Completing your Galar Pokédex is no easy task. There are a ton of Pokémon that are locked to either Sword or Shield, several that are only found in certain weather conditions, and many that have extremely low encounter rates. To get the job done, you’ll have to find some very rare spawns, which can be based on luck and dedication.

Some of these low encounter rates can be incredibly frustrating, and it’ll seem like you’re hunting for something for hours before it finally appears. Pokémon like Feebas, Drampa, and Turtonator have encounter rates of only a few percentage points and some of them are at that percentage only in certain weather. With the right dedication and hard work, you’ll complete that Pokédex in no time. But, here are the few that might you trouble.

Updated by Madison Lennon on March 28, 2020: Pokémon Sword and Shield has been out for a while now but many players are still working their hardest to track down various Pokémon in the game that will finally complete their Galar Pokédex once and for all, especially before the DLC releases.

We thought we should update this list with some of the other rare encounter Pokémon in the game so that you can get an idea of how to catch them and how tedious the process might wind up being due to the low encounter rate.

15 Dreepy

Dreepy is a beloved pseudo-legendary dragon Pokémon that is very hard to catch. The only way to get Dreepy in the game is to go to the Lake of Outrage and there is only a 2 percent chance for Dreepy to spawn in the Overworld during Overcast weather conditions, like thunderstorms and thick fog.

There is only a 1 percent chance that Dreepy will appear in a random encounter. However, many people give Dreepys away in trades and surprise trades so it isn’t overly difficult to get one if you’re really determined.

14 Applin

Applin is a Grass and Dragon-type Pokémon that was introduced in Sword and Shield and instantly became very popular. You can first find Applin on Route 5 and it has a 10% chance of showing up in a random encounter.

While Applin isn’t the rarest Pokémon on this list, it is tricky to make it evolve into Appletun or Flapple. You need the Tart Apple to get Flapple in Sword and the Sweet Apple to get Appletun in Shield. The items are extremely tricky to find which is why the process of getting an Applin and evolving it is considered difficult.

13 Rotom

Rotom has very similar conditions to catching it as Dreepy, even the fact that Rotom can only be captured at the Lake of Outrage during Overcast weather conditions. Once you do manage to capture a Rotom, you can then get a guide from the Rotom guy who has a team of Rotoms in different forms.

After you defeat him, you can transform your own Rotom into any of its many styles you want to. You’ll notice a Rotom zig-zagging toward you in the wild and that’s when you’ll be able to find it and catch it.

12 Pumpkaboo XL

If you aren’t picky about the form of Pumpkaboo that you’ll be able to capture, then it isn’t hard to find one. However, this Pokémon comes in four forms, small, medium, large, and extra-large – or XL. If you want the rare XL form, then you’re going to have to put some serious time into finding the Pokémon.

The different forms are important because it affects its stats. You can find it on Route 4 and in two different Wild Area spots – Giant’s Mirror and Hammerlocke Hills. To find the XL size, you will only have a 1% chance of it spawning.

11 Trapinch

Trapinch is a strong Ground-type Pokémon and the odds of catching this Pokémon will differ based on which version that you’re playing.

It will spawn in the overworld and it has a 1 percent chance of appearing in PokémonSword but a 5 percent chance of showing up in Pokémon Shield. Trapinch can be found in the Hammerlocke Hills of the Wild Area during a Sandstorm.

10 Sizzlipede

Sizzlipede is a great new Pokémon, with a cool design, interesting type combination, and if you’re lucky, the Gigantamax gene when it evolves. Its evolution, Centiskorch, is pretty easily found in Max Raid battles, but Sizzlipede itself is pretty tough to find if you don’t know where to look.

This fiery centipede can be found on Route 3 in all weather, but it only has an encounter rate of 1%. You’ll have to fend off tons of Zigzagoons and Rookidees to find this guy, and it doesn’t appear in the overworld — only in the grass. Luckily, you can increase your chances of finding it by having a Pokémon with the Flash Fire ability, which boosts fire-type spawns.

9 Deino & Goomy

Only four pseudo-legendaries made it into Sword & Shield, not including the new Dreepy line. Two of each are version exclusives, with Deino and Jangmo-o being in Sword while Larvitar and Goomy take residence in Shield.

While these Pokémon are version exclusives, their encounter rates are not. Goomy and Deino each have an encounter rate of 2%, and they’re locked to certain weather. Each will only appear in the grass (not as an overworld spawn) during the rain. Grab your umbrellas, trainers.

8 Antique Sinistea

One of the newer Pokémon that was introduced in Galar is Sinistea, along with its evolution, Polteageist. These teapot Pokémon come in two forms, which you might not realize at first glance. While most Sinistea are “Phony” form, a select few are “Antique” or “Authentic.” They’re marked by a small sticker of authenticity on the lower part of their cup.

With this in mind, you might be surprised to learn that 99% of Sinistea are “Phony” form. You only have a 1 in 100 chance to find the “Authentic” one. Add in shiny-hunting it and you’re in for a long, long grind.

7 Stonjourner

Stonjourner, with its extremely literal design, is based on England’s Stonehenge, resembling one of the large stones at the mysterious ancient site. It seems GameFreak wanted this Pokémon’s encounter rate to be as evasive as the reason for Stonehenge’s construction because Stonjourner is very hard to find.

This rock-type is exclusive to Pokémon sword, and can only be found two places. You have a 2% chance to find Stonjourner on Route 10 in the grass. Alternately, it’ll appear in the Lake of Outrage in a Sandstorm (5%) or under Intense Sun (2%).

6 Eiscue

Eiscue is a pure ice-type Pokémon with a unique ability. It’s Ice Face ability lets it take one physical attack before it takes damage. You’ll have to use a special move or hit it twice in order to take it down.

If you want to catch your own Eiscue, you’ll first need Pokémon Shield, as it’s Stonjourner’s equivalent, exclusive to Shield. It’s caught in the same places: Route 10 (2%) and the Lake of Outrage. The weather conditions necessary are different, though. Eiscue will appear in regular snow (2%) or in a Snowstorm (5%).

5 Duraludon

Duraludon is a powerful Steel/Dragon Pokémon, and it’s worth hunting for, especially if you get one that can Gigantamax. This guy can be found a few places, so it isn’t the rarest Pokémon in Galar. But, it does have a very low encounter rate, so you may have some issues.

You can find Duraludon on Route 10, but you only have a 1% chance. During a Snowstorm in the Lake of Outrage, there’s a 2% chance Duraludon will appear. Your best bet will be to head to Giant’s Seat, where it can sometimes, with luck, be found wandering the area as an overworld spawn.

4 Dhelmise

This surprisingly large and terrifying Pokémon is a Grass/Ghost-type, despite its appearance suggesting it might be a Water Pokémon. Despite this, it’s still found near a prominent body of water, albeit very rarely. You’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for this ‘mon, both because it’s rare, and because it apparently has a habit of killing large prey, according to the Pokédex.

Dhelmise appears on Route 9 in Circhester Bay about 1% of the time. It’ll also appear in the section of Route 9 outside Spikemuth under a variety of weather conditions, but still with a 1% encounter rate.

3 Drampa & Turtonator

Like Eiscue and Stonjourner, these two dragons are version exclusives. You’ll only find Drampa in Pokémon Shield, and Turtonator will be found in Sword. But, they both have the same location and encounter rate.

Head to the Lake of Outrage to find your version exclusive. If it’s thunderstorming, you’ll have a 2% chance to find Drampa in the grass if you’re playing Shield. If you’re playing Sword, you’ll have to hope there’s Intense Sun, under which you’ll find Turtonator in the grass with a 2% encounter rate. Then, you’ll need to swap with a friend to get the counterpart.

2 Mimikyu

Mimikyu is so hard to find in Sword and Shield that you might not even realize it’s in the game at first. If you’re hoping to catch one, you’ll have to complete a couple of steps. First, make sure you’ve completed the main story of the game. The weather condition in which Mimikyu appears, fog, is only available in the post-game.

Once you’re eligible to see foggy weather, you’ll have to wait for it to appear in Bridge Field, where there’s a very small chance you’ll Mimikyu wandering the overworld. Alternately, you have a 3% chance of finding it in Giant’s Mirror, again during fog.

1 Feebas

Many long-time Pokémon players will not be surprised to see Feebas at the top of this list. This ugly fish’s entire schtick is that it’s impossible to find in every game it appears in. This is no different in Sword and Shield, where you’ll have a difficult time finding it.

Head to the small island in the lake next to Professor Magnolia’s house on Route 2. There will be two fishing spots here. Each has a 1% chance of providing you with a Feebas when you fish. From here, you can evolve it into the beautiful Milotic. When you’re trying to find it though, it’ll feel like that chance is one in a million. Good luck!

NEXT: Pokémon: The 10 Hardest Sinnoh Pokémon To Catch, Ranked