally nuke it with a level 100 Zacian. Just toss a Quick Ball or a Great Ball and get it over with. Once that's tucked away in your PC, the attendant will notice you have an Armor Pass.
Wait, do you have the Armor Pass?
If the guy isn't letting you through, it’s usually because the game hasn't registered the DLC purchase. Close the game. Go to the eShop. Click your profile icon in the top right. Go to "Redownload" and look for Pokémon Sword or Shield. If there’s a tiny update file there, grab it. Sometimes the Switch downloads the patch but forgets the "key" that tells the game you're allowed to enter.
Why the Train Isn't Moving
Some players get stuck because they haven't reached the Wild Area in the main story yet. You don't need to be the Champion. You don't even need a single badge, really. You just need to have reached the point in the narrative where the Wild Area becomes accessible for the first time.
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Basically, once you've unlocked the ability to see other players running around in the grass, you're good to go.
The attendant will look at your pass, act surprised, and then the Corviknight Taxi will whisk you away. It’s a cutscene. It’s brief. Then, suddenly, you're at the station on the island, and a very flamboyant person named Avery or Klara is going to start annoying you immediately.
Understanding the Level Scaling Myth
There is a huge misconception about how to get to the Isle of Armor and what happens once you arrive. People think the island scales to your level perfectly.
It doesn't. Not exactly.
There are basically two "modes" for the Isle of Armor. If you go there before you’ve beaten the Leon and the main story, the wild Pokémon will be roughly level 10 to 15. If you go there after you’ve become the Champion, everything jumps to level 60.
There is no middle ground.
If you show up with a level 40 team, you’re going to be either bored out of your mind or getting absolutely wrecked by a level 60 Sharpedo that’s chasing you through the water at Mach speed. Those Sharpedo are the real villains of this DLC. Honestly, they’re terrifying. They track you. They don't give up. If you're trying to explore the Honeycalm Sea, prepare to be harassed.
The Corviknight Taxi Hack
Once you’ve visited the island once, you never have to go back to Wedgehurst Station again.
Open your map. You’ll see the Isle of Armor off to the east. You can fast-travel to the Master Dojo or the station just like any other Fly point in Galar. It saves a ton of time. But a weird quirk: if you’re on the island and want to go back to the mainland, you have to scroll the map all the way back over to the left. It’s a bit clunky.
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Getting Your Kubfu and the Real Grind
The whole point of getting here, for most people, is the legendary. You’ll meet Mustard. He’s an old guy in a tracksuit who used to be the Champion. He’s way tougher than he looks, but he won't fight you seriously for a while.
You have to complete three trials.
- Chase down some fast Galarian Slowpoke (they're wearing your clothes, don't ask).
- Find some Max Mushrooms in a cave.
- Beat your rival in a battle in the Dojo’s backyard.
The Max Mushrooms are the most important part of this whole expansion. They allow you to "Gigantamax" Pokémon that previously couldn't do it. Have a Cinderace that you love but it won't grow into a giant bunny with a fireball? Give it some Max Soup.
But you need to know that the mushrooms don't just grow everywhere. You have to do Max Raid Battles to make them respawn. Every three raids you finish on the island will usually cause one mushroom cluster to pop up somewhere in the caves or the forest. It’s a cycle. Raid, pick, cook, repeat.
Common Barriers and How to Smash Them
If you're still staring at a "You can't go here" message, check your inventory. Look in your "Key Items" pocket. The Armor Pass should be right there.
If it isn’t?
Check your Nintendo account's primary console status. If you are playing on a Switch that isn't your "Primary" console (maybe you share with a sibling or have an OLED and an old Lite), you must be connected to the internet to verify the DLC. If you're on a plane and your Switch is the "Secondary" console, the game will act like the Isle of Armor doesn't exist.
It sucks, I know.
Another thing: make sure your game version is 1.2.0 or higher. You can check this by pressing the (+) button on the game icon from the Switch home menu. If you're on an older version, the Wedgehurst attendant will just talk about regular trains and ignore your dreams of island life.
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The Cram-o-matic and Why You Need It
Once you’re finally on the island, find the weird robot that looks like a Cramorant in the Dojo. This thing is a gold mine if you know what you’re doing.
You feed it four items, and it spits out one.
Most people just throw junk in there, but there are specific recipes. If you want a Flame Orb or a Toxic Orb—which are notoriously hard to find—there are math-heavy ways to get them here. It’s based on a point system. Each item has a "type" value and a "numerical" value.
- Four Rare Candies? You get an Ability Capsule.
- Four Apricorns? You might get a rare Poké Ball, but the odds are like 1%.
- Basically, it's gambling for kids.
Hyde, Mustard’s son, will sell you recipes for Watts, but honestly, just look them up online. Don't waste your Watts. You're going to need millions of Watts to fully upgrade the Dojo.
Upgrading the Dojo is the Real Endgame
Honey (Mustard’s wife) will ask you for Watts to add features to the Dojo. It starts small.
- 5,000 Watts: A hair stylist.
- 20,000 Watts: A Rotom Terminal (PC).
- 100,000 Watts: A vending machine with fresh water.
It goes all the way up to 3,280,000 Watts. That gets you a battle with Honey herself and her rare League Card. It’s a massive grind. The best way to get Watts is to talk to the "Digging Pa" near the Warm-Up Tunnel. He digs up Watts in exchange for Armorite Ore.
You get Armorite Ore by doing raids on the island. See the pattern?
Actionable Steps for Your Journey
If you’re ready to jump in right now, here is exactly what you should do in order to ensure nothing glitches out.
- Verify the License: Go to the eShop, click your profile, and redownload the Expansion Pass content. Even if you think it's there, do it anyway.
- Fly to Wedgehurst: Don’t fly to the Wild Area. Go to the actual town station.
- Clear the Slowpoke: If the pink guy is in the way, catch him.
- Talk to the Attendant: Show him the Armor Pass from your Key Items.
- Check the Map: Once you land, immediately open your map and ensure the Master Dojo flying point is active.
- Manage Your Levels: If you're level 100, the "challenge" is non-existent. If you want a real experience, bring a fresh team of level 10s to the island and grow them alongside your Kubfu.
The Isle of Armor isn't just a side quest; it's where the competitive scene really lives because of the Move Tutor in the Dojo. He teaches moves like Burning Jealousy and Grassy Glide—moves that fundamentally changed how the game was played in the VGC (Video Game Championships).
Go get your pass, catch your legendary bear, and start hunting those mushrooms. Just watch out for the Sharpedo. Seriously. They're faster than you think.