Ever since the days of Red and Blue, the Pokemon franchise has encouraged cooperation and socialization by having slight variations in what Pokemon you can catch in each version of the game. The most recent titles, Sword and Shield, were no exception to this franchise staple, and even the Crown Tundra DLC has version exclusive Pokemon that only exist in one version or the other. Thankfully trading is easier than ever now, but you'll still need to know which Pokemon you need to go looking for, and which you'll need to find a friend to trade for. Here's a list of every version exclusive Pokemon in Sword and Shield.
Every Crown Tundra Legendary Exclusive To Sword & Shield
Fortunately, no Legendary Pokemon are exclusive to either Sword or Shield as part of the Crown Tundra DLC. You will be able to catch every available Legendary Pokemon in both versions of the game — however, there are some ordinary Pokemon that you'll only be able to catch in one or the other.
Every Crown Tundra Pokemon Exclusive To Sword & Shield
The good news for anyone looking to fill out their Pokedex is that, being a DLC, there aren't an overwhelming amount of Pokemon that are exclusive to either Sword or Shield. Each version only has five exclusive Pokemon, but even that number is slightly misleading given that it doesn't include being able to breed or evolve certain Pokemon to complete their evolutionary line.
But first, this is your spoiler warning. If you would rather be surprised by the Pokemon you will find in your Crown Tundra adventure, turn back now.
Which Crown Tundra Pokemon Are Exclusive To Sword
The five Pokemon exclusive to the Pokemon Sword version of the game are:
- Omanyte
- Omastar
- Bagon
- Shelgon
- Salamence
Which Crown Tundra Pokemon Are Exclusive To Shield
The five Pokemon exclusive to the Pokemon Shield version of the game are:
- Kabuto
- Kabutops
- Gible
- Gabite
- Garchomp
As you can see, because Pokemon like Omanyte and Bagon will evolve into Omastar and Shelgon and Salamence, respectively, you won't actually have to trade for all five if you evolve or breed them on your own. Depending on the version you have, you will only need to trade for either Omanyte and Bagon or Kabuto and Gible.
If you're more concerned about just filling up your Pokedex, and would rather not lose your own hard earned Pokemon, you could always find a friend to trade your missing Pokemon with and immediately trade them back just to add the entries to your Dex. That somewhat goes against the spirit of the game, but it is still an option you can consider.