Quick answer: Alpha Abra spawns randomly in Wild Zone 5 on the rooftops. To farm it, you must first earn the crown for that Wild Zone by catching all available Pokémon in the area, which allows Alpha variants to appear in place of regular spawns.
Abra is notoriously difficult to catch due to its tendency to teleport away instantly if startled or if a capture attempt fails. The Alpha variant shares this skittish behavior but adds higher stats, a larger size, and glowing red eyes. Unlike its evolved form, Alakazam, which appears as a static Alpha spawn in later zones, Alpha Abra does not have a guaranteed location. You must rely on random spawn mechanics in specific districts to encounter one.
Abra locations in Lumiose City
Abra appears primarily in Wild Zone 5. This zone features verticality that requires navigation to reach the spawn points. You will specifically find Abra wandering on the rooftops of the buildings in this area. Access these heights by using the ladders located within the zone, such as the one in the northeastern corner of the court behind breakable rocks.
Another spawn point exists on the roof of the building east of Wild Zone 1, but Wild Zone 5 is the primary location for farming encounters due to the layout and proximity of benches for resetting spawns.
Unlocking Alpha spawns
Alpha Pokémon do not appear in Wild Zones immediately. To enable random Alpha spawns for a specific species like Abra, you generally need to complete the Pokédex entries for that zone. Once you have caught all available Pokémon in a Wild Zone and earned the crown icon on your map for that area, standard spawns have a chance (approximately 5%) to be replaced by their Alpha counterparts.
Farming method: Bench resetting
Since Alpha Abra is a random spawn, you will likely need to cycle through many standard Abra before an Alpha appears. The most efficient way to force new spawns is the bench reset method.
Step 1: Locate a bench in Wild Zone 5, ideally one positioned near the ladder or with a view of the rooftop spawn areas. There are multiple benches in the zone, including sets near the grass area ladders.
Step 2: Sit on the bench to advance the time of day. This action forces the game to despawn current wild Pokémon and generate a fresh set of spawns.
Step 3: Climb to the roof and check the Abra. If it does not have glowing red eyes, return to the bench and repeat the process.
This method avoids the loading screens associated with fast traveling to and from the Lumiose Sewers or other districts.
Catching tips
Abra requires a stealth approach. If it notices you, it will use Teleport and vanish from the map immediately. This behavior applies to the Alpha version as well, making the stakes higher given the rarity of the spawn.
- Stealth is mandatory: Crouch and approach from behind. Do not run or dash within earshot of the Pokémon.
- One-shot capture: If your Poké Ball hits but fails to catch Abra, it will likely flee immediately after breaking out. Use your highest-tier balls (Ultra Balls or better) and aim for a backstrike to maximize the catch rate.
- Distance: Alpha Pokémon have a detection radius. Ensure you are close enough to land the throw but outside its line of sight.
If you prefer to skip the hunt for an unevolved Alpha, you can wait until you unlock Wild Zone 20 later in the game. A static Alpha Alakazam spawns beneath the tower in that zone, offering a guaranteed high-level capture without the RNG required for Abra.
