How to unlock and capture partners
Find a locked partner’s League challenge, track your progress and understand the steps from unlocking a wild encounter to capturing a new member.
A locked League card explains the path to a new partner: complete its challenge, encounter it in a later run, then weaken and capture it before it flees. Start with the requirement on the specific card you want.
1. Open a locked League card
Open Play to reach The League, then choose a locked slot. Read the challenge shown on that card before planning your next runs. The League includes locked entries as well as current members; its total of 79 families does not mean you can select every one immediately. The Pokédex’s 151 species is a separate count.
In the checked Guest session, the first locked card was labelled #001 · Healer and displayed its name as ???. Its challenge was “Complete 2 runs (win or lose),” with a counter at 0/2. That is one specific card’s requirement. Inspect other locked cards individually instead of assuming that two runs unlock every partner.
2. Finish the challenge shown on that card
For the #001 example, the wording explicitly counts completed runs whether you win or lose. You do not need to turn that particular requirement into a two-win challenge. Follow the wording on your own selected card, then return to The League to inspect its counter after a run.
The card says challenge progress is saved between runs, so its requirement can build across multiple runs. Keep checking the counter rather than guessing whether you have finished. Completing the challenge is the first stage of the process: the card still describes a wild encounter and capture afterward.
| Locked #001 example | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Complete 2 runs (win or lose) | Both outcomes count toward this challenge |
| 0/2 in the checked session | Read the counter to track completion |
| Progress saved between runs | Progress can accumulate over multiple runs |
| Appears in the wild | The encounter follows challenge completion |
3. Find it in a run, then capture it
The next stage on the card is “Appears in the wild,” followed by “You’ll see it in your next run.” Once the challenge is complete, start the next run and look for that encounter. Do not stop at the completed counter and assume the partner has already joined your selectable team.
The final stage is to weaken the Pokémon and capture it. The card tells you to throw the Poké Ball before it flees. Follow the prompts shown during that encounter for the actual capture action. Keep the sequence in mind: challenge completion makes the encounter available; capturing is the step that brings the partner into your League.
- Read the target card’s challenge and counter.
- Complete the requirement, then check the card again.
- Look for the Pokémon in the next run.
- Weaken it and follow the capture prompt before it flees.
4. Return to its profile after it joins
The locked #001 card identifies its class as Healer, but says its passive and attack kit are revealed when it joins your League. A locked card can therefore help you pick a goal without showing the full playable profile. Return after capture to read the newly available details before choosing it for another run.
The same card lists shared kits with Grass and Poison. Use that as the card’s own kit information, not as a substitute for its hidden name or unrevealed attacks. Once the partner joins, compare the actual profile with your current partner and choose around the abilities you want to explore.
Sources & notes
- PokéBonk — original game and in-game menus
Main menu, release history, Squirtle profile, Settings, Lab and a locked League #001 card inspected on October 18, 2026, in Beta v0.6.2. The locked card describes its challenge and the challenge → wild encounter → capture sequence. Menu evidence; challenge completion and capture were not playtested.
See how this guide uses sources. The original game may change after the date shown above.
