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I really want to play Pokémon Go but I am a completionist. If I start playing now, what Pokémon won't I be able to catch?

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  • ♪ Gotta catch them all ♪
    – Alex
    Commented Nov 27 at 23:07

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There are multiple Pokemon which come and go due to limited time events. Thus the list of which Pokemon are available right now vs in the past is always going to be a bit out of date.

Also, trading with other players is now possible, making it a lot easier to get certain Pokemon you missed.

A lot of previous legendaries are obtainable via the 7-day research reward, or coming back into legendary raids.

The only ones you currently missed are via special quests. These quests should have been picked up (but not completed) in a certain time period. Rewards for those were:

  • Mew
  • Celebi
  • Spiritomb
  • Meltan (but obtainable via a Mystery Box)

There were multiple limited time Pokemon, mostly legendaries. It is currently not known if they will return (all of them or a select group). These Pokemon were:

  1. (Shiny) Lugia
  2. Articuno
  3. Moltres
  4. Zapdos
  5. Raikou
  6. Entei
  7. Suicune
  8. (Shiny) Ho-oh
  9. Delibird
  10. Groudon
  11. Kyogre

A lot of previous legendaries are obtainable via the 7-day research reward, or coming back into legendary raids.

Currently there is another legendary active, Latios/Latias (and shiny Ho-Oh), so be sure to catch that one while it is still possible. Also Mewtwo is available through Ex-raids at this moment in time.

The legendary birds (Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos) were twice catchable. First a week per bird, then about another month where all 3 birds were available at the same time. Now Zapdos is available by finishing a research quest on 7 individual days. Moltres was already available. Articuno will be available in June.

Another 'issue' might be the special hats for the Pikachu family. At specific moments in time they were catchable/hatchable with a different hat.

One other thing that might be annoying is that there are regional Pokemon. For example, Farfetch'd is limited to Asia only. However, there has been an event where it was catchable for 48 hours worldwide. You can still catch Farfetch'd in Asia, but not so soon in your hometown (if not located in Asia) though.

The regions of Seviper and Zangoose are switched right now. Catch the one that should not be in your location!

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  • 2
    I think this is a great answer that covers a lot of good points, but requires a bit of editing, including removing stuff that's listed as occurring "right now" when it was years ago at this point. If you don't have the time, with your permission, I'd like to take a crack at rewording it if you like?
    – Robotnik ♦
    Commented Feb 29 at 0:37
  • Thanks for adjusting it @Robotnik
    – Mathias711
    Commented Feb 29 at 11:17
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Posting an updated answer since the old one is outdated. For a regularly up-to-date list of available Pokemon, see Bulbapedia.

Kanto Pokedex. All Pokemon are obtainable.

Jotho Pokedex. All Pokemon are obtainable.

Hoenn Pokedex. All Pokemon are obtainable.

Sinnoh Pokedex. The unobtainable Pokemon are:

  • Rotom Fan form (base, Frost, Heat, Mow, and Wash forms are available)
  • Phione and Manaphy
  • Arceus (all forms)

Unova Pokedex. All Pokemon are obtainable, but some alternate forms are unobtainable:

  • Zen mode Darmanitan (Unovan and Galarian, base modes are available)

  • Kyurem-Black and Kyurem-White (base form is available)

  • Keldeo Resolute form (base form is available)

  • Meloetta Pirouette form (Aria/base form is available)

Kalos Pokedex. The Pokemon listed below and their evolutions are unavailable:

  • Honedge

  • Volcanion

Alolan Pokedex. All Alolan forms of Kanto Pokemon are available. The Pokemon listed below are unavailable:

  • Wishiwashi

  • Mudbray + Mudscale

  • Pyukumuku

  • Type: Null + Silvally (all forms)

  • Minior (all forms)

  • Mimikyu

  • Dhelmise

  • Ultra Necrozma (other Necrozma forms are available)

  • Magearna (both forms)

  • Zeraora

Galarian Pokedex. The following Pokemon and their evolutions are available, in addition to all Galarian forms of previous generation Pokemon:

  • Grookey

  • Scorbunny

  • Sobble

  • Skwovet

  • Wooloo

  • Toxel + Toxtricity (both forms)

  • Obstagoon

  • Persekker

  • Sirfetch'd

  • Cursola

  • Mr Rime

  • Runerigus

  • Hatenna

  • Falinks

  • Stonjourner

  • Dreepy

  • Zacian (base form only)

  • Zamazenta (base form only)

  • Zarude (base/non-Dada form only)

  • Regieleki

  • Regidrago

Hisuian Pokedex. The unavailable Pokemon are:

  • Basculegion

  • Hisuian forms for Lilligant, Zorua + Zoroark, and Sliggoo + Goodra

  • Enamorous Therian form (base form available)

Paldea Pokedex. See this list for available Paldean Pokemon. Paldean Wooper is the only currently available Paldean regional form.

Unknown Pokedex. All Pokemon are obtainable (Meltan and Melmetal)

Many of the obtainable Pokemon can't currently be caught, for example most legendaries. If starting now, you'll need to trade with a player to obtain these Pokemon. Unfortunately Mythical Pokemon other than Meltan and Melmetal can't be traded. Mythicals that aren't currently available cannot be obtained until they became available again. Fortunately Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Victini and Shaymin are available through special quests without a time limit. Hence the unobtainable Pokemon that have previously been released are:

  • Deoxys (all forms)
  • Darkrai
  • Keldeo (base form, requires purchasing a Something Extraordinary Ticket from 6th to 11th Dec 2022 and completing the Special Research)
  • Meloetta (Aria/base form)
  • Genesect (all forms)
  • Diancie
  • Hoopa (all forms)
  • Marshadow
  • Zarude (must have started Special Research quest from 1st to 10th Oct 2021)
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  • This … doesn’t actually answer the question as I understand it. Although e.g. Mew and Celebi (and now shiny Mew and Celebi) were obtainable via special research if you had logged in during a specific time, I am not aware of there being any possibility to activate those if you only started now. Same for Jirachi, I assume.
    – Jan
    Commented Jan 27, 2021 at 13:11
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    Though some of the special research task are time-locked (must log in during a specific time), that does not apply to the mythical quests (Mew, Celebi, Jirachi and Victini at the time of this comment). Shiny Celebi might be shiny-locked, but not the others. However, it does apply to some other mythicals such as Darkrai and Genesect who can only be obtained from raids or temporary research tasks. I will edit answer later to reflect this.
    – BGamer
    Commented Jan 27, 2021 at 23:50
  • Wasn't cosmog only available during a limited time quest? If you start today you wouldn't be able to get him except via trade, i think.
    – Roddy of the Frozen Peas
    Commented Nov 12, 2022 at 4:48
  • I thought that quest was available throughout the current Season of Light? Besides, I'm only including Pokemon in the unobtainable list if they cannot be obtained by trading.
    – BGamer
    Commented Nov 13, 2022 at 4:00
  • @RoddyoftheFrozenPeas Niantic has mentioned that more Cosmog will be available in the "distant future". It's not clear yet whether that means literal years from now, or if it's a reference to in-game lore.
    – Milo P
    Commented Dec 6, 2022 at 17:29

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