How to get Zeraora in Pokemon Sword and Shield

Zeraora is one of the newest mythical Pokemon but its cool looks and strong stats make it highly sought after.

Unfortunately, as with any given mythical Pokemon, obtaining it is easier said than done. With very few exceptions, these Pokemon can only be obtained through events and The Pokemon Company does not support all regions equally in this regard.

Here’s how Zeraora has been distributed up to this point and how current owners of the mythical Pokemon can best make use of it.

• Here is every Pokemon Sword and Shield mythical Pokemon event so far.

Can you still get Zeraora in Pokemon in 2021?

At the moment, there is no way to obtain Zeraora in Pokemon Sword and Shield, Pokemon GO, or Pokemon HOME. As such, only players who obtained Zeraora from a previous event are able to move the Pokemon to Nintendo Switch games. It’s impossible to guess whether this will change.

The Pokemon Company has historically been very inconsistent when it comes to releasing mythical Pokemon in the video games, and even less consistent when it comes to making these Pokemon available in multiple regions. That said, Zeraora has been the centerpiece of two events in recent years.

It’s unlikely that the Sun and Moon mythical Pokemon will be made available again any time soon unless The Pokemon Company has some enormous giveaway in store for the series’ 25th anniversary.

How do you get Zeraora?

Zeraora has been the prize in two separate events in Pokemon games thus far. 

In 2018, Zeraora was introduced in an in-person giveaway event where the Pokemon could be obtained varied from region to region. In North America, Zeraora could be obtained at Gamestop and EB Games retailers. In Europe, the Pokemon could be acquired by visiting specific retailers or by attending certain events depending on the country.

In 2020, Zeraora was made available again in Pokemon Sword and Shield as part of a promotional event for the launch of Pokemon HOME. The mythical Pokemon was part of a global challenge where one million players needed to defeat Zeraora, who was added to event Max Raid Dens in the wild area.

If players transferred Pokemon between either Sword and Shield and Pokemon HOME and were among the players to defeat the Max Raid Den Zeraora, they received a shiny Zeraora in their Pokemon HOME box.

Is Zeraora shiny locked?

No, Zeraora is no longer shiny locked.

A shiny version of the Pokemon could be obtained through a promotional event in 2020 for players that both played Pokemon Sword and Shield and used Pokemon HOME. Legitimate shiny Zeraoras have an OT named “HOME” with the Trainer ID 200630, are Hasty by nature, and will have a Classic Ribbon.

Is Zeraora any good?

Zeraora is a mythical Pokemon and therefore has 600 total base stats, comparable to “pseudo legendary” Pokemon like Dragonite, Tyranitar, and Metagross. Unlike early mythical Pokemon, Zeraora’s stats aren’t evenly distributed.

This is a good thing, as Zeraora’s stats make it a strong sweeper thanks to high attack stats and a strong 143 base speed. Zeraora’s movepool is relatively limited when it comes to both regular and special attacks, but it has enough diversity that players can cobble together something solid.

The clear best build for Zeraora includes a Jolly nature and maxed EVs for attack and speed. For moves, Volt Switch, Plasma Fists, Close Combat, and either an elemental punch move or Knock Off offers some hard hits and decent type coverage.