If you’re looking to make a formidable team to take on your opponents in Pokemon Sword and Shield, you may want to look for less commonly-used Pokemon. A prime example would be Alolan Raichu first introduced in Sun and Moon. Here’s how to get Alolan Raichu in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
Getting Alolan Raichu in Pokemon Sword and Shield
Ok so let’s get the unfortunate news out of the way first. It’s currently not possible to get an Alolan Raichu in Pokemon Sword and Shield, but this will change in the future. We’ve detailed down below what you’ll need to do to get an Alolan Raichu once it is possible.
- Catch an Alolan Pikachu in Pokemon Sun/ Moon/ Ultra Sun/ Ultra Moon
You can find both Pichu and Pikachu right at the beginning of the game on Route 1 on Melemele Island.
- Transfer Pikachu to Pokemon Home
You’ll need to sign up for the Pokemon Home storage and transfer system. Transfer your Pikachu into this.
- Retrieve Pikachu in Pokemon Sword & Shield
- Give Pikachu a Thunder Stone to evolve it into Alolan Raichu
Check out our guide on how to get all evolution stones in Pokemon Sword and Shield if you need to get a Thunder Stone.
The reason why players can’t get an Alolan Raichu in Pokemon Sword and Shield at the time of writing is due to Pokemon Home not being available yet. An Alolan Raichu will only evolve from a Pikachu caught in the Alola region.
As there is no other way to transfer a Pokemon from Sun and Moon to Sword and Shield, it’s impossible to get yourself this neat Alolan variant. It’s worth noting that data for Alolan Raichu is in the game files, so it should be available once Pokemon Home does go live.
That’s everything you need to know about how to get Alolan Raichu in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Check out our guide wiki for more tips and tricks.
