SwSh Sword & Shield: Expansion Pass

[Puddle]

I've been doing the same thing I did when I visited the Wild Area and Isle of Armor for the first time - running around exploring, instead of progressing through the story! Story-wise, I'm only up to the point where the old man gives you the Calyrex-themed jumper, and your Pokemon can start following you, but I've explored nearly the whole of the Crown Tundra already. That old cathedral with the giant tree growing out of it is really quite breathtaking, as is the accompanying music. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens here later.

 

[Louise]

how do you shiny the reigs do you kill it or ran away , and if I catch it can I find it again

 

[swiftgallade46]

I do enjoy the fossils walking about. It does make sense that they could survive in extreme and remote environments, especially when reintroduced by humans via breeding etc. we do know that invasive species are certainly a thing in the Pokémon universe.

 

[techitisJ]

how do you shiny the reigs do you kill it or ran away , and if I catch it can I find it again

If you want to shiny hunt the regis, you can either run away from them after encountering them and do the little puzzle again, or simply save in front of the statue (puzzle already done), and exit out and reopen the game. From what I've heard, the runaway tactic is 3 seconds faster if your quick, but if you're wanting to hunt it with 2 Switches it's probably just easier to reset. And no, they don't appear to be obtainable after catching the one.

 

[Louise]

I have been told you can only have 1

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Finally reached the Galarian Star Tournament. It seems Leon is now the head of the league and Klara/Avery are now officially Gym Leaders. I decided to team up with Hop.

 

[Defiant]

Done all the maingame stuff, now just started they came from the ultra beyond.
Not entirely sure what to do on this one, assuming its just do another Dynamax adventure

Dynamax adventures are frustratingly hard still, but at least theyve got rid of those awful shields,

 

[Esserise]

Not entirely sure what to do on this one, assuming its just do another Dynamax adventure

You just have to show Peony a Necrozma that you caught on a Dynamax Adventure, then you'll get the completion mark.

Speaking of which...

Spoiler: Spoilery miscellaneous observations about looooooore

I really like Peony's comically low-key response to Necrozma coming to steal Galar's light. "You just need a bit of sun, mate!" Laughing off something that he has no idea nearly caused an apocalypse in Alola like that just tickles me.

Anyway, according to the scientist who leads the Adventures, Necrozma is what caused the Ultra Wormhole to open up above the Max Lair (you can sort of make it out in the clue photo). If you talk to Peonia, you learn that the scientist used to work at a lab in Alola - which fits with her giving you a Beast Ball (in addition to an Ability Patch) for completing the fourth story arc. Another thing that Peonia mentions is that the scientist told her the first Pokémon to be spotted in the Lair was Solgaleo/Lunala (depending on your version), so maybe Necrozma was coming for them specifically...

While I'm theory crafting, let me put some other bits and bobs together. At the entrance of the Max Lair, you can see energy collection tubes just like the kind in the Hammerlocke Energy Plant. Talk to Peonia a bit, and she'll eventually wonder aloud if perhaps all the Dynamax Energy in the Lair suggests that there's a massive Wishing Star buried underground. And we know from one of ShadowRex's Dex entries that it once saved the Crown Tundra's wildlife from a meteorite strike in the past. What if... that was Eternatus's meteor? Which crashed and became buried in the area that would become the Max Lair, and was eventually discovered by Rose - explaining why we see those same style of energy tubes outside. I've always assumed that Eternatus's meteor must have crashed in the centre of the Wild Area, but I think I like this theory better.

Also, there are some pedestals near the fields where you grown the carrots for Calyrex's steeds which give some extra detail about the history of Calyrex and the Crown Tundra. I'm looking into that in between other activities.

 

[Chidamari Sketch]

Surprisingly, I had a pretty chill time with the birbs

I figured out from observation and repetition that Moltres flies under a set path in every location you Taxi/Fly into, so I just memorized the way it flies when I'm at the entrance of the IoA and camp out at the Soothing Wetlands till it arrives there and I thus bike into it.

Likewise, Articuno too is pretty specific on where it goes about; and the following guessing game wasn't that hard to me.

Zapdos was the only one I was kinda struggled with; and even then it was just because I keep running into Wild Pokemon

 

[prog rocker]

Spoiler: Spoilery miscellaneous observations about looooooore

I really like Peony's comically low-key response to Necrozma coming to steal Galar's light. "You just need a bit of sun, mate!" Laughing off something that he has no idea nearly caused an apocalypse in Alola like that just tickles me.

Somewhere, Elio and Selene's eyes start twitching over that comment.

 

[Daren]

Day 1 notes:

Spoiler

*Caught the three classic Regis and Calyrex/Ghost.
*Other interesting captures: Tyrunt, Aerodactyl, Aurorus, Metang, Bagon, Archen, Magmortar, Suicune (Dynamax Adventure).
*Found the Galarian Kanto birds; they scattered and I haven't looked for them yet.

Question: Does anyone know where the fishing spot in Ballimere Lake is? I'm looking for a Dratini but couldn't find the fishing spot serebii says they're found at.

 

[Esserise]

Day 1 notes:

Spoiler

*Caught the three classic Regis and Calyrex/Ghost.
*Other interesting captures: Tyrunt, Aerodactyl, Aurorus, Metang, Bagon, Archen, Magmortar, Suicune (Dynamax Adventure).
*Found the Galarian Kanto birds; they scattered and I haven't looked for them yet.

Question: Does anyone know where the fishing spot in Ballimere Lake is? I'm looking for a Dratini but couldn't find the fishing spot serebii says they're found at.

I think it might be the one on the rim of the small island in the moat around the Dyna Tree (look on the lower left corner of this image)

 

[Chidamari Sketch]

Spoiler: Post-game Dynamax Adventure question

Are the Ultra Beasts also treated as a one-time catch as with the Legendaries?

 

[Bolt Strike]

Just finished the quest involving Calyrex.

Spoiler: Calyrex Spoilers

I rather liked this one. Calyrex being able to actually talk by possessing Peony was an interesting quirk and reminds me of the anime where several different legendaries use telepathy to talk to Ash and co. As with most Pokemon stories, the plot isn't anything to write home about, but in making Calyrex an actual character in the storyline that can actually speak to you and then the two of you working together to try and restore his power and reunite with his steed you really form a special bond with it. Really made me want to ride alongside Calyrex on his steed (in my case, I chose Spectrier), but I guess I'll just have to settle for him following along behind me. I'd definitely like to see a storyline like this in a future main game storyline, it's kind of a step up from Nebby where not only is it a central character in the story but one that has dialogue and characterization, becoming a full character in its own right.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

I thought there were supposed to be new hair styles and clothing in the shops? I have yet to see any.

 

[Esserise]

For anyone wondering, it looks like Nidorina and Nidoqueen have not been moved out of the Undiscovered Egg Group.

I thought there were supposed to be new hair styles and clothing in the shops? I have yet to see any.

I don't think they ever advertised new hairstyles for CT, just for IOA.

The new clothes are all received through different methods, none of which seem to be purchasing them at shops. I'm hoping for a list or a datamine soon, but here's what I've been able to obtain so far:

- The Lysandre visors and Ghetsis eyepieces are gifts you receive from Nia after completing Dynamax Adventures
- There's a Boatneck Sweatshirt with the Freezington statue that you receive just for going there
- Another Boatneck Sweatshirt that you get for showing a Galarian Slowking to the woman who weaves the Galarica Wreaths (she's found in a hidden section of the Roaring-Sea Caves)
- A Hex Nut Sport Cap that you receive for showing a Meltan to the scientist in the Crown Tundra Station
- A Sporting Uniform that you get for completing the Galarian Star Tournament the first time
- An Expedition Uniform that Peony gives you at the beginning of the storyline, and a Gold Expedition Uniform that he gives you once you've completed all three of his investigations
- A Replica State Crown that you receive for speaking to the scientist in the Crown Tundra Station after completing the CT Dex

E: Found more! If you've received the W x F x G set from the Gentleman at the Armor Station, and then complete a Galarian Star Tournament, he'll appear in the lobby of Wyndon Stadium and will gift you with a Leon and Charizard-themed hoodie and leggings. After that, he'll start giving you clothes based on Legendary Pokémon you've caught. He gave me a Regidrago hoodie, and now is asking to see something "more modern," which I am guessing is maybe Regieleki?

 

[WyndonCalling]

Thought dump below:

Spoiler

Not particularly far into the story - currently trying to catch Ghostrex, which is capable of one-shotting about a third of my perfect, level 100 team and obviously it all goes downhill from there. That said, I dumped Peony early on and I spent at least an hour exploring the place.

My initial reaction to IoA was 'This is were they hid the real Wild Area'. For TCT, it's 'This is where they hid the real story and characters'. Peony might be the best character in the franchise (competing with Lillie, Lusamine and Guzma), the dialogue is great and the animations have been taken up a notch - cutscenes like the one where Calyrex jumps the horse demonstrate what just could have been with more time and polish in the main game. As I said, I'm still not sure where Peony's story ultimately ends up, but it gives us another one of those tantalising story threads that I would desperately love to see wrapped up in a further instalment - how does he interact with Rose? Is his own dramatic flair a reaction to Rose's aloofness?

The Wild Area is... ok. It gets points for scale and some strong area themes (surfing across an Avalugg sea field was a fantastic visual), but it falls short of the IoA. The latter had the advantage of some quite tightly enclosed or detail-packed areas (the wetlands and forest in particular) while the Tundra is once again mostly vast, relatively barren spaces. It also suffers from the 'big Pokémon' issues that plagued the mainland, perhaps to an even worse degree; if there's one way to demystify a large, powerful Pokémon, it's to have seven of them emerging from a small patch of grass in the space of three seconds. I stumbled into the small and detail-bereft lakeside cave and, in the span of a single circuit, saw:

- Aggron
- Ferrothorn
- Coalossal
- Two Noiverns

While the species are well-placed for the area themes, it's also a bit limited and the bevy of Ice-types imported from the north was notable. IoA had a smorgasbord of returning 'ordinary' Pokémon to convincingly populate that space, whereas the Tundra feels a little tight-fisted in that regard.

While I'm generally a fan of being forced to consult the map (it creates the feel of organic exploration), my goodwill is dependent on said map not being useless or actively misleading. That central plain is a bugger to navigate and the map keeps telling me I'm smack in the middle of it regardless of my actual positioning.

The footprint following is such a neat and thematic idea that I'm surprised something like it hasn't manifested before, but my reaction was a solid 'Boy am I glad I already have these species and won't need to spend three days hunting the last two sets of prints in this huge space'.

Dynamax adventures are super-fun even in single player and again reflects what Raid Battles could have been in the base game with more time and thought.

That's a lot of qualified praise and outright critique, but I'm actually really loving it overall. I've always wanted more Sword and Shield since the game's release, in a positive sense, and that hunger isn't yet sated. Now just give me my damn Donphan, Golem and Megas.

 

[Esserise]

Hey, they finally gave Aurorus access to Aurora Veil!

The footprint following is such a neat and thematic idea that I'm surprised something like it hasn't manifested before, but my reaction was a solid 'Boy am I glad I already have these species and won't need to spend three days hunting the last two sets of prints in this huge space'.

Fortunately - although ftr I quite like the Diglett hunt - these don't seem to work like that. They don't have set positions, and instead appear to be generated as you progress through the area. And I don't think we have any hard data yet, but to me, it seemed like the more I kept looking for them, the more frequently they would appear, too.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Also, minor nitpick

Spoiler: Calyrex Spoilers

Why can't Calyrex follow you across water? Both its forms could feasibly walk on water, Ice Rider by freezing the water below it and Shadow Rider simply by levitating.

 

[WyndonCalling]

So today I was chasing a legendary flying Pokémon across an open landscape - I couldn't see it directly overhead so had to follow the shadow along the ground, ducking and weaving to avoid incoming polar bears and giant, floating snowflakes.

And... that felt like a really big moment for this series, like the Rubicon has been crossed. In fact, I'd dare say it felt like I was travelling across the land, searching far and wide.