Pokemon GO has continuously expanded its roster of available Pokémon for players to catch over the years. This article will highlight some of the rarest creatures and provide tips on how to add them to your collection! Note that we will not be including event-exclusive Pokemon, as they are typically one-time opportunities and may not be currently obtainable.
Regional Exclusive Pokemon
There are a handful of Pokemon that are tied to specific regions in Pokemon GO. While an interesting feature that globalizes the game, it can make it challenging for players who dream of completing their Pokedex. From Africa to New Zealand, players will need to travel the world to obtain all of the regional exclusive Pokemon in the Pokedex. Realistically, players will have to network, travel to in-person events (Go Fest), and trade for these Pokemon when they have the chance.
Check out this guide for tips on how/where to obtain these exclusive Pokemon.
https://www.eurogamer.net/pokemon-go-region-exclusive-pokemon-locations-list
Galarian Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos
The Galarian regional variants of the Legendary Bird trio—Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos—are among the toughest Pokemon to catch in Pokemon GO.
Not only are they incredibly rare spawns, but they also have extremely low catch rates and high flee rates. Most encounters end before you even have a chance to throw multiple Poke Balls.
To find them, players must use a Daily Adventure Incense, which lasts for 15 minutes and can only be used once per day. To maximize your chances, use it while moving for the full duration.
Unless you’re incredibly lucky, the only reliable way to secure a Galarian Legendary Bird is by using a Master Ball, which guarantees a successful catch. However, Master Balls are rare and can only be obtained through select Special Research or Masterwork Research quests. If you’ve missed past opportunities, there is currently no way to obtain one retroactively.
Mew
Mew can only be caught by completing the Special Research quest “A Mythical Discovery.” This quest consists of eight steps, each requiring completion before progressing further.
A major challenge arises in Step 5, which requires catching Ditto, a Pokemon known for disguising itself as others. Finding Ditto can be a time-consuming process, as its disguised form constantly changes. Players must stay updated on which Pokemon Ditto is currently mimicking.
Step 7 presents another roadblock: obtaining a Gold Kanto Medal, which requires catching every Pokemon from the Kanto region. Given the rarity of some Pokemon, this can take considerable time, making Mew one of the most difficult Mythical Pokemon to acquire.
Celebi
In order for players to catch Celebi, they must also progress through Mew’s special research, “A Mythical Discovery”. They will obtain the research, “A Ripple in Time” once they complete the seventh step of “A Mythical Discovery”. “A Ripple in Time” is the special research questline that leads to an encounter with the Mythical Pokemon, Celebi.
As mentioned previously, the Mew questline can take a lot of time to complete, so the fact that you need to progress through Step 7 to even begin Celebi’s research says a lot about its difficulty. The main challenge for players in “A Ripple in Time” lies in Step 7 where they will have to obtain a Gold Johto Medal. Similar to the Mew research, players must catch every Johto region Pokemon in the game.
Zygarde
(Complete Forme)
Zygarde was only obtainable during the “Blaze New Trails” event, which ended on July 21, 2023. Unfortunately, if you weren’t actively playing at that time, there is currently no way to acquire Zygarde in 2025.
However, evolving Zygarde into its Complete Forme is great challenge that requires strict dedication. Players must collect 250 Zygarde Cells, which are found using the game’s Routes feature. These cells appear as small, glowing green spots along player-created paths.
A maximum of three Zygarde Cells can be obtained per day, and they do not always appear when completing a Route. Given this limitation, reaching Complete Forme could take nearly a year of daily exploration!
Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf
The Lake Guardian Trio—Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf—are not only region-exclusive but also extremely rare in the wild. Their locations are as follows:
- Uxie: Asia and Oceania
- Mesprit: Europe, Africa, and the Middle East
- Azelf: North and South America
Due to their limited availability and unpredictable spawn rates, catching these Legendary Pokemon is a major challenge.
Follow us on X (Twitter) and enable notifications to stay informed on the latest news in Pokemon GO.
Rayquaza the goat
For the giveaway Rabbitheat_1