Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC: All the New Legendary Pokemon and Gigantimax Starters in the Expansion Pass

With the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield's Expansion Pass this year, released in two parts, Nintendo have teased new legendary Pokemon and new Gigantimax forms to play with. We'll take you through all the important news and confirmed details here.

All the New Legendaries in the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra DLC

The Nintendo Direct in which the Expansion Pass was first announced revealed three new legendary pokemon: the diminutive Kubfu, which can be evolved into the more Urshifu - the first legendary Pokemon ever to evolve. There's also Calyrex, a large-headed regal-looking balloon goat. We'll go over how to get them and their details momentarily, but it seems that all of these will be exclusive to those who have The Isle of Armor or the Crown Tundra, so you'll have to get the Expansion Pass if you don't want to have to persuade a friend to trade them to you.

How to Get Kubfu and Urshifu

Unlike many legendary Pokemon, which have to be caught through climactic battles, Kubfu is apparently given to you by Mustard, an elderly former Champion of Galar and the man who taught Leon everything he knows. He runs a dojo on the Isle of Armor in which he'll take you as an apprentice, seemingly gifting the determined Kubfu to you at some point as a training partner.

We've been told that Kubfu is a fighting type stylised on martial arts who will evolve, at some point, into the more powerful Urshifu. Nintendo have told us that there's actually two forms of Urshifu that it could evolve into: a "Single-Strike style" that is a fighting/dark type, and a "Rapid-Strike style" that's fighting/water. However, we've yet to be told exactly what it is that causes Kubfu to evolve into one version and not the other, whether it relates to held items, how you use it in battles, or specific events in the game's plot.

Both of these versions are capable of Gigantimaxing into unique forms, and will apparently have special moves when they do Gigantimax. They've also told us that Kubfu will be central to the game's plot, so it seems likely that we'll be getting it early in the game.

How to Get Calyrex

This bizarre mix of stoic and silly is Calyrex, a psychic/grass legendary who apparently dwells in the game's second expansion, the Crown Tundra. Details are thinner on the ground regarding this pokemon, but it's clearly modelled on the titular crown, and like Kubfu, the plot is apparently focused on "the mysteries of Calyrex." The apparent high power and inscrutable nature of this Pokemon means that it's less likely we'll be getting it early on in the DLC, though as we said, details are sparse and a lot of this is reading between the lines.

How to Unlock New Gigantimax Forms for Rillaboom, Inteleon and Cinderace

Another major addition to Sword and Shield through upcoming DLC is the reveal of three new Gigantimax forms for the final evolution of the starters, Rillaboom, Inteleon and Cinderace. This is perhaps the aspect of the game that was least explained, with only a few screenshots and two sentences in the Nintendo Direct to put the change into context.

"During your adventure in the Isle of Armor, these special partners in your teams will be able to Gigantimax. You can look forward to seeing their new forms and new G-Max moves."

Though the attached images are apparently not necessarily final, they do give a pretty eye-catching view of the three Gigantimax forms, with Rillaboom operating a vast set of drums, Cinderace riding a fireball with eyes, and Inteleon standing on a cloud with what appears to be a… sniper rifle?

However, this does give some information, firstly that this change will be in the Isle of Armor DLC, and secondly it implies that these will be changes to Pokemon you already owned - you won't have to catch another starter that is Gigantimax compatible.

That's all we have so far on how to get the new legendaries and starter forms in Pokemon Sword and Shield, but we'll be sure to keep you updated with new information as soon as we get it. Of course, if you want to know what returning Pokemon are coming back from old generations, why not look at our page on that? Or if you want to know how to get Galarian Slowpoke right now, you can find our guide here.