Pokemon Sword and Shield may have started without a national Pokedex, but various updates including the Crown Tundra expansion have allowed trainers to reunite with fan-favorites from previous generations. Besides some familiar starters, the final DLC has brought back other iconic Pokemon including some that came from prehistoric fossils.
In Generation 3, trainers could pick up 1 of 2 strange items in the desert: the Root Fossil or the Claw Fossil. Choosing the Claw Fossil and restoring it through technology would award players with Anorith, a dual Rock/Bug-type Pokemon that eventually evolves into Armaldo with the same typing. Although future games continued the trend of finding a Claw Fossil, Pokemon Sword and Shield finally allows trainers to catch Anorith without having to restore it from a fossilized state.
Catching Anorith
Thankfully, Anorith isn't version-exclusive and all trainers can find it swimming through the waters of Ballimere Lake. Note that it will always have a 10-percent chance to appear regardless of the weather in the area. After getting into a battle, all wild Anorith range from Level 60-65 except for rare wandering versions that are always Level 63. Anorith doesn't possess any dangerous moves like Self-Destruct, but trainers should still bring Pokemon that can inflict status effects like Paralysis or Sleep to simplify catching it.
Catching Armaldo
Trainers can simply level up their recently caught Anorith to trigger the evolution since it normally evolves into Armaldo at Level 40. However, Armaldo can also be encountered as a wandering Pokemon at Ballimere Lake during rain or a thunderstorm. Wild Armaldo fought this way are Level 67 and know more powerful moves like X-Scissor. Fortunately, a Steel-type Pokemon will take half damage from most of the Armaldo's moveset. Just like before, causing a status effect will drastically shorten the time trainers spend throwing Pokeballs and letting Armaldo rampage over the party.
Other Ways to Catch Anorith and Armaldo
Alternatively, trainers have other options to encounter both Pokemon besides running around. Anorith and Armaldo can show up in Crown Tundra Max Raid Battles within Slippery Slope, Giant's Bed, Crown Shrine, Giant's Foot, and Ballimere Lake. However, Anorith has an additional Sword-only Max Raid Battle in Snowslide Slope while trainers can find Armaldo there in both versions. Finally, Armaldo can rarely show up and be caught in Dynamax Adventures.
While this evolutionary line won't be too difficult, there's plenty of other returning Pokemon to catch in Crown Tundra. And in the end, trainers still have all the other fossil Pokemon to track down including Anorith's counterpart from the Root Fossil, Lileep.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are available on Nintendo Switch.