The Unown are a species of Pokemon introduced back in Pokemon Gold/Silver. They're a pure Psychic-type that are capable of using only one move and cannot evolve. These Pokemon are based on all 26 letters of the Latin alphabet, with Generation 3 adding Unown ? and Unown ! to the roster, making a total of 28 Unown. Pokemon Legends: Arceus includes the Unown in the Hisui region by locking them behind an optional, in-game sidequest.
Considering Unown's infamous reputation as a weak Pokemon (base stat: 336), not many players are going to want to use them in battle. However, they'll need to catch at least one Unown if they want it to appear in Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Pokedex. Despite Unown being a poor battler, it's needed to complete "Mission 27: The Deified Pokemon." Those that want to complete its full Pokedex entry will need to catch all 28 forms of Unown.
How to Get the Unown
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In order to start catching Unown, players will need to complete "Mission 6" and start "Mission 7: Arezu's Predicament." This involves going to the Crimson Mirelands and helping Calaba return the Solaceon Ruins' missing slab.
Upon entering the Solaceon Ruins, Volo will challenge players to a Pokemon battle, but he should be fairly easy to beat at this point. After this, Calaba will dismiss the player, leaving them to find the missing slab on their own.
Go to an abandoned campsite north of the Mirelands Campsite. There, players will meet the Miss Fortune sisters and battle Coin's Toxicroak. Psychic-type moves will deal 4x damage to this dual Poison/Fighting-type Pokemon.
After this, return to the ruins and give Calaba the slab. Now, return to the Mirelands Camp and speak to Professor Laventon. He'll notice an Unown A sticking to Rei/Akari's back. As a bonus, he'll add a new section of the Pokedex called the Unown Research Notes.
To access it, simply open the Pokedex by pressing down on the d-pad and then tapping Y. This will give hints (written in Unown letters) as to where all 28 Unown are hiding.
Unown Locations
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Unown are scattered all around Hisui and have a 100% catch rate. Avoid using higher-tiered Poke Balls such as Ultra Balls when catching them. However, depending on how far away the Unown is, players may have to use a Feather Ball. It should also be noted that Unown prevents trainers from sending out their Pokemon when they're nearby.
Below is a chart detailing all of Unown's locations, as well as the translated clues from the Research Notes:
Unown | Clue Translation | Location | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
A | "Within the settlement where Time rules." | Atop one of the tents in the Diamond Clan Settlement. | Crimson Mirelands |
B | "Turn your eyes up at the volcano island." | Beyond Noble Arcanine's Arena on Firespit Island is a section of land with an Alpha Ninetales. Unown B is in the corner facing northeast. | Cobalt Coastlands |
C | "Look to the Ruined Pillar of Celestica." | Look for a square-shaped pillar in the Celestica Ruins to find Unown C. | Coronet Highlands |
D | "Among the stumps and campfire ashes in the fields of gold." | Return to the campfire where the missing Solaceon Ruins' slab was, and Unown D will be sitting on one of the tree stumps. | Crimson Mirelands |
E | "A lone tree in a pond in the Grove." | Unown E is sticking to a tree on the island north of Grueling Grove past the Alpha Heracross. | Obsidian Fieldlands |
F | "A stony outcrop over pools of mud on a Mighty Mountain." | Go to the Ancient Quarry and look up the mountainside where the Alpha Goodra roams to find Unown F. | Coronet Highlands |
G | "Atop a Waterfall of Obsidian." | Use Braviary or Sneasler to get to the top of Obsidian Falls, and Unown G will be hanging on the rocks just above the waterfall. | Obsidian Fieldlands |
H | "A village gateway." | Go to the entrance gate of Jubilife Village (where players can get the Big Buizel request) and look at the sign to see Unown H. | Jubilife Village |
I | "The lake island where emotion resides." | Go around to the back of Lake Verity's Cave, and there will be Unown I standing between two Bugwort Blooms. Requires the Flute Basculegion or Flute Braviary. | Obsidian Fieldlands |
J | "A nook within a quarry." | Go inside the Ancient Quarry, and Unown J will be in a nook high up on the right wall in the room with all the Bronzor. Players will need to climb with Sneasler. | Coronet Highlands |
K | "Where stones pile high amid fogbound ruins." | There's a pile of rock in the Shrouded Ruins that has Unown K at the top. | Crimson Mirelands |
L | "An impasse in a cave adorned by twin falls." | Within the Wayward Cave, there are some breakable rocks that lead down different paths. Unown L is on the wall close to the ceiling past one of these rocks. | Coronet Highlands |
M | "A tree felled on sludge." | Go to the place where Ursaluna was fought, and there's Unown M at the front of a log leaning against the arena. | Crimson Mirelands |
N | "Two horns rising from the sea." | This Unown is on the giant pillar at Sand's Reach. More specifically, it's the giant arc players need to swim under to trigger Manaphy's encounter. | Cobalt Coastlands |
O | "Three pillars in a world of ice." | In the Avalanche Slopes, there are some caverns that can be entered through the ground. One of these leads to a room with an Alpha Froslass. Unown O is at the top of one of the ice pillars. | Alabaster Icelands |
P | "Among flowers at the spring where fairies dwell." | Look at the edge of the river of the Fabled Spring (with the Alpha Clefable) to find Unown P. | Coronet Highlands |
Q | "Twin trees at the spring by the sea." | Unown Q is stuck to the tree near the entrance of Turnback Cave. | Coronet Highlands |
R | "By the grave upon the cape." | Clinging to the cliff walls behind the Noble Arcanine's grave is Unown R. | Cobalt Coastlands |
S | "Where stick and log dam the river." | Unown S can be found in the dam by the Alpha Bibarel at Tidewater Dam. | Obsidian Fieldlands |
T | "Gaze down from atop the greatest glacial legacy." | Unown T is on one of the ice pillars surrounding Avalugg's Legacy. | Alabaster Icelands |
U | "The unusual stone staring out across the snowfields." | Unown U is on the back of a statue's head near the waterfall in Heart's Crag. | Alabaster Icelands |
V | "A withered tree in the sprawling red swamp." | Visit the Scarlet Bog and look for Unown V hanging from one of the trees sticking out of the mud. | Crimson Mirelands |
W | "The left eye atop the village." | Go to the Galaxy Hall's roof, and Unown W will be sitting on the eye of one of the Magikarp statues. | Jubilife Village |
X | "Scale the Grandtree." | Use Sneasler or Braviary to ascend the Grand Tree where Lord Cleavor was fought. Unown X is sitting on one of the branches. | Obsidian Fieldlands |
Y | "Scale the frozen falls." | Unown Y is near the frozen waterfall in the Icebound Falls to the left of Whiteout Valley. | Alabaster Icelands |
Z | "A timeworn ship on a sandy shore." | Inspect the abandoned ship near the Coastlands Camp to find Unown Z on the mast. | Cobalt Coastlands |
? | "Where things hang to dry at living quarters." | Players can find Unown ? by going around the back of their house to find it hanging from the clothesline. | Jubilife Village |
! | "A dead tree by the hot spring." | Unown ! is hanging from a branch of one of the dead trees northwest of the Snowfall Hot Springs. Warp to the Icepeak Camp to get to the Snowfall Hot Springs quicker. | Alabaster Icelands |
Since Unown are part of a fetch quest, they can't be battled when first catching them. Furthermore, the first 28 Unown are Shiny Locked. If players don't know how many Unown are left, they can check their progress by checking the Unown Research Notes. Remember that catching all 28 Unown isn't required for getting Arceus in "Mission 27."
Because some Unown are by rivers or too high up, it is recommended to do Unown hunting after "registering" all the Celestica Flute Pokemon.
More About the Unown in Pokemon: Legends Arceus
Once the Unown sidequest is complete, wild Unown will start spawning in the Solaceon Ruins. Here, players can Shiny Hunt the Unown if they wish. Since Unown only learns Hidden Power, it won't be able to learn other moves at Jubilife Village's Training Grounds.
Hidden Power is a Special, Normal-type move with a power of 50. In Agile Style, its power is reduced to 30, while Strong Style brings it up to 70. Unlike previous Pokemon games, Hidden Power's Type targets the opponent's Type Weakness instead of being determined by the attacking Pokemon. Meaning if Psychic-type Unown is battling Normal-type Bidoof, Hidden Power will function like a Fighting-type move to deal super-effective damage.
If players intend on using Unown in battle, then it's highly recommended to give it EV-boosting items such as Grit Dust. Unown's Attack and Special Attack are tied at a base total of 72, but Hidden Power is a Special move. A Modest-nature Unown would give it the Special Attack growth it needs.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available for the Nintendo Switch.
