Pokemon Legends: Arceus abandons the traditional formula of having starter Pokemon from the same region. In Hisui, players get to choose between Rowlet of Alola, Cyndaquil of Johto, and Oshawott of Unova. The starter Pokemon from Pokemon Diamond/Pearl are a part of the Hisui Pokedex, but this time, players are going to have to catch them in the wild.
Piplup is the Water-type starter of the Sinnoh region. Players will need to make some progress in Pokemon Legends: Arceus' story before they can have a chance of catching it. Like Turtwig and Chimchar, Piplup appears in only one location in all of Hisui that becomes accessible once players get the Ride Pokemon, Basculegion.
Updated on May 22, 2022, by Renri Seong: Within Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a variety of Pokemon that players will need to catch in order to complete the Hisui Pokedex. Although battling other trainers isn't common in the Hisui region, it's always good to have some variety on the team/party. Piplup is a Water-type Pokemon that evolves into Water/Steel-type Empoleon. What it lacks in Speed it makes up for in Special Attack and Special Defense. If players want to get Empoleon, they'll have to track down a Piplup first. The following guide has been updated to include another method of getting Piplup and its evolutions.
Piplup's Location
Piplup can be found in the Cobalt Coastlands of Hisui at a pond near Islespy Shore.
This is the third region that players will unlock in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Upon arriving, players will quickly realize that they need a Pokemon that can cross water if they want to explore every corner of the Cobalt Coastlands. If this is the first time visiting the coastlands, make some progress on Mission 10: The Lordless Island, and eventually Basculegion will be added to the Celestial Flute.
- With Basculegion, surf out from Ginkgo Landing.
- Continue and go around Lunker's Lair, pass Seagrass Haven, and then straight to Islespy Shore.
- Islespy Shore is home to stronger Pokemon such as Walrein, Sealeo, and an Alpha Empoleon. Avoid the Alpha Empoleon since its level will be in the high 60s, which is too strong for trainers without a higher star rank.
- Look closely at the map and there should be a white cave icon and a pond a little north. The white cave is Spring Path, but ignore that for now.
- Go towards the small pond at the north of the map by Islespy Shore. There should be Bibarels and at least one Piplup roaming nearby.
If players have already calmed the Noble Arcanine of Cobalt Coastlands, then they can simply warp to Firespit Island and swim directly to Islespy Shore.
Piplup is a timid Pokemon and will run if players get too close. To avoid this, distract Piplup with a Berry and remain crouched when approaching it. The best way to get Piplup is by getting a back strike catch. Engaging it in battle gives it a chance to run away.
If players are really lucky, they may run into an Alpha Piplup, who will be around level 20-30. Regular-sized Piplups will be about level 12, so it'll need to do some leveling before it can evolve into Prinplup.
Sometimes, Prinplup can be spotted on the other side of the lake where Piplup spawns. This will save players from having to evolve Piplup, but they'll still want to catch the pre-evolved Pokemon to register it in the Pokedex. If players are at a high enough Star Rank, they can catch the Alpha Empoleon (level 69) that runs up and down Islespy Shore.
Other Ways to Find Piplup
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When trying to leave through the Front Gate of Jubilife Village, Ress, the guard, will sometimes mention a mass outbreak of Pokemon. On the map, players will be able to see which Pokemon mass outbreak is occurring in what area. This includes Piplup, who may appear in an outbreak after the Noble Arcanine is calmed in Cobalt Coastlands. Piplup's outbreak tends to occur around Islespy Shore.
If players have beaten the main story, they can start the requests with the massive mass outbreaks. This is when multiple mass outbreaks occur in one area. Piplup has a chance of appearing in a massive mass outbreak at the Cobalt Coastlands alongside its evolution, Prinplup. If Piplup's icon has a golden glow behind it, then there's a chance an Alpha Piplup or Prinplup horde will spawn once the first Piplup mass outbreak disappears.
For tips on how to catch Pokemon in massive mass outbreaks, craft and bring Stealth Sprays, Smoke Balls, and Sticky Globs. These are extremely important since Piplups will flee (except Alpha Piplups) if they spot the player character. One thing players can do is use the Stealth Spray, toss a Smoke Ball near the Piplup outbreak, and then use Feather/Wing/Jet Balls from a distance to catch the Piplups from far away. Players won't be able to lock on to Piplup, but if they aim properly, they might be able to get a back strike catch.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available now on Nintendo Switch.