p:la pokemon order (very rough)

tenative pla guide to how fast you can get each pokemon

this guide was written pre-release and may be inaccurate in places, whoops

shoutout to the following doc for compiling a lot of this:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U9kl1OylpcoMvDqczJlHBomEidyYqvNPduaNb1K-dMU/edit#gid=0

this guide has very minor spoilers for some quests, mostly optional things



IMPORTANT NOTES

Time-Space Distortions are random events that cause rare Pokemon and items to appear. These can happen in any area not long after starting the game, and are the only way to catch certain Pokemon, but which Pokemon appear in each is seemingly randomly selected when the bubble appears.

The following Pokemon are catchable in Time-Space Distortions seemingly as early as Area 1, but require pure luck to be found in any given bubble:

Porygon, Porygon2, PorygonZ
Magnemite, Magneton, Magnezone (Magnezone also flies around Area 4)
Cranidos, Rampardos (unconfirmed how early)
Shieldon, Bastiondon (unconfirmed how early)
Sneasel (Johtoian), Weavile

Evolution items can be found in several ways. Finding Satchels (marked on the map) and returning them in the menu earns Merit Points, which can be traded for most old-gen evolution items at the stall between the Galaxy HQ and Training Area in Jubilife. Evolution stones can rarely be found by mining rocks, Time-Space Distortions sometimes drop them, and Pokemon that evolve with a specific item seem to sometimes drop them (i.e. Dusclops drop Reaper Cloths).

A new item, the Linking Cable, lets you evolve trade Pokemon like Golem and Gengar.

The locations listed here are generally the easiest/fastest ones to reach. Many Pokemon appear in multiple places.

If a Pokemon doesn't appear in a given location, try a different time of day.



Unown is a sidequest. You'll activate it automatically, at which point the 28 Unowns appear in set places in the world, and you'll get hints for each. Each shape can only be caught once. If you really want to use Unown ingame, the easiest to catch is probably S, on the natural bridge between Aspiration Hill and Deertrack Path in Area 1.

Spiritomb is a sidequest. You'll activate it automatically, at which point wisps appear in set places in the world. Collecting all wisps essentially requires access to the entire game, making Spiritomb borderline post-game content. Sorry.



Starter: Rowlet, Oshawott or Cyndaquil

The starters not picked can be collected from the Professor after completing the main story. They can also be found in time-space distortions, as can their evolutions:

Cyndaquil: Time-Space Distortion, Crimson Mirelands (A2)
Rowlet: Time-Space Distortion, Mount Coronet (A4)
Oshawott: Time-Space Distortion, Alabastor Icelands (A5)




AREA 1: OBSIDIAN FIELDLANDS

Aspiration Hill (starting area)
Bidoof, Bibarel (tutorial catch)
Starly, Staravia, Staraptor (tutorial catch)
Shinx, Luxio, Luxray (tutorial catch)
Drifloon, Drifblim (Night)

Horseshoe Plains (right of Aspiration Hill)
Wurmple, Silcoon, Cascoon, Beautifly, Dustox (evolved forms appear in Floara Gardens if you don't want to deal with Wurmple RNG)
Ponyta, Rapidash (you can get a guaranteed shiny from a quest)
Buizel, Floatzel
Mime Jr, Mr Mime (Mr Mime in Sandgem Flats)
Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Sylveon (Leafeon requires the Moss Rock on the south edge of the map. Glaceon requires the Ice Rock in Area 5, because Gamefreak.)

Sandgem Flats (follow the coast south of Aspiration Hill, past the angry fat Pokemon)
Abra, Kadabra, Alakazam
Shellos, Gastrodon (pink form; blue Shellos are in Area 3)

Floaro Gardens (top-left of map)
Pichu, Pikachu, Raichu (Pikachu in Nature's Pantry)

Deertrack Path (the central island mass, follow the plot)
Zubat, Golbat, Crobat (night)
Kricketot, Kricketune

Deertrack Heights (use Wyrdeer to climb hills)
Geodude, Graveller, Golem
Stantler, Wyrdeer
Munchlax, Snorlax (rare? may be more common in Area 5's Snowfall Hot Spring)
Chimchar, Monferno, Infernape (rare? guaranteed spawn on Ramanas Island but that requires Basculegion from Area 3)

Nature's Pantry (plot, south of Deertrack)
Paras, Parasect

The Heartwood (follow the plot, lower right corner)
Psyduck, Golduck
Buneary, Lopunny
Cherubi, Cherrim (shaking trees)
Combee, Vespiquen
Scyther, Scizor, Kleavor (look for an offshoot path on the road to Grandtree Arena)

Oreburrow Tunnel (optional cave right of Nature's Pantry)
Machop, Machoke, Machamp

Grueling Grove (top right of map, getting there early requires circling the Deertrack Heights island counter-clockwise and approaching Worn Bridge from the south)
Heracross

Obsidian Falls (follow the above to Worn Bridge from below, then follow the water south)
Happiny, Chansey, Blissey (rare?)
Magikarp, Gyarados (karps in late, dos in the sky)

Shaking Trees (almost everywhere)
Burmy, Wormadam, Mothim (Grass in Area 1, Sand in Area 2, Trash in Area 3, Mothim appear in Grueling Grove if you're unlucky in getting a male)









AREA 2: CRIMSON MIRELANDS

Golden Lowlands (starting area)
Budew, Roselia, Roserade
Gastly, Haunter, Gengar (night)
Carnivine

Gapejaw Bog (down from Golden Lowlands)
Tangela, Tangrowth
Barboach, Whiscash (in the river)
Croagunk, Toxicroak
Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, Gallade (maybe more common in Shrouded Ruins)
Yanma, Yanmega

Scarlet Bog (follow the plot, past some smashable rocks near Solaceon Ruins)
Stunky, Skuntank
Hippotas, Hippowdon
Onix, Steelix

Bolderoll Slope (up and right from Scarlet Bog)
Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior

Ursa's Ring (follow the plot, south of Scarlet Bog)
Teddiursa, Ursaring, Ursaluna

Cloudpool Ridge (up and left from the Diamond Settlement, above Bolderoll)
Bonsly, Sudowoodo
Murkrow, Honchkrow (night)

Shrouded Ruins (up from Diamond Settlement)
Lickitung, Lickilicky

Cottensedge Prarie (circle Lake Valor in the top right to cross the river early; might require Basculegion from Area 3)
Petilil, Lilligang
Togepi, Togetic, Togekiss

Droning Meadow (as above, south of Cottensedge)
Pachirisu (look for the field of white flowers)
Turtwig, Grotle, Torterra (bottom right of the map, by the small lake)

Holm of Trials (the bottom of the map)
Goomy, Sligoo, Goodra (requires Basculegion from Area 3 to cross the river, so come back partway through A3)










AREA 3: COBALT COASTLANDS

Crossing Slope (starting area)
Glameow, Purugly

Ginkgo Landing (straight ahead of Crossing Slope)
Spheal, Sealeo, Walrein
Skorupi, Drapion
Mantyke, Mantine (may require Basculegion)

Aipom Hill (south of the Landing)
Aipom, Ambipom

Castaway Shore (follow the coast north of the Landing, near the middle of the map)
Remoraid, Octillery

Veilstone Cape (follow the plot, on the big ridge dividing the map)
Vulpix (Kantoian), Ninetales (Alolan form is from a request from Lavender's blackboard)

Deadwood Haunt (follow the plot, the "arm" of the hand in the bottom right)
Chatot
Duskull, Dusclops, Dusknoir (night)

Tranquility Cove (small islands in the middle of the map)
Qwilfish, Overqwil (may require Basculegion)
Basculin, Basculegion (may require Basculegion)
Shellos, Gastrodon (blue form; pink is in Area 1)

Lunker's Lair (the very tip of the Veilstone Cape ridge, in the water)
Tentacool, Tentacruel (requires Basculegion)

Seagrass Haven (the islands between the top right volcano and Veilstone Cape)
Finneon, Lumineon (requires Basculegion)

Spring Path (isolated coast on the top of the map, requires Basculegion)
Piplup, Prinplup, Empoleon (near the lake)

Firespit Island (topright volcano, plot relevant, requires Basculegion)
Magby, Magmar, Magmortar

Windbreak Stand (on the cliffs north of the Landing, seems to require Sneasler from Area 4)
Growlithe, Arcanine








AREA 4: CORONET HIGHLANDS

Wayward Cave (cave near the entrance of the map, impossible to miss, plot relevant)
Gible, Gabite, Garchomp (in a side room)

Clamberclaw Cliffs (follow the plot, north of Lonely Spring)
Bronzor, Bronzong

Celestica Trail (up and left of Sonorous Path)
Sneasal, Sneasler

Primeval Grotto (north of Celestica Trail)
Gligar, Gliscor
Nosepass, Probopass

Sacred Plaza (past Primeval Grotto, plot relevant)
Voltorb, Electrode
Chingling, Chimecho
Misdreavus, Mismagius (night)

Stonetooth Rows (left of Sacred Plaza)
Rotom (randomly in shaking chests)

Fabled Spring (lake in the bottom left of the map, requires Sneasler)
Cleffa, Clefairy, Clefable

Cloudcap Pass (northernmost part of the map, may require endgame)
Elekid, Electabuzz, Electivire (also in Arena's Approach in Area 5 if inaccessable early)








AREA 5: ALABASTER ICELANDS

Whiteout Valley (starting area)
Snorunt, Glalie, Froslass

Bonechill Wastes (through the ice tunnel and ravine)
Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine

Underground Ice Caverns (look for glowing(?) blue holes in the Wastes)
Zorua, Zoroark (night?)
Riolu, Lucario (day?)
Glaceon (the Ice Rock is in there)

Avalugg's Legacy (center of map)
Bergmite, Avalugg
Snover, Abomasnow








ENDGAME/POSTGAME

Caught during the story climax (when given the choice to hang out with Adaman or Iridia, the clan you choose determines which legendary you catch first (the clan's) and which you fight climactically, though both are eventually caught at the same level)
Dialga
Palkia

After the credits, follow Volo's instructions to get quests for the following
Azelf
Mesprit
Uxie
Heatran
Regigigas
Cresselia
Tornadus
Thundurus
Landorus
Enamorus

After catching the above, continue to follow Volo's instructions to get the quest for
Giratina

Find Quest 66 (The Sea's Legend), then ride Basculegion through the big stone arch in the sea in Cobalt Coastlands, with a Buizel, Mantyke and Overqwil in the party, during the evening, to unlock the encounter with
Manaphy
Phione

Catch every other Pokemon to unlock the encounter with
Arceus

Have other games' save data on your Switch to unlock quests for
Darkrai (BDSP)
Shaymin (SWSH)