What Pokémon Cannot Be Alpha? A Comprehensive Guide
The world of Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduces a thrilling twist with Alpha Pokémon, towering figures with glowing red eyes, significantly higher levels, and unique challenges for trainers. However, not every Pokémon in the Hisui region can manifest as an Alpha. The direct and comprehensive answer to the question is: Legendary and Mythical Pokémon cannot spawn as Alpha Pokémon. This clear distinction sets the stage for understanding which powerful creatures are excluded from the Alpha phenomenon.
Understanding Alpha Pokémon
Before delving into the specifics of what cannot be an Alpha, it’s essential to grasp what makes an Alpha Pokémon so special. These oversized versions of regular Pokémon are:
- Larger in size: They are noticeably bigger than their normal counterparts.
- Higher level: They often appear at significantly higher levels than wild Pokémon, presenting a substantial challenge.
- Red glowing eyes: They are easily identifiable by their piercing red eyes, a visual marker of their increased power.
- Unique behaviors: Alphas can exhibit more aggressive behaviors, making encounters more intense.
- Superior stats: Compared to their regular counterpart, Alpha Pokemon have increased stats.
These attributes make finding and catching Alpha Pokémon a prized endeavor for trainers. However, the limitations on which Pokémon can become Alpha make the hunt even more strategic and intriguing.
The Excluded: Legendary and Mythical Pokémon
The most crucial point to remember is that Legendary and Mythical Pokémon are not found as Alpha variants. This exclusion is consistent throughout the game, meaning you will never encounter an Alpha Dialga, Palkia, Arceus, Mew, or any of the other powerful, unique Pokémon falling under these categories. The reasoning behind this seems to be to preserve the uniqueness of the legendary creatures and maintain balance in the game’s ecosystem.
Why This Rule Exists
The exclusion of Legendary and Mythical Pokémon from the Alpha category serves a few key purposes within the game:
- Maintaining Rarity: Legendary and Mythical Pokémon are meant to be incredibly rare and powerful. Allowing them to appear as Alpha versions would diminish their exclusivity.
- Balancing Gameplay: Alpha Pokémon are often found in the wild, albeit with a chance for their appearance. If Legendaries were to spawn as Alphas with inflated levels and boosted stats, they could become overwhelmingly difficult to handle, disrupting game balance.
- Preserving Narrative Significance: Legendaries are crucial figures in the game’s narrative and their story. The absence of Alpha variants might be a choice to keep their portrayal special and integral to the plot.
Identifying Legendary and Mythical Pokémon
It is important to be able to identify which Pokémon fall under these categories. Legendary Pokémon are typically the most powerful Pokémon within their region or those with unique backstories and ties to specific geographical locations. Mythical Pokémon are even rarer and typically only available through special events and promotional distributions. Some examples include:
- Legendary Pokémon: Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Arceus, Regigigas, Heatran, Cresselia, the Lake Guardians (Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf), and the Legendary Birds.
- Mythical Pokémon: Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Darkrai, Shaymin, Manaphy, Phione, and Arceus itself can be seen as Mythical due to its story significance.
Knowing these categories will help trainers understand which Pokémon they will never find as an Alpha.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can any Pokémon that is not legendary or mythical spawn as an alpha?
Yes, virtually any Pokémon that spawns naturally in the wild can have a chance to appear as an Alpha. The only exceptions are, as discussed, Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
2. Are Alpha Pokémon always bigger than their regular counterparts?
Yes, Alpha Pokémon are always noticeably larger than their standard forms. This difference in size is one of the key defining features of Alpha Pokémon.
3. Are Alpha Pokemon shinies more rare?
Yes, Alpha Shiny Pokémon are significantly rarer than either a regular shiny or a regular Alpha. This is because both the Alpha and Shiny rolls are calculated separately; it’s the product of their respective probabilities. The base shiny rate is 1/4096 and if a pokemon has a 1% chance to spawn as an alpha, a shiny alpha would be 1 in 409,600.
4. Is there a way to increase the chances of finding Alpha Pokémon?
While there is no specific trick to drastically increase the odds, focusing on areas where a Pokémon is known to spawn and revisiting those locations is your best strategy. Alpha spawns are generally tied to their usual spawn locations so patience and a little luck is needed.
5. Do Alpha Pokémon respawn?
Yes, Alpha Pokémon do respawn in their respective locations after a certain amount of time. This allows you to return later to catch or battle them again.
6. Are all Alpha Pokémon at a set level?
No, Alpha Pokémon do not have fixed levels. They can vary from one encounter to another but are generally significantly higher than the levels of surrounding Pokémon in that area.
7. Can you find an Alpha starter Pokémon?
No, starter Pokémon do not spawn as Alphas in the wild. You can only obtain them at the beginning of the game or in distortions. However, their evolutions can be found as Alphas.
8. What is the highest level Alpha Pokémon in the game?
The highest-level Alpha Pokémon commonly mentioned is the Alpha Garchomp found in the Obsidian Fieldlands, which can reach level 85.
9. Are Alpha Pokémon stronger in battle?
Yes, Alpha Pokémon are significantly stronger than their normal counterparts because they have higher levels and base stats. This makes them more challenging to defeat or capture.
10. Is it better to catch or defeat Alpha Pokémon?
It’s generally better to try and catch Alpha Pokémon due to their increased levels and stronger stats. Catching them gives you a valuable member of your team rather than the experience and items from defeating them.
11. Can Alpha Pokémon be evolved?
Yes, Alpha Pokémon can be evolved just like their standard counterparts. If you have a suitable Alpha Eevee, you can indeed evolve it into an Alpha Espeon, Umbreon, and other Eeveelutions.
12. Is there an Alpha Magikarp?
Yes, there is an Alpha Magikarp, which can be found splashing around outside of Oreburrow Tunnel in the Obsidian Fieldlands.
13. Are there certain items or foods that attract Alphas?
While there isn’t a specific item that attracts Alphas, using food items that attract the species, might increase the chance of encountering an alpha of that specific species. However, they don’t guarantee that an Alpha will spawn, it will just help you see that pokemon more often.
14. Can you transfer Alpha Pokemon to other games?
No, Alpha Pokemon cannot be transferred to other Pokémon games. This mechanic is specific to Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
15. Is Alpha Snorlax rare?
Yes, Alpha Snorlax is a rare spawn, but they can be found in multiple locations throughout Hisui. Snorlax is a rare spawn by itself, and the chance of finding it as an Alpha makes it even more special.
Conclusion
The exclusion of Legendary and Mythical Pokémon from the Alpha phenomenon adds a layer of strategy and uniqueness to the gameplay of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. While trainers cannot find Alpha variants of these mighty Pokémon, the challenge and rewards of seeking out other Alpha Pokémon remain a compelling part of the game. With a clear understanding of which Pokémon can and cannot be Alphas, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the Hisui region and grow a powerful team.