You can’t start Pokémon Legends: Z-A with the Kalos starters, but you can still find and add them to your team later. Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie are all available in the game and can be obtained relatively early. If you want to replace your initial starter with a Gen 6 Pokémon, this is good news.
At the beginning of the game, you won’t see any of the Kalos starters roaming around. You only get one of each at the start, and you’ll need to unlock the zones where they appear to catch more.
Where to Get Chespin
Once you reach Main Mission 6, you’ll gain access to some Side Missions, including Side Mission 7: A Feisty Chespin. You can find it between Rouge Sector 2 and Academie Etolie, where an angry Chespin stands next to a car. This mission doesn’t require going anywhere else; you simply battle Chespin multiple times until it gets tired and decides to join you. After that, it can evolve into Chesnaught.
Where to Catch Wild Chespin:
You can find wild Chespin in Wild Zone 17. It spawns during the day and night, and if you don’t see any or accidentally defeat them, leave the area and reset to try again. Sometimes, you might find an Alpha Chespin if you’ve caught all the Pokémon in that zone.
Although Side Mission 7 unlocks Chespin early, it’s also available in Wild Zone 17 once that zone is unlocked. Since the mission is easy to complete, there’s little reason to wait unless you’re after a shiny or Alpha.
Where to Get Fennekin
During Main Mission 6, you’ll also encounter Side Mission 8: Get Well, Fennekin. It’s found in Magenta Sector 2, near a woman named Blanche, who will be standing next to Fennekin. Interact with her to start the mission, which involves retrieving a Revitalizing Twig for Fennekin. Completing it awards you with Fennekin, money, and items. You can then fully evolve Fennekin into Delphox.
Where to Catch Wild Fennekin:
Fennekin can also be caught in Wild Zone 18, which is available once you finish the side mission. It spawns during both day and night — if you don’t see any, reset the area to refresh the spawn. Sometimes, Alpha Fennekin may appear if you’ve caught all Pokémon in the zone.
Where to Get Froakie
Froakie becomes available through Side Mission 9: A Challenge From Froakie, which you get east of Jaune Sector 8 along North Boulevard. There’s a Racine Construction worker here next to a platform with Froakie sitting on it. The challenge involves completing three platforming tasks within a time limit. If you succeed, you’ll be rewarded with Froakie.
Where to Catch Wild Froakie:
You can find Froakie in Wild Zone 16, which is accessible after completing all three side missions. Froakie appears during both day and night, so you can hunt for a shiny or Alpha if you prefer. Reset the area if needed to find one, and keep in mind that all three wild zones unlock simultaneously with the missions.
All three Pokémon—the starters from Kalos—are unlocked through these side missions and wild zones at the same time, making it convenient to collect them all eventually.
