Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire – Legendary Capture Guide

Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire together boast a large number of Legendary Pokémon that are available for capture within the base game. A lot of these Pokémon make it into Hoenn through disappearing locations called Mirage Spots. The appearance of these Mirage Spots throughout the Hoenn region is, at this time, a great mystery.

This guide aims to bring you the most accurate information available for finding and capturing every single Legendary Pokémon in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, along with additional tips at the end to aid with their capture. 

Legendary Pokemon

Legendaries list first in the order that you obtain them throughout the game, then in order of generation they originally appeared in.

Note: If you change your time on your 3DS clock, then all time-based events–including time-based Legendaries–will be locked for two consecutive midnights (24 hours and however long it takes you to get to midnight again).

Eon Duo – Latios and Latias

You can encounter Latios and Latias in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire respectively. This is the first Legendary Pokémon you will be able to obtain in the main game, and you won’t even need to battle it. Simply fighting off Team Magma/Aqua sometime after the fifth gym will nab this Pokémon a spot in your party. There is literally no way you can miss this Pokémon, as it becomes a required event to move forward with the story.

If you happen to StreetPass someone with an Eon Ticket, you can use the Eon Ticket to head back to Southern Island and obtain the counterpart to the Lati you obtained in your version of the game. Both come at level 30.

Primal Duo – Groudon and Kyogre

Groudon and Kyogre are battled and caught in their primal forms in a burst of story sometime after the seventh gym leader. These Pokémon can only be caught in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire respectively. Unlike the Eon Duo, there is no way to obtain the other one in your copy of the game without trading. They both appear at level 45.

Tower Duo – Ho-Oh and Lugia

Ho-Oh and Lugia are found in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire respectively. After the battle with Primal Groudon or Primal Kyogre, you can return to Sea Mauville to complete a few tasks, one of which leads you to finding a Scanner for Capt. Stern.

Make sure you talk to the Scientist on the outside of the ship to hear about the Scanner. Go inside, then dive down to the bottom. Take the stairs down to the lowest level of the ship and head back to where you see the control panel. If you keep tapping ‘A’ while swimming around the back hallway, you should come across the Scanner off to the right side. If you return the Scanner to the Scientist outside, he’ll ask you to deliver it to Captain Stern for him.

Captain Stern can be found inside of Slateport Harbor. When you give him the Scanner, he will give you either the Clear Bell or the Tidal Bell depending on your version of the game. Return to Sea Mauville and the bell will start ringing.

The portal to Ho-Oh is found outside at the highest possible point on the ship, while the portal to Lugia is found at the lowest, near where you originally found the Scanner. These Pokémon come at level 50.

Legendary Beasts – Raikou, Entei, and Suicune

Put Ho-Oh or Lugia on your team and use the Eon Flute to take to the Skies of Hoenn. Looking just east of Rustboro City, you should find a Mirage Spot (identifiable with a red star floating above it) called the Trackless Forest.

Depending on what time you land in the Trackless Forest determines which Pokémon you encounter. Raikou, Entei and Suicune switch between each other every twenty minutes, so it is possible to catch all three of these Pokémon within an hour.

Raikou is found between :00 and :20 of any hour.

Entei is found between :20 and :40 of any hour.

Suicune is found between :40 and :00 of any hour.

These Pokémon are encountered at level 50.

Rayquaza

Rayquaza is found near the end of the Delta Episode in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. The Delta Episode is a postgame storyline that has the player running all around Hoenn trying to save the region from impending doom.

Rayquaza is met at level 70 and the game requires that you capture it to move on with the Delta Episode.

Deoxys

Deoxys is encountered right after you capture Rayquaza in the Delta Episode postgame storyline. Deoxys is found at level 80, being the highest level wild Pokémon in the game.

Seeing as there is no option to save between the battles against Deoxys and Rayquaza, it is possible to K.O. it the first time you meet and have a rematch later on.

To rematch Deoxys, you first need to rematch the Elite Four. The Elite Four will have level 70 Pokémon and Mega Evolution, so be careful. Afterwards, head to the 2nd floor of the Mossdeep City Space Center and listen to the extra bits of plot that they feed you. Deoxys can then be found atop the Sky Pillar at level 80, just waiting to be captured.

Legendary Golems – Regirock, Regice, and Registeel

The Regi Trio, like in the original games, require quite a bit of legwork to be able to find them. First, you’ll need a Wailord at the back of your party, a Relicanth in the first party slot, and Pokemon that know the moves Dive and Dig (TM28 Dig is found inside the Fossil Maniac’s house).

First, make sure you have visited Route 132, 133 and 134 by surfing west of Pacifidlog Town, then Fly back to Route 133. Go to the western-most side of the island and take the current over to some shallow water. Make sure you keep going to the furthest end of each little island you come across before riding the currents again. Eventually you’ll make your way to a little dive spot.

Dive down and follow the underwater path south to a braille wall. Make sure you read it before resurfacing under the next dive spot. Upon surfacing, you will find yourself in the Sealed Chamber.

Run all the way to the north end of the chamber to find the braille message at the top and read it, then use Dig. This will open up a secret chamber that will hold the last braille message. With your Pokemon arranged correctly in your party, read the last braille message. This will trigger an event that opens up the caves you can find the Regi Trio in.

Regirock is found inside of the cave at the southern end of the desert around Route 111. Read the message on the wall, then use the D-Pad to go right twice, then down two times and use Strength. This should make the door to Regirock appear.

Regice is found in a cave on the west end of water Route 105. Simply go up and read the message, then wait for two minutes (without moving to be safe). Afterwords, a door should open.

Registeel is found inside of his tomb on route 120, west of Lilycove. Read the message, and then use Fly in the center of the room to make the door appear.

The Regi Trio is encountered at level 40.

Regigigas

Much like the Regi Trio, Regigigas has a rather interesting method of encounter.

First off, you’re going to want to make sure you have all three of the Legendary Golems in your party, with Regice nicknamed (you cannot nickname it Regice–I’ve already tried). Next, you want to give Regice something frozen to hold. If you don’t already have something frozen to give Regice, travel to the 2nd floor of Mauville City, to reach the estates. Go to the southern end of the complex and enter the room on the left. Talking to the little girl in this room with Regice in your party will unlock the option to buy Casteliacones from her for 200 pokedollars.

After obtaining a Casteliacone, give it to your Regice to hold. Fly out to Route 105 and enter the cave where you caught Regice. Run up to the middle of the room where you captured it, and the earth will start quaking to announce its arrival. A level 50 Regigigas will appear instantly to challenge you.

Heatran

Heatran is waiting for you at the basement of the Scorched Slab after the battle with Primal Groudon or Primal Kyogre.

The Scorched Slab is located on the north end of Route 120. Walk down the stairs to the first lake, and surf south into the natural cave sticking out of the water.

Work your way to the basement of the cave you and will come across another portal with Heatran hiding inside at level 50.

Lake Guardians – Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf

While Soaring around the Skies of Hoenn, a Mirage Spot called the Nameless Cavern can be found right next to Sootopolis City. So long as you have up to three Pokémon with Max Happiness on your team, they should appear. Depending on when you enter the Nameless Cavern determines which Pokémon you will run into.

Uxie can only be found during Sunset (between 8pm and 9pm).

Mesprit can only be found during the Day (between 4am and 8pm).

Azelf can only be found at Night (between 9pm and 4am).

It is possible to encounter these Pokémon within the same day. The three of them are encountered at level 50.

Creation Duo – Palkia and Dialga

With Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf in your party, use the Eon Flute to take to the sky and approach Dewford town. There will be a tear in the Space-Time Continuum floating in the air. As you approach the tear, you’ll be asked if you wish to fly inside. Clicking yes will begin the battle with Palkia in Omega Ruby and Dialga in Alpha Sapphire. 

They both appear at level 50.

Giratina

With both Dialga and Palkia in your team, return to the Skies of Hoenn. Another tear will appear over Dewford Town, and flying in will allow you to face a level 50 Giratina.

Cresselia

When the daily Mirage Spot changes every day, there is a chance that Crescent Isle will appear near the South end of Ever Grande City while Soaring. This is completely random and based on luck. One way to increase your chances of finding Crescent Isle is by going online and receiving SpotPass information to fill your map with Mirage Spots.

Reach your hand in the portal on Crescent Isle and a level 50 Cresselia will appear.

Swords of Justice – Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion

Soar into the Sky with a Pokemon that has Max Effort Values (cannot gain any further benefit from Super Training). Find the Pathless Plain along the southern edge of the map and land. Depending on what day you show up will determine which of the three you encounter.

Cobalion is encountered on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Terrakion is encountered on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Virizion is encountered on Mondays and Thursdays.

If you want to take the minimum possible time to capture these Legendaries, make sure you start on a Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. They all come at level 50.

Forces of Nature – Tornadus and Thundurus

Soar into the sky with a Castform in your party. An ominous thunder-cloud will appear over Fortree City. Flying into it will produce a level 50 Tornadus in Omega Ruby or a level 50 Thundurus in Alpha Sapphire.

Landorus

With both Tornadus and Thundurus in your party, take back to the Skies of Hoenn. The ominous thunder-cloud will appear once again over Fortree City, this time holding a level 50 Landorus. 

Tao Duo – Reshiram and Zekrom

With a level 100 Pokémon in the party, use the Eon Flute to Soar the Skies again. Near Slateport and Mauville, a new island will appear as a Mirage Spot called the Fabled Cave.

Reshiram or Zekrom are found in Pokémon Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire respectively. They appear at level 50. 

Kyurem

With both Reshiram and Zekrom on your team, take back to the Skies of Hoenn. Behind Mt. Chimney, you can find a new Mirage Spot called the Gnareled Den.

Use the Dowsing Machine in this area to find the DNA Splicers used to fuse Kyurem with Reshiram and Zekrom.

Sticking your hand in the portal here will reveal a level 50 Kyurem for your capturing pleasure.

Capturing Tips

Capture without Knock Out

Setting up a Pokémon to use as a Catcher is a good idea if you’re going Legendary Hunting. There are many Pokémon you can use that work well as Catchers, but the one that I used for almost every Legendary in the game was Gallade (besides Giratina, which I used my Master Ball on).

Any Gallade will work, but having Max IVs and EVs in Attack and Speed would help. The basic movepool that I used seemed to work pretty well:

Heal Pulse – In case the Pokémon comes confused or has moves like Take Down (learned by Ralts at level 19)
Hypnosis – To put Pokémon to sleep, which greatly increases Capture Rate (learned by Kirlia at level 44)
False Swipe – To damage the Pokémon, won’t go bellow 1HP (learned by Gallade at level 44 or by TM54 from the Rustboro PokeMart)
Swords Dance – To raise user’s attack stat for more damaging False Swipes (learned from TM75, by saying ‘No’ to the Black Belt in front of the PokeMart in Lavaridge)

For ghost-type Pokémon like Giratina, it may be better to use a Pokémon such as Smeargle, with a movepool based around Soak (to turn the wild Pokémon into a Water type).

Capturing Legends with Ideal Natures and IVs

Capturing a Legendary Pokémon that is viable in competitive battles can be tricky, seeing as they all have random natures and 3 random maxed IVs. One of these issues is easily overcome, however, so long as you have a Pokémon with Synchronize at the head of your party. Ralts and Abra are both common Pokémon that appear with the ability Synchronize.

Make sure the Pokémon with Synchronize has the nature you are looking for in your Legendary Pokémon. This will give you a 50% chance to receive the nature you are looking for.

IVs cannot be easily judged until you unlock the Battle Resort, so I recommend using an IV calculator to figure out the 3+ perfect IVs that the Legendary Pokémon received.

Make sure you save before your encounter with each Legendary Pokémon so you can soft reset (L+R+Select+Start) as many times as you need to.

I also recommend having an empty spot in your party, that way the Legendary Pokémon makes it directly into your party after the battle, so you can check its nature and calculate IVs without moving from your spot.

If you’re looking for a shiny version of the legend (since they aren’t Shiny Locked anymore), it’s preferable that you pick up the Shiny Charm first. The Shiny Charm is obtained by completing the National Pokedex, which you can nab from Professor Birch after the battle with Primal Groudon or Kyogre (unfortunately this means you can’t use the Shiny Charm for at least the first two Legendary Pokemon of the game).

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Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have been out worldwide for a week, and are still going strong. Expect many more entries to our Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire guide series coming soon.