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Isle of Armor: Master Dojo, Kubfu and Gigantamax Starters

1148 words | Reading time: 5 minutes

The Isle of Armor is the island at the heart of the expansion of the same name, the first part of the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass. Beaches, caves, forests and marshes set the stage for an apprenticeship: the one at the Master Dojo, which ends with you leaving alongside a Legendary Pokémon.

Contents

An island set apart from Galar

The Isle of Armor lies off the coast of Galar. You get there by train from Wedgehurst Station, once you have the Expansion Pass for Pokémon Sword and Shield in hand. Its theme is self-improvement, and its geography is inspired by the Isle of Man.

The scenery is more varied than on the mainland: beaches, caves, forests, marshes and dunes share the island, where many Pokémon roam completely free. Several species missing from the base game make their comeback here.

Meadow and beach on the Isle of Armor by the sea, where Galarian Slowpoke lounge on the sand
Beaches, meadows and free-roaming Pokémon: the Isle of Armor offers more varied scenery than the Galar mainland.

Sixteen areas and weather all its own

The island has sixteen areas, from the Fields of Honor to the Soothing Wetlands, by way of the Forest of Focus, the Training Lowlands, Challenge Road and the Potbottom Desert, not to mention several stretches of open sea. In the Training Lowlands and on Challenge Road, Shield players can run into Toxicroak.

As in the Wild Area, the weather changes which species you encounter, but it follows its own rules: no snow and no snowstorms, a sandstorm limited to four areas, and caves where the sun always shines. The day's weather changes at midnight.

Some weather has to be earned: on land, thunderstorms, fog and sandstorms only show up after you've climbed one of the two towers on the island, while the sea areas get them from the moment you arrive, except for sandstorms.

The Master Dojo and its three trials

As soon as they step off the train, the player is taken under the wing of their version's own rival: Klara, a Poison specialist, in Sword, or Avery, a Psychic-type devotee, in Shield. Each of them leads the player to the Master Dojo, run by Mustard, Leon's former mentor.

Mustard, who mistakes the newcomer for another student he was expecting, sets them three trials: rounding up runaway Galarian Slowpoke , gathering Max Mushrooms, then beating the rival in battle, a rival who never misses a chance to make things harder.

In the Master Dojo, Mustard strikes a battle pose on the stage, watched by the player and a woman in green
At the Master Dojo, Mustard, Leon's former mentor, sets the newcomer three trials.

Kubfu, the Legendary of the Isle of Armor

Once the three trials are complete, Mustard entrusts the player with Kubfu, the island's Legendary Pokémon. Before it can evolve, you first have to build a bond with it by visiting several specific spots on the Isle of Armor.

Then comes the decisive choice: climb one of the island's two towers, the Tower of Darkness or the Tower of Waters, and face Mustard at the top. Depending on the tower you choose, Kubfu becomes Urshifu Single Strike Style or Rapid Strike Style, two forms that each have their own Gigantamax version.

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Kubfu trades a fist-to-fist salute with the player, who wears the Dojo's yellow and black uniform
Entrusted to the player by Mustard, Kubfu first has to build a bond with its Trainer before it can evolve into Urshifu.

Galarian forms, Gigantamax and Apricorns

The island also brings its own regional form: thanks to the Galarica Cuff you can find there, a Galarian Slowpoke evolves into Galarian Slowbro . The rest of the family, Galarian Slowking, won't arrive until the next expansion, The Crown Tundra.

The Max Soup cooked on the island unlocks the Gigantamax form of Galar's three starter Pokémon once fully evolved: Rillaboom, Cinderace and Inteleon. Venusaur and Blastoise get theirs too.

Several older mechanics finally make a comeback: Apricorns, the fruit that Poké Balls are crafted from, move tutors, and the Exp. Charm, which speeds up your team's progress.

In the Dojo kitchen, a woman watches over a golden pot of Max Soup giving off red wisps
The Max Soup cooked on the island unlocks the Gigantamax form of Galar's starter Pokémon, once fully evolved.

The Isle of Armor at a glance

Feature Detail
Region Galar (an offshore island)
Games Sword and Shield, Expansion Pass
Expansion The Isle of Armor
Number of areas 16
Key location The Master Dojo, run by Mustard
Legendary Kubfu, which evolves into Urshifu
Regional form Galarian Slowbro, thanks to the Galarica Cuff
New Gigantamax forms Rillaboom, Cinderace, Inteleon, Venusaur, Blastoise, Urshifu

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do you get to the Isle of Armor?
    You need the Expansion Pass for Pokémon Sword or Shield, then you take the train from Wedgehurst Station.
  • Who is the rival on the Isle of Armor?
    It depends on your version: Klara, a Poison-type specialist, in Sword, and Avery, a Psychic-type specialist, in Shield.
  • How do you evolve Kubfu?
    After strengthening your bond with it, you have to choose between the Tower of Darkness and the Tower of Waters, climb it and beat Mustard there. The tower you choose determines which form of Urshifu you get.
  • How do you get Galarian Slowbro?
    By evolving a Galarian Slowpoke with the Galarica Cuff, which you can find on the Isle of Armor.
  • Which Gigantamax forms does the Isle of Armor unlock?
    Those of Rillaboom, Cinderace and Inteleon through Max Soup, as well as those of Venusaur, Blastoise and both forms of Urshifu.

In short

The Isle of Armor turned the expansion into a true chapter in its own right: a master, three trials and a Legendary to raise, in scenery more varied than the mainland's. Its returning classic mechanics and new Gigantamax forms made it far more than a simple batch of extra areas.

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