Pokemon Sword & Shield: How To Breed Alolan, Other Regional Forms

Pokemon Home has revolutionized how trainers can access alternate regional forms in Sword and Shield. This cloud-based service enables seamless transfer of compatible Pokemon from previous generations, opening up breeding opportunities that were previously impossible in the Galar region.

The transfer system follows specific Pokedex restrictions—you can only bring over Pokemon listed in the Galar Pokedex, plus a limited selection of additional species. Regional variants share the same Pokedex number as their standard counterparts, which means forms like Alolan Vulpix and original Darumaka can now join your Galar adventures despite not being native to this region.

Before Pokemon Home’s introduction, obtaining these alternate forms within Sword and Shield was completely impossible. Now, with strategic breeding knowledge, you can cultivate entire teams of these special regional variants to diversify your competitive and collection strategies.

Mastering form inheritance requires understanding the Everstone mechanics. Normally, breeding regional form Pokemon in Galar produces offspring matching the local variant—Vulpix would always hatch as the standard fire-type form native to this region. However, when you transfer an alternate form like Alolan Vulpix, you can preserve its unique characteristics through careful breeding preparation.

The key technique involves equipping the parent Pokemon with an Everstone before placing it in the Nursery. This special held item ensures the offspring inherits the parent’s regional form rather than defaulting to the Galarian version. This method only functions under specific conditions: the parent must be female, or you must be breeding with Ditto as the partner.

This breeding restriction has important limitations—it only applies when the resulting Pokemon actually possesses an alternate form. For example, breeding an Alolan Raichu holding an Everstone won’t produce an Alolan Pikachu since that form doesn’t exist. Instead, you’ll get a standard Pikachu that will evolve into a regular Raichu when in the Galar region.

Everstones serve dual purposes in the breeding process—they not only preserve regional forms but also pass down the holder’s nature to offspring. If your transferred Pokemon has an undesirable nature, you can utilize Mints purchased with Battle Points at the Battle Tower to adjust the hatched Pokemon’s stat growth patterns after breeding.

However, trainers should understand a critical distinction: Mints modify expressed stats without altering underlying genetics. This means changing a parent Pokemon’s nature with a Mint won’t affect what traits pass to future generations through breeding. The original nature remains embedded in the Pokemon’s breeding DNA regardless of Mint applications.

A common mistake breeders make is assuming male Pokemon can pass down regional forms without Ditto—this incorrect approach wastes valuable breeding time. Always ensure you’re using female regional forms or breeding with Ditto to guarantee successful form inheritance.

For optimal results, establish a breeding workflow: first secure the desired form through Everstone breeding, then use Mints for nature optimization, and finally employ other held items like Destiny Knot for IV inheritance management.

Sword and Shield now offer multiple pathways to obtain Pokemon with alternate regional forms. The comprehensive list includes both transfer-dependent and locally available options for dedicated collectors.

Several alternate forms were accessible even before Pokemon Home through clever in-game trading mechanics. Trainers could acquire standard Meowth, Yamask, and Mr. Mime via NPC trades, with their evolved forms Persian and Cofagrigus becoming available through standard evolution processes.

*Alolan Raichu and Weezing represent special cases—they cannot be bred in Galar but can be transferred as fully evolved Pokemon through Pokemon Home.

For comprehensive Pokemon Home guidance, consult our detailed FAQ covering pricing structures, differences between mobile and Switch versions, and complete operational details. We’ve also compiled the full roster of Pokemon transferable into Sword and Shield via Pokemon Home, featuring legendary inclusions like Mewtwo and the mysterious Meltan.

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