Unlike all the other Pokemon games that came before it, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is all about completing the Pokedex. Because humans are still learning about Pokemon in the ancient Hisui Region, that's the main priority. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the first game to truly emphasize the Pokedex above becoming a great Pokemon trainer, and as a result, there's are some exciting rewards for managing to complete it.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus isn't the first game to offer rewards upon Pokedex completion. Completing a Pokedex takes hours and hours of grinding, and it's an accomplishment that should be acknowledged. Sometimes the rewards feel like a bit of a letdown after working so hard to complete it. Because Pokemon Legends: Arceus places so much weight on the Pokedex and is so deeply ingrained into the story, having anything other than an amazing reward would be pretty disappointing. Arceus actually has a couple of different rewards for players committed to completing the Pokedex, one of which definitely makes the effort worthwhile.
Completing the Pokedex Comes with a Reward
Most Pokemon games have some sort of reward for completing the Pokedex, and Pokemon Legends: Arceus is no different. By completing the Pokedex in Arceus, players not only get bragging rights and the eternal praise of Professor Laventon, they also receive a Shiny Charm. Using the Shiny Charm makes it significantly easier to find Shiny Pokemon in the wild.
Shiny Pokemon are notoriously difficult to find, but Pokemon Legends: Arceus actually has a lot of tools in place to make it quite a bit easier. Without any bonuses, there's about a 1 in 4,000 chance of finding a Shiny Pokemon in the wild. However, Pokemon Legends: Arceus has what are called Mass Outbreaks, where Shinies are much easier to find. During these times, the ratio skyrockets to approximately 1 in 160.
When the Pokedex is completed, however, the chances go up even more. With the Shiny Charm, chances of finding a Shiny are about 1 in every 800. During Mass Outbreaks, that rate goes up to 1 in 140. Finding Shiny Pokemon won't be a walk in the park, even with the Charm, but it makes it significantly easier and less time-consuming. Players who like Shinies will find it well worth their while to complete the Pokemon Legends: Arceus Pokedex.
Completing Entries Makes It Easier to Find Shinies
When players finish the entire Arceus Pokedex, they are rewarded with the Shiny Charm. However, the chances to find a Shiny Pokemon actually increase whenever players reach Level 10 on a given Pokemon's entry. So for example, if you have a Level 10 Pokedex entry for Bidoof or any other Pokemon, the chances of finding a wild Shiny increase. Shinies are still pretty rare, but when Max Breakouts happen there's actually a pretty decent chance.
Obviously completing the Pokedex requires a Level 10 entry on each Pokemon, and the Shiny Charm will increase the odds of finding a Shiny even more. For players who love collecting Shiny Pokemon, that's the way to go. But it's also good to know that you don't have to wait until the endgame to have increased chances. Having smaller rewards like this throughout the game is motivating, and a lot of players might not have to wait until the endgame to find some great Shiny Pokemon.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus has a nice reward for completing the Pokedex, but it also rewards players throughout the game. Some of those rewards, like the ones attached to player progression, are a little more obvious, but some are hidden. All players technically need to complete the game and earn the Shiny Charm are Level 10 entries, but having 100% completion on a Pokemon's entry also increases chances. Basically, the more thorough players are completing their Pokedex, the better the chance of finding a Shiny.
Making it easier to find Shiny Pokemon is fun for players who enjoy the hunt, but the average player may not get a lot of excitement from it. These rewards are more in line with traditional Pokedex rewards, but the good thing is that Pokemon Legends: Arceus doesn't stop there. This time, completing the Pokedex is worth it for even the most casual player. Actually, completing the Pokedex is necessary to reach the game's true ending and fulfill the promise made in the game's opening minutes.
Completing the Pokedex is the Only Way to Catch Arceus
The Shiny perks are nice, but the Shiny Charm is a small reward compared to the real one. Completing the Pokemon Legends: Arceus Pokedex is actually the only way to catch Arceus himself. To be clear, completing the Pokedex doesn't mean having a perfect entry for every Pokemon — it just means having a Level 10 entry for each Pokemon. It's hard work, but definitely achievable, and adding the literal god of Pokemon to the team is a worthwhile reward.
Arceus is pretty clear at the beginning of the game that players will meet him again after they discover every Pokemon, and he is true to his word. Getting the chance to battle Arceus and actually defeat him is the best Pokedex reward any game has ever had. Pokemon Legends: Arceus does require players to complete the Pokedex in order to face Arceus, the game's namesake, but it's well worth it. Players who want to add Arceus to their party have no way around completing the Pokedex.
Without online battles or much to do after the main story, catching Arceus is mostly for bragging rights and personal satisfaction. But Pokemon fans have always loved collecting Legendary Pokemon, and Arceus is the king of Legendary Pokemon. It's also a big deal because before this game, Arceus has only ever been available through special events. Obtaining him in any other Pokemon game is impossible now without trading or cheat codes. Anyone could have guessed that Arceus would be the final boss of Pokemon Legends, but he serves as a great motivation to complete the Pokedex.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available now on Nintendo Switch.