A Complete Guide to Catching the Pokémon Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf

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Pokémon expert Josiah Campbell offers quick tips to catch the elusive Lake Guardians

Co-authored by Josiah Campbell and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: January 18, 2026 Fact Checked

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Catching the Lake Guardians

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Is the process the same for the remakes?

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Helpful Hints & Tricks

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Q&A

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Tips

Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit (also known as the Lake Guardians or Lake Trio), are three Legendary Pokémon that can be caught in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, as well as the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes for the Nintendo Switch. How can you add these rare Pokémon to your Pokédex, though? Read on to learn how to find and catch the Lake Trio (including the mischievous Mesprit).

How to Get Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf

Pokémon expert Josiah Campbell says Uxie and Azelf are stationary, but Mesprit teleports. Beat Team Galactic and their boss Cyrus to unlock the ability to catch them. Battle and catch Uxie in Acuity Cavern and Azelf in Valor Cavern. Mesprit is in Verity Cavern. Use the Marking Map to find it after it teleports.

Section 1 of 3:

Catching the Lake Guardians

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1
Defeat Team Galactic so the Pokémon appear in their respective lakes. Each version of the game pits you against Team Galactic and their leader, Cyrus, who aims to remake the world by controlling Legendary Pokémon. Take down Cyrus on Mt. Coronet completely—after this point, Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit can be found and caught.^{[1]
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- If you visit the lakes before this point, you won’t be able to find or catch this Legendary trio.
Head to the northernmost end of Route 217, around the North Alabaster Icelands. Using Surf, swim across the lake to the central island and go through the entrance to reach the Acuity Cavern. A level 50 Uxie will be waiting in the center. Hit A to interact with the Pokémon and start battling it, where you can gradually weaken and catch it using Ultra Balls.^{[2]
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Find, battle, and capture Azelf around Lake Valor in the Valor Cavern. Journey down to the southernmost end of Route 214, until you reach the Northeastern Crimson Mirelands. Use a Pokémon’s Surf ability to swim to the central island in the lake. Then, use the entrance to reach the Valor Cavern, where a level 50 Azelf spawns. Just like with Uxie, hit A to engage the Pokémon in battle, where you can start to weaken and capture it with Ultra Balls.^{[3]
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- If you still have your Master Ball on hand, feel free to use it on one of these rare Pokémon.
Take Route 201 to its westernmost end, where you’ll reach the Western Obsidian Fieldlands. Surf across the lake and enter the island to reach the Verity Cavern, where a level 50 Mesprit awaits you.^{[4]
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Track Mesprit across Sinnoh to catch it successfully with an Ultra Ball. Unlike Uxie and Azelf, Mesprit disappears after you interact with it. Head to the Valley Windworks and Route 205 areas. Then, move between these areas, checking the Marking Map on your Pokémon Watch as you go—it’ll let you know when and where Mesprit moves. Once Mesprit moves to your location, spray a Repel and enter the grass; eventually, it’ll spawn in that area.^{[5]
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- To ensure that you run into Mesprit first (rather than a random wild Pokémon), make sure that the leading Pokémon in your party is under level 50.

Section 2 of 3:

Is the process the same for the remakes?

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Both Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are remakes of the original Diamond & Pearl portions of the franchise. Visit the same locations as specified above to catch Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit.

Section 3 of 3:

Helpful Hints & Tricks

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You only get one chance to battle and catch these Pokémon—if they faint, they won’t respawn in their respective places. To ensure that you catch your desired Pokémon, save your game before the battle begins so you have an easy reset point.^{[6]
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Stock up on Ultra Balls. Since you’re battling Legendary Pokémon, Ultra Balls are your best bet to successfully catch any of the Lake Trio. Dusk Balls may also be helpful since they’re extra effective when used in caves.
- Timer Balls are another possible option if the battle lasts for a really long time.
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Use attacks that come with status effects. You’ll have an easier time successfully catching Uxie, Mesprit, or Azelf if you freeze them or make them fall asleep. If you land a status effect on Mesprit and it manages to escape, it’ll still have that status effect the next time you encounter it in battle.^{[7]
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- Moves that can inflict “sleep”: Sleep Powder, Spore, Yawn, Hypnosis, Sing^{[8]
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- Moves that can inflict “frozen”: Blizzard, Ice Beam, Ice Fang, Ice Punch, Powder Snow^{[9]
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Use False Swipe when battling any of the Lake Trio. The False Swipe move prevents the attacker from completely depleting the enemy’s HP—in other words, the enemy will stay at 1 HP after the attack no matter what.^{[10]
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Research source} Utilizing this attack can be helpful if you’re worried about knocking out Uxie, Mesprit, or Azelf.
- Many Pokémon learn this ability when they level up (like Farfetch’d, Zangoose, and Cubone), while others can be taught this ability via a TM (like Beedrill, Scyther, and Absol).
Mesprit is notorious for teleporting away and escaping battle—but using the attack “Mean Look” prevents it from doing so.^{[11]
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Mesprit is the most complicated of the Lake Trio to catch, so it might be easiest to catch it either before or after you catch both Uxie and Azelf. Since the process of finding and catching Uxie and Azelf is almost identical, it’s easier to catch these Pokémon in quick succession.

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Are Quick Balls useful when catching that lake trio?

Lugia2453

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Within the first five turns of the battle, yes. It'll still be difficult to catch them, though.

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Are there certain times to catch the trio? When you kill them and they disappear, when do they come back?

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There are no specific times, and they don't return.

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How long does it take to catch the trio?

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It depends entirely on your luck. Sometimes it will take a long time, and sometimes it might take only a few minutes.

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Tips

You don’t need to catch Mesprit to get it added to your Pokédex—it’ll be added after your first encounter.

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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.

Deplete Uxie or Azelf’s HP until it gets into the red, then give them a stats condition, like sleep. It is very difficult to catch them, otherwise.
Walk between Sand Gem Town and Route 202. Since it is such a small route it makes catching Mesprit a faster process.
Mesprit will flee if you run or use your bike. If you fly and then walk to the grass you will find it.

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