Where to find Bonsly in Pokémon Sword & Shield

Meg Bethany Koepp
The Pokémon Company / Game Freak

If you’re wanting to know how to find Bonsly in Pokémon Sword & Shield for the Nintendo Switch, then look no further – we’ve got you covered.

Bonsly is the baby version of Rock-type Pokémon Sudowoodo, and was first introduced in Generation IV with Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo DS.

Its cute appearance resembles a Japanese bonsai tree, with the three bushes on its head shaped like a suit of clubs, and is often mistaken for a real tree.

Since it’s a baby form, players are naturally going nuts trying to find out how they can grab one for themselves. You don’t need to search far though, as we’ve got all the details right here.

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How to get Bonsly in Pokémon Sword & Shield

There are three ways to nab yourself a Bonsly in Sword and Shield: you can either find it in the wild, hatch one from an Egg using the Nursery, or it can spawn as a two-star Raid.

To find the cute monster outside, head to the Bridge Field section of the Wild Area during a sandstorm, and make sure to run into any shaking grass to trigger a non-Overworld spawn. 

While weather is unpredictable in the game, you can change it to another random forecast by altering the time and date in your Switch’s system settings until you get what you need.

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The Pokémon Company / Game FreakBonsly is Sudowoodo’s cute baby form.

If you’ve managed to capture a Sudowoodo, an easier way to obtain Bonsly is to breed one using the Nursery in either the Bridge Field section of the Wild Area, or on Route 5.

To do this, you’ll need either two Sudowoodo of opposite genders, or one Sudo and a Ditto. You can catch the Rock-type at Motostoke Outskirts, Hammerlocke Hills, Bridge Field, or Dusty Bowl, and you can find Ditto at the Lake of Outrage.

Putting two monsters into the Nursery isn’t enough, though – you’ve also got to give a Sudowoodo a specific item to hold, otherwise it’ll just breed an egg of the same type.

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The Pokémon Company / Game FreakBreeding is a great way to get Bonsly.

The item you need is the Rock Incense, which can be found at the Incense Merchant in Hulbery in the southern portion of the town.

Once you’ve bought it for 2,000 Pokédollars, simply give it to a Sudowoodo to hold, put the monster in the Nursery with either a Ditto or another Sudo, and then wait for an Egg to produce. 

You’ll know when it’s ready when the attendant sports a thinking pose with her hand resting upon her face. Just make sure you don’t accidentally select “No” when she asks if you want to take it, otherwise it’ll disappear and you’ll have to wait for another to generate.

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The Pokémon Company / Game FreakBonsly will hatch from the egg if you’ve performed the steps correctly.

With the Egg finally in hand, place it in one of your party slots, and walk around for a few minutes until it hatches. If done correctly, you’ve got yourself your very own Bonsly – hooray!

The lovable baby Pokémon can also be found as a two-star Raid, but it’s by far the most difficult method of obtaining one as the spawn is completely random.

If you’re looking for the easiest way to nab one for your Pokédex, breeding and hatching it in the Nursery is your best bet by far.

About The Author

Meg was Weekend Editor at Dexerto before leaving us in April 2022.