The Wild Area is the big new feature of Sword and Shield: a vast open zone in the middle of Galar, with a free camera, visible Pokémon roaming around, weather that changes every day and Dens where Dynamax raids take place. This page explains how to make the most of it, from your first steps to the post-game.
The zones
The Wild Area stretches between Motostoke and Hammerlocke, in the middle of the region. You first reach it by train from Wedgehurst, at the Wild Area Station. It is divided into about fifteen zones, each with its own Pokémon:
| Section | Zones |
|---|---|
| South | Path to the Rail Station, Rolling Fields, Bridge Field, Motostoke Outskirts and Motostoke Riverbank, Axew’s Eye, Lake of Outrage, North and South Lake Miloch, East and West Lake Axewell |
| North | Giant’s Seat, Giant’s Cap, Giant’s Mirror, Stony Wilderness, Dusty Bowl, Dappled Grove, Hammerlocke Hills |
The northern section only opens after the third Gym Badge, when you head up toward Hammerlocke. Within each zone, wild Pokémon are roughly all at the same level. Stronger “wandering” Pokémon appear outside the usual zones.
The weather
Each zone has its own weather, which changes from one day to the next. It affects battles, but also which species appear: rain brings out Water-type Pokémon, snow and snowstorms bring out Ice-type Pokémon, harsh sunlight brings out Fire-type Pokémon, fog brings out Fairy- and Psychic-type Pokémon, and thunderstorms bring out Electric-type Pokémon. There are nine kinds of weather: sunny, overcast, rain, thunderstorm, snow, snowstorm, harsh sunlight, sandstorm and fog. Snowstorms and sandstorms only appear from a certain point in the adventure.
Dynamax raids
Dens are circles of glowing red rocks. Touching an empty Den earns you Watts. When a beam of light shoots out of one, a Dynamax Pokémon is hiding inside: you can take it on in a Max Raid Battle with four players, either with other players locally or online, or with three trainers controlled by the game. If no beam of light shoots out, throwing a Wishing Piece into the Den makes one appear.
- Raids range from one to five stars, depending on the Pokémon’s power and the thickness of its shield.
- The defeated Pokémon can be caught; some raids feature Gigantamax Pokémon.
- Raids reward you with Exp. Candies, TMs, TRs and Dynamax Candies, which raise your Pokémon’s Dynamax Level.
Our article from the time, Dynamax and Gigantamax raids, covers the system in detail.
Watts and traders
Watts are the currency of the Wild Area. You earn them by touching Dens: a few dozen to a few hundred for an empty Den, and much more for an active one. They are used:
- at the Watt Traders, who mostly sell Technical Records (TRs), but also Wishing Pieces;
- to upgrade the Rotom Bike so you can boost for longer;
- with a pair of diggers, who dig up rare items in exchange for Watts.
Catching Pokémon in the Wild Area
Visible Pokémon react differently when you approach: some charge at you, others run away. Move slowly with the stick, or whistle to get their attention. Hidden Pokémon give themselves away by rustling grass. Several rare species only appear in certain weather, and high-level wandering Pokémon roam outside the tall grass: approach them with caution.
Bridge Field has a second Pokémon Nursery, in addition to the one on Route 5. A breeder, whom you can battle several times, strengthens her team as you progress.
Playing with others
When connected online or locally, you can see other players moving around in your Wild Area. Y-Comm shows the raids they start and lets you join them. Other players can also give you curry ingredients and, sometimes, rare items.
