How to Catch Xerneas in Pokemon Legends Z-A’s Post-Game

⚠️ Major Post-Game Spoilers Ahead ⚠️

If you haven’t beaten the main story yet and want to experience everything fresh, bookmark this page and come back later. This guide reveals significant post-game content, including legendary encounters and endgame activities.

Still here? Awesome. Let’s talk about catching one of the most iconic legendary Pokemon from the Kalos region.

Xerneas: The Life Pokemon Returns

Xerneas, the majestic Fairy-type legendary that graced the cover of Pokemon X, makes its grand return in Pokemon Legends Z-A. But unlike some Pokemon games where you encounter legendaries during the main story, Xerneas is strictly post-game content.

This actually makes sense from a lore perspective—the game wants you to fully rebuild Lumiose City before the legendary Pokemon of life reveals itself. It’s locked behind a multi-step questline that tests your skills as a trainer and explorer.

Quick facts about Xerneas:

• Type: Pure Fairy
• Weaknesses: Poison, Steel
• Availability: Post-game only (after credits roll)
• Counterpart: Yveltal (covered in a separate quest)

Fun fact: Pokemon Legends Z-A has a surprisingly limited legendary roster compared to other games. Xerneas and Yveltal are among the very few you can actually catch, making them extra special.

Prerequisites: Unlock the Infinite Z-A Royale

Before you can even start the Xerneas questline, you need to access the post-game content hub called the Infinite Z-A Royale. Think of it as the endgame loop that keeps you engaged after the credits roll.

What Is the Infinite Z-A Royale?

It’s basically an enhanced version of the Battle Zone activities you’ve been doing throughout the game, but now:

• You can participate in nighttime trainer battles
• Earn points toward rewards from Quasartico
• Access exclusive Reward Matches
• Unlock legendary Pokemon quests

Getting Started: Your First Challenger’s Ticket

Step-by-step process:

1. Enter the post-game (beat the main story, watch the credits)
2. Participate in Battle Zones at night to earn points
3. Accumulate 50,000 points (sounds like a lot, but battles give substantial points)
4. Receive a Challenger’s Ticket as your reward
5. Take the ticket to Quasartico
6. Speak to the male attendant at the desk
7. Battle Zach the Driver (he’s not too tough if you have a solid post-game team)

After defeating Zach, Lida will contact you and ask you to head over to Hotel Z. This conversation triggers two major questlines: “The One That Gives” (Xerneas) and “The One That Takes” (Yveltal).

We’re focusing on Xerneas here, so let’s dive into “The One That Gives.”

Starting “The One That Gives” Questline

After your conversation at Hotel Z, you’ll receive both legendary quests simultaneously. You can technically do them in any order, but most players tackle Xerneas first.

Quest starting location:

• Head to the Research Lab (located next to Wild Zone 1)
• Speak to Mable, the researcher
• Accept the quest objective

Your Mission: Hunt Three Anomalous Alpha Pokemon

Mable explains that strange Alpha Pokemon have appeared in three different Wild Zones, displaying unusual behavior and red-eyed aggression. Your job is to find and defeat (or catch) all three before Xerneas will reveal itself.

Locations you need to visit:

• Wild Zone 3 – Rouge District
• Wild Zone 5 – Central area
• Wild Zone 9 – Rooftop district

Let’s break down each Alpha encounter with specific strategies.

Alpha Pokemon #1: Steelix in Wild Zone 3

The first anomalous Alpha is waiting for you in Wild Zone 3, and it’s pretty hard to miss.

Finding Alpha Steelix:

• Fast travel to Wild Zone 3 (Rouge District)
• Look toward the center of the zone
• You’ll spot a massive, angry Alpha Steelix immediately
• It has the telltale red eyes indicating its anomalous state

Battle Strategy for Alpha Steelix

Type: Steel/Ground
Weaknesses: Fighting (4× super effective!), Ground, Fire, Water

Recommended Pokemon:

• Any strong Fighting-type (Hawlucha works great)
• Fire-types for coverage
• Water-types with high Special Attack
• Ground-types with Earthquake

Battle tips:

• Steelix has enormous Defense, so prioritize Special attacks
• Fighting-type moves deal massive damage due to the 4× weakness
• Bring healing items—Alpha Pokemon hit hard
• You can catch it instead of defeating it if you want to add it to your collection

This is the easiest of the three Alpha encounters since Steelix is in an open area with no navigation challenges. One or two super-effective attacks from a properly leveled Pokemon should handle it.

Alpha Pokemon #2: Gallade in Wild Zone 5

The second anomalous Alpha is a bit more mobile but still straightforward to locate.

Finding Alpha Gallade:

• Fast travel directly to Wild Zone 5
• Upon arrival, scan the middle area of the zone
• You’ll see a red-eyed Gallade walking around
• It’s usually near the central plaza-like section

Battle Strategy for Alpha Gallade

Type: Psychic/Fighting
Weaknesses: Fairy (4× super effective!), Flying, Ghost

Recommended Pokemon:

• Any Fairy-type (this is where Flabébé’s evolution line shines)
• Ghost-types with strong Special Attack
• Flying-types for safe coverage

Pro stealth tip: If you have Ultra Balls, you can actually sneak-catch Gallade from behind without entering battle. Approach slowly from the backside, get close, and toss an Ultra Ball. It worked on our attempt, saving time and resources.

If you battle:

• Gallade has high Attack but moderate Special Defense
• Use Fairy moves for maximum damage (Moonblast, Dazzling Gleam, etc.)
• Ghost moves work well if you lack Fairy-types
• Watch out for its Fighting-type moves—they hit hard

Gallade is more dangerous than Steelix due to its offensive capabilities, but its 4× Fairy weakness makes it manageable if you bring the right Pokemon.

Alpha Pokemon #3: Pangoro in Wild Zone 9

This is the trickiest of the three encounters, not because Pangoro is particularly difficult, but because it’s on a rooftop and requires some navigation.

Finding Alpha Pangoro:

• Fast travel to Wild Zone 9
• Head to the northwestern corner of the zone
• Look for a climbable ladder
• Scale the ladder to reach the rooftops
• Turn left after climbing
• Walk straight ahead to a different roof section
• Pangoro will be waiting there with red eyes

Navigation Tips

If you’re having trouble finding the ladder:

• Look for web cocoons or rooftop access points
• The northwestern corner is near the zone’s boundary
• Once you’re on the first roof, Pangoro’s location is straightforward

The arrow on in-game maps typically shows the path from ladder to Alpha Pokemon, but if you’re still stuck, many players have uploaded video guides showing the exact route.

Battle Strategy for Alpha Pangoro

Type: Fighting/Dark
Weaknesses: Fairy (4× super effective!), Flying, Fighting

Recommended Pokemon:

• Fairy-types absolutely dominate this fight
• Flying-types provide safe, super-effective damage
• Fighting-types work but be careful of Pangoro’s Dark-type moves

Battle tips:

• Pangoro has high Attack and decent HP
• Its Dark/Fighting combo means most of its moves are physical
• Fairy Pokemon with decent Defense can tank hits while dealing massive damage
• Flying-types can hit from range and avoid most of Pangoro’s attacks

Again, if you brought Fairy-types, this fight is trivial thanks to the 4× weakness. The navigation is harder than the battle itself.

Returning to Mable: The Final Step

Once you’ve dealt with all three anomalous Alpha Pokemon, it’s time to report back.

What to do:

• Return to the Research Lab (next to Wild Zone 1)
• Speak to Mable again
• She’ll analyze your findings and give you new coordinates
• Your next destination: Wild Zone 11

Mable explains that the source of the anomalies appears to be connected to Xerneas itself. The legendary Pokemon is waiting for a worthy trainer to face it.

This is it. Time to catch the Life Pokemon.

The Xerneas Encounter in Wild Zone 11

Wild Zone 11 is where everything comes together. Make sure you’re prepared before fast traveling there.

Pre-battle checklist:

• Heal your entire party at a Pokemon Center
• Stock up on Ultra Balls (at least 10-15)
• Bring Poison or Steel-type attackers for type advantage
• Save your game before the encounter (just in case)

Getting to the battle:

1. Fast travel to Wild Zone 11 (or nearby if you haven’t visited)
2. Look for the objective marker by the river
3. Interact with the marker to trigger a cutscene
4. Watch the dramatic legendary encounter sequence
5. Battle begins immediately after

Battling and Catching Xerneas

Here’s where things get interesting: You MUST catch Xerneas to complete the quest. Defeating it isn’t enough.

Important Catch Mechanics

The game has a built-in safety net:

• If you knock out Xerneas and fail to catch it, the battle automatically restarts
• You cannot accidentally “fail” this encounter permanently
• The game gives you unlimited attempts until you successfully catch it

That said, nobody wants to fight a legendary Pokemon multiple times. Let’s optimize your catch strategy.

Battle Strategy for Xerneas

Type: Pure Fairy
Weaknesses: Poison, Steel
Level: Post-game appropriate (typically 70+)

Recommended attackers:

• Steel-types (Scizor, Steelix)
• Poison-types (any fully evolved Poison Pokemon works)
• Pokemon with status condition moves (Paralysis or Sleep)

Battle approach:

1. Whittle down Xerneas’s HP to red/low yellow
2. Apply a status condition (Sleep or Paralysis work best)
3. Avoid defeating it outright—stop attacking once it’s in catch range
4. Throw your catching ball when ready

Best Balls for Catching Xerneas

Ultra Ball recommended: Most players report success within 2-5 Ultra Balls once Xerneas is at low HP with a status condition. This is your cost-effective option.

Regular Poké Ball (not recommended): Technically possible, but the catch rate is abysmal. One player tried this first and it failed immediately, forcing a battle restart. Don’t waste your time unless you’re doing a challenge run.

Quick Ball: If you want to try your luck immediately at the start of battle, Quick Balls have boosted catch rates on turn one. Won’t hurt to try before beginning your damage phase.

Timer Balls: If the battle drags on for many turns, Timer Balls become more effective. Keep a few in your bag just in case.

What Happens If You Fail the Catch

Let’s say you accidentally KO Xerneas or run out of balls without catching it. Here’s what happens:

1. The screen fades
2. You respawn back at the encounter point
3. The battle resets completely
4. You can try again immediately

No penalty, no lost progress. The game understands that legendary encounters are important and gives you unlimited attempts.

After Catching Xerneas: What You Get

Once Xerneas is safely in your ball, congratulations! “The One That Gives” quest is complete.

Xerneas’s stats and abilities:

• Excellent Special Attack and HP
• Solid Special Defense
• Signature ability: Fairy Aura (boosts Fairy-type moves)
• Can’t Mega Evolve (unlike some legendaries)

Quest rewards:

• Xerneas added to your team
• Significant experience for all party members
• Quest completion bonuses (money, items)
• Progress toward completing your Pokédex

Is Xerneas Worth Using?

Absolutely. While it doesn’t get a Mega Evolution like some Pokemon, Xerneas is still incredibly powerful:

• Pure Fairy typing gives excellent offensive and defensive coverage
• High Special Attack makes it a potent attacker
• Bulky enough to take hits in tough battles
• Great for Rogue Mega encounters and post-game challenges

It’s definitely worth a spot on your team if you’re tackling endgame content. Check our strongest Pokemon tier list to see how Xerneas stacks up against other top-tier options.

What About Yveltal?

After completing “The One That Gives,” you’ll still have “The One That Takes” (the Yveltal quest) waiting for you. The structure is similar but features different locations and Alpha Pokemon to hunt.

We’ll be covering the Yveltal encounter in a separate guide, so stay tuned!

Quick Reference: Xerneas Catch Guide

Step-by-step summary:

1. Beat the main game and enter post-game
2. Earn 50,000 points in Infinite Z-A Royale
3. Get Challenger’s Ticket and battle Zach the Driver
4. Go to Hotel Z for cutscene
5. Visit Research Lab, speak to Mable
6. Defeat Alpha Steelix in Wild Zone 3
7. Defeat Alpha Gallade in Wild Zone 5
8. Defeat Alpha Pangoro in Wild Zone 9 (rooftop)
9. Return to Mable at Research Lab
10. Go to Wild Zone 11, interact with river marker
11. Battle and catch Xerneas (use Ultra Balls!)

Key tips:

• Bring Fairy-types for the Alpha Pokemon (4× weakness on two of them)
• Stock up on Ultra Balls before the Xerneas fight
• Status conditions make catching significantly easier
• The game prevents you from failing permanently—you get unlimited attempts

A Worthy Legendary Quest

The Xerneas questline represents some of the best post-game content in Pokemon Legends Z-A. It sends you across multiple Wild Zones, tests your battle skills, and culminates in an epic encounter with one of Kalos’s most iconic legendaries.

Unlike games where legendaries feel handed to you, this one makes you earn it. The Alpha Pokemon hunts provide legitimate challenge, and the navigation puzzle in Wild Zone 9 adds exploration to the mix.

Plus, Xerneas itself is genuinely useful in post-game content. It’s not just a trophy Pokemon—it’s a powerhouse that can carry you through endgame challenges.

If you’re looking for more post-game activities, check out our guides on completing all Wild Zones, Mega Evolution strategies, and other special evolution Pokemon. And if you enjoyed the cosmetic collection aspect of Pokemon, don’t miss our Furfrou forms guide for another fun completionist activity.

For official Pokemon Legends Z-A information, visit the Pokemon Legends website or purchase the game from the Nintendo Store.

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Did you catch Xerneas on your first try, or did the legendary Pokemon put up a fight? Share your catch story in the comments!