How to catch Dhelmise in Pokemon Sword & Shield

Brent Koepp
Dhelmise pokemon sword shield

One of the rarest Pokemon in Sword & Shield is Dhelmise. The rusted Ghost anchor has an extremely low spawn rate and is hard to find. Here is the quickest way to catch the monster. 

The Pokemon franchise entered its eighth generation with the debut of Sword & Shield in 2019. The Nintendo Switch RPG introduced players to the Galar region for the very first time.

One of the new monsters added in Gen VIII is the Ghost type Dhelmise. The rusty sea anchor is also one of the rarest characters in the game. Here is how you can add the creature to your ‘Dex in no time.

The rusted anchor was introduced in Sword & Shield.

How to get Dhelmise in Pokemon Sword & Shield

Dhelmise was first introduced in Sword & Shield and is a Ghost/Grass-type character. The monster looks like a boat anchor covered in seaweed, and even has a ship wheel attached to it. Disturbingly, its Pokedex entry states that it lowers itself underwater to catch Wailords to “drain their life force.”

While it’s not technically a Steel-type, the rusty ‘mon’s Steelworker ability strengthens the elements moves, making it a triple threat. It’s also one of the hardest to find creatures in the game, with a spawn rate as low as 1%.

Thankfully, the creature does not rely on specific weather patterns, and is relatively easy to catch if you know where to look. Note: You must already have access to Route 9 as well as Spikemuth for this guide.

The monster can be found next to Spikemuth.
    • Step 1: Boot up your game and fast travel to Route 9. However, make sure its the second spawn point that is directly left of Spikemuth City.
    • Step 2: Once you arrive, hop on your bike and ride down the hill until you reach beach shore. If you don’t see Dhelmise, ride back up the hill avoiding the Pokemon in the grass and the path. Do this over and over again until the rusted anchor spawns in the overworld. 
    • Step 3: After you see the monster wandering around the map, run into it and battle it. It is recommended you use a Pokemon with False Swipe, Paralyze, or Sleep moves to increase your catch chance.
    • Step 4: And that’s it. Simple, right? You can even enter the Route 9 tunnel to the left of Spikemuth City to force-reset the area. Although simply riding your bike back and forth should be enough.
Dhelmise pokemon sword shield
You can find it in the overworld.

Despite having a spawn rate as low as 1%, we were able to run into the Pokemon multiple times after only just five minutes. Although this can vary, seeing as it’s completely random.

According to Serebii, the ‘mon can also be found in five 5-star Max Raid battles if you have the Isle of Armor DLC. The expansion added one more location for a total of five dens. Although in our test, the Route 9 method was much quicker.

Raid Den locations

  • Bridge Field
  • Dappled Grove
  • Giant’s Mirror
  • Stony Wilderness

Isle of Armor Dens

  • Challenge Beach
Dhelmise max raid
You can get Dhelmise from Max Raids.

Despite only releasing in November 2019, the Gen VIII iteration has been an absolute smash hit and has already become the third highest-selling title in the Pokemon franchise.

Fans of the Galar region have a lot to be excited for as this Fall, the game gets it second DLC The Crown Tundra. The addon will greatly expand the RPG’s map and add a wealth of new monsters to catch.

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About The Author

Brent is a former writer at Dexerto based in the United States, who covered topics such as Pokemon, Gaming, and online Entertainment.