Pokemon Sword & Shield: What To Do When You Beat The Game

TL;DR

  • Complete the post-story Sordward and Shielbert questline to encounter legendary Pokemon
  • Master the Battle Tower to earn Battle Points for exclusive high-value items
  • Collect gift Pokemon from various NPCs scattered throughout the Galar region
  • Optimize your team composition for post-game challenges and competitive battles
  • Explore hidden areas and complete your Pokedex for ultimate game completion

Pokemon Sword and Shield represent the eighth generation of the beloved franchise, bringing trainers to the expansive Galar region. While achieving championship status marks a significant milestone, the adventure truly expands once you’ve conquered the Pokemon League. The post-game experience offers substantial content that extends gameplay by dozens of hours, providing both narrative continuation and challenging gameplay mechanics for dedicated trainers.

Many players mistakenly believe the journey concludes after becoming champion, but this phase actually unlocks deeper strategic elements and exclusive content. Understanding what becomes available after the credits roll will help you maximize your investment in these critically acclaimed titles that earned a 9/10 review score for their innovative approach to the series.

The primary narrative extension involves confronting the eccentric duo Sordward and Shielbert, whose misguided actions threaten the Galar region’s stability. This multi-stage adventure takes you to previously inaccessible locations and culminates in epic encounters with the legendary Pokemon Zacian (in Sword) or Zamazenta (in Shield), providing closure to the game’s central mythological storyline.

This questline typically requires 5-8 hours to complete and introduces new battle challenges that test your team’s versatility. Many trainers underestimate the difficulty spike in these encounters, so proper preparation with type coverage and leveled Pokemon around 70-75 is recommended for success.

The Battle Tower serves as the premier post-game challenge for competitive-minded trainers, offering progressively difficult battles against AI opponents with optimized teams. Success here earns valuable Battle Points (BP), a special currency exchangeable for rare items that significantly enhance your Pokemon’s capabilities.

Strategic team building becomes crucial in the Battle Tower, where opponents employ advanced tactics and held items. Common mistakes include over-reliance on single powerful Pokemon rather than balanced teams with complementary type coverage and strategic move sets. For comprehensive team-building strategies, consult our Class Guide which covers similar strategic principles applicable to Pokemon team composition.

Advanced players should focus on earning BP efficiently by utilizing rental teams initially while building their ideal competitive roster. The most valuable purchases include Ability Capsules, Mint items for nature modification, and Bottle Caps for perfect IV training—essential tools for creating championship-caliber Pokemon.

Beyond the main post-game quests, numerous NPCs throughout Galar offer special gift Pokemon to trainers who seek them out. These distributions include rare species and Pokemon with unique movesets unavailable through normal gameplay, making exploration rewarding for completionists.

Systematic exploration of previously visited locations often reveals new interactions and opportunities. Many of these gift Pokemon possess hidden abilities or perfect individual values (IVs), providing excellent foundation specimens for competitive breeding projects. For detailed collection strategies similar to weapon unlocks in other games, reference our Weapons Unlock methodology adapted for Pokemon acquisition.

Timing your visits to certain locations after specific in-game events can unlock additional interactions. Keeping a checklist of NPCs and their requirements ensures you don’t miss any of these exclusive Pokemon distributions that significantly enhance your collection.

Maximizing your post-game experience requires strategic planning and understanding of advanced game mechanics. The most successful trainers approach completion systematically rather than randomly exploring, prioritizing activities based on their goals—whether competitive battling, Pokedex completion, or story exploration.

Team optimization represents the most critical aspect of post-game success. Building a balanced roster with diverse type coverage, complementary abilities, and strategic move sets will prepare you for any challenge the Galar region presents. Our Complete Guide to strategic gameplay offers transferable principles for Pokemon team construction and resource management.

Efficient time management separates casual players from completionists. Allocate sessions specifically for Battle Tower grinding, exploration for gift Pokemon, and completing the legendary questline rather than attempting all activities simultaneously. This focused approach prevents burnout and ensures steady progression through all available content.

Action Checklist

  • Complete Sordward and Shielbert questline (5-8 hours)
  • Challenge the Battle Tower and earn 50+ Battle Points
  • Collect all gift Pokemon from NPCs across Galar region
  • Optimize team with Ability Capsules and Mint items
  • Complete Pokedex and explore all hidden areas

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