Paldea Region
Paldea (Japanese: パルデア地方 Paldea-chihō) is the ninth region in the Pokemon franchise. Introduced in Generation IX with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Paldea is based on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). It is notable for being the first fully open-world Pokemon region, introducing the Terastallization phenomenon and featuring three distinct storylines that can be completed in any order.[1]
Overview
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Based On | Iberian Peninsula (Spain/Portugal) |
| Generation | IX |
| New Pokemon | 103+ |
| Gym Leaders | 8 (any order) |
| Professor | Professor Sada (Scarlet) / Professor Turo (Violet) |
| Champion | Geeta (Top Champion), Nemona (player rival) |
| Games | Scarlet/Violet, The Teal Mask, The Indigo Disk |
Geography
Map Layout
Paldea is an expansive open-world region divided into provinces:
| Region | Key Features |
|---|
| South Province | Starting area, varied terrain |
| East Province | Coastal areas, beaches |
| West Province | Desert regions (Asado Desert) |
| North Province | Mountains, snowy areas |
| Central | Great Crater of Paldea (Area Zero) |
Major Cities and Towns
| Location | Notable Feature | Gym Leader/Type |
|---|
| Cabo Poco | Player's hometown | — |
| Mesagoza | Largest city, Academy location | — |
| Los Platos | Near academy, market town | — |
| Cortondo | Agricultural town | Katy (Bug) |
| Artazon | Art and sunflowers | Brassius (Grass) |
| Levincia | Electric city, streaming hub | Iono (Electric) |
| Cascarrafa | Water city, auction house | Kofu (Water) |
| Porto Marinada | Coastal fishing town, market | — |
| Medali | Central business district | Larry (Normal) |
| Montenevera | Mountain ghost town | Ryme (Ghost) |
| Alfornada | Psychic research center | Tulip (Psychic) |
| Glaseado Mountain | Snowy peak | Grusha (Ice) |
Notable Locations
Mesagoza
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Role | Largest city, regional hub |
| Notable | Naranja Academy (Scarlet) / Uva Academy (Violet) |
| Features | Central plaza, shops, school |
| Design | Based on Barcelona/Madrid |
Area Zero (Great Crater of Paldea)
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Type | Massive crater ecosystem |
| Access | Post-game main story |
| Notable | Paradox Pokemon habitat |
| Features | Research Stations 1-4, Zero Gate |
| Significance | Source of Terastal phenomenon |
Asado Desert
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Location | West Province |
| Type | Desert biome |
| Notable | Titan Pokemon (Orthworm) |
| Pokemon | Ground, Rock, Fire types |
Glaseado Mountain
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Location | Northern region |
| Type | Snowy mountain |
| Notable | Ice Gym, Titan Pokemon |
| Pokemon | Ice types, Cetitan |
Tagtree Thicket
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Type | Dense forest area |
| Notable | Team Star base |
| Pokemon | Bug, Grass types |
Socarrat Trail
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Location | Eastern desert path |
| Type | Rocky trail |
| Notable | Titan Pokemon (Klawf) |
Dalizapa Passage
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Location | Mountain passage |
| Type | Cave/tunnel system |
| Pokemon | Rock, Ground types |
Research Stations
| Station | Location | Purpose |
|---|
| Station 1 | Area Zero entrance | First base |
| Station 2 | Mid-crater | Research facility |
| Station 3 | Lower crater | Deep exploration |
| Station 4 | Crater depths | Final station |
Story Paths
Paldea features three independent storylines that can be completed in any order:[2]
Victory Road (Gym Challenge)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Goal | Defeat 8 Gyms, Elite Four, Champion |
| Partner | Nemona |
| Freedom | Gyms can be challenged in any order |
| Reward | Champion rank, tournament access |
Gym Leaders (No Required Order)
| Leader | Location | Type | Badge | Signature Pokemon |
|---|
| Katy | Cortondo | Bug | Bug Badge | Ursaring/Teddiursa |
| Brassius | Artazon | Grass | Grass Badge | Sudowoodo |
| Iono | Levincia | Electric | Electric Badge | Bellibolt |
| Kofu | Cascarrafa | Water | Water Badge | Crabominable |
| Larry | Medali | Normal | Normal Badge | Staraptor |
| Ryme | Montenevera | Ghost | Ghost Badge | Toxtricity |
| Tulip | Alfornada | Psychic | Psychic Badge | Florges |
| Grusha | Glaseado Mountain | Ice | Ice Badge | Altaria |
Elite Four
| Member | Type | Signature Pokemon |
|---|
| Rika | Ground | Clodsire |
| Poppy | Steel | Tinkaton |
| Larry | Flying | Flamigo (same as Gym) |
| Hassel | Dragon | Baxcalibur |
Champions
| Champion | Role | Signature |
|---|
| Geeta | Top Champion | Glimmora |
| Nemona | Player's rival, Champion-rank | Varied starter counter |
Path of Legends (Titan Pokemon)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Goal | Defeat 5 Titan Pokemon |
| Partner | Arven (Professor's son) |
| Purpose | Gather Herba Mystica |
| Motivation | Heal Arven's partner Mabosstiff |
Titan Pokemon
| Titan | Location | Type | Herba Mystica |
|---|
| Klawf | South Province (Socarrat Trail) | Rock | Sweet |
| Bombirdier | West Province (Asado Desert) | Flying/Dark | Salty |
| Orthworm | East Province (desert) | Steel | Sour |
| Great Tusk (Scarlet) / Iron Treads (Violet) | Asado Desert | Ground/Fighting or Ground/Steel | Bitter |
| Tatsugiri/Dondozo | Casseroya Lake | Dragon/Water | Spicy |
Starfall Street (Team Star)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Goal | Disband Team Star bases |
| Partner | Cassiopeia (Penny) |
| Mechanic | Star Mobile battles |
| Revelation | Team Star were victims, not villains |
Team Star Squads
| Squad | Boss | Location | Type | Star Mobile |
|---|
| Segin Squad | Giacomo | East Province | Dark | Segin Starmobile |
| Schedar Squad | Mela | East Province | Fire | Schedar Starmobile |
| Navi Squad | Atticus | South Province | Poison | Navi Starmobile |
| Ruchbah Squad | Ortega | West Province | Fairy | Ruchbah Starmobile |
| Caph Squad | Eri | North Province | Fighting | Caph Starmobile |
Final Boss
| Character | Role | Revelation |
|---|
| Penny | Cassiopeia's identity | Created Operation Starfall |
| Boss Clive | Director Clavell in disguise | Supporting player |
Pokemon League
Academy Championship
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Location | Academy entrance plaza |
| Access | Post-game |
| Features | Tournament battles |
| Participants | Gym Leaders, Nemona, others |
Native Pokemon
Starter Pokemon
| Pokemon | Type | Mid Form | Final Form |
|---|
| Sprigatito | Grass | Floragato | Meowscarada (Grass/Dark) |
| Fuecoco | Fire | Crocalor | Skeledirge (Fire/Ghost) |
| Quaxly | Water | Quaxwell | Quaquaval (Water/Fighting) |
Legendary Pokemon
| Pokemon | Type | Location | Version |
|---|
| Koraidon | Fighting/Dragon | Professor's lab | Scarlet |
| Miraidon | Electric/Dragon | Professor's lab | Violet |
| Wo-Chien | Dark/Grass | Shrine (South Province) | Both |
| Chien-Pao | Dark/Ice | Shrine (West Province) | Both |
| Ting-Lu | Dark/Ground | Shrine (North Province) | Both |
| Chi-Yu | Dark/Fire | Shrine (East Province) | Both |
DLC Legendary Pokemon
| Pokemon | Type | DLC | Location |
|---|
| Ogerpon | Grass (varies) | Teal Mask | Kitakami |
| Terapagos | Normal | Indigo Disk | Blueberry Academy |
| Pecharunt | Poison/Ghost | Epilogue | Event |
Paradox Pokemon
Ancient Paradox (Scarlet)
| Pokemon | Type | Based On |
|---|
| Great Tusk | Ground/Fighting | Donphan |
| Scream Tail | Fairy/Psychic | Jigglypuff |
| Brute Bonnet | Grass/Dark | Amoonguss |
| Flutter Mane | Ghost/Fairy | Misdreavus |
| Slither Wing | Bug/Fighting | Volcarona |
| Sandy Shocks | Electric/Ground | Magneton |
| Roaring Moon | Dragon/Dark | Salamence |
| Walking Wake | Water/Dragon | Suicune (DLC) |
| Gouging Fire | Fire/Dragon | Entei (DLC) |
| Raging Bolt | Electric/Dragon | Raikou (DLC) |
Future Paradox (Violet)
| Pokemon | Type | Based On |
|---|
| Iron Treads | Ground/Steel | Donphan |
| Iron Bundle | Ice/Water | Delibird |
| Iron Hands | Fighting/Electric | Hariyama |
| Iron Jugulis | Dark/Flying | Hydreigon |
| Iron Moth | Fire/Poison | Volcarona |
| Iron Thorns | Rock/Electric | Tyranitar |
| Iron Valiant | Fairy/Fighting | Gardevoir/Gallade |
| Iron Leaves | Grass/Psychic | Virizion (DLC) |
| Iron Boulder | Rock/Psychic | Terrakion (DLC) |
| Iron Crown | Steel/Psychic | Cobalion (DLC) |
Iconic Paldean Pokemon
| Pokemon | Type | Notable For |
|---|
| Meowscarada | Grass/Dark | Starter evolution |
| Skeledirge | Fire/Ghost | Starter evolution |
| Quaquaval | Water/Fighting | Starter evolution |
| Tinkaton | Fairy/Steel | Iconic design, giant hammer |
| Gholdengo | Steel/Ghost | 999 Gimmighoul Coins required |
| Kingambit | Dark/Steel | Bisharp evolution |
| Baxcalibur | Dragon/Ice | Pseudo-legendary |
| Annihilape | Fighting/Ghost | Primeape evolution |
| Clodsire | Poison/Ground | Wooper evolution |
| Garganacl | Rock | Salt Pokemon |
| Ceruledge | Fire/Ghost | Violet-exclusive |
| Armarouge | Fire/Psychic | Scarlet-exclusive |
| Bellibolt | Electric | Iono's signature |
| Lechonk | Normal | Internet favorite |
| Fidough | Fairy | Bread dog |
Important Characters
Professors
| Professor | Version | Research | Fate |
|---|
| Professor Sada | Scarlet | Ancient Pokemon | AI in Area Zero |
| Professor Turo | Violet | Future Pokemon | AI in Area Zero |
Both professors are revealed to have died prior to the game's events, with AI versions continuing their research.[3]
Academy Staff
| Character | Role | Type Specialty |
|---|
| Clavell | Director | Normal |
| Jacq | Homeroom, Biology | Normal |
| Saguaro | Homeroom | Psychic |
| Tyme | Math, Rock Gym Leader's sister | Rock |
| Raifort | History | Ghost enthusiast |
| Salvatore | Languages | — |
| Dendra | Battle Studies | Fighting |
| Miriam | Nurse | — |
Key Characters
Nemona
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Role | Rival, Champion-rank trainer |
| Personality | Energetic, battle-obsessed |
| Goal | Find equal rival |
| Team | Counters player's starter |
Arven
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Role | Professor's son, Path of Legends |
| Motivation | Heal Mabosstiff |
| Personality | Caring, cooking enthusiast |
| Revelation | Professor abandoned him for research |
Penny
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Role | Student, Team Star founder |
| Secret Identity | Cassiopeia |
| Specialty | Hacking, Eevee team |
| Motivation | Protect former Team Star friends |
Geeta
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Role | Top Champion, Chairwoman |
| Type | Mixed |
| Signature | Glimmora |
| Controversy | Considered difficult boss |
Terastallization
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Phenomenon | Pokemon crystallize, change type |
| Source | Area Zero Terastal energy |
| Mechanic | Each Pokemon has Tera Type |
| Item | Tera Orb (rechargeable) |
| Competitive Impact | Major metagame changer |
Tera Raid Battles
| Feature | Details |
|---|
| Locations | Crystal formations (dens) |
| Multiplayer | Up to 4 players |
| Difficulty | 1-7 stars |
| Rewards | Items, rare Pokemon, Herba Mystica |
History in Games
Generation IX (2022)
| Game | Platform | Release Date | Features |
|---|
| Scarlet | Nintendo Switch | November 18, 2022 | Past/Ancient theme |
| Violet | Nintendo Switch | November 18, 2022 | Future/Futuristic theme |
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|
| Open World | First fully open Pokemon game |
| Non-linear | Complete objectives in any order |
| Co-op | 4-player multiplayer |
| Let's Go | Auto-battle system |
| Terastallization | Type-changing mechanic |
| Three Stories | Victory Road, Legends, Starfall Street |
Performance Issues
| Issue | Description |
|---|
| Frame Rate | Frequent drops, especially multiplayer |
| Pop-in | Objects/Pokemon appearing suddenly |
| Bugs | Various graphical glitches |
| Reception | Mixed reviews despite strong sales[4] |
The Teal Mask DLC (2023)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Release | September 13, 2023 |
| Location | Kitakami (based on rural Japan) |
| Story | School trip, Ogre legends |
| Legendary | Ogerpon (4 mask forms) |
| Characters | Carmine, Kieran, Perrin |
The Indigo Disk DLC (2023)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Release | December 14, 2023 |
| Location | Blueberry Academy (underwater dome) |
| Story | Exchange program, BB League |
| Legendary | Terapagos |
| Feature | All starters available |
| Epilogue | Pecharunt event, Mochi Mayhem |
Real-World Connection
Paldea is based on the Iberian Peninsula:[2]
| In-Game | Real-World Equivalent |
|---|
| Mesagoza | Barcelona/Madrid fusion |
| Great Crater | Meteoric crater inspiration |
| Geography | Spain and Portugal |
| Architecture | Spanish colonial, Moorish |
| Culture | Mediterranean influences |
| Gyms | No set order (reflects exploration freedom) |
Cultural References
| Element | Spanish/Portuguese Influence |
|---|
| Names | Spanish language (Quaxly = "Qua" + Quixote) |
| Food | Sandwiches, Herba Mystica |
| Art | Artazon's sunflowers (Van Gogh) |
| Music | Flamenco influences (Ryme's rap battle) |
| Education | Academy system |
Cultural Significance
Open-World Evolution
| Impact | Details |
|---|
| First True Open-World | No forced progression |
| Level Scaling | Minimal, encourages exploration |
| Freedom | Choose your path |
| Criticism | Too much freedom, unclear difficulty |
Terastallization Impact
| Aspect | Effect |
|---|
| Competitive | Massive metagame shift |
| Strategy | Any Pokemon can change type |
| Unpredictability | Harder to counter opponents |
| Creativity | New team building options |
Performance Controversy
| Issue | Community Response |
|---|
| Technical Problems | Widespread criticism |
| Sales Success | Best-selling despite issues |
| Patches | Multiple updates post-launch |
| Debate | Gameplay vs. Polish |
Narrative Themes
| Theme | Implementation |
|---|
| Technology Ethics | Professor's AI, Paradox Pokemon |
| Abandonment | Arven's story |
| Bullying | Team Star backstory |
| Friendship | Three companions, co-op play |
| Time | Past vs. Future (version theme) |
Sales and Reception
| Metric | Result |
|---|
| Opening Weekend | 10 million copies |
| First Year | Over 24 million copies |
| Critical Reception | 72-76 Metacritic (mixed) |
| Player Reception | Popular despite technical issues[5] |
Academy System
Naranja Academy (Scarlet) / Uva Academy (Violet)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Location | Mesagoza |
| Role | Central hub, story device |
| Students | Player, Nemona, Penny, others |
| Curriculum | Battle Studies, Biology, Math, History |
| Treasure Hunt | Main story framework |
Classes
| Subject | Teacher | Rewards |
|---|
| Biology | Jacq | Pokemon knowledge |
| Math | Tyme | Battle calculations |
| History | Raifort | Lore, Legendary hints |
| Languages | Salvatore | — |
| Battle Studies | Dendra | Combat techniques |
| Art | Hassel | Dragon knowledge |
See Also