Catching aPokemoncan be easy, can be though, depending on which Pokemon a trainer is trying to catch. When catching Weedle or Caterpie, patience, skill, and luck aren’t exactly essential. However, the situation with more powerful and especiallylegendary Pokemonis different.
That can be seen in their catch rate; for example, the two previous examples have a catch rate of 255, the same assimilar-levelPokemon such as Poliwag and Zubat. On the other side, there are high-level Pokemon with a catch rate of 3, which is the rate reserved for the Pokemon that are hardest to catch. There are currently 69 Pokemon with a catch rate of 3%, and below are the toughest ones to catch.
Updated June 20, 2025 by Ben Painter:Fans are still lovingPokemon Scarlet & Violetas they wait patiently for the release of the first DLC, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. What fans can do as the time passes is catch strong Pokemon, the legendaries and mythical Pokemon that take the top spots when it comes to catch rate. A Pokemon’s catch rate determines how hard it is to capture. All the ‘mons on this list have a catch rate of 3, the lowest it can go. This means all of these creatures are incredibly hard to get them to join any trainer’s team. Make sure to save the Master Ball for the favorite, ensuring it can be caught without fail.
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23The Eon Duo: Latias & Latios
These two are the stars of the fifth movie in the anime,Pokemon Heroes: Latias & Latios.The Eon Duoare Dragon/Psychic Legendary Pokemon. The big difference between them is that Latias has higher special defense, while Latios has a higher special attack. It is up to the player which they prefer.
Latios (the blue one) made its debut inRubyas a roaming Pokemon. Latias did the same inSapphire.As roaming Pokemon, they are found randomly in the wild and run away after the first attack. This makes them incredibly difficult to catch, especially without a Master Ball.
22Koraidon
One of the newer entries on this list is the box legendary ofPokemon Scarlet,Koraidon. This Fighting/Dragon Pokemon is with the player from the start, but cannot be used in battle until the main part of the story is completed.
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It is lucky for trainers that this Pokemon does not need to be caught, as its low catch rate could cause some problems. However, if gamers want to test their catching skills, a second Koraidon can be caught in the post-game. Not only is this a powerful ‘mon in battle, but it can also be ridden.
21Miraidon
Koraidon hails from the ancient past, but Miraidon is from the distant future. It can only be found inPokemon Violet, along with the other future Paradox Pokemon.
Miraidon is the same as Koraidon in the fact it doesn’t need to be caught, which will save a lot of Pokeballs thanks to its high catch rate. Many fans agree thatMiraidon has a better design than Koraidon, loving the metallic blue look. Its typing is also uncommon as an Electic/Dragon type.
20Urshifu
Urshifu made its debut in the DLC ofPokemon Sword & Shield, The Isle of Armor. Gamers receive its pre-evolved form, Kubfu, so there is no need to capture this one in the game thankfully.
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It has a perfect design, looking both powerful and majestic. It also has two different versions of typing depending on what tower it is trained in. The Single Strike Style Urshifu is Fighting/Dark type and is trained in the Tower of Darkness. The Rapid Strike Style Urshifu is Fighting/Water and is trained in the Tower of Waters. The Scroll of Darkness or Waters can be used to evolve this ‘mon inScarlet & Violet.
19The Creation Trio
Dialga, Palkia and Giratina make up the creation trio and are the main Pokemon ofDiamond, Pearl and Platinumrespectively. They are crucial to the story, so gamers do have a chance to catch one in each of the games. But doesn’t mean it will be easy, with that catch rate of 3.
Giratina’s Origin Forme is one of the best-designedPokemon in the whole franchise, so players may want to use that Master Ball. However, some may want to wait to use it on a roaming Pokemon that will run away from the battle.
18The Regis
The Regi line has been around since Generation III, but once players were introduced to the Galar Region, they discovered two more Regis lurking in an ancient ruin. That brings the total to five Regis, and their ultimate patriarch in Regigigas. Each one of these titans has an incredibly low catch rate, making it difficult for trainers to snag them by traditional means. It doesn’t help that they’re pretty tanky. Thankfully, they have an array of weaknesses to help players whittle their health down.
Those looking for something on the “elemental Titan” side will need to verify they bring lots of Pokeballs, status-effect-inducing pocket monsters, and luck with them to grab these Legendary Pokemon.
17The Swords Of Justice
There are a lot of Legendary Pokemon out there that don’t feel Legendary to some players. Case in point, the Swords of Justice. This group of creatures, based loosely on the Three Musketeers, was introduced in Generation V. Although they’re unique in their dual Fighting-type, they leave much to be desired regarding that “Legendary pizazz.” At the end of the day, the Swords of Justice just seem more like pseudo-Legendary Pokemon than the real deal.
That said, they’re still rather difficult to catch. All of them, including their Mythical counterpart, Keldeo, have a catch rate of 3, making it a pain in the neck for any player that wants the complete set.
16The Guardian Deities
Pokemon Sun & Moon was a bit divisive for some of the fanbase. There were some who appreciated its refreshing take on the Pokemon formula, especially with the Trials, while there were others that weren’t nearly as enthusiastic about the “island adventure.” As the game progressed, players would eventually meet the Legendary Pokemon that called the Alola Region home. The Tapu-named Guardian Deities were definitely a unique design, inspired by Island-based culture, but they would find themselves completely overshadowed by the Ultra Beasts, a subset of otherworldly Pokemon that showed up during the title’s endgame.
Although the Tapus are a cool collection to have for any trainer looking to catch ‘em all, their low 3 Catch Rate makes it difficult to get the entire four-stack.
15Melmetal
Melmetal is a steel-type Pokemon that first appeared inPokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!andPokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee!. The Mythical Pokemon also appears inPokemon Goas an evolution ofMeltan,though as of right now, this is the only game where Meltan can be evolved.
Melmetal appeared in the showFinal Rivals!when Ash’s Meltan evolves prior to the Manalo Conference finals.As per the website pokemonletsgo.pokemon.com, Melmetal’s appearance was the first time that it had been seen in 3,000 years.
14Metagross
Pseudo-legendary Pokemon Metagross first appeared in the 2005 (US release) filmPokemon: Destiny Deoxys.The Steel/Psychic dual-type Pokemon is an evolution of Metang, which is an evolution of Beldum. With the use of Metagrossite, Metagrosscan be Mega Evolvedinto Mega Metagross.
InMega Evolution Special II, steel-type specialist trainer Steven Stone hasa Shiny Metagross, which becomes his main battlingPokemoninPokemon the Series: XY, the fifth series ofPokemonanime.
