Pokémon Sword and Shield have been out for a few months and have been selling amazingly well, in such a small amount of time, that they have become the highest-selling launches in the entire series so far. So, of course, Pokémon is still going strong, and even more so with the two new expansion coming later this year.
However, have you done everything the game has to offer yet? There are a few side quests that are possible to miss. Anyway, what's more important? Talking to everyone and running silly errands, or training your team to be the best and dethroning Leon to become the league champion!?
10 The Lost Minccino!
This is the first side quest that is available in the game, but it is entirely missable if you don't speak to the little kid in Motorstoke who's lost is cherished Pokémon Minccino. Of course, the quest is available whenever, but that poor, poor kid has to wait all that time, not knowing the fate of his beloved Pokémon, how cruel!
The kid explains that his Minccino loves playing in the water, and it should be nearby. Upon discovering the child's beloved Pokémon, you will get rewarded with some Throat Spray. Thanks, kid.
9 Stones Of Turffield Riddle
Lush trees and farmland surround the place of Turffield, but it holds a very historical significance about the Giganamax Pokémon transformation. That is not the only thing it holds, as the stone pillars around the town each cluster is marked with a single element. How curious. When speaking to a little girl at the viewing point of the town, she will tell you a riddle of the standing stones of Turffield.
"Seek yourself three standing stones, with Grass before the other ones. Use well that strength, and find then the strength of its strength in the end. Dally not, if you've a mind to find what time has left behind."
Very puzzling indeed. however, upon solving this mindboggling riddle and stealing the treasure, an Expert Belt, that the little girl has been attempting to find. Pat yourself on the back.
8 The Letter Delivery
This side quest is definitely on the spookier side, and it can be initiated by speaking to Paula in Hammerlocke. By speaking to Paula, she'll ask you to deliver an old letter to a friend named Frank over in the next town, Ballonlea, where the 5th gym is.
Ballonlea is a small village, so locating Frank is not a hard task, but, upon finding him, you'll realize that Frank is an old man. Give him the letter, and he'll reminisce about a very old friend Paula, who died when she was very young... For your troubles and as thanks, he'll give you the Choice Scarf item. Return to Paula, and, of course, she is not there. Now, this is an item that is easily missable, as the Choice Scarf was already the reward, right?
Wrong, by examining the ground where Paula was, the Reaper Cloth item can be acquired. By completing this quest, Paula's soul is now at rest.
7 Give Away My Applin?!?!
On your way to Ballonlea, near the exit is an NPC who is looking for an Applin. He tells a story of giving an Applin to your crush, a bright future will be in store for them. So, Applin is this Pokémon's version of a love potion?
He'll ask for your Applin after a short scene with the guy's sweetheart, but, don't worry, he'll return it with a bonus, that being an item which is entirely dependent on the game version you are playing. Pokémon Sword users will receive the Tart Apple, and, in Pokémon Shield, it'll be the Sweet Apple. These Apples will evolve your Applin into its final form, each one unique to either Sword and Shield.
6 Fiery Spirit Clothing Quest
At Ballonlea outside Frank's house, a guy is skulking around the corner. Speak to him, and he has a blazing passion for certain types of fiery clothing. As clothing is an added little thing in this game, the main character is no doubt wearing something fashionable or hideous.
If the clothes you are wearing are not fiery enough for his tastes, the NPC will inform you to please go put on some clothes that "embodies his burning feelings." Change outfits into something related to fire, such as the fire-type jacket and trackie bottoms. Return to this guy ignited with passion, and he'll reward you with TM78 Acrobatics.
5 Pokémon: A Detective Story
A lot of the games side quests are residing in one of the major towns of the game Circhester. This town is major because it has two grand hotels opposite each other with a majestic fountain in between. Inside the hotel on the right, a Detective Howses is in one of the rooms, and he is in the middle of a not-so-tricky mystery.
He asks for help on who has eaten all of the berries and has three subjects lined up in his hotel room. This is a severe matter, indeed. After interrogating the culprits to no avail, a Skwovet appears with berry juice all over the Pokémon jowls. Howses is adamant that the Dancer is the culprit, but the champion, having a brain, can choose the correct culprit: the Skwovet. As a reward for cracking this impossible task, he will hand over a Wide Lens.
4 Fight A Game Freak Staff Member
A particular individual known as Morimoto is located in the left hotel in Circhester. Yet, he is only available to fight after defeating Leon and becoming the League Champion, so this is a post-game side quest. However, this Game Freak member of staff is no cakewalk, as the fight is a two vs. two, and all his Pokémon are Level 65.
This fight is essential if breeding to have the strongest Pokémon for competitions is your primary goal. Upon defeating Morimoto, the Oval Charm is now in the champion's grasp. This charm increases the chances of finding an egg at one of two Pokémon nurseries in the game.
3 Champion Food Delivery
This is a post-game quest where the most powerful Pokémon trainer in the entire Galar region is asked to deliver food for a restaurant in Hulbery.
After every delivery, rewards come in abundance, from Exp Candy to Gold Nuggets, so no work is unrewarded. Finally, after the third delivery, the chef of the diner will hand over the Lucky Egg. This item is precious, as the Pokémon who is holding the item will earn extra experience points in battle, which goes hand in hand with leveling that perfect 6IV Pokémon you've been breeding.
2 Where is Type: Null?!
Type: Null is one of the Pokémon that you cannot catch in the wild. Instead, like a lot of the quests in Pokémon Sword and Shield, finding Type: Null is a post-game quest. Eventually, Battle Tower is a place where trainers can test out their mettle by defeating Pokémon, but only three Pokémon are allowed. It is only available after the story is completed.
Upon returning to Battle Tower, an NPC in the lobby will give you this extremely rare Pokémon for free along with items called Memories. These memories are what Type: Null's evolution can hold, which changes the Pokémon element type.
1 Finding All Of The Shinies
In a hotel in Circhester, a Doctor is in one first hotel on the left and is one of the most important NPCs in the entire game. This Doctor, who, if you've spoken to him before, will get you the Catching Charm. However, if you have caught all 400 Pokémon in the game, he'll now award you with something vitally important: the Shiny Charm.
Different colored Pokémon, otherwise known as Shiny Pokémon, are extremely rare and heavily based on luck. Even with the knowhow, it can take hours and hours to find one shiny Pokémon. The Shiny Charm increases the odds of finding one in the wild or by breeding. Usually, the chance is 4,096 to one. However, with the Shiny Charm, this is cut down to 1,365. So, finding a shiny is still incredibly rare, but not as much with time and effort.