How to find and use Wishing Pieces in Pokémon Sword and Shield

If you're wandering around in Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Wild Area, you may notice that the occurrence of Max Raid Battles at different Pokémon dens seem to depend on the time of day. And after winning one of these raids, the Pokémon will leave their old den entirely. So what can you do if you want to play out that exact Max Raid Battle again? It all comes down to Wishing Pieces.

With a Wishing Piece, you can activate a defeated or inactive Pokémon den. You won't know which Pokémon will show up, but that just makes it more fun. So, you're probably wondering, how can I get Wishing Pieces in Pokémon Sword and Shield? Well, look no further. Here's everything you need to know.

Hot to get Wishing Pieces in Pokémon Sword and Shield

The primary method to obtain Wishing Pieces in Pokémon Sword and Shield is by purchasing them from Watt Traders, the merchants in white-and-black clothing found around the Wild Area. They’ll sell you Wishing Pieces for 3000 watts, the Wild Area’s basic currency. If you’re short on Watts, try doing some Rotom Rallies, which are also available via Watt Traders.

Wishing Pieces are also available as item drops in three locations in Sword and Shield:

1. Dappled Grove: Near Near a man adjacent to a fallen tree.
2. Motostoke Riverbank: Next to the southeast bridge pillar.
3. Wyndon Stadium: After completing the main game, return to the stadium and speak to the kind man with a Pokeball head to get another Wishing Piece.

There are other, chancier methods to uncover Wishing Pieces in Pokémon Sword and Shield. Along with fossils, Wishing Pieces can be dug up by the Digging Duo in the Wild Area’s Bridge Field Zone by the nursery. Make sure to specifically converse with the one on the left, closest to the nursery.

You also have a chance to find Wishing Pieces when interacting with Hikers and Fishers in the Wild Area in Pokémon Sword and Shield. They can even be uncovered as items on the ground, which appear in-game as little ground sparkles. However, Wishing Pieces have a low drop rate, so don’t count on this method.

Once obtained, take your Wishing Piece to any Pokémon den that lacks a beam. Interact with the den by pressing A, and you’ll be prompted to throw in your Wishing Piece. You may have to interact with it twice if the den has a red aura upon your first approach. Once to interact with the aura, granting Watts immediately, and a second time to interact with the den itself.

After submitting the Wishing Piece, the den will produce a red or purple beam, indicating that the den holds either a common or rare Pokémon, respectively.

Pokémon Sword and Shield is available now for Nintendo Switch.