How to Get (and Fuse) Ice Rider Calyrex in Any Game Without Losing Your Mind

Ice Rider Calyrex is one of those Pokémon that feels like it shouldn’t be allowed. Like… who gave the tiny crowned forest spirit permission to hop on an ice horse and start swinging a 165 base Attack stat around like it pays rent?

If you want that frosty menace on your team, you can get it in both Sword/Shield and Scarlet/Violet but the process is totally different depending on which game you’re actually playing. So let me save you a bunch of frantic tab switching.

First: What even is Ice Rider Calyrex?

Ice Rider Calyrex = Calyrex (the little Psychic legendary) fused with Glastrier (the big icy horse). The thing that makes the fusion happen is a Key Item called the Reins of Unity.

Important detail people miss (and then yell into the void about): the Reins do not transfer between games. You need to get the Reins in whatever game you want to fuse in.

So the Pokémon can travel… but the magical horse harness cannot. Cute.

Okay, pick your path (because this is where people get tripped up)

If you’re playing Sword/Shield + Crown Tundra

You can do the whole story quest: meet Calyrex, choose the ice horse, get the Reins, catch the fused form. This is the “from scratch” route.

If you’re playing Scarlet/Violet

You cannot catch Calyrex or Glastrier in Paldea. You need them already—either from:

• your own Sword/Shield Crown Tundra save, or
• trades

Then you bring them into Scarlet/Violet through Pokémon HOME, buy the Reins, and fuse there.

Quick sanity check: Ice Rider vs. Shadow Rider (choose before you commit)

In Sword/Shield, the choice is basically permanent on that save file. So yes, this is one of those “save before you do the thing” moments.

• Ice Rider (Glastrier): slow, hits like a truck, physical attacker
• Shadow Rider (Spectrier): ridiculously fast, special attacker, causes chaos in a different flavor

Ice Rider’s signature move is Glacial Lance (130 base power, physical), and it’s a whole problem in a good way, if you’re the one holding the reins.

My opinion: if you are weighing choosing Kyurem forms and you like Trick Room teams or bulky “I will outlast you and also destroy you” gameplay, Ice Rider is your guy. If you like going first and vaporizing things, Shadow Rider is tempting. (I’m not saying Shadow Rider is the favorite child… but it acts like it.)

If you’ve decided you’re Team Ice Horse, let’s do this.

How to get Ice Rider Calyrex in Sword/Shield (Crown Tundra route)

You’ll need the Crown Tundra DLC. Also, don’t stroll in with a team of level 42s unless you enjoy suffering for character development your final encounter is level 80.

1) Start the Calyrex quest in Freezington

Head to Freezington. In one of the houses, grab the wooden crown off the table and take it to the big statue in the middle of town.

This kicks off your first meeting with Calyrex. You’ll follow it and battle it early on you can’t catch it yet, so don’t panic and start throwing Ultra Balls like confetti. Just win the battle and keep moving.

2) Plant the correct seeds (this is THE choice)

You’ll get carrot seeds and have to choose where to plant them. This is where the game basically asks, “Which horse do you want for the rest of your life?”

• Snow Slide Slope → Iceroot Carrot → Glastrier → Ice Rider
• Old Cemetery → Shaderoot Carrot → Spectrier → Shadow Rider

Save your game before planting. I’m begging you. Future You deserves nice things.

To get Ice Rider, plant at Snow Slide Slope (the snowy mountain area east of Freezington).

3) Battle Glastrier + get the items for the Reins

After you plant the Iceroot Carrot, Glastrier shows up. You battle it, but again no catching yet. It runs off, leaving behind a tuft of mane, and you’ll also get a Radiant Petal.

Take those to Peony in Freezington and he’ll craft the Reins of Unity.

4) The “main event” catch at Crown Shrine

Now you head to Crown Shrine (top of the region, dramatic snowy trek, you’ll know you’re in the right place when you start questioning your cardio).

Inside the shrine, put the Iceroot Carrot in the basket. Calyrex uses the Reins, fuses with Glastrier, and boom: Ice Rider Calyrex (Level 80).

Now you can catch it for real.

Catching tips (aka how to avoid a full spiral):

• False Swipe it down
• inflict Sleep or Paralysis
• use Ultra Balls, and if the fight drags on, Timer Balls start to shine after ~10 turns

Also: it’s shiny locked, so don’t soft reset for a sparkly. The game said no, and it meant it.

If you accidentally knock it out, you can come back and try again—so no need to throw your controller into the nearest snowbank.

How to get Ice Rider Calyrex in Scarlet/Violet (the “I already did Crown Tundra” route)

This is faster if you’ve already got the two Pokémon.

Step 0: Bring Calyrex + Glastrier into Scarlet/Violet

You need Calyrex and Glastrier in Pokémon HOME, then transfer them into your Scarlet/Violet boxes.

No Calyrex + no Glastrier = no Ice Rider. Paldea is many things, but it is not a free legendary buffet.

Step 1: Buy the Reins of Unity at Porto Marinada

Go to Porto Marinada (west coast) and hit the auction house.

A few gotchas:

• You need to have beaten Gym Leader Kofu first.
• The Reins only show up if Calyrex is in your party or boxes.
• If the auction inventory doesn’t have it, choose “Maybe next time” and talk to the vendor again to refresh.

Price wise, it’s usually around ₽5,000-ish. (Which, honestly, is a steal for the power you’re about to unleash.)

Step 2: Fuse them

Put Calyrex and Glastrier in your party, then:

• Open your Bag
• go to Key Items
• select Reins of Unity → Use
• choose Calyrex, then choose Glastrier

And there you go: Ice Rider Calyrex, ready to bonk everything in sight.

How to unfuse (because yes, you can change your mind)

Fusion isn’t permanent. Use the Reins of Unity again from Key Items to split them back into two Pokémon.

Two things people forget:

• You need one empty party slot to unfuse.
• When you unfuse, Calyrex loses the fusion exclusive stuff (like Glacial Lance). So don’t unfuse mid-plan and then act surprised like the game betrayed you.

Annoying but important fusion rules (read before you try to be clever)

• You can only have one fused Rider form active per save (so you’re not running around with both Ice Rider and Shadow Rider fused at the same time).
• You can’t trade, release, or send to Pokémon HOME while fused. Always unfuse first.

Yes, it’s a hassle. Yes, I have absolutely forgotten and then had to backtrack. Twice. Possibly three times. Moving on.

Transferring between games with Pokémon HOME (the simple version)

If you want to move them:

1. Unfuse Calyrex and Glastrier
2. send them to HOME
3. transfer to the other game
4. get the Reins of Unity in that game
5. fuse again

Basically, the Pokémon travel fine. The Reins make you re-earn them like you’re in a fantasy novel.

Want both Rider forms registered without starting a whole new save?

Do the friend trade trick.

If you have a friend who chose the other horse:

1. both of you unfuse
2. temporarily trade the horses (Glastrier ↔ Spectrier)
3. fuse to register the other Rider form
4. trade back

It’s a little bit of teamwork for a lot of Pokédex satisfaction.

Why Ice Rider is worth the effort (aka: the victory lap)

Ice Rider Calyrex is a slow moving wrecking ball with insane physical power, and in a legendary Ice type lineup it gets even nastier in Trick Room where that low Speed turns into an advantage.

Pair it with a Trick Room setter (think Hatterene or Porygon2) and suddenly you’re the one giggling while the other side watches their team get flattened by a majestic ice horse.

So yep—whether you’re doing the full Crown Tundra storyline or just popping into Porto Marinada with HOME transfers in hand, go get your frozen fusion. Just… save before the carrots. Seriously.