How to Catch Froakie in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
While Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces its own trio of starter Pokémon, many trainers arriving in Lumiose City have one question on their minds: can they find the original Kalos starters? The good news is that Chespin, Fennekin, and the fan-favorite Water-type, Froakie, are all available to add to your team. You don’t have to wait until the end of the game, either—you can get a guaranteed Froakie early on by completing a specific Side Mission.
This guide will provide a step-by-step walkthrough on how to catch Froakie in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, including where to find its mission and what you need to do to convince it to join your team.
Pokemon Legends: Unlocking the Kalos Starter Side Missions
Before you can begin your search for Froakie, you need to progress through the main story. The Side Missions for all three Kalos starters become available only after you have completed Main Mission 05: “The City in the Shadow of Prism Tower.”
Once you finish this mission, the world of Lumiose City opens up, and you will see new white and blue exclamation points appear on your map, indicating available Side Missions. Among these are the unique quests to obtain Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie.
Finding and Completing “A Challenge from Froakie”
Froakie’s quest is a test of speed and agility rather than battle prowess. To begin, you will need to find and accept Side Mission 09: “A Challenge from Froakie.”
Mission Location
You can find this mission just north of the Jaune Pokémon Center on North Boulevard, located in the northeastern section of Lumiose City. Look for a character near a scaffolding course who will initiate the quest. You’ll discover a speedy Froakie who is convinced no trainer can match its parkour skills.
How to Complete the Challenge
To impress Froakie and convince it to join you, you must beat its records on a series of three scaffolding courses. This challenge is a time trial, requiring you to navigate the courses as quickly as possible. The time requirements are:
- Course 1: Clear within 30 seconds.
- Course 2: Clear within 40 seconds.
- Course 3: Clear within 50 seconds.
The first two courses are relatively straightforward, but the final course can be tricky. Here are some tips to navigate the final, most complex course:
- The First Gap: After the initial ladder climb, you will face a large gap. To cross it, you need to perform a dodge-roll to clear the distance.
- Climb and Cross: Once across, climb the ladder to your right. You will then need to carefully walk across a narrow beam.
- The Final Jump: Near the end of the course, you will need to execute another well-timed dodge-roll from a narrow beam to reach the finish line.
Once you have successfully beaten Froakie’s time on all three courses, it will be impressed by your speed and agility and will happily join your team. As a reward for completing the mission, you will also receive 1,800 Poké Dollars, 3 EXP Candy XS, and 1 EXP Candy S. The Froakie you receive will always have the Sassy Nature (which increases Special Defense and decreases Speed), but its gender can vary.
Can You Catch More Froakie?
While this Side Mission provides your first guaranteed Froakie, it isn’t your only chance to get one. Much later in the game, as you approach the end of the main story, Froakie will begin to appear as a rare spawn in Wild Zone 16. This will allow dedicated trainers to hunt for a Froakie with different stats or even a Shiny one.
By completing this fun and engaging parkour challenge, you can add one of the most popular Pokémon from the Kalos region to your team early in your Pokémon Legends: Z-A adventure.
