Pokémon Go ‘Legendary Heroes’ Path Choice: Sword or Shield?

“Legendary heroes” is a Sword and shield-theme Timed Research mission that runs until early October 2024 in Pokemon go.

There’s a choice to be made as part of this branching quest — the Sword Path or Shield Path — that will affect both the Collection Challenges and the Incensed Pokémon you’ll encounter during the event. Choose wisely!

This Timed Research is part of the “Max Out” season, which saw the debut of several Galar Pokémon, Dynamax Pokémon, and Power Spots.

Available from September 26th, you have until October 1, 2024to start and complete the “Legendary Heroes” Timed Research. Thanks to LeekDuck for helping fill in the gaps with the following.

Rewards: 8 Pokéballs, 800 XP, 800 Stardust

At this point you choose between the Sword Path and the Turtle Path.

In the following section, you can read our thoughts on which one to choose. Otherwise, the steps that apply to both choices are:

Rewards: Galarian Darumaka encounter, 800 XP, 800 Stardust

Rewards: Rufflet Encounter, 800 XP, 800 Stardust

Rewards: Galarian Ponyta encounter, 800 XP, 800 Stardust

Rewards: Vullaby Encounter, 800 XP, 800 Stardust

This ‘choose a path’ branching research not only results in various encounters and rewards as part of the quest, but choosing the Sword Path and the Turtle also changes the Collection Challenges and Incense Encounters You Receive.

The ‘Catch’ Collection Challenge is based on Pokémon you encounter when using Incense. The ‘Trade’ Collection Challenge requires Pokémon that can only be found on the other path with Incensewhich means you have to trade with someone who catches the Pokémon you can’t catch. That’s why it’s a good idea to choose another path to a friendso you can help each other complete the Collection Challenge.

Note that if you don’t do this — for example, if you and a friend have chosen the same path — the ‘Trade’ Collection Challenge can still be completed if you already have that Pokémon in your collection. Only the ‘Catch’ portion of the Collection Challenges relies on collecting that specific Pokémon as part of the event, while the ‘Trade’ challenge will work for Pokémon once they have been caught.

If you’re not interested in completing the collection challenges, the choice simply depends on the Pokémon you can encounter via Incense and the time-limited research rewards (more information on these can be found elsewhere on this page). The difficulty and length of the quest steps remain the same for both the Sword Path and the Turtle.

Once you complete the first step of the branching research, collection challenges will appear. What you receive depends on whether you choose a sword or shield.

Rewards: 1,000 XP, Skwovet Encounter

Rewards: 5,000 XP, encounter with Larvitar

Rewards: 1,000 XP, Skwovet Encounter

Rewards: 5,000 XP, Deino Encounter

The following Incense encounters depend on your Sword Path or Turtle choice in the Time-Founding Research, and all have a chance to be shiny.