What are the Ominous Black Stakes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Paldea is quickly becoming the newest home for Pokémon fans around the world with Scarlet and Violet. But as players explore the region, they’ll come across a head-scratching mystery: strange, glowing black stakes nailed in the ground.

There are a grand total of 32 of these Ominous Black Stakes scattered around Paldea, and they each have a color that corresponds with a locked shrine. When you interact with an Ominous Black Stake, you’ll be prompted with a text box asking if you want to pull the Ominous Black Stake from the ground.

The stakes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet come in a few different colors:

• Ominous Purple Stakes
• Ominous Green Stakes
• Ominous Yellow Stakes
• Ominous Blue Stakes

Should you pull out the Ominous Black Stakes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

If you’re wondering if you should pull the Ominous Black Stakes out of the ground, the short answer is yes. Collecting all eight Ominous Black Shrines in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet unlocks the shrine that corresponds with the color of the stakes you collected, and those shrines contain Legendary Pokémon you’ll definitely want to encounter: Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu, Wo-Chien, and Chien-Pao.

When you pull an Ominous Black Stake from the ground, it will disappear. Since it’s not an item in the sense that a Potion or Held Item is, you won’t be able to find it in your bag. It will go towards unlocking the shrine nonetheless, however, so be sure to check back with each shrine after you’ve collected all eight of the Ominous Black Stakes for that particular color.