Darkrai, the nightmare Pokémon, makes an appearance in Pokémon Legends Arceus after certain requirements are met. This Pokémon has not been able to be caught since Pokémon Diamond, Pokémon Pearl, and Pokémon Platinum through an event that required going to New Moon Island via Canalave City. In Pokémon Legends Arceus, save data from Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield is required to activate the request after credits have rolled.
Request 93: The Darksome Nightmare
“Get more details from Cael of the Pearl Clan about the terrifying Pokémon he saw and find out its location so you can survey it.“
This request can be found through the bulletin board in Galaxy Hall, though Coronet Highlands is where this actually takes place. Once arriving in Coronet Highlands, head toward the marker indicated on the map and a character named Cael will reveal details about a terrifying Pokémon he ran into. Cael will prompt you to investigate a rock formation nearby Clamberclaw Cliffs, but be sure that it is nighttime before heading out or Darkrai will not appear.
Investigating this rock formation at nighttime will trigger an encounter with Darkrai and the Pokémon will start to pursue. Darkrai is a Dark-type Pokémon, so having a Pokémon with Fighting-type moves is recommended in addition to False Swipe to get the HP down to 1 for easier capture. Before engaging in battle, throwing items like Spoiled Apricorns will be ineffective unless they are thrown at Darkrai’s back. Darkrai will instantly teleport to another location if items are thrown head-on, so try predicting where Darkrai will appear to face Darkrai’s back.
Pro tip: Throwing a Pokémon at a wild Pokémon’s back will stun them for 1 or 2 turns giving an advantage!
Darkrai appears at level 70 and is equipped with Hex, Dark Pulse, Psychic, and Dark Void. As long as Darkrai’s HP is low and a large stock of Poké Balls are accessible, capturing Darkrai should only take a few turns.
Congratulations on catching Darkrai! An Exp. Candy XL will be rewarded after completing this request in addition to filling a space in the Pokédex. Darkrai can only be encountered once, so be sure to save before triggering the request if wanting a specific nature.
Was this your first time obtaining a Darkrai or did you happen catch one in Pokémon Diamond, Pokémon Pearl, or Pokémon Platinum several years ago? Let us know in the comments or start a conversation with us in our Discord!
