Pokémon X and Pokémon Y each have 20 version-exclusive Pokémon: on routes, in caves and in the story, only one of the two games has them. X gets Xerneas, Staryu, Pinsir, Houndour, Poochyena, Aron, Sawk, Swirlix, Clauncher and the Root and Claw fossils, plus everything they evolve into. Y gets Yveltal, Shellder, Heracross, Larvitar, Electrike, Purrloin, Throh, Spritzee, Skrelp and the Helix and Dome fossils, with their evolutions. You don’t always need the other cartridge. The Friend Safari in Kiloude City has 11 of them in both games, and you can breed or evolve a few more from what you catch there. For the rest, you either move them from another game you own with Pokémon Bank, or trade for them. Since the GTS shut down in 2024, a trade means local wireless with someone in the same room.
This covers Pokémon X and Pokémon Y on Nintendo 3DS and 2DS, up to the final update, 1.5. None of the updates changed what is exclusive. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a different game with its own Lumiose City, and nothing on this page applies to it.
Which Pokémon are exclusive to X and Y?
Each version has 20. The count includes evolutions and fossil Pokémon, but not Mega Evolutions. Mega Charizard X and Y and Mega Mewtwo X and Y are covered under Mega Stones below, because the Pokémon are in both games and only the stone is locked. The last column shows how a player on the other version can still get each one.
Pokémon X exclusives (20)
| Pokémon | Where and how | In Pokémon Y |
|---|---|---|
 Staryu | Route 8, Good Rod (Lv. 25, 35%) | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Starmie | Route 8, Super Rod (Lv. 35, 5%), or a Water Stone on Staryu | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Pinsir | Route 12 grass and yellow flowers (Lv. 25–27, 5%) | Bug Friend Safari, slot 3 |
 Houndour | Route 10 grass and yellow flowers (Lv. 19–21); hordes of five (Lv. 11) | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Houndoom | No route or cave encounter: evolve Houndour at Lv. 24 | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Poochyena | No route or cave encounter: breed a female Mightyena, or any Mightyena with a Ditto, at the Route 7 Day Care | Breed a Friend Safari Mightyena |
 Mightyena | Route 15 grass and red flowers (Lv. 34–36) | Dark Friend Safari, slot 1 |
 Aron | Terminus Cave, hordes only (Lv. 24) | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Lairon | Terminus Cave (Lv. 45–46) and Route 18 (Lv. 44–46), or evolve Aron at Lv. 32 | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Aggron | No route or cave encounter: evolve Lairon at Lv. 42 | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Sawk | Route 11 grass (Lv. 22–23, 20%) | Fighting Friend Safari, slot 2 |
 Swirlix | Route 7 grass and yellow or purple flowers (Lv. 14, 10%) | Fairy Friend Safari, slot 2 |
 Slurpuff | No route or cave encounter: trade Swirlix while it holds a Whipped Dream | Safari Swirlix, then the same trade |
 Clauncher | Good Rod at Ambrette Town, Cyllage City and Route 8 (Lv. 25, 65%) | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Clawitzer | Super Rod at the same spots (Lv. 35, 35%), or evolve Clauncher at Lv. 37 | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Xerneas | Team Flare Secret HQ, Lv. 50 (story battle) | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Lileep | Root Fossil: Rock Smash in Glittering Cave after the Hall of Fame | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Cradily | Evolve Lileep at Lv. 40 | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Anorith | Claw Fossil: Rock Smash in Glittering Cave after the Hall of Fame | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Armaldo | Evolve Anorith at Lv. 40 | Trade or Bank transfer |
Pokémon Y exclusives (20)
| Pokémon | Where and how | In Pokémon X |
|---|---|---|
 Shellder | Route 8, Good Rod (Lv. 25, 35%) | Breed a Friend Safari Cloyster |
 Cloyster | Route 8, Super Rod (Lv. 35, 5%), or a Water Stone on Shellder | Ice Friend Safari, slot 3 |
 Heracross | Route 12 grass and yellow flowers (Lv. 25–27, 5%) | Bug Friend Safari, slot 3 |
 Larvitar | Terminus Cave, hordes only (Lv. 24) | Breed a Friend Safari Pupitar |
 Pupitar | Terminus Cave (Lv. 45–46) and Route 18 (Lv. 44–46), or evolve Larvitar at Lv. 30 | Rock Friend Safari, slot 2 |
 Tyranitar | No route or cave encounter: evolve Pupitar at Lv. 55 | Evolve a safari Pupitar |
 Electrike | Route 10 grass and yellow flowers (Lv. 19–21); hordes of five (Lv. 11) | Breed a Friend Safari Manectric |
 Manectric | No route or cave encounter: evolve Electrike at Lv. 26, or catch one in an Electric Friend Safari | Electric Friend Safari, slot 3 |
 Purrloin | No route or cave encounter: breed a female Liepard, or any Liepard with a Ditto, at the Route 7 Day Care | Breed a Friend Safari Liepard |
 Liepard | Route 15 grass and red flowers (Lv. 34–36) | Dark Friend Safari, slot 3 |
 Throh | Route 11 grass (Lv. 22–23, 20%) | Fighting Friend Safari, slot 2 |
 Spritzee | Route 7 grass and yellow or purple flowers (Lv. 14, 10%) | Fairy Friend Safari, slot 2 |
 Aromatisse | No route or cave encounter: trade Spritzee while it holds a Sachet | Safari Spritzee, then the same trade |
 Skrelp | Good Rod at Ambrette Town, Cyllage City and Route 8 (Lv. 25, 65%) | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Dragalge | Super Rod at the same spots (Lv. 35, 35%), or evolve Skrelp at Lv. 48 | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Yveltal | Team Flare Secret HQ, Lv. 50 (story battle) | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Omanyte | Helix Fossil: Rock Smash in Glittering Cave after the Hall of Fame | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Omastar | Evolve Omanyte at Lv. 40 | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Kabuto | Dome Fossil: Rock Smash in Glittering Cave after the Hall of Fame | Trade or Bank transfer |
 Kabutops | Evolve Kabuto at Lv. 40 | Trade or Bank transfer |
A Bank transfer only works if you own a game that has the Pokémon. Percentages are the chance per encounter in that patch of grass or with that rod. Levels are the wild levels in that spot. Water Stones are sold at the Stone Emporium in Lumiose City in both versions.
Why you can’t find it in your game
If a Pokémon from the list won’t show up, check these five things.
You’re playing the other version
The two games share every route, but in these spots the encounter is swapped. If Houndour isn’t in your Route 10 grass, you’re playing Y, and you’ll get Electrike there instead. Swirlix and Spritzee swap the same way on Route 7, Clauncher and Skrelp in the Good Rod water of Ambrette Town, Cyllage City and Route 8, and Pinsir and Heracross on Route 12.
It only comes in hordes: Aron and Larvitar
Aron (X) and Larvitar (Y) never appear on their own. They only come as a horde of five in Terminus Cave, at Lv. 24, and only in the rarest horde slot, 5% of horde encounters. A horde can start at random while you walk around the cave, but most of those encounters are single Pokémon, so you can spend a long time there without seeing one. Sweet Scent or Honey starts a horde every time, so use one and keep going until you get the right horde.
If you just want the evolved Pokémon, Lairon (X) and Pupitar (Y) are normal encounters in Terminus Cave at Lv. 45–46 and on Route 18 at Lv. 44–46. Houndour and Electrike also come in hordes of five on Route 10, but they’re easier to find on their own in the grass and flowers there.
It needs a rod, not grass
Staryu, Clauncher, Shellder and Skrelp are Good Rod Pokémon. Starmie, Clawitzer, Cloyster and Dragalge come with the Super Rod. The Old Rod never catches any of them. You get the Good Rod from a fisherman at the Coumarine City marina and the Super Rod from a fisherman on Route 16. For more on what each rod gives you, see the Good Rod guide.
It’s not on any route: Poochyena and Purrloin
Poochyena (X) and Purrloin (Y) don’t live anywhere in Kalos. Catch their evolved forms instead, Mightyena or Liepard on Route 15, and leave one at the Day Care on Route 7. A female Mightyena or Liepard works with any compatible male, and either gender works with a Ditto. The egg takes the mother’s species (or the non-Ditto parent’s), so it hatches into Poochyena or Purrloin. Houndoom, Aggron, Tyranitar, Manectric, Slurpuff and Aromatisse aren’t on any route or in any cave either, so you evolve them. Manectric also turns up in Electric Friend Safaris.
The fossil only appears after the Hall of Fame
Root and Claw Fossils (X) and Helix and Dome Fossils (Y) come from smashing rocks with Rock Smash in Glittering Cave, but only once you’ve entered the Hall of Fame. Before that, the rocks only give you Old Amber and items. The Fossil Lab in Ambrette Town revives them at Lv. 20.
How to get the other version’s exclusives in 2026
Nintendo ended online play on 3DS on April 8, 2024. The GTS, Wonder Trade and online trading are gone. The PSS now only works over local wireless. This is what’s left, in the order to try it:
- Check the Friend Safari. After the Hall of Fame, take the TMV to Kiloude City. Each friend on your 3DS Friend List opens one safari, with Pokémon that are always Lv. 30. The table below shows which exclusives can turn up there.
- Breed what the safari gives you. A female safari Mightyena, Liepard, Manectric, Pupitar or Cloyster, or one of either gender with a Ditto, gives you eggs of the first stage at the Route 7 Day Care: Poochyena, Purrloin, Electrike, Larvitar or Shellder.
- Move or trade for the rest. If you own another 3DS game that has the Pokémon and still have Pokémon Bank, move it over yourself. Otherwise trade over local wireless with anyone who has it, in X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire. Both 3DS systems have to be close together.
Friend Safari first
The Friend Safari is the same in X and Y, so it ignores most version locks. But you can’t choose what’s in it. Each friend’s safari has one type and one fixed Pokémon in each slot, set by that friend’s 3DS. Slots 1 and 2 open as soon as they’re on your Friend List. Slot 3 needs a friend who has entered the Hall of Fame, and the two of you have to meet once in the PSS, which now means over local wireless. The full type list and how to unlock the third slot are on the Friend Safari page.
| Pokémon | Normally only in | Safari type | Slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mightyena | X | Dark | 1 |
| Sawk | X | Fighting | 2 |
| Throh | Y | Fighting | 2 |
| Swirlix | X | Fairy | 2 |
| Spritzee | Y | Fairy | 2 |
| Pupitar | Y | Rock | 2 |
| Pinsir | X | Bug | 3 |
| Heracross | Y | Bug | 3 |
| Manectric | Y | Electric | 3 |
| Liepard | Y | Dark | 3 |
| Cloyster | Y | Ice | 3 |
That works out unevenly. With no trading at all, Pokémon X gets 12 of the 20 Y exclusives: 7 from the safari, 4 more by breeding (Larvitar, Electrike, Purrloin and Shellder) and Tyranitar by levelling up a Pupitar. Aromatisse makes 13, but it needs one trade evolution, which any X or Y game can do. Pokémon Y gets only 5 of the 20 X exclusives with no trading: Pinsir, Sawk, Swirlix, Mightyena, and Poochyena by breeding. Slurpuff makes 6 with one trade evolution. Houndour, Aron, Staryu, Clauncher, Skrelp, the legendaries and all the fossil Pokémon are in no safari at all.
Breed the adult
The Day Care on Route 7 is the one place to breed in Kalos. Leave the safari Pokémon there with a Ditto, or use a female safari Pokémon with a male from the same Egg Group, and walk until the Day Care man has an egg. With two different species, the egg is the mother’s species, so a male Pupitar with a female of another species gives you that species, not Larvitar. Ditto lives in the flower beds of Pokémon Village (Lv. 48–50) and in some Normal Friend Safaris. Eggs hatch into the first stage, so a safari Pupitar gives you Larvitar, and from Larvitar you get your own Tyranitar at Lv. 55.
Trade over local wireless
For everything the safari doesn’t have, and that you can’t move over yourself with Pokémon Bank, you need a trade with someone in the same room. They don’t need the other version, just the Pokémon. Turn on wireless on both systems, open the PSS on the lower screen, tap the other player and choose Trade. Pokémon X and Y can also trade locally with Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, where many of these Pokémon are easy to catch. If you trade for an Aggron or a Tyranitar, have the other player attach the Mega Stone too: held items go along with the Pokémon.
Trading Swirlix holding a Whipped Dream evolves it into Slurpuff, and Spritzee holding a Sachet evolves into Aromatisse. Both items are in both versions. A chef in Cyllage City gives you one (the Whipped Dream in X, the Sachet in Y), Route 12 has both, and the Battle Maison in Kiloude City sells both for 32 BP.
Pokémon Bank and HOME
Pokémon Bank can’t create a Pokémon you don’t have. It only moves the ones you already own. If it’s still on your 3DS and you own both versions (or X or Y plus Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire), you can deposit from one game and withdraw into the other without a second system. First-time downloads of Bank ended when the 3DS eShop closed in March 2023, but if you downloaded it before, you can still redownload it. Bank shuts down on February 25, 2027, at 7:00 p.m. PST. Pokémon HOME can’t send anything back to a 3DS game.
Mega Stones are exclusive too, and some sit on the wrong cartridge
Five Mega Stones differ between the versions. Charizard and Mewtwo are in both games, but Charizardite X and Mewtwonite X are only in X, and the Y stones are only in Y. Pinsirite and Heracronite at least match their Pokémon. The other two pairs don’t: Pokémon X has Aggron but finds Tyranitarite, and Pokémon Y has Tyranitar but finds Aggronite. Houndoom (X) and Manectric (Y) have the same problem, since Manectite is in X and Houndoominite is in Y.
| Pokémon X | Pokémon Y | Works on |
|---|---|---|
| Charizardite X | Charizardite Y | Charizard (both versions) |
| Mewtwonite X | Mewtwonite Y | Mewtwo (both versions) |
| Pinsirite | Heracronite | Pinsir (X) / Heracross (Y) |
| Manectite | Houndoominite | Manectric (Y) / Houndoom (X) |
| Tyranitarite | Aggronite | Tyranitar (Y) / Aggron (X) |
Where each stone is, and the 8:00–8:59 PM rule for the hidden ones, is on the Mega Stones page. The Stone Emporium in Lumiose City only stocks your own version’s Charizardite, too. Prices are on the Stone Emporium page.
Fossils: Jaw or Sail is not a version lock
Your first fossil choice in Glittering Cave, the Jaw Fossil (Tyrunt) or the Sail Fossil (Amaura), is the same in both games. You pick one and your neighbour takes the other, so Tyrunt and Amaura aren’t exclusives. You just get one per save from the story. The fossils that are version exclusive come later, from the rocks: Root and Claw in X, Helix and Dome in Y. Old Amber and the Skull, Armor, Cover and Plume Fossils are in both. The fossils guide covers the whole cave.
Not actually exclusive
You can get every one of these in either version without the other cartridge.
Plusle and Minun
Both live on Route 5 in both games. In X, Plusle is the one in the grass and purple flowers (5%), and Minun only turns up inside Route 5 hordes. In Y it’s the other way round. Sweet Scent on Route 5 gets you whichever one is missing.
Seedot, Vullaby and Rufflet
None of them is on a route or in a cave in either version. Nuzleaf and Vullaby appear in Dark Friend Safaris and Rufflet in Flying Friend Safaris, the same in X and Y. Breed Nuzleaf if you need a Seedot. Lombre isn’t exclusive either: you can find it by surfing in both games.
Basculin, Red and Blue
Both forms are in both games. On inland water like Route 15, Route 16 and Laverre City, Pokémon X’s Good Rod gives Blue-Striped Basculin and its Super Rod gives Red-Striped. Pokémon Y swaps them. On Route 21 both rods give Red-Striped in both versions.
Kakuna and Metapod
Only the wild middle stage is different. Santalune Forest has Kakuna in X and Metapod in Y, but Caterpie and Weedle are there in both. Caterpie evolves into Metapod at Lv. 7, and so does Weedle into Kakuna. Route 2 also has Weedle in X and Caterpie in Y.
Huntail and Gorebyss
The wild ones are version locked: Route 12’s Super Rod gives Huntail in X and Gorebyss in Y (5%). But Clamperl is in Route 12’s Good Rod water in both versions, and the two items it needs are too. Wild Carvanha and Sharpedo (Route 22) sometimes hold a Deep Sea Tooth, and wild Chinchou and Lanturn (Azure Bay and Shalour City) sometimes hold a Deep Sea Scale. Trade a Clamperl holding the Tooth and it becomes Huntail. With the Scale, it becomes Gorebyss. The trade partner can have either version.
X or Y: which exclusives are better?
Both versions have the same story, the same 18 Friend Safari types and the same Mega Ring, so the choice comes down to a few things:
| If you care most about | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The legendary on your story team | Either | Xerneas (Fairy) and Yveltal (Dark/Flying) are both Lv. 50 and strong. Pick the one you like |
| Tyranitar or Aggron | Y for Tyranitar, X for Aggron | But the Mega Stone for each is in the other version |
| Mega Charizard | X for Mega Charizard X, Y for Mega Charizard Y | Charizard is in both. Only the stone is locked |
| Fossil Pokémon | X for Lileep and Anorith, Y for Omanyte and Kabuto | After the Hall of Fame |
| Finishing the Pokédex without many trades | X | With no trading, the Friend Safari, breeding and levelling up cover 12 of Y’s 20 (13 with one trade evolution). Y only gets 5 of X’s 20 that way (6 with one trade evolution) |
| Early Pokémon for the story | Either | Swirlix or Spritzee on Route 7, Clauncher or Skrelp after the Good Rod, Houndour or Electrike on Route 10 |
For a story team built around either legendary, see the best Pokémon in X and Y. If you’re buying a cartridge now, it has to be a physical one: the Nintendo eShop for 3DS stopped selling games in March 2023.
Find them on the map and in the Pokédex
The interactive Kalos map has a Pokémon X / Y switch: search for any Pokémon above and it shows the exact routes, grass, flowers and rods in each version. The Kalos Pokédex lists where to find every Pokémon, and Route 7 has the full Swirlix and Spritzee rates.
FAQ
How many version exclusive Pokémon are in X and Y?
20 in each version, including evolutions and fossil Pokémon. Mega Evolutions aren’t counted, because Charizard and Mewtwo are in both games and only their stones differ.
Is Xerneas only in Pokémon X?
Yes. Xerneas is the Lv. 50 story battle in Team Flare’s Secret HQ in X, and Yveltal is in the same place in Y. To have both, trade for the other one, or move it with Pokémon Bank if you own both versions.
Can I get Y exclusives in Pokémon X without trading?
Some. The Friend Safari has Heracross, Throh, Spritzee, Pupitar, Manectric, Liepard and Cloyster, and you can breed Larvitar, Electrike, Purrloin and Shellder from those and evolve a Tyranitar: 12 of the 20. Aromatisse needs one trade evolution. Skrelp, Dragalge, Yveltal and the Helix and Dome fossil Pokémon need a trade, or a Pokémon Bank transfer from another game you own.
Does Friend Safari ignore version exclusives?
Mostly. Both versions use the same safari list, so Pinsir, Heracross, Sawk, Throh, Swirlix, Spritzee, Mightyena, Liepard, Manectric, Pupitar and Cloyster can all appear in either game, but only if a friend’s safari has them.
Are fossils version exclusive in Pokémon X and Y?
Some are. Root and Claw Fossils are only in X, Helix and Dome Fossils only in Y, both after the Hall of Fame. The Jaw or Sail choice, Old Amber and the other four rock fossils are the same in both.
Is Plusle exclusive to Pokémon X?
No. Plusle and Minun are both on Route 5 in both versions. One is in the grass and the other only in hordes, and the versions swap which is which.
How do I trade exclusives after Nintendo Network ended?
Over local wireless. Both players open the PSS on the lower screen with wireless turned on, and the other player shows up nearby. You can trade with X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire this way.
Which version has better exclusives, X or Y?
It depends on what you want. Y has Tyranitar, Heracross and Omanyte and Kabuto. X has Aggron, Houndoom, Clawitzer and Lileep and Anorith. X is easier to complete, because the Friend Safari covers more of the Y list than the other way round.