Pokemon Sword and Shield complete guide and walkthrough to become the Champion of Galar
All the Pokemon Sword and Shield guides you'll need for your playthrough
Stow-on-Side
Items: Stow-on-Side
Item | Visible | Hidden |
---|---|---|
Cracked Pot | Y | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Dusk Stone | Y | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Max Revive | Row 2 - Cell 1 | Y |
Metal Coat | Row 3 - Cell 1 | Y |
Rare Bone x3 | Row 4 - Cell 1 | Y |
Rocky Helmet | Y | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
TM74 Venoshock | Y | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
X Sp. Atk x2 | Row 7 - Cell 1 | Y |
When you reach Stow-on-Side, head into the Pokemon Center and talk to the man on your left. He'll give you two Fossilised Drake, which you can use with the scientist if you've also found another type of fossil. If not, then hang on to them. Speak to the two men by the market stall to see if they have a bargain you want or an item they need, then keep going west, round the corner of the building.
Walk past the three Diglett then up the ladder at the end to reach a man who wants to trade his Hattena (Sword) or Impidimp (Shield) for a Maractus if you have one. Jump down onto the next roof to find TM74 Venoshock. Go back down the way you came and towards Hop in the middle of the path before the staircase for a battle against your friend.
Hop
Pokemon | Level | Type |
---|---|---|
Cramorant | 28 | Flying/Water |
Drizzile/Thwackey/Raboot | 33 | Water/Grass/Fire |
Toxel | 29 | Electric/Poison |
Silicobra | 30 | Ground |
When Hop's been defeated, Opal will show up again and thank you for letting her watch your battle. She'll give you Allister's league card, who is the gym leader you'll be facing next. First though, enter the house to the left of the bridge and speak to the man inside to get TM06 Fly.
Leave the house and climb the ladder opposite to find a Cracked Pot, then run around the back of the Pokemon Center to get a Dusk Stone. Now you're ready to take on Stow-on-Side Gym.
Stow-on-Side Gym
When you enter the gym, make sure you talk to our friend Ball Guy to get a Heavy Ball. Now if you're playing Pokemon Sword, then this gym will be Fighting-type, but if you're on Shield, this is the Ghost-type gym.
Fighting-type Pokemon are weak to Psychic-types and Flying-types, while Ghost-type Pokemon are weak to other Ghost Pokemon, along with Dark-types, so stock up your party on that front and you should be golden.
The gist of the Stow-on-Side Gym is essentially a huge pinball machine. It's super easy to complete though; just spin your left stick clockwise to go right, or anti-clockwise to go left. Use the hands to get some air and help you along. It's not possible to get stuck and each path is quite straightforward, but you'll have three trainers to fight before you reach Bea/Allister. Here are the three trainer battles you'll come up against in Pokemon Shield:
Gym Trainer Clive
Pokemon | Level | Type |
---|---|---|
Pumpkaboo | 31 | Ghost/Grass |
Phantump | 31 | Ghost/Grass |
Pumpkaboo | 31 | Ghost/Grass |
Gym Trainer Lynne
Pokemon | Level | Type |
---|---|---|
Corsola | 32 | Ghost |
Gym Trainer Roy
Pokemon | Level | Type |
---|---|---|
Haunter | 33 | Ghost/Poison |
Drifblim | 33 | Ghost/Flying |
Gym Leader Bea
Pokemon | Level | Type |
---|---|---|
Hitmontop | 34 | Fighting |
Pangoro | 34 | Fighting/Dark |
Sirfetch'd | 35 | Fighting |
Machamp | 36 | Fighting |
You should be fine taking on Bea if you do have a strong Flying or Psychic-type, but watch out for her Gigantamaxed Machamp because it can pack a serious punch (or four).
Gym Leader Allister
Make sure your party is at full strength for this, because Allister is a tough fight. The first two Pokemon should go down without much of a battle, but Mimikyu is a pain because it absorbs the first attack you throw at it with its disguise. Then when you get to Gengar, Allister will Gigantamax it, so hold on to your Ghost-type Pokemon until after Gengar is back down to normal size. Then you can unleash your Ghost Pokemon with Dynamax and deal insane damage.
Pokemon | Level | Type |
---|---|---|
Yamask | 34 | Ground/Ghost |
Cursola | 35 | Ghost |
Mimikyu | 34 | Ghost/Fairy |
Gengar | 36 | Ghost/Poison |
When you beat Bea/Allister, you'll be able to catch Pokemon up to level 40, and you'll be given TM42 Revenge/TM77 Hex, which is one of the strongest Fighting-type/Ghost-type moves. Leave the gym and Sonia will meet you, before hearing a loud crash up the stairs by the mural. Go up the stairs and who'd-a-thunk it, Bede's there.
Watch the cutscene and enter the fight with Bede.
Bede
Pokemon | Level | Type |
---|---|---|
Duosion | 32 | Psychic |
Gothorita | 32 | Psychic |
Hattrem | 35 | Psychic |
Ponyta | 33 | Psychic |
After you take down Bede, watch the ensuing cutscene then head east towards Ballonlea through Glimwood Tangle.
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Postwick and Route 1
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Wedgehurst and Route 2
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Wild Area and Motostoke
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Route 3, Galar Mine, and Route 4
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Turffield, Turffield Gym, and Route 5
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Hulbury and Hulbury Gym
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Galar Mine No.2 and Motostoke Gym
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Hammerlocke and Route 6
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Stow-on-Side and Stow-on-Side Gym
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Glimwood Tangle
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Ballonlea and Ballonlea Gym
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Route 7 and Route 8
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Circhester and Circhester Gym
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Route 9
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Spikemuth Gym
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Hammerlocke Gym
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Route 10 and Wyndon
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Wyndon Gym and Rose Tower
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Wyndon Gym Finals and Slumbering Weald
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Energy Plant and Champion Battle
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Zacian and Zamazenta
Pokemon Sword and Shield walkthrough: Post-game activities
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Give me a game and I will write every "how to" I possibly can or die trying. When I'm not knee-deep in a game to write guides on, you'll find me hurtling round the track in F1, flinging balls on my phone in Pokemon Go, pretending to know what I'm doing in Football Manager, or clicking on heads in Valorant.
- Sam LoveridgeGlobal Editor-in-Chief, 12DOVE
- Leon HurleyManaging editor for guides