Wild Zone 8 Pokemon Guide: Complete Species List, Alpha Locations & Unlock Requirements

What Makes Wild Zone 8 Special

Wild Zone 8 stands out from other areas in Lumiose City thanks to its Ground and Fighting-type heavy roster. If you’re building a team with strong physical attackers or need Pokemon with solid defensive stats, this is your spot. Unlike some of the more sprawling Wild Zones you’ve explored earlier, Zone 8 keeps things compact and manageable—perfect for efficient Pokemon hunting.

But here’s the catch: you can’t just waltz into Wild Zone 8 whenever you want. This area is locked behind story progression, specifically tied to your rank in the Z-A Royale competition system.

How to Unlock Wild Zone 8

To access Wild Zone 8, you’ll need to reach Rank V in the Z-A Royale competition. This is the game’s primary progression mechanic, so you’re naturally working toward this goal as you play through the main story.

Expect to invest a few solid hours before hitting Rank V. During this time, you’ll want to explore other available Wild Zones to build a balanced team. Areas like Wild Zone 2, Wild Zone 4, and Wild Zone 6 offer plenty of opportunities to level up and diversify your roster before tackling the tougher challenges ahead.

Where Is Wild Zone 8 Located?

Once unlocked, you’ll find Wild Zone 8 in the northeast section of Lumiose City. It’s squeezed between Wild Zones 3 and 6, making it fairly easy to navigate to once you’ve got fast travel unlocked for nearby areas.

Every Pokemon in Wild Zone 8

Wild Zone 8 hosts six different Pokemon species, and they all lean toward Ground, Fighting, and Rock types. Here’s the complete list:

Standard Wild Spawns

• Drilbur – Ground-type mole Pokemon with excellent speed
• Gible – Dragon/Ground pseudo-legendary line starter
• Machop – Classic Fighting-type powerhouse
• Numel – Fire/Ground-type with unique typing
• Sandile – Ground/Dark crocodile with great coverage
• Krokorok – Sandile’s evolved form (also spawns wild)

Most of these Pokemon appear during both day and night cycles, giving you flexibility in when you choose to hunt. The real prize here is Gible—catching one early means you’re on track to eventually evolve it into the powerful Garchomp, one of the strongest Pokemon in the entire game.

Alpha Pokemon Spawns in Wild Zone 8

Beyond the standard encounters, Wild Zone 8 features two Alpha Pokemon that pack significantly more punch than regular spawns:

Alpha Krokorok

• Spawn time: Day and night
• Recommended level: 22+
• Type: Ground/Dark

Alpha Krokorok is noticeably stronger than its regular counterpart and makes for an excellent team member if you can catch it. Its dual typing gives solid offensive coverage, and the Alpha stat boost means it’ll hit harder right out of the gate.

Alpha Camerupt

• Spawn time: Daytime only
• Recommended level: 25+
• Type: Fire/Ground

This is the tougher of the two Alphas in this zone. Alpha Camerupt only appears during daylight hours, so if you’re hunting at night, you’ll need to change the time of day using a nearby bench. It’s bulky, hits hard, and can be a real asset for players who want a Fire-type with defensive capabilities.

Pro tip: If you’re struggling with these Alphas, check out our guide on Alpha Pokemon strategies for detailed catching and battle tactics.

Recommended Team Level for Wild Zone 8

Your team should ideally be around level 20-22 before venturing into Wild Zone 8. This ensures you can handle the regular wild encounters without too much hassle. However, the Alpha Pokemon are a different story—they’re several levels higher than the standard spawns, so don’t be surprised if they give you trouble even with a properly leveled team.

Type Coverage Tips

Since Wild Zone 8 is heavy on Ground-types, bringing Pokemon with these move types will give you an edge:

• Water – Super effective against Ground and Fire
• Grass – Handles Ground and Rock-types easily
• Ice – Destroys Ground and Dragon (perfect for Gible/Krokorok)
• Fighting – Deals with Rock and Dark-types

If you’ve been following our best early Pokemon guide, you should already have a few team members that fit these criteria.

Layout and Navigation

Good news: Wild Zone 8 has a simple, straightforward layout compared to some of the more maze-like areas in Lumiose City. There aren’t a ton of elevation changes, hidden nooks, or confusing pathways. This makes achieving 100% completion—catching every species and discovering all spawn points—much less frustrating than in zones with complex terrain.

Things to Watch Out For

• Limited hiding spots: Pokemon can spot you more easily in open areas, so crouch when approaching
• Alpha patrols: The two Alphas roam specific territories, so scout their patterns before engaging
• Time-locked spawns: Remember that Alpha Camerupt only appears during the day

For more help navigating tricky terrain in other areas, our guide on removing vines and thorns covers similar obstacles you might encounter.

Strategic Value of Wild Zone 8 Pokemon

Let’s talk about why you’d actually want to catch these Pokemon beyond Pokedex completion:

Gible → Gabite → Garchomp

This is the crown jewel of Wild Zone 8. Garchomp is consistently ranked as one of the top Pokemon in competitive play. Its Dragon/Ground typing, monstrous Attack stat, and excellent speed make it a team staple. Catching Gible here saves you from hunting it down in harder-to-reach locations later.

Machop → Machoke → Machamp

A classic Fighting-type that’s been strong in every generation. Machamp’s raw power and access to moves like Dynamic Punch make it a solid choice for your main story team.

Krokorok → Krookodile

The Ground/Dark typing is surprisingly rare and provides excellent coverage. Krookodile can handle Psychic, Ghost, Electric, and Rock-types with ease, making it a versatile team member.

For more team-building insights, check out our Mega Evolution tier list to see which Pokemon synergize well with these Wild Zone 8 catches.

Tips for 100% Completion

If you’re going for full completion in Wild Zone 8, here’s how to make the process smoother:

Save Before Alpha Encounters

Alphas can be unpredictable. Save manually before engaging them so you can reset if the battle goes sideways or if they break out of your Pokeballs repeatedly.

Use Status Conditions

Paralysis and Sleep dramatically increase catch rates. Our status conditions guide explains which moves work best for different situations.

Stock Up on Pokeballs

Don’t underestimate how many balls you might burn through, especially on Alphas. If you’re running low, consider using your Master Ball on Alpha Camerupt—it’s arguably the toughest catch in this zone.

Check Both Time Periods

Even though most Pokemon spawn day and night, behavior patterns can change. Some species are more aggressive at night, while others hide more during the day. Cycle through both periods to ensure you’ve seen everything.

What Comes After Wild Zone 8?

Wild Zone 8 isn’t the end of your Lumiose City exploration. As you continue progressing through the Z-A Royale ranks, you’ll unlock even more areas, each with their own exclusive Pokemon rosters.

Leveling Up Between Zones

If you’re finding it tough to keep your team at the recommended levels, don’t sleep on side missions. Many of Lumiose City’s optional quests offer substantial experience rewards, and some even grant shiny Pokemon as completion bonuses. Our shiny Mareep mission guide is a great example of this.

You can also spend time in previously unlocked zones training against wild Pokemon. The variety of environments means you can target specific type matchups for efficient grinding.

Evolution Opportunities in Wild Zone 8

Several Pokemon in this zone have interesting evolution requirements worth noting:

• Gible evolves into Gabite at level 24, then Garchomp at level 48
• Machop evolves into Machoke at level 28, then Machamp via trade
• Sandile evolves into Krokorok at level 29, then Krookodile at level 40
• Numel evolves into Camerupt at level 33

If you’re unsure about evolution mechanics, our Cleffa evolution guide covers the general principles that apply across species.

Final Thoughts on Wild Zone 8

Wild Zone 8 might not be the flashiest area in Pokemon Legends Z-A, but it’s home to some genuinely strong Pokemon that can anchor your team through the late game. The straightforward layout makes it one of the more relaxing zones to complete, and the presence of Gible alone justifies spending extra time here.

The Alpha encounters also provide a nice challenge spike without being overwhelmingly difficult, giving you a taste of the tougher battles to come as you approach the endgame. Plus, with most spawns available at any time of day, you can fit Wild Zone 8 exploration into your gameplay schedule whenever it’s convenient.

So grab your Pokeballs, make sure your team is properly leveled, and dive into the northeast section of Lumiose. Whether you’re hunting for that perfect Gible or just working toward Pokedex completion, Wild Zone 8 has plenty to offer.

Official Pokemon Legends Resources:

• Pokemon Legends Official Site
• Nintendo Store Page

Happy exploring, trainers!