The number of Pokémon in a given game has always been a contentious issue, as future games continue whittling down the number of Pokémon you can obtain. Starting with Sword and Shield, there are also a number of Pokémon you cannot catch and bring into the game, unlike other games where you are able to transfer Pokémon across all the games. Knowing this, you might be naturally curious about how many Pokémon are available to catch in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the Pokedex contains 400 different Pokémon for you to catch. Throughout the history of Pokemon, this means less than half of all Pokémon ever created are actually catchable in these two games. This number is only applicable as of this writing. It’s important to note that The Pokémon Company and Game Freak have added new Pokémon in Sword and Shield through events and free DLC. It stands to reason that the companies will do the same here.
Related: How to run in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Note that based on which game you picked up, there will be some Pokémon exclusive to a certain version. This is par for the course of Pokémon , but this does mean you will need to do some trading with friends or strangers to max out your Pokedex. For a list of Pokémon exclusive to Pokemon Violet, you can consult this guide here. On the other hand, check out this list of Pokémon exclusive to Pokémon Scarlet.
400 Pokémon is the magic number for Pokémon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but again, it’s important to reiterate that this number will likely grow in the future. DLC expansions for Sword and Shield added plenty of new Pokémon to the mix, so expect more Pokémon to be added to your roster in the future.
