Pokemon Sword vs Shield: Differences and Version Exclusives

Pokemon Sword vs Shield comes down to the legendary on the box, a list of about fifty wild Pokemon that only one version has, and Gym Leaders in the middle of the run that change with the game. Zacian belongs to Sword and Zamazenta belongs to Shield, and the rest of the differences follow from that split.

The story and the Galar map are the same in both. If you want the short answer, Sword gets Hydreigon and Salamence, and Shield gets Garchomp and Gengar.

Which Pokemon only one version has

!A screenshot from Pokemon Sword

Sword has 52 Pokemon you cannot catch in the wild in Shield, and Shield has 52 that Sword does not. Sword's side includes Hydreigon, Kommo-o, Salamence and Mawile. Shield's side includes Goodra, Garchomp, Gengar and Lapras. Whatever your version lacks, you get by trading with a friend who owns the other game.

| Only in Sword | Only in Shield | |---|---| | Deino | Larvitar | | Zweilous | Pupitar | | Hydreigon | Tyranitar | | Jangmo-o | Goomy | | Hakamo-o | Sliggoo | | Kommo-o | Goodra | | Turtonator | Lunatone | | Solrock | Croagunk | | Scraggy | Toxicroak | | Scrafty | Solosis | | Gothita | Duosion | | Gothorita | Reuniclus | | Gothitelle | Lotad | | Seedot | Lombre | | Nuzleaf | Ludicolo | | Shiftry | Sableye | | Mawile | Throh | | Sawk | Spritzee | | Darumaka | Oranguru | | Darmanitan | Vullaby | | Passimian | Mandibuzz | | Rufflet | Zamazenta | | Braviary | Ponyta | | Zacian | Rapidash | | Farfetch'd | Corsola | | Sirfetch'd | Cursola | | Flapple | Appletun | | Stonjourner | Eiscue | | Swirlix | Drampa | | Pinsir | Gengar | | Clauncher | Lapras | | Clawitzer | Heracross | | Omanyte | Skrelp | | Omastar | Dragalge | | Ho-Oh | Kabuto | | Bagon | Kabutops | | Shelgon | Lugia | | Salamence | Latias | | Latios | Kyogre | | Groudon | Gible | | Dialga | Gabite | | Tornadus | Garchomp | | Reshiram | Palkia | | Xerneas | Thundurus | | Solgaleo | Zekrom | | Ninetales | Yveltal | | Hitmonlee | Lunala | | Indeedee (male) | Arcanine | | Escavalier | Hitmonchan | | Basculin (Red-Striped) | Indeedee (female) | | Machamp | Accelgor | | Coalossal | Basculin (Blue-Striped) |

Zacian or Zamazenta on the box

!A screenshot from Pokemon Shield

The two legendary wolves are the loudest difference. You meet the one from your version at the top of the Tower Summit at level 70, and the other one is the version exclusive you have to trade for. Both also show up in the Slumbering Weald during the story. (Zamazenta looks permanently annoyed about it.)

Four Gym Leaders that depend on your version

!A screenshot from Pokemon Sword

Sword and Shield share most of their Gym Leaders. The ones that change are in the middle of the run: Sword has Bea in Stow-on-Side and Gordie in Circhester, while Shield has Allister and Melony in those same towns.

Bea's team is built around fighters such as Hitmontop and Machamp. Allister answers with ghosts such as Mimikyu and Gengar. At Circhester, Gordie fields Shuckle and Coalossal, and Melony fields Lapras and Eiscue.

Other differences in the Slumbering Weald and beyond

!A screenshot from Pokemon Shield

Each game also has its own trainer in the Slumbering Weald: Sordward in Sword and Shielbert in Shield. Their teams are not the same, either, since Sordward brings Golisopod and Bisharp while Shielbert brings Bronzong and Klinklang.

Items, shops and trades are identical in both versions, so nothing else in your bag depends on the box you bought.

Which one should you buy?

!A screenshot from Pokemon Sword

Buy Sword if you would rather have Zacian and Hydreigon, and buy Shield if Zamazenta and Garchomp sound better. The game itself plays the same either way, so this is a choice about the Pokemon you want on your team without trading. We would lean Shield, mostly because Garchomp and Gengar are easier to build a team around than Mawile (this is an opinion, and Mawile fans may write to us).