Pokemon Legends Arceus update makes it easier to catch one of its most elusive creatures

Pokemon Legends Arceus
(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

The first major Pokemon Legends Arceus update makes it much easier to find the Sunshine Form of Cherrim, which was proving almost impossible to catch.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus has been out just over a week and many players are beginning to near the end of their playthroughs. While the new battle system has some players shocked, the series staple goal to 'Catch 'em all' has also been tricky for some players. While you might expect legendaries to give you trouble, it's actually some traditional but more rare Pokémon which have seen players' frustrations rise: most notably the blossom Pokémon, Cherrim and its pre-evolution Cherubi.  

Request 17 in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is one of the first given to you, and asks you to show an NPC a completed Pokédex entry for Cherrim. This means you have to encounter the rare Pokémon multiple times. However, until this latest patch not only was Cherrim rare to find, but in many cases it was impossible to catch. In strong sunlight, which is a staple weather of some of the areas Cherrim spawned, it transforms into the 'Sunshine form' opening up its petals to show its face. When in this form there was a glitch which dropped its catch rate to 0. In other words, it simply could not be caught.

Luckily, Nintendo has dropped patch 1.02 which maintains Cherrim's usual catch rate no matter which form it is in. For those still struggling to find these rare cherry blossoms, Pokemon speedrunner SheNanagans_  offered up some tips. Firstly, the two Pokémon are only found in shaking trees in a few locations; The Heartwood in Obsidian Fieldlands, Gapejaw Bog in Crimson Mirelands, and Lonely Spring, Fabled Spring, and Primeval Grotto in the Coronet Highlands.

However, each of these areas has a different percentage chance for our cherries to spawn, with other Pokémon such as Burmy or Combee being more common. Your best chance to encounter Cherubi is in The Heartwood - there are two trees that shake near the alpha Lopunny which have a 100% of producing the unevolved Pokémon. They are located on the very south of the map below Ramanas Island. If you catch multiple Cherubi it's not hard to evolve them all and hand in that early game request.

If you've been enjoying the latest Pokémon game then see if you agree with our ranking of the best Pokémon games, or if you're hungry for more you can check out our list of games like Pokémon.

Georgina Young
Freelance News Writer

Freelance writer, full-time PlayStation Vita enthusiast, and speaker of some languages. I break up my days by watching people I don't know play Pokemon pretty fast.

Read more
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
A single frame in the new Pokemon Legends Z-A trailer gives hardcore shiny hunters and Nuzlocke runners hope for a huge quality-of-life change
Pokemon Pikachu
10 games like Pokemon for the discerning trainer
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
Everything announced at Pokemon Presents 2025
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
Pokemon Legends: Z-A just catapulted to the top of my most anticipated games thanks to its single-city setting
Sheep-like creatures holding mounted machine guns in Palworld
Palworld has revealed what a Pokemon game should be capable of – here's everything we want to see from Gen 10
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
Pokemon Legends Z-A: Everything we know so far
Latest in Pokemon
The player character in Pokemon Legends: Z-A looks at the three starter Pokemon, Totodile, Tepig, and Chikorita.
You can let fate decide your Pokemon Legends Z-A starter with a random plushie pre-order bonus, just in case you couldn't pick between Totodile, Tepig, and Chikorita
Key art for Pokemon Champions
Pokemon Champions could be the series' "biggest announcement in over a decade," says former world champ, because Nintendo might finally be about to separate competitive play from single-player
Pokemon Legends Z-A screenshot
Lumiose City is going through an "urban redevelopment plan" in Pokemon Legends Z-A, and I bet it has something to do with the 1100lbs battles on its rooftops
prisim tower standing tall and proud in the center of lumiose city
In classic Nintendo fashion, the latest Pokemon Legends Z-A reveal left out the best part: the Lumiose City map looks great after a massive overhaul in the 12 years since X and Y
Pokemon Champions
Former Pokemon World Champion says new game is about to turn the competitive scene upside-down, with changes so big he "can't even fathom" them
the female protagonist in pokemon legends z-a standing in a city street. she's wearing wide-legged pants, a series first
Pokemon Legends: Z-A breaks a 24-year fashion tradition, giving its female protagonist pants for the first time in the series' history
Latest in News
Dave Bautista in In the Lost Lands
Dave Bautista says playing a vampire is "at the top of my list" after starring in Resident Evil director’s werewolf fantasy In the Lost Lands
a bulldozer on a dirt road
We all yearn for construction jobs as simulator RoadCraft takes a podium spot in Steam Next Fest's most-played demos just behind PvP mech game Mecha Break
A Monster Hunter Wilds character holding binoculars.
Capcom asks Monster Hunter Wilds players how they feel about the game in a survey longer than most hunts, and I guess y'all had feedback because it crashed due to "heavy traffic"
Sean Astin and Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood gives unexpected answer on what movie should be removed from cinematic history: "There's nothing pure about it"
Sparkly Catan Hex tiles and metal buildings with a hand reaching down to move them
This Catan Kickstarter will yassify your copy of the board game, and it's already hit $300,000 in pledges
Lewis Pullman as "Bob" in Thunderbolts
The first look at Thunderbolts' Sentry suit seemingly leaked in new Marvel merchandise