Polteageist is new in Pokémon Sword and Shield, one of many Pokémon designed to resonate with the Britain-inspired Galar region. The teacup Pokémon is inventive enough on its own, but eagle-eyed players have discovered a second layer to its design: only 1/10 of all Polteageist are authentic. The rest are counterfeits.
I hate myself for spending time on this but here’s the forged vs not forged difference of sinistea. Enjoy
— (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)? (@Pangolinpoop) November 16, 2019
Polteageist Pokémon Sword & Shield: Players Discover Counterfeit Polteageists and Sinisteas
In a Pokédex entry on Polteageist's evolutionary precursor Sinistea, Pokémon Shield states "The teacup in which this Pokémon makes its home is a famous piece of antique tableware. Many forgeries are in circulation."
Turns out that description was more than an offhand joke. Only the Sinisteas and Polteageists bearing a specific blue mark on their bottoms are the genuine article. The rest — an estimated 90% of all Polteageists and Sinisteas — are counterfeits.
How to Know if Your Polteageist or Sinistea is Real or Counterfeit
There are two ways to know if your Polteageist or Sinistea is authentic. The first is to flip the Pokémon in question over to check for the mark of authenticity. This can be done by inspecting it in the Pokédex.
A second, simpler indicator is to note which evolution item you use to evolve your Sinistea into Polteageist. Cracked Pots are used for counterfeit sets, and Chipped Pots are reserved for verified Polteageists.
What's the Difference Between Real and Counterfeit Polteageist and Sinistea?
Statistically, the two versions of the Pokémon are exactly the same. The only difference is the small cosmetic addition of the blue seal.
Photo courtesy of Game Freak/The Pokémon Company
