Pokémon Legends Z-A Walkthrough — All Missions & Side Quests

TL;DR

• Missions 1–10 teach the core loop: pick your starter, escape Battle Zones, open Wild Zone 1, and get TM Rock Smash.
• After Mission 10 you unlock branching Rogue Mega hunts — clear clusters in any order (Mega Slowbro, Mega Camerupt, Mega Victreebel, etc.).
• Rank up through Promotion Matches (Zach, Xavi, Rintaro...). Mega-evolve before the opponent's final Pokémon to avoid timing delays.
• Endgame (Missions 31–41) introduces Mega Dragonite, Mega Tyranitar, Mega Starmie and the Infinite Z-A Royale post-credits.

What You Need to Know First

Requirements and quick control notes before you run off into Lumiose City.

Short primer: Missions 1–3 are tutorial-heavy. Mission 3 gives TM Rock Smash, which you actually need if you like exploring every nook of Wild Zone 1. The interface shows objectives via Plus (+) then X; hold the right analog stick to ping targets on the map so you stop wandering like someone who missed the bus.

Step-by-Step Guide

Follow this progression to keep your momentum and avoid getting stuck on rank gates.

1. Early Game (Missions 1–3): Learn the basics.

   • Mission 1: Get Your Travel Bag Back! — choose your starter at level 4.
   • Mission 2: Battle Zone escape mechanics.
   • Mission 3: Opens Wild Zone 1 and gives TM Rock Smash.

2. Z-A Royale introduction (Missions 4–5): The loop locks in.

   • Mission 4 teaches Z-A Royale and gives your first rank promotion to Rank Y.
   • Mission 5 unlocks Side Missions and full map exploration.

3. Mid Game Rank Push (Missions 6–10): Promotion Matches and story beats.

• Tip: From Rank F onwards, opponents Mega Evolve their final Pokémon. Mega-evolve one of yours before the opponent's last Pokémon appears to avoid awkward timing.

1. First Rogue Mega Cluster (Missions 11–13): Pick your order.

• These are branch missions: you can clear them in any order. Handle type counters first — Mega Camerupt hates Water and Ground resists.

1. Continue progression (Missions 14–30): Promotion matches get harder.

• Team building here matters: diversity, Mega Evolution stones for your glass cannons, and status management for prolonged fights.

1. Second Rogue Cluster (Missions 16–18) and beyond:

1. Late Game & Endgame (Missions 31–41): Expect spikes.

• Mission 37: Operation Protect Lumiose opens post-credit content. Mission 39 is the Infinite Z-A Royale. Missions 40–41 are narrative pins: "One That Gives" and "One That Takes." Treat those like boss gauntlets.

Extras and optimization:

• Health items have cooldowns in real-time battle sections — time your heals.
• Z-A Royale is the best XP loop, so use it to flatten level curves.
• Stealth catches sometimes work better than weakening if you need a specific Pokémon fast.
• Use rooftops and ladders in Wild Zones to find hidden sections and Colorful Screws; exchange screws at Racine Construction for bonuses.
• Money tip: sell Treasure inventory items immediately; they don't do anything else. Also, talk to the man in blue outside Pokémon Centers to recover lost Poké Balls.

This path keeps story pushes and optional hunts tidy. If you like structure, clear promotion gates as soon as they appear; if you like chaos, clear Rogue clusters in the order that suits your team.

Pro Tips

• Bring at least one reliable Mega-evolver and keep a spare Mega Evolution stone in inventory so you can respond to opponent surprises.
• For Promotion Matches, scout your opponent's line-up during the match and swap to resist their final Pokémon — don't commit your Mega to an obvious counter.
• Use TM Rock Smash early to access side caches; many useful items and rare encounters sit behind boulders in Wild Zone 1.
• If a Rogue Mega has a predictable pattern (charge, buff, then nuke), bait the buff with a status inflictor then punish with a priority move.
• Save at cafés and unlock fast travel points before long sorties — Lumiose City is big and wasting time is the fastest route to mid-game fatigue.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not Mega-evolving before the opponent's last Pokémon appears, leading to costly timing delays in Promotion Matches.
• Ignoring TM Rock Smash early and missing boulder-hidden items and routes in Wild Zone 1.
• Running into late-game Rogue Megas with a mono-type team — diversity beats brute force here.
• Selling useful upgrade materials because they looked like junk; keep a modest stock until you're sure they're worthless.