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Lost Relics and Fossils
March 13, 2026 at 02:10 AM
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Pokemon Pokopia features a collectible system of Lost Relics, Fossils, Music CDs, and Mysterious Slates found inside glowing blocks scattered throughout the world. The appraisal and collection system involves two unique Pokemon with exclusive specialties: Professor Tangrowth (Appraise) and Gimmighoul (Collect). Breaking glowing blocks can yield any of these item categories, making excavation a core exploration activity that rewards persistent exploration.
Glowing spots appear randomly in the ground across all five areas. They can be discovered naturally while exploring or located more efficiently using a Pokemon with the Search specialty and the Dowsing Machine ability. When you approach a glowing block, break it using Rock Smash (learned from Hitmonchan). Aim with the Right Stick to target blocks above or below you.
Some Lost Relics have a chance of detonating upon unearthing. When this happens, you must quickly switch to Water Gun to defuse the block before it explodes and destroys its contents.
Breaking a glowing block can yield one of the following:
Item Type | Description |
|---|---|
Lost Relic (Small or Large) | Unidentified collectible item. Must be appraised by Professor Tangrowth before use. |
Fossil | Fossil piece for restoring prehistoric Pokemon at the Museum. |
Mysterious Slate | One of 27 Unown-engraved slates needed to unlock Mew. |
Music CD | Collectible music track usable with DJ Rotom for playing background music. |
Used with Drifloon to travel to Dream Islands. |
A limited number of glowing blocks spawn each day across the overworld. Blocks refresh daily, so returning to previously explored areas yields new drops. Some blocks are visible on the surface, while others are buried and require the Dowsing Machine with a Search specialty Pokemon to locate.
Lucky days occur approximately every 7 in-game days. A notification appears on your Pokedex alerting you that "today is your lucky day." During lucky days, sparkling ripples and lost relics show up much more frequently than usual, making them ideal for dedicated excavation sessions. Players can manipulate the Switch 2 system clock to trigger lucky days before extended play sessions.
Pokemon with the Search specialty can use the Dowsing Machine ability to locate hidden glowing blocks. VGC lists approximately 29 Pokemon with this specialty. Confirmed Search Pokemon include:
Pokemon | Other Specialties |
|---|---|
Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot | Fly |
Zubat, Golbat, Crobat | Crobat: Chop |
Venonat, Venomoth | None |
Parasect | None |
Growlithe, Arcanine | Burn |
Drilbur, Excadrill | Excadrill: Chop |
Vespiquen | Gather Honey |
Dachsbun | Trade |
Dedenne | None |
Dreepy, Drakloak | Gather (Dreepy) |
Umbreon | None |
Ekans, Arbok | None |
Skwovet | None |
Persian | None |
Psyduck, Golduck | None |
Lost Relics are collectible items found inside glowing blocks. They drop as unidentified relics that must be appraised by Professor Tangrowth before they can be used or displayed. There are two categories: Small Relics (46 total) and Large Relics (37 total). The resulting relic after appraisal is randomized; you cannot control which specific relic you receive. Duplicates are common.
Find a glowing block and break it with Rock Smash (or switch to Water Gun if the relic starts to detonate) to collect an unidentified Lost Relic.
Bring the relic to Professor Tangrowth, who can be found wandering near the Pokemon Center in any area.
Talk to Tangrowth and show him the relic. He appraises it instantly, revealing a random Small or Large Relic.
The appraised relic appears in your Collection menu (Ancient Artifacts tab) and can now be displayed, used as decoration, or traded to Gimmighoul.
Small Relics are frameable display items themed after classic Pokemon held items from the main series. They are non-functional collectibles that can be hung on walls as decorations. Confirmed Small Relics include:
Relic Name | Reference |
|---|---|
Miracle Seed | Gen II held item (boosts Grass moves) |
Hard Stone | Gen II held item (boosts Rock moves) |
Black Glasses | Gen II held item (boosts Dark moves) |
Black Belt | Gen II held item (boosts Fighting moves) |
Spell Tag | Gen II held item (boosts Ghost moves) |
Destiny Knot | Gen IV held item (breeding) |
Life Orb | Gen IV held item (boosts all moves) |
Iron Ball | Gen IV held item (halves Speed) |
Metal Powder | Held item exclusive to Ditto |
Adrenaline Orb | Gen VII held item (Intimidate trigger) |
Throat Spray | Gen VIII held item (sound moves) |
Flame Orb | Gen IV held item (inflicts burn) |
Room Service | Gen VIII held item (Trick Room) |
Gold Bottle Cap | Gen VII item (Hyper Training) |
Mystic Water | Gen II held item (boosts Water moves) |
Metal Coat | Gen II held item (boosts Steel moves, evolves Scyther/Onix) |
Dragon Fang | Gen II held item (boosts Dragon moves) |
Leftovers | Gen II held item (restores HP each turn) |
18 of 46 Small Relics confirmed by name. The remaining Small Relics reference additional held items, berries, and key items from the main Pokemon series.
Large Relics are furniture items with Pokemon themes. They can be placed as decorations in habitats and houses. Three Large Relics are "functional," meaning they serve gameplay purposes beyond decoration.
Relic | Function |
|---|---|
Castform Weather Charm | Required for building Rain Dance and Sunny Day weather change sites. Two charms needed per site. The charm flips between Rain Form and Sunny Form. |
Eerie Candle | Used in Ghost-type Pokemon habitats. Connected to attracting Ghost-type Pokemon. |
Fishing Rod | Creates fishing habitats when placed next to water with a chair. Attracts Water-type Pokemon. |
These items can also be obtained through quests and exploration, but duplicates require finding them as Large Relics in glowing blocks.
Confirmed decorative Large Relics include:
Relic Name | Category |
|---|---|
Polygonal Shelf | Furniture |
Avalugg Table | Furniture |
Naptime Bed | Furniture |
Wiggly Mirror | Furniture (also functions as a mirror for customization) |
Pitcher-plant Pot | Furniture |
Arcade Machine | Furniture |
Funky Diffuser | Furniture |
Boo-in-the-Box | Furniture |
Mysterious Statue | Furniture |
Firey Magby Statue | Furniture |
Gym Emblem Statue | Furniture |
Spacesuit | Decorative |
Model Space Shuttle | Decorative |
Spaceship | Decorative |
Rowlet Clock | Furniture |
Garden Ornament | Decorative |
Bike | Decorative |
Horsea Fountain | Functional (boosts ambient humidity) |
Raichu Sign | Decorative |
Photo Cutout Board | Decorative |
Meteor Lamp | Furniture |
Slowpoke Rug | Furniture |
Town Map | Decorative |
Munna Bank | Furniture |
Gold Teeth | Collectible |
Big Nugget | Collectible |
30 of 37 Large Relics confirmed by name. The collection tracks progress in the Ancient Artifacts tab of the Collection menu.
Once relics are appraised by Professor Tangrowth, duplicate relics can be traded with Gimmighoul (Chest Form, Pokedex #205, Ghost-type), the only Pokemon with the Collect specialty along with its evolution Gholdengo. Gimmighoul resides in the ruins of the Pewter City Museum in the northern part of Rocky Ridges, found by following the train tracks into the mines.
To attract Gimmighoul, you must first build the mini museum habitat with the following components:
Component | Details |
|---|---|
Exhibition Stand/Pedestal | 1 required. Found at the Museum in Rocky Ridges. |
Posts | 3 of any type |
Large Lost Relic | 1 appraised Large Relic |
Environment | Dark habitat preferred. Gimmighoul likes spooky, metal, strange, and shiny items. |
Completing this habitat finishes Gimmighoul's Pokedex entry. Gimmighoul appears at all times of day and in all weather conditions (Common rarity).
Trade Item | Source | Exchange Reward |
|---|---|---|
Appraised Large Lost Relics (duplicates) | Glowing blocks throughout the world | Unique furniture items exclusive to this exchange |
Rainbow Feathers | Dropped by Ho-Oh during sunny weather (use Water Gun to extinguish flames) | Special exclusive furniture and decorations (e.g., Pop Art Table) |
Silver Feathers | Dropped by Lugia during overcast/rainy weather (use Cut on the tornado) | Pop art furniture (e.g., Pop Art Sofa) |
Gimmighoul's first interaction specifically requests a Rainbow Feather. After that, both feather types and appraised relics can be traded for exclusive items unavailable elsewhere.
Fossils are a separate category of collectible found inside the same glowing blocks. There are 22 total fossil pieces that restore 9 prehistoric Pokemon. Some fossil Pokemon require a single piece, while others need 3-5 pieces assembled together. Fossils can be found across all five areas.
Fossil | Pokemon Restored | Habitat # | Exhibition Stands |
|---|---|---|---|
Skull Fossil | Cranidos | #194 | 1 Pedestal |
Armor Fossil | Shieldon | #196 | 1 Pedestal |
Jaw Fossil | Tyrunt | #198 | 1 Pedestal |
Sail Fossil | Amaura | #200 | 1 Pedestal |
Pokemon | Pieces Required | Total | Habitat # | Exhibition Stands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rampardos | Headbutt Fossil (Head, Body, Tail) | 3 | #195 | 1 Pedestal |
Bastiodon | Shield Fossil (Head, Body, Tail) | 3 | #197 | 2 Pedestals |
Aurorus | Tundra Fossil (Head, Body, Tail) | 3 | #201 | 2 Pedestals |
Tyrantrum | Despot Fossil (Head, Body, Tail, Legs) | 4 | #199 | 2 Pedestals |
Aerodactyl | Wing Fossil (Head, Body, Tail, Left Wing, Right Wing) | 5 | Unlisted | 6 Exhibition Stands |
Piece count verification: 4 single-piece fossils + 3+3+3 three-piece + 4 four-piece + 5 five-piece = 22 total fossil pieces.
To restore a fossil Pokemon:
Collect the required fossil piece(s) from glowing blocks. Pieces drop randomly across all five areas.
Travel to the Pewter City Museum in Rocky Ridges (follow the train tracks into the mines in the northern part of the area).
Obtain Exhibition Stands from the Museum.
Place the fossil piece(s) on the corresponding Fossil Display (e.g., Skull Fossil Display, Wing Fossil Display) at the Exhibition Stand(s).
The fossil Pokemon is restored and added to your Pokedex.
Build the corresponding habitat to attract the restored fossil Pokemon to your world.
All fossil Pokemon spawn as Common rarity, appear during all times of day and in all weather conditions, and can be placed on any of the five areas. Duplicate fossils are common before completing all restorations. Excess fossils can be traded for a high price.
Mysterious Slates are a third category of collectible found in glowing blocks alongside Lost Relics and Fossils. There are 27 Mysterious Slates in total, each bearing an engraving of an Unown symbol on its back.
In the Withered Wasteland, behind the Pokemon Center, punch down a wall to reveal a hidden chamber containing a mural displaying the entire Unown alphabet. Each slate must be placed in the position matching its corresponding Unown symbol. As slates are placed, a picture gradually forms on the mural.
The final reward for inserting all 27 slates is Mew, the mythical Pokemon (Pokedex entry #300). Mew has the Teleport specialty and stays with the player permanently. The game will not give you duplicate slates until all unique ones have been found.
Use a Search specialty Pokemon with the Dowsing Machine to locate hidden glowing blocks. Growlithe (also has Burn) and Drilbur (early availability) are practical choices.
Watch for the lucky day notification on your Pokedex. Lucky days (roughly every 7 in-game days) dramatically increase glowing block spawn rates.
When a relic starts to detonate after unearthing, quickly switch to Water Gun to defuse it. Failure destroys the contents.
Aim with the Right Stick when using Rock Smash to target blocks above or below you that are not at ground level.
Bring Lost Relics to Professor Tangrowth regularly. He wanders near the Pokemon Center in every area.
Establish a regular circuit: dig up relics, appraise with Tangrowth, trade duplicates with Gimmighoul at the Rocky Ridges Museum.
Build the mini museum habitat (1 Exhibition Stand + 3 Posts + 1 appraised Large Relic) to attract Gimmighoul to your area for convenient trading.
Save Rainbow Feathers (Ho-Oh, sunny weather) and Silver Feathers (Lugia, overcast/rainy weather) for Gimmighoul. They exchange for the best exclusive furniture.
For Aerodactyl's 5-piece Wing Fossil requiring 6 Exhibition Stands, stockpile Exhibition Stands from the Museum before attempting the restoration.
Check the hidden chamber behind the Withered Wasteland Pokemon Center early. Finding the Unown mural motivates slate collection throughout your playthrough.
Glowing blocks also yield Music CDs (for DJ Rotom) and Dolls (for Dream Island travel). Every excavation session can yield useful items beyond relics.
