Updated by Madison Lennon on January 22, 2020: Pokémon Sword and Shield will be receiving an exciting new update later this year. For the first time, a Pokémon game will receive DLC in the form of an expansion pass.

Until then, plenty of new players received the game over the holidays and are diving in for the first time as we speak. It was time to return to this list and update the most difficult Pokémon to catch in the games!

Pokémon Sword and Shield is the latest game in the legendary franchise and it comes with a brand new region to explore and plenty of new Pokémon to catch. Not only do both Sword and Shield have never-before-seen Pokémon but some of the older creatures get new designs if they get a Galarian form or they get a new evolution.

Related: Pokémon Sword & Shield: The Best New Pokémon

There's plenty to be excited about on your mission to catch them all. But there are some Pokémon in this game that are notoriously hard to catch and extremely rare to find in some cases.

10 Ditto

The Lake of Outrage is a hot spot for rare and difficult to catch Pokémon. If you want a Ditto, you'll need to spend some time there hoping to come across one. The good thing is, they do have a 20% chance of spawning in any weather conditions and it will show up overworld so you don't have to waste time going through tons of random encounters.

That said, it can still be taxing to find one and those who love breeding their Pokémon know just how important this particular one is.

9 Duraludon

A Duraladon in a Pokemon game

Duraludon is an extremely powerful Pokémon that makes an excellent addition to any roster. But if you want to catch one you'll have to get lucky while you're on Route 10. You don't gain access to this route until you're almost to the Championship match.

Related: Pokémon: The 10 Best Gen II Pokémon In Sword & Shield

That said, you might also have the chance to catch it while you're in the Wild Area at the Lake of Outrage. It has a slightly higher chance of appearing if it's snowing but you'll have to get lucky with a random encounter which can make hunting for one tedious.

8 Goomy and Deino

A Goomy speciment from the Pokemon Anime

Goomy and Deino are another pair of version-exclusive Pokémon. Deino will only show up in Pokémon Sword while Goomy will only appear in Pokémon Shield.

The best places to go hunting for these guys is the Lake of Outrage or just spend time trying to scoop one up through Max Raid Battles. There's only a 2% chance of finding them in random encounters and only during rainy weather conditions.

7 Stonjourner

Stonjourner is a little similar to Duraludon as it is a rock-type Pokémon that will only appear on Route 10 which you don't gain access too until after you beat gym leader Raihan.

Stonjourner is another Pokémon you can find at The Lake of Outrage in the Wild Area but only during Intense Sun or Sandstorm weather conditions. It's a powerful ally if you manage to capture one. Stonjourner is only available to Pokémon Sword players.

6 Eiscue

Eiscue is an adorable new penguin-looking Pokémon that is exclusive to the Pokémon Shield game. Like several other powerful but rare Pokémon on this list, you'll only be able to capture this little guy on Route 10 or at Lake of Outrage in the Wild Area.

He is another Pokémon that only shows up in random encounters which means you'll be grinding to find him. There is only a 1 percent chance of Eiscue spawning. The ice-type Pokémon is also part of gym leader Melony's roster.

5 Feebas

Feebas by itself isn't much of a find. The Pokémon is definitely not the cutest one out there. That said, it's not unlike the Magikarp. A Feebas can evolve into the powerful and majestic Milotic in the same way that Magikarp can evolve into the powerful Gyrados. That said, finding a Feebas isn't easy.

Related: Pokémon Sword & Shield: Features That Are A Step Backward

You can only find the fish Pokémon while fishing on Route 2, in the lake next to the Professor's house. Even then, there is only a 1 percent chance of coming across it so make sure you're prepared to catch it if you do happen to find it.

4 Rotom

Rotom is a cute and semi-creepy Pokémon that you will only find in the Lake of Outrage. It's a good idea to hop on your bike and surf right across the body of water. But you can only catch this Pokémon if it is raining or that there is a thunderstorm.

However, there is only 2% of it spawning, even if it is those ideal weather conditions. If you do manage to catch a Roto, you should take it to the man near Wyndon Gym who has his own team of Rotoms, all in different forms. If you beat him, you can evolve your Rotom into any form you want to.

3 Antique Sinistea

Sinistea is one of the new Pokémon introduced to this generation and while it isn't that difficult to catch a Phony Sinistea, you'll have a much more difficult time trying to find an Antique Sinistea. First off, you need to go to the Glimwood Tangle. That's the only place you can catch this Pokémon and they only appear in random encounters.

There is only a 1% chance of finding the Antique form and the only way you'll know is if you see the tiny blue mark at the bottom, as shown in the photo above. If it doesn't have that mark, then it is a Phony Sinistea. Phony Sinistea will evolve with a Cracked Pot and Antique Sinistea will need a Chipped Pot to evolve into Poltaegeist.

2 Dreepy

Dreepy are some of the rarest and most sought-after Pokémon in the game but they are extremely hard to find in the wild. The only place you can find them is at The Lake of Outrage in the Wild Area. However, they only come out during certain weather conditions.

It can only be found in foggy, overcast, or thunderstorm weather and the spawn rate is still only about 1-2 percent, even in those conditions. If you're having trouble finding one, try doing some surprise trades as trainers who harvest and breed Dreepy are prone to sending them out to get rid of them.

1 Zacian and Zamazenta

Considering Zacian and Zamazenta are the pivotal legendary Pokémon in Sword and Shield, you should anticipate a very difficult battle ahead. While it's not hard to find these two since catching them is part of the main story, they will give you the most challenging battles of the game.

It's recommended you have a party of at least level 70 Pokémon or higher before you face-off against these legendary dogs. You will have to battle both before you can catch one, so for Pokémon Shield, you'll have to battle Zacian and then you can get your chance at catching Zamazenta, for example.

If you can use the Master Ball you received from Professor Magnolia, that would definitely be your best bet, otherwise, you're going to be using a lot of Pokeballs trying to catch them.

Next: Pokémon Sword & Shield: Every Gym Leader, Ranked