How to Get Latios and Latias in Pokémon Soul Silver or Heart Gold

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Easy tips & tricks for finding & catching these legendaries

Co-authored by Devin McSween Reviewed by Ethan Dobbs

Last Updated: September 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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Catching Latios or Latias

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Can you catch both?

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Latios and Latias are legendary Dragon and Psychic-type pokémon introduced in Generation III that are catchable in HeartGold and SoulSilver. Latios is exclusive to SoulSilver, while Latias is exclusive to HeartGold. Both of these pokémon roam throughout Kanto, so they can be a bit difficult to catch. Luckily, we’re here with tips on how to find Latios or Latias and make catching them easier. We’ll also explain if it’s possible to get both Latios and Latias in your game, and provide helpful tips from Pokémon expert Ethan Dobbs along the way!

Best Tips for Catching Latios or Latias

After talking to Steven outside the Pokémon Fan Club, run between a city and a route to get Latios (SS) or Latias (HG) close by. Then, run in the grass to encounter Latios/Latias. Use a blocking move to keep it from fleeing, then reduce its HP. Put it to sleep and use Dusk (night) or Ultra Balls (day) to catch it.

Section 1 of 2:

How to Catch Latios or Latias

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Latios (SoulSilver only) and Latias (HeartGold only) only appear in Kanto, so you have to unlock the region first. Once you defeat the Elite 4 in Johto, Professor Elm gives you a ticket to the S.S. Aqua that takes you to Kanto.^{[1]
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Once in Kanto, travel to Saffron City and find Copycat’s house in the northwest part of the city. When you talk to her, she’ll ask you to find a Poké Doll that she lost.^{[2]
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Go to the Pokémon Fan Club in Vermilion City. Travel to Vermilion City and enter the Pokémon Fan Club that’s just north of the gym. Then, talk to the guy sitting at the table in the middle of the room. He’ll give you the lost doll Copycat is looking for.^{[3]
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- You definitely want to return the doll to Copycat, because she’ll give you a ticket to ride the Magnet Train that travels between Kanto and Johto.^{[4]
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As soon as you step out of the Pokémon Fan Club, Steven, the champion of Hoenn, will stop you to talk. He’ll tell you about the legendary pokémon Latios (SS) or Latias (HG) that’s traveled to Kanto from Johto. This unlocks the legendary in your game, allowing you to catch it.^{[5]
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Travel between a city and a route to get close to Latios/Latias. Latios (SS) and Latias (HG) are roaming pokémon that force you to find them on your map before you can encounter them in the wild. Because they’ll change locations whenever you try to fly to them, the best method is to walk between a city and a route until they appear on an adjacent route.^{[6]
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- For example, keep walking between Route 4 and Cerulean City until Latios/Latias appears on Route 4, 5, 9, or 24.
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Walk into the grass where you see Latios/Latias. Latios (SS) and Latias (HG) appear in the tall grass wherever you see them on the map. So, simply walk into the grass to encounter them and start the battle. It’s a good idea to use a Repel so you don’t encounter any other wild pokémon before Latios/Latias appears.^{[7]
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- If you use a Repel, make sure your lead pokémon is level 35 or under. If it’s higher than level 35, it’ll prevent Latios/Latias from showing up, too.
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Use a blocking move or ability to keep Latios/Latias from fleeing. Latios/Latias will attempt to flee from the battle on its first move, so strike first with a move that keeps it from fleeing. Some pokémon have abilities that keep opponents from fleeing, so they’re a good option to use, too.^{[8]
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- Moves that prevent fleeing: Mean Look, Block, and Spider Web^{[9]
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- Pokémon with abilities to prevent fleeing: Diglett, Dugtrio, Trapinch, Wynaut, Wobbuffet
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Lower Latios’/Latias’ HP and then put it to Sleep. Latios/Latias is at level 35, so make sure your pokémon are strong enough to fight it. Both legendaries are Dragon and Psychic-types, so Dragon, Ice, and Dark moves should be effective against them. Once its HP is in the red zone, use a sleep-inducing move so it can’t fight you and is easier to catch, says Dobbs.^{[10]
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Ethan Dobbs
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- False Swipe is a great move to use since it leaves your opponent with at least 1 HP.
- Sleep-inducing moves include Hypnosis, Lovely Kiss, Yawn, Spore, and Sleep Powder.
- Pokémon to consider using: Jynx (can learn Mean Look and Lovely Kiss), Gastly/Haunter/Gengar (can learn Mean Look and Hypnosis), Snorlax (can learn Block and Yawn)
- Sleep is a better status move than Paralysis, as Latios/Latias knows Refresh, which heals Paralysis, Burns, and Poisoning.
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Throw Ultra Balls or Dusk Balls until you catch Latios/Latias. If you’re battling Latios/Latias during the daytime, Ultra Balls are the best to use since they have a 2x catch-rate modifier.^{[11]
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Research source} If it’s dark out, use Dusk Balls since they have a 3.5x catch-rate modifier when used at night.^{[12]
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Research source} Like most legendaries, Latios/Latias is more difficult to capture than regular pokémon, so it can take several tries until you catch it.
- Consider using a Quick Ball on your very first turn of battle, as they have the highest chance of capturing a pokémon on your first turn (4x catch rate), says Dobbs.^{[13]
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  Ethan Dobbs
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  Expert Interview} The rate goes down to 1x on every turn after, though.
- Fast Balls are another great option, as they have a 4x catch rate if a pokémon has a base speed stat over 100. Both Latios and Latias have a base speed stat of 110.^{[14]
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- If the battle goes on for more than 30 turns, try using a Timer Ball. These balls have a 4x catch rate if 30+ turns pass in a single battle.^{[15]
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- If Latios/Latias gets away, don’t worry. Just follow the same steps again to get it to appear on a route near you. Then, battle it again until you catch it. It’s HP and any status effects will remain even when it flees.

Section 2 of 2:

Can you catch Latios and Latias in the same game?

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You have to trade or cheat to get both Latios and Latias in the same game. A limited-time event was run from 2009 through 2010 that allowed players to download an Enigma Stone, which made Latios catchable in HeartGold and Latias catchable in SoulSilver.^{[16]
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Research source} Unfortunately, it’s not possible to get the Enigma Stone anymore unless you cheat. The only other way to get both Latios and Latias in your game is to trade with a friend who has the opposite game.
- To cheat and download the Enigma Stone, you need an Action Replay. Simply enter the following codes: 94000130 FCFF0000; 62111880 00000000; B2111880 00000000; 20009E4C 00000003; 10009E50 00000218; D2000000 00000000
- To get the Enigma Stone and catch Latias/Latios:^{[17]
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  - Go to any Poké Mart and pick up the stone from the man wearing green.
  - Go to Pewter City and enter the Mining Museum.
  - Talk to Steven inside the museum, who tells you to give the Enigma Stone to the Scientist.
  - Give the Enigma Stone to the Scientist to receive the Soul Dew.
  - Leave the museum and find Latias (SS) or Latios (HG) waiting outside. They are stationary and will not roam around the region. This time, they’re at level 40.

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What's that Pokemon following me (my companion) called?

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The one in the picture is Arceus, the god of Pokemon. It's probably just an Action Replay hack, though.

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It is not possible to get rid of every Pokémon in your game. You will have at least one Pokémon.

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Yes, you can use the action replay on the DS Lite.

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Tips

Have Pokémon with moves that inflict status effects such as Sleep and Paralysis. Status effects will make it easier to catch them.

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Save before battling. If you accidentally faint Latios/Latias or run out of Poké Balls, you can restart the game and try again.

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You can always use your Master Balls to catch Latios/Latias, as it is guaranteed to catch them.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If it’s night time, use dusk balls since they have a higher catch rate at night and in caves. Also, use a quick ball at the beginning of the encounter since you might get lucky.
Freezing it or putting it to sleep give you the highest chance of catching it.
Wobbuffet is one of the best pokémon for catching Latias/Latios.

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