Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Version Exclusives
Ruby and Sapphire have 16 version-exclusive Pokémon: 8 only in Ruby and 8 only in Sapphire. See where to find each one, and how to get the other version's exclusives without buying both games.
Missing one? Trade with someone who has the other version, on the second floor of any Pokémon Center.
Displaying 16 of 16 Pokémon.
8 exclusives · 7 main story, 1 post-game
#273
Seedot
Grass
Routes 102 and 114
#274
Nuzleaf
Grass
Dark
Route 114, or evolve Seedot at level 14
#275
Shiftry
Grass
Dark
Use a Leaf Stone on Nuzleaf
#303
Mawile
Steel
Granite Cave, Cave of Origin, and Victory Road
#335
Zangoose
Normal
Route 114
#338
Solrock
Rock
Psychic
Meteor Falls
#383
Groudon
Ground
Cave of Origin in Sootopolis City
8 exclusives · 7 main story, 1 post-game
#270
Lotad
Water
Grass
Routes 102 and 114
#271
Lombre
Water
Grass
Route 114, or evolve Lotad at level 14
#272
Ludicolo
Water
Grass
Use a Water Stone on Lombre
#302
Sableye
Dark
Ghost
Granite Cave, Cave of Origin, and Victory Road
#336
Seviper
Poison
Route 114
#337
Lunatone
Rock
Psychic
Meteor Falls
#382
Kyogre
Water
Cave of Origin in Sootopolis City
About version exclusives
Every pair of Pokémon games splits some Pokémon between its two versions. Ruby has 8 Pokémon that Sapphire can't get, and Sapphire has 8 of its own. This page lists them side by side, shows where to catch or how to evolve each one, and lines each Pokémon up with its counterpart in the other version. Use it to pick a version, plan your team, or build a trade list to finish your Pokédex.
What this page is
Most main-series Pokémon games come in pairs, like FireRed and LeafGreen or Scarlet and Violet. The two versions tell the same story, but each one leaves out a handful of Pokémon that only the other version has. These are version exclusives. The split goes all the way back to the first games, and it's there for one reason: to get trainers trading with each other.
What it does
Each paired game has a page that lists every exclusive in both versions side by side. Each Pokémon shows where to find it or how to evolve it, and whether it turns up in the main story, after the credits, or in a DLC area. Switch to Pairs to see which Pokémon fill the same role in each version, like Scyther in FireRed and Pinsir in LeafGreen. When the other version can still get a Pokémon without a trade, such as through an in-game trade or another trainer's raid, the row says so.
Why it's worth a look
- Picking a version. See exactly what you'd give up before you buy.
- Planning a team. Know which Pokémon your version can catch before you set out.
- Finishing the Pokédex. The list doubles as a checklist of what you still need.
- Trading. Know what to ask a friend for, and what to offer back.
How we build it
Sources don't always agree on what counts as an exclusive, so we apply one rule to every game and check each Pokémon against several references and our own location data. Spot something wrong? Let us know and we'll fix it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are version exclusives in Ruby and Sapphire?
They're Pokémon you can only get in one of the two versions. Ruby has 8 and Sapphire has 8. To get the rest, trade with someone who has the other version.
Which version should I get, Ruby or Sapphire?
Neither is better. Pick the one whose exclusives you want on your team. Switch to Pairs to compare each Pokémon with its counterpart in the other version.
What counts as a version exclusive?
A Pokémon that one version can get and the other can't, playing alone with one copy of the game and its DLC. Wild encounters, gifts, fossils, one-time encounters, breeding, and evolving all count. Trades with other trainers, Pokémon HOME, and event distributions don't.
Do Pokémon that evolve by trading count?
Yes, when the Pokémon they evolve from is exclusive. Evolutions and baby Pokémon are listed on the same side as the Pokémon they come from, unless the other version can find them some other way.
Are forms counted?
Yes, when only one version can get that form. The form is spelled out in the Pokémon's name on the list.
Can I get version exclusives without trading?
Usually not. When the other version can get a Pokémon without a trade, for example through an in-game trade or by joining another trainer's raid, that Pokémon's row says how.
Version exclusives in other games
Yellow, Crystal, Emerald, Platinum, Legends: Arceus, and Legends: Z-A have one version, so they have no exclusives.
