Zekrom, the Deep Black Pokémon. As the black Legendary of Pokémon Black & White series, it represents ideals. It will scorch humans with lightning if they abandon their just ideals. It also stands opposite of Reshiram, the dragon of truth. But legends say that Kyurem, Zekrom, and Reshiram were once all one being. When people warred over their own ideals and truths, this being was split. Modern science can fuse them together again... sort of.
Both together and in its fused state, Zekrom can travel to Pokémon Sword & Shield from other games. We're going to show you how to electrify Galar with your ideals.
Zekrom cannot actually be caught in Pokémon Sword & Shield. The only way to capture one and then get it to Galar is to transfer it over from the 3DS. This requires the help of two paid apps: Pokémon Bank and Pokémon Home.
Pokémon Bank is a cloud storage app for the 3DS. For $5 a year, players can store their Pokémon from the DS and 3DS games in the cloud. Reshiram can be caught in Pokémon White and Black 2. It can then be put into Pokémon Bank using a separate, free app called Poké Transporter. Alternatively, players can find Reshiram in the 3DS games Alpha Sapphire and Ultra Moon. Those games allow for direct deposit into Pokémon Bank.
Pokémon Home is the newer cloud storage app, meant to eventually replace Pokémon Bank. It costs $16 a year, and comes with a free month of Pokémon Bank to help facilitate mass migration from the 3DS games. Players will need the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon Home in order to transfer Pokémon from Bank. Activate both apps and follow the instructions provided to set up a transfer. Players will be asked to enter a long code into their 3DS. Then they'll be able to transfer Zekrom, and any other Pokémon, from their 3DS to Pokémon Home. Once Zekrom is in Pokémon Home, it can be moved from the cloud into the player's Sword/Shield storage box.
Trading For Zekrom
Zekrom is also subject to one of the easiest methods of acquiring Pokémon: trading. Pokémon Home has a function called the GTS that allows players to offer a Pokémon of their choice and ask for anything they'd like in return. Just please make sure you offer a fair trade for Zekrom. You can also find a friend to trade with and skip the part where you rely on the kindness of internet strangers.
Transfer From Pokémon GO
There are eventual plans to allow transfers between Pokémon GO and Pokémon Home. There is also a good chance that Zekrom will come to Pokémon GO as a raid at some point in 2020. However, neither thing has happened as of this writing.
Evolutions And Alternate Forms
Like most Legendary Pokémon, Zekrom does not evolve. It also misses out on a Gigantamax form. What it does get, however, is a fusion.
Going back to the idea that Kyurem, Reshiram, and Zekrom used to be one being, they can be fused together using an item. Kyurem can only combine with one at a time, however, resulting in a Black Kyurem and a White Kyurem.
Black Kyurem is the result of fusing Zekrom with Kyurem. This process essentially erases your Zekrom to transform Kyurem. It can be initiated and undone in Sword & Shield using an item called the DNA Splicers. The item can be obtained from a merchant in Stow-on-Side. It also has unlimited uses, so you can fuse and separate as often as you want.
What Zekrom Does In Battle
As a Legendary Dragon-type Pokémon, Zekrom is a monster in battle. It has a unique typing in Dragon/Electric, giving it the ability to threaten a wide variety of opponents. Zekrom's signature move is Bolt Strike, an amazingly powerful Electric-type attack that can also paralyze the target. Fusing with Kyurem to create Black Kyurem can also be a good move, although it drops Zekrom's Electric-type for the Ice-type. Either way, it gets the mighty Teravolt Ability that can ruin an opponent's defense.
