To add a locked Pokémon to your League, complete its challenge, encounter it in a later run, weaken it and capture it. Finishing the challenge makes the member available to appear; it does not immediately make that member selectable. For a concrete early target, Pidgey’s Explorer challenge asks you to complete four runs, with wins and losses both counting.
The three stages of a League unlock
| Stage | What it means | Your next action |
|---|---|---|
| Challenge incomplete | The member’s requirement has not been met | Read the locked card and work on its stated counter |
| Challenge complete | The Pokémon can appear for capture | Start another run and watch for the wild encounter |
| Successfully captured | The Pokémon joins your League | Return to The League and select the new member |
The distinction explains a common situation: your challenge counter is complete, but the character is still locked. The capture is a separate step. A new Pokédex entry, a Support Alpha and a permanent League unlock also belong to different systems; read the encounter message rather than treating every caught Pokémon as the same kind of unlock.
Pidgey example: complete four runs
Open the original game, choose Play → The League, and inspect Pidgey’s locked entry. Its role is Explorer and its requirement is Complete 4 runs (win or lose).
- Play with an available League member and finish runs until the challenge reaches four. You do not need four victories for this particular requirement.
- Check the challenge state in The League. This keeps a run count separate from the time, KOs or evolutions you have accumulated.
- Start a later run and watch for the wild-Pokémon announcement. If several members are ready for capture, the game can choose among eligible targets; a completed Pidgey challenge is not a promise that Pidgey is the first encounter every time.
- When Pidgey appears, damage the target until the weakened/capture state begins, then move close enough to interact.
- Follow the capture prompt. On the default desktop binding, E throws the Poké Ball. If you changed your bindings, use the key or button displayed by the game.
- After a successful capture, look for the message that the Pokémon joins your League. Check Pidgey in The League after the run; that is the permanent-selection result you are looking for.
This sequence is an instruction based on the game’s challenge and capture rules, rather than a claim that this guide recorded a successful Pidgey run. You can apply the same sequence to another member while substituting that card’s actual requirement.
Weaken the target, then act quickly
For an ordinary League encounter, keep attacking the marked target until it is defeated. The game then leaves it at 1% of maximum HP in a 10-second weakened state for capture. Use the visible timer and move toward the target as it becomes capturable. The default capture interaction requires you to be nearby; the current distance check is under 9 in-game distance units.
A failed throw does not necessarily end the encounter. The game makes a later attempt easier, but the ordinary encounter can escape after three failed throws. It can also recover from the weakened state if you let the window expire, so do not stand far away waiting for an automatic capture.
Practical priorities are straightforward: keep a path toward the target, avoid being boxed in by the surrounding horde, and watch for the capture prompt rather than continuing to circle at long range. If a prompt names an Alpha or another encounter type, follow that prompt; Support Alpha capture is not identical to adding an ordinary member to The League.
What changes after a member joins
A captured League member gives you another starting character. It can also contribute to shared kits, but only where the type and move rules match. Capturing a Pokémon does not give every other character its entire move set.
For example, Bulbasaur’s Grass/Poison typing can match a Poison donor such as Weedle. Pidgey’s Normal/Flying typing does not match Bulbasaur, so unlocking Pidgey is not a route to giving Bulbasaur every Pidgey move. The move guide and checker explain the donor, current-form type, level and free-slot checks.
Do not confuse the 151-entry Pokédex with the 79-member League in the current season. Those are two different collections, not evidence that all 151 entries are selectable starting characters.
Challenge complete but still locked?
You have not captured the target yet. This is the first thing to check. A complete challenge opens the encounter stage; the League join message confirms the later result.
You have several ready targets. Continue watching the actual encounter announcement. An eligible target can be selected from the ready pool, rather than being determined only by the last challenge you completed.
The target recovered or escaped. A weakened state, a thrown ball and a successful catch are separate events. Read the message after each attempt.
The run or result did not save. Reopen the original game with your usual identity and follow the save and recovery checks. Avoid deleting guest-related browser storage while investigating.
You are trying to evolve the current character. That is handled by in-run evolution rules, rather than another capture. See Bulbasaur’s evolution thresholds for the 24/41 example.
Sources and scope
Based on the original game’s League challenge entries and public Beta 0.6.3 encounter/capture rules, reviewed on 18 October 2026. Open PokéBonk to inspect the current card and prompts. Pidgey’s four-run condition is a specific example, not a requirement shared by every League member.