Regional Forms, originally introduced in Sun and Moon in the Alola region, have been some of the most anticipated reveals every time a new game comes out. Exeggutor, Vulpix, Ninetales, Sandshrew, and Sandslash were the first ever revealed Regional Forms, and so started a new trend that many players have been looking forward to.

The concept of Regional Forms gets a bit confusing when you try to find out how to obtain specific forms or breed them. The limited number of Pokémon in the newest releases is also something to take into consideration, as someone may not always know who is available.

In this guide, Regional Forms will be analysed and categorised for each game, focusing on their availability and any special circumstances.

1. Regional Forms categories.

1.1. Full regional line.

• Alola: Rattata, Raticate, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Vulpix, Ninetales, Diglett, Dugtrio, Meowth, Persian, Geodude, Graveler, Golem, Grimer, Muk.
• Galar: Ponyta, Rapidash, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Darumaka, Darmanitan, Stunfisk.
• Hisui: Growlithe, Arcanine, Voltorb, Electrode, Zorua, Zoroark.
• Paldea: Tauros.

Evolution lines are fully comprised of regional forms. These Pokémon will always evolve into their next stage’s regional form, no matter in which region they are in, except (obviously) those with no evolution, like Stunfisk.

Outside of their region of origin, they will lay eggs that will hatch into the region’s current form (for example, an Alolan Meowth’s eggs will normally hatch into regular Meowths in Paldea). On the other hand, if they hold an everstone, their offspring will always have the same form as the parent (an Alolan Meowth holding an everstone will result in more Alolan Meowths, no matter the region).

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres can’t be replicated, as they are part of the "No Eggs Discovered" egg group.

1.2. Evolution-exclusive regional.

• Alola: Raichu, Exeggutor, Marowak.
• Galar: Weezing.
• Hisui: Decidueye, Typhlosion, Samurott, Lilligant, Braviary, Sliggoo, Avalugg.
• Paldea: ---

Evolution lines where one or more members have a regional form but not the others. These Pokémon will only evolve into these forms if they are in their region of origin (for example, a Pikachu will only evolve into Alolan Raichu in Alola). They cannot be replicated in other regions.

1.3. Regional form with new evolution.

• Alola: ---
• Galar: Meowth (Perrserker), Farfetch’d (Sirfetch’d), Mr. Mime (Mr. Rime), Corsola (Cursola), Linoone (Obstagoon), Yamask (Runerigus).
• Hisui: Qwilfish (Overqwil), Sneasel (Sneasler).
• Paldea: Wooper (Clodsire).

Similarly to the first type, all of its members have regional forms, with the addition of a completely new evolution. These Pokémon will always evolve into their new stage, no matter which region they are in (with some exceptions that will be mentioned later).

Outside of their region of origin, they will lay eggs that will hatch into the region’s current form (for example, a Galarian Meowth’s eggs will normally hatch into regular Meowths in Paldea). On the other hand, if they hold an everstone, their offspring will always have the same form as the parent (a Galarian Meowth holding an everstone will result in more Galarian Meowths, no matter the region).

2. Regional Forms availability.

2.1. Regional lines available in each game.

The Pokémon that are only obtainable through HOME are highlighted.

• Sun/Moon & Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
  • Alolan: Rattata, Raticate, Raichu, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Vulpix, Ninetales, Diglett, Dugtrio, Meowth, Persian, Geodude, Graveler, Golem, Grimer, Muk, Exeggutor, and Marowak.
• Sword/Shield:
  • Alolan: Raichu, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Vulpix, Ninetales, Diglett, Dugtrio, Meowth, Persian, Exeggutor, and Marowak.
  • Galarian: Meowth, Perrserker, Ponyta, Rapidash, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Farfetch’d, Sirfetch’d, Weezing, Mr. Mime, Mr. Rime, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Corsola, Cursola, Zigzagoon, Linoone, Obstagoon, Darumaka, Darmanitan, Yamask, Runerigus, and Stunfisk.
• Legends: Arceus:
  • Alolan: Vulpix.
  • Hisuian: Growlithe, Arcanine, Voltorb, Electrode, Typhlosion, Qwilfish, Overqwil, Sneasel, Sneasler, Samurott, Lilligant, Zorua, Zoroark, Braviary, Sliggoo, Goodra, Avalugg, and Decidueye.
• Scarlet/Violet:
  • Alolan: Raichu, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Vulpix, Ninetales, Diglett, Dugtrio, Meowth, Persian, Geodude, Graveler, Golem, Grimer, and Muk.
  • Galarian: Meowth, Perrserker, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Weezing, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres.
  • Hisuian: Growlithe, Arcanine, Voltorb, Electrode, Typhlosion, Qwilfish, Overqwil, Sneasel, Sneasler, Samurott, Lilligant, Zorua, Zoroark, Braviary, Sliggoo, Goodra, Avalugg, and Decidueye.
  • Paldean: Tauros Combat Breed, Tauros Blaze Breed, Tauros Aqua Breed, Wooper, and Clodsire.

2.2. Where to find them.

The following tables show where to find each Regional Form in every game. They are divided by generation. If a Pokémon has more than one form, they appear in the same cell with their respective names. An empty space means that the Regional Form is unobtainable in that game.

2.3. Regional lines breeding.

All of the Pokémon in the next list are assumed to be in the Regional Form. The entire evolution line is included if they also have a form.

* In Generation 9, incenses were removed, and therefore they aren’t needed anymore to get baby pokémon from eggs. Every egg from these pokémon will hatch into the baby stage. Previously, a Galarian Mr. Mime’s eggs would always result in another Galarian Mr. Mime, unless it was holding an odd incense (Mime Jr.). With this change, it means that Galarian Mr. Mime is no longer replicable outside of Galar, although it is currently unavailable in other regions.

3. Special cases.

In Generation 9, some regional evolutions are currently unobtainable: Wyrdeer and Ursaluna.

Stantler needs to use its signature move (psyshield bash) 20 times in order to evolve. In Legends: Arceus, it also needed to do so in Agile styles, but this was removed in generation 9. Still, this evolution is deliberately locked, so it don’t take place even if the requirements are met. Ursaring needs an item to evolve into Ursaluna that is currently unobtainable in the Generation 9 games.

Starting on The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero: The Indigo Disk DLC, Hisuian Qwilfish can now evolve to Overqwil by levelling up while knowing the move Barb Barrage. Galarian Slowpoke can also evolve into either of its next stages, as the items to do so are available in the Generation 9 games thanks to this DLC. The same can't be said about Scyther evolving into Kleavor, as its item is unobtainable in these games, but Kleavor can now appear in the wild on the Blueberry Academy's Terrarium.

Although the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC takes place in the Scarlet and Violet games, the areas where the story unfolds are considered different regions from Paldea. This means that any Paldean Taruos will have the regular Tauros from Kanto as their offspring in this place and will need an everstone to get the Paldean form. This is also the case for Paldean Wooper. The Blueberry Academy's Terrarium holds Alolan Sandshrew and Alolan Vulpix in the wild, but the offspring will still result in the original forms, as this is considered a place in the Unova region.

3.1. White Stripe Basculin.

Even if it’s not programmed as one, White Stripe Basculin has been mentioned as a Regional Form multiple times. The Legends: Arceus Pokédex implies it’s one, and Professor Laventon categorises it as such. In the TCG, its name is “Hisuian Basculin”. The Pokémon HOME Pokédex shows it while using the “Regional Form” search filter. Its status as a Regional Form is very inconsistent.

Contrary to the previously mentioned Pokémon and their regional evolutions, Basculin can evolve into Basculegion in other regions. It also does not need to hold any items to have an egg hatch into another White Stripe Basculin.

4. Convergent evolution.

This new concept was introduced in Scarlet and Violet. Convergent evolution refers to the development of a physical resemblance between two species that are not related and do not share a common ancestor. One real-life example of this is sugar gliders and flying squirrels, which belong to two different groups of mammals but both developed the ability to glide.

In the world of Pokémon, these species usually have a few characteristics that make them similar (like their physical appearance and body shape), but other than that, they are mostly completely unrelated Pokémon when it comes to things like Pokédex category, colour, typing, size and weight, moveset, etc.

• Wiglett/Wugtrio: an eel Pokémon that closely resembles Diglett and Dugtrio, sharing some anatomical traits like its shape and movement. They are water-type, marine Pokémon, and because of these similarities, researchers thought they were a regional form of Diglett and Dugtrio, but they turned out to be completely different species. The only common thing between these Pokémon is their body shape and stats. Wiglett and Wugtrio usually live in water, as opposed to Diglett and Dugtrio, although they can be occasionally seen on beaches.
• Toedscool/Toedscruel: a fungus Pokémon that can be easily mistaken as a Tentacool or Tentacruel regional form. They have developed tentacles as their preferred way of movement, just like the two previously mentioned, but in this case, they are used for running. Toedscool and Toedscruel live on land, as opposed to Tentacool and Tentacruel.

The differences between regional forms and convergent evolution are simple:

• Regional forms happen when a Pokémon adapts to a new environment and develops new traits that give them an advantage under these conditions. For example, Sandshrew and Vulpix have a coat of ice to resist the cold on Mount Lanakila, as Sandshrews were driven away from the desert due to the constant volcanic eruptions, and Vulpix avoided the habitat of other Pokémon. These Pokémon share the same ancestor as their regular form and are the same species. The Pokédex number doesn’t change from the original form.
• Convergent evolution, although it makes Pokémon have physical resemblances like regional forms do, happens in Pokémon that are from unrelated species that happened to develop those similar traits. They have different ancestors and different Pokédex numbers.