Alpha Pokémon

If you were looking for the other uses of Alpha, see Alpha (disambiguation).

An alpha Pokémon (Japanese: オヤブン boss) is a variety of Pokémon found in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. They are larger-than-normal Pokémon that appear in Hisui with increased combat capabilities. Alpha Pokémon can be identified with the Alpha icon.png icon in the Pokémon's summary screen and on their health bar in the wild. Additionally, wild alpha Pokémon have glowing red eyes.

Story

Shortly after the player joins the Survey Corps, an alpha Kricketune intrudes on Deertrack Heights. Mai, the Warden who oversees Wyrdeer, enlists Akari/Rei to help defeat the Kricketune, who in turn asks the player to aid Mai due to their skill in Pokémon battles.

While Ingo is leading the player through Wayward Cave, an alpha Crobat appears along the route. Ingo insists that the player not battle it due to the reduced visibility caused by the absence of the cave's torches, and leads them on a detour to avoid it. The player is unable to battle or catch this particular alpha Pokémon until Ingo reinstalls the torches in the cave.

During the three Trials of the Lake guardians, the player has to face an alpha Pokémon at each lake; Hiusian Goodra at Lake Valor, Overqwil at Lake Verity, and Hisuian Zoroark at Lake Acuity.

During the post-game, when the player goes to meet Volo at Grueling Grove, the two are ambushed by an alpha Vespiquen. After defeating the Pokémon, the player receives a Stone Plate from her.

It is later revealed that the existence of alpha Pokémon was the result of Giratina opening space-time rifts that affect them with lightning strikes.

Gameplay

There are two varieties of alpha Pokémon: fixed and random. Regardless of variety or their species' normal behavior, alpha Pokémon are always aggressive towards the player, and may have Egg Moves learned. Alpha Pokémon cannot be caught outside of battle if they are significantly higher level than your current Obedience level. They can however be caught regardless of level during a battle with them.

  • Fixed alpha Pokémon will always be generated upon entering a given area of the Hisui region, and will often be of a higher level than any other Pokémon that spawn in the area; for instance, the alpha Rapidash in the Obsidian Fieldlands is always Level 40.
  • Random alpha Pokémon appear in the same locations as normal members of their species after the player quells that area's respective Noble Pokémon, though at a higher level; for instance, an alpha Bidoof in the Obsidian Fieldlands may be Level 16, whereas ordinary Bidoof spawn at about Level 2. Random alpha Pokémon can also spawn in Mass Outbreaks, at the same rate as Pokémon in the overworld.

When entering battle, wild alpha Pokémon gain the Wild Might (Japanese: 野性の力 Wild Strength) status. This status increases all of a Pokémon's stats, independently of in-battle stat boosts, and reduces damage from status conditions and the effects of moves such as Stealth Rock.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

In addition, during the final battle against Volo, a message appears claiming Giratina has gained the Terrible Might (Japanese: すさまじい力 Tremendous Strength) status upon entering battle. This status appears to have the same effects as the Wild Might status.

  Spoilers end here.  

Fixed alpha Pokémon

Fixed alpha Pokémon are specimens that always appear in their alpha form in a specific location. Some of these specimens do not spawn until after parts of the main story are completed, usually needing the region's frenzied Noble to be tamed before appearing in the overworld.

Species marked with an * can only be found as that single fixed alpha specimen or in rare Mass Outbreaks, but not anywhere else in the overworld.

Obsidian Fieldlands

# Pokémon Level Sub-Location Time of Day Weather
042   Golbat 35 Near Oreburrow Tunnel Nighttime All
047   Parasect 30 Nature's Pantry All All
065   Alakazam* 60 Sandgem Flats All All
075   Graveler 30 Near Obsidian Falls All All
078   Rapidash* 40 Horseshoe Plains All Sunny
123   Scyther 42 Near Grandtree Arena All All
130   Gyarados 60 Lake Verity All All
143   Snorlax 45 Near Sandgem Flats All All
214   Heracross 45 Grueling Grove All All
234   Stantler 42 Deertrack Heights All All
242   Blissey 62 Near Obsidian Falls All All
392   Infernape* 65 Ramanas Island All All
397   Staravia 32 Windswept Run All All
400   Bibarel 16 Tidewater Dam All All
402   Kricketune 30 Near Nature's Pantry All All
404   Luxio 40 Floaro Gardens All All
419   Floatzel 31 Near Worn Bridge All All
428   Lopunny 40 Near The Heartwood All All


Crimson Mirelands

# Pokémon Level Sub-Location Time of Day Weather
026   Raichu* 52 Near Golden Lowlands All All
095   Onix 50 Near Bolderoll Slope All All
111   Rhyhorn 45 Diamond Heath All All
217   Ursaring 55 Near Gapejaw Bog All All
217   Ursaring 41 Ursa's Ring All All
389   Torterra* 65 Holm of Trials All All
407   Roserade* 50 Cloudpool Ridge Daytime All
416   Vespiquen 61 Near Cottonsedge Prairie All All
417   Pachirisu 40 Near Gapejaw Bog All All
430   Honchkrow 55 Cloudpool Ridge Nighttime All
435   Skuntank 45 Scarlet Bog All All
450   Hippowdon 46 Sludge Mound All All
454   Toxicroak 47 Holm of Trials All All
455   Carnivine 43 Near Cottonsedge Prairie All All
463   Lickilicky 52 Shrouded Ruins All All
465   Tangrowth* 45 Gapejaw Bog All All
469   Yanmega 58 Droning Meadow All All
705   Sliggoo 50 Holm of Trials All All


Cobalt Coastlands

# Pokémon Level Sub-Location Time of Day Weather
038   Ninetales* 61 Firespit Island All All
055   Golduck 50 Bather's Lagoon All All
067   Machoke 40 Near Ginkgo Landing All All
073   Tentacruel 50 Near Lunker's Lair All All
113   Chansey 51 Tombolo Walk All All
130   Gyarados 58 Near Lunker's Lair All All
224   Octillery 46 Castaway Shore All All
365   Walrein 50 Ginkgo Landing All All
395   Empoleon* 69 Islespy Shore All All
414   Mothim 56 Spring Path All All
423   Gastrodon 61 Seagrass Haven All All
424   Ambipom 50 Near Hideaway Bay All All
432   Purugly 45 Veilstone Cape All All
452   Drapion* 45 Near Ginkgo Landing All All
457   Lumineon 60 Seagrass Haven All All
477   Dusknoir* 65 Deadwood Haunt Nighttime All


Coronet Highlands

# Pokémon Level Sub-Location Time of Day Weather
036   Clefable* 62 Fabled Spring Nighttime All
076   Golem* 60 Bolderoll Ravine All All
169   Crobat 60 Wayward Cave All All
207   Gligar 60 Clamberclaw Cliffs All All
208   Steelix* 60 Celestica Trail All All
405   Luxray 55 Sacred Plaza All All
414   Mothim 55 Wayward Wood All All
429   Mismagius* 61 Stonetooth Rows Nighttime All
437   Bronzong 55 Near Clamberclaw Cliffs All All
444   Gabite 56 Near Celestica Ruins All All
464   Rhyperior* 74 Sacred Plaza All All
466   Electivire* 69 Cloudcap Pass All All
472   Gliscor* 77 Near Primeval Grotto All All
476   Probopass* 73 Near Primeval Grotto All All
706   Goodra* 70 Ancient Quarry All All


Alabaster Icelands

# Pokémon Level Sub-Location Time of Day Weather
068   Machamp* 70 Arena's Approach All All
125   Electabuzz 65 Icebound Falls All All
215   Sneasel 61 Near Avalugg's Legacy All All
220   Swinub 62 Near Bonechill Wastes All All
221   Piloswine 65 Arena's Approach All All
282   Gardevoir* 70 Heart's Crag Daytime All
358   Chimecho 65 Near Lake Acuity All All
362   Glalie 62 Bonechill Wastes All All
445   Garchomp* 85 Avalanche Slopes All All
448   Lucario 70 Icebound Falls All All
460   Abomasnow 68 Bonechill Wastes All All
473   Mamoswine* 68 Avalugg's Legacy All All
475   Gallade* 70 Snowpoint Temple All All
478   Froslass 72 Ice Column Chamber All All


Unique alpha Pokémon

These unique alpha Pokémon can only be found once. They may or may not have features that set them apart from other Pokémon of the same species.

# Pokémon Level Sub-Location Mission
402   Kricketune 12 Deertrack Heights Mission 5 "A Request from Mai"
416   Vespiquen 60 Grueling Grove Mission 21 "The Researcher of Myths"
571   Zoroark 58 Acuity Cavern Mission 17 "The Trial of Lake Acuity"
706   Goodra 58 Verity Cavern Mission 15 "The Trial of Lake Verity"
904   Overqwil* 58 Valor Cavern Mission 16 "The Trial of Lake Valor"


Origin

Alpha Pokémon might be based on the concept of the same name found in biology. Amongst animal groups, an alpha is a member of the species that has a higher rank in the group's hierarchy, contrary to the Beta members who are the more submissive ones. Alpha animals often employ aggression tactics to assert dominance and leadership over their specific groups. This can be seen in gameplay where alpha Pokémon can display an aggressive disposition even when normal members of said species would not. They also serve as leaders of the pack, as alpha Pokémon are regularly found in places where unevolved members of their species gather, and even show signs of territorialism, as some alpha Pokémon tend to come to the aid of the lesser members when alerted. Their Japanese name "Boss" reinforces this idea of hierarchical leadership.

Related articles

In other languages

Alpha Pokémon

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 頭目 Tàuhmuhk
Mandarin 頭目 / 头目 Tóumù
  French Pokémon Barons
  German Elite-Pokémon
  Italian Pokémon alfa
  Korean 우두머리 Udumeori
  Spanish Espécimenes alfa

Wild Might

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 野性之力 Yéhsing-jī Lihk
Mandarin 野性之力 Yěxìng-zhī Lì
  French Force sauvage
  German Kraft der Wildnis
  Italian Potenza selvatica
  Korean 야성의힘이 Yaseong-ui Himi
  Spanish Poder salvaje

Terrible Might

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 驚駭之力 Gīngháaih-jī Lihk
Mandarin 驚駭之力 / 惊骇之力 Jīnghài-zhī Lì
  French Force effroyable
  German Unheilvolle Kraft
  Italian Potenza spaventosa
  Korean 무시무시한힘 Musimusihan Himi
  Spanish Poder tremebundo


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