What Are the Mysterious Slates?
The 27 Mysterious Slates are collectible stone tablets hidden throughout Pokopia. Each slate corresponds to one of the 26 Unown letter forms (A through Z) plus the two punctuation forms (! and ?). Collecting all 27 slates solves the Mysterious Slate Puzzle and unlocks Mew — one of the rarest and most beloved Pokemon in the franchise.
This is one of the most searched-for secrets in Pokopia, and for good reason: Mew cannot be obtained any other way.
How the Slate System Works
- Each slate is a physical object hidden in the game world — inside caves, behind landmarks, buried near habitats, or rewarded from specific interactions.
- Slates glow with a faint pink aura when you are nearby (within approximately 10 tiles).
- Collecting a slate adds the corresponding Unown letter to your Slate Collection screen (accessible from the menu).
- You must collect all 27 to trigger the Mew event. 26 out of 27 does nothing.
- Slates do not require specific weather or time conditions to collect — they are always present once you have access to their region.
Region-by-Region Slate Locations
Withered Wasteland (Slates 1-6)
This is the first region you explore, so several early slates are here. They serve as a tutorial for the collection mechanic.
| Slate # | Unown Letter | Location Description | |---------|-------------|---------------------| | 1 | A | Near the starting area — behind the large dead tree east of your first habitat plot. Walk around the tree trunk. | | 2 | B | Inside the collapsed ruins in the northern section of the Wasteland. Enter through the gap in the western wall. | | 3 | C | On the cliff edge overlooking the swamp. Requires building a stepping-stone habitat to reach the elevated platform. | | 4 | D | Buried near the riverbed in the central Wasteland. Look for disturbed soil patches — interact with the glowing one. | | 5 | E | Rewarded after completing the Wasteland's main story objective (clearing the path to Bleak Beach). | | 6 | F | Hidden inside the hollow log near the southern boundary. Easy to miss — the log blends into the background. |
Bleak Beach (Slates 7-11)
| Slate # | Unown Letter | Location Description | |---------|-------------|---------------------| | 7 | G | On the rocky outcrop at the far eastern tide pool. Accessible only during low tide (daytime hours). | | 8 | H | Inside the shipwreck on the northern coast. Enter through the hull breach and check the captain's quarters. | | 9 | I | Behind the waterfall in the western cove. Walk through the waterfall to find a hidden alcove. | | 10 | J | On top of the lighthouse. Requires building a nearby elevated habitat to reach the roof access point. | | 11 | K | Buried in the sand near the Krabby habitat area. Look for the small stone marker with an Unown carving. |
Rocky Ridges (Slates 12-16)
| Slate # | Unown Letter | Location Description | |---------|-------------|---------------------| | 12 | L | At the base of the canyon's tallest rock pillar. Walk around the pillar's southern face. | | 13 | M | Inside the desert cave system — take the left fork at the first junction, then right at the second. | | 14 | N | On the mesa top in the central Ridges. Build a ramp habitat or use the natural path from the northeast. | | 15 | O | Near the Cacnea habitat area (requires Sunny weather to access the full area, but the slate itself does not require weather). | | 16 | P | Hidden behind the fossil wall in the excavation site. Interact with the glowing fossil fragment. |
Sparkling Skylands (Slates 17-22)
| Slate # | Unown Letter | Location Description | |---------|-------------|---------------------| | 17 | Q | On the first floating island you reach. Check behind the crystal formation on the island's north edge. | | 18 | R | Inside the rainbow arch cave. The entrance is hidden by flowers — clear them by building a habitat nearby. | | 19 | S | On the cloud platform above the Fairy Garden. Requires a bouncing mushroom habitat to reach. | | 20 | T | Near the ancient shrine in the Skylands' center. Interact with the shrine after placing an offering (any Berry). | | 21 | U | On the underside of the largest floating island. Use the vine bridges to reach the hanging platform. | | 22 | V | Rewarded after completing the Skylands main story objective. |
Palette Town & Dream Islands (Slates 23-27)
| Slate # | Unown Letter | Location Description | |---------|-------------|---------------------| | 23 | W | In Palette Town — behind the Professor's lab building. Check the garden area to the east. | | 24 | X | In Palette Town — on the rooftop of the Town Hall. Build a ladder habitat adjacent to the building. | | 25 | Y | Dream Islands — on the first Dream Island you visit. Floats near the Drifloon spawn area. | | 26 | Z | Dream Islands — on the third Dream Island. Hidden inside the dream cloud formation at the island's peak. | | 27 | ! and ? | Dream Islands — special combined slate found after visiting all available Dream Islands. Located on the final island's central altar. |
Note on Slate 27: This is the only slate that combines two Unown forms (! and ?) into a single collectible. It is also the most commonly missed slate because Dream Islands require multiple visits across different play sessions.
What Happens After Collecting All 27 Slates
Once you collect all 27 Mysterious Slates:
- A notification appears telling you the Slate Collection is complete.
- Return to Palette Town. A new location marker appears — the Mysterious Slate Altar — which was previously inactive.
- Place all 27 slates on the altar. This triggers a cutscene where the slates arrange themselves into the Unown alphabet.
- Mew appears. After the cutscene, Mew spawns in a unique habitat that is automatically built at the altar location.
- Mew joins your island permanently. It functions like any other Pokemon — it has skills, contributes to habitat Comfort, and counts toward your 303 Pokedex completion.
Mew's Unique Abilities
Mew is one of the most versatile Pokemon in Pokopia:
- High base stats across all categories
- Can learn skills from multiple habitat types
- Boosts the Comfort level of any habitat it is assigned to
- Has a unique interaction animation that changes daily
Tips for Efficient Slate Hunting
1. Use the Slate Collection Screen
Open your menu and check the Slate Collection. Missing slates show as blank silhouettes — you can see which Unown letters you still need and narrow down which regions to revisit.
2. Listen for the Audio Cue
Slates emit a soft chiming sound when you are within range. Turn up your game volume and listen for it when exploring new areas.
3. Build Habitats Near Suspected Locations
Some slate locations are gated behind habitat construction (you need elevation or path access). If you see a suspicious elevated area or blocked path, try building a habitat nearby.
4. Dream Islands Require Patience
Dream Islands rotate their available islands. You may need to visit on multiple real-world days to access all Dream Islands and find Slates 25-27.
5. Post-Game Advantage
After completing the main story, you unlock Magnet Rise (Ditto's flying transformation), which makes reaching elevated slate locations trivially easy. If you are struggling with the Skylands slates, consider finishing the main story first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I collect slates in any order? A: Yes. There is no required sequence. Collect them in whatever order you encounter them.
Q: Do slates require specific weather or time? A: No. Slates are always present regardless of weather or time of day. The only requirement is having access to the region.
Q: I collected 26 slates but the altar is not activating. What am I missing? A: The most commonly missed slate is #27 on the final Dream Island. Make sure you have visited all Dream Islands, not just the first few.
Q: Can I get Mew through any other method? A: No. The Mysterious Slates are the only way to obtain Mew in Pokopia.
Q: Does Mew count toward the 303 Pokedex? A: Yes. Mew is one of the 303 Pokemon required for full Pokedex completion.
Q: Is there a Mewtwo in Pokopia? A: Yes, but Mewtwo has a separate unlock method unrelated to the Mysterious Slates. Check the post-game guide for Mewtwo details.