Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: How to get Zorua and Zoroark

The Zorua location in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is tough to pin down, and not just because the Dark-type Pokemon is rare. They have a tendency to disguise themselves as other Pokemon, but a few key clues can help you see past their cloak of deception.

Zorua and their evolved form Zoroark are fast and deadly, making them a perfect addition to any team in need of a bit of offense. Zorua aren't easy to find, though, so you'll need some luck and even more patience.

Here's exactly how to get Zorua and Zoruark in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

How to get Zorua in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

To get Zorua in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, you need to head to West Province Area Three and Tagtree Thicket. You can get to West Province Area Three – the area around Medali – quickly without even completing a Gym battle or Operation Starfall mimssion by hopping into Asado Desert, entering Cascarrafa via its desert gate, and exiting to the east.

You won’t just spot a wild Zorua roaming the wild. Zorua disguise themselves as one of the wild Pokemon in the area, so they may be a wild Meowth, for example, or Oinkologne. Ditto can do the same and lives in the same area, but you can tell them apart in two ways.

If you’ve encountered the wild Pokemon before, their name will appear when you target them with 'ZL'. A Ditto or a Zorua will show up as '?????' though, or as their own name once you encounter them, even before you break through their disguise. So, that’s one method.

The other is Pokemon behavior. Ditto disguised as something else will just ignore you. They might look at you, but they’ll express no surprise or curiosity and won’t run toward or away from you. Zorua, however, will look distressed and run away.

Some Pokemon do that naturally, such as Shroomish, but Persian, Meowth, Vigoroth, and other more aggressive Pokemon never run away. If you spot one making a hasty retreat, that’s your sign the ‘mon is really Zorua.

The Zorua in West Province Area Three are around level 30 and have a 10% encounter rate, so bear that in mind when deciding who to bring.

How to get Zoroark in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

To get Zoroark in pokemon Scarlet and Violet, you need to go to the Soccarat Trail and also disguise them as other Pokemon, but you can use the same method of identifying Zorua to identify Zoroark. You may also find both Pokemon in raids, though as with all raid Pokemon, the chance of finding a specific one is random and low.

Are Zorua and Zoroark good in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

Zorua evolves into Zoroark at level 30, and that’s when they really become a powerful Dark-type Pokemon. Zoroark has high speed, attack, and special attack, which makes up for slightly below average defense, which you can boost via a Hyper Training Expert anyway.

They can also learn an impressive range of moves, from Aerial Ace and Snarl, to Grass Knot, Hex, and Dark Pulse.

Dark types are weak to Bug, Fighting, and Fairy, and there are a fair few of those in Paldea, including a Fairy Gym leader, though the Elite Four is mostly devoid of these types. In short, you could do a lot worse than adding Zorua and Zoroark to your team.

Can you get Hisuian Zorua in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

There's no way to obtain a Hisuian Zorua or Hisuian Zoroark in Scarlet and Violet via in-game trades or catching a Pokemon, though it's possible Game Freak may add one in a Tera Raid event at some point.

Looking for more Pokemon to add to your team? There's plenty more new Paldea Pokemon to add to your roster and help you tackle Paldea's Gyms and Titans on your way to becoming Champion.

Take a look at our guide to breeding Pokemon, how to raise friendship levels, and the best sandwich recipes while you're at it!