Unofficial Pokemon Leaf Green Guide by CM Boots-Faubert for
The word "Pokémon" is an abbreviation of the words "Pocket Monster," from the English translation of the original Japanese words Poketto Monsuta, and represents in just three syllables what has become one of the most successful (if not the most successful) media franchises ever created in Japan. The franchise includes video games, anime, cartoons, movies, theme parks, special retail stores, and a plethora of consumer goods form sheet and pillow case sets to toothbrushes, all emblazoned with the images, logo, and catch phrases made famous by four simple words: Gotta Catch 'em All! The assignment to write the walkthrough for Pokémon LeafGreen is my second venture into the world of Pokémon, and it is no less an exciting challenge than my first, which was a walkthrough for the 4th generation game Pokemon HeartGold. In fact LeafGreen turned out to be more of a challenge, because as I set out to write this guide I was faced with the existing body of work by a dozen other writers who have tread this path before me. The result is that I am under the obligation to add something to this subject -- to make it better -- so that my contribution is just that: a contribution. Pokemon LeafGreen was released as the companion game to Pokemon FireRed, which follows the tradition in the series to release two different color-coded games, each with certain Pokemon that are exclusive to them, so that gamers must find a partner who has the other game in order to trade Pokemon and complete their Pokedex. Background Pokemon LeafGreen is the remake of the original game that helped to launch the Pokemon Empire, Pocket Monsters Green, which was originally released in the Spring of 1996 with its companion game, Pocket Monsters Red, thus establishing the two-color complementary release combination in which certain monsters were exclusive to each version. The reasoning behind that was simple: the games were designed -- were in fact intended -- to be played both as single-player and as multi-player games. For that reason the incentive of needing to find a partner to trade with and battle who owned the other color was positioned as the primary element to promote the games, and it remains such to this day. Much of Pocket Monsters Green was developed separately from Red, and there were noted differences in not just the video display and graphics, but also in the sound and in some of the mechanics. To be polite, Red was a more polished, nicer version with better looking graphics, in spite of the fact that these were black-and-white games. When the decision was made to create a version of the games for the rest of the world, the code for Red was used rather than the less refined Green, and to differentiate between the two revisions, the color was changed from Green to Blue. Versions were created for the regions of North American, Europe, and Australasia, all based upon the engine and graphics of Pocket Monsters Red, but at the last minute the game title was renamed "Pokemon" because it was thought that it would be less confusing to gamers outside of Japan, who were largely unfamiliar with the sport of raising and fighting insects that the games are actually based on. LeafGreen represents a complete overhaul of the game with respect to graphics and its graphical interface, and it has had its sound completely remastered and re-recorded as well, both to create a unique gaming experience and to bring it in line with the most recent generation of games. Created for the Nintendo Game Boy Advanced (GBA), the game uses a different cartridge format, with larger memory and storage, and can only be used in GBA slots. This format limits play to Game Boy Advanced consoles, Nintendo DS and DS Lite consoles, and the Nintendo Game Cube Game Boy Player, an expansion device that is attached to the base of the Game Cube that allows GBA games to be played on the console, using your television in place of the smaller hand-held screen of the GBA. One of the popular elements of the original (Game Boy) games was that they could be linked together, using a special cable that connects to of the original Game Boy consoles, so that gamers could battle each other, and trade items and Pokemon. When the GBA generation of games was released the connecttivity was expanded to allow up to four consoles to be linked using the special cables, and the second generation of GBA games - of which LeafGreen is a part - moved to a proprietary wireless adapter that allows up to 28 consoles to link and interact with each other through the games. Gone is that special cable, replaced by a wireless transmitter/receiver that snaps on to the console, and allows the gamers to link with each other as well as other gamers in an area, to trade, battle, and be social. While the wireless device is not, strictly speaking, a Wi-Fi adapter, it provides the same basic service -- radio based wireless connectivity -- and is included with every game, free in the box. Changes There have been significant changes in this new and re-invented version, and while there are too many to examine in a brief and efficient way, the major changes that you should be aware of include: You will get a better idea of the changes as you begin to play, but do not expect the world to work exactly the same way as it did in the original games, as it was necessary to change things a bit in order to incorporate the new fighting system.
The style of this walkthrough is a mixture of narrative and reference, and is divided into logical sections of the game centering around the cities and the path of travel between them. LeafGreen is a rich and deep gaming experience with some content that, while it is essentially an optional part of the story mode, can still easily be missed in casual play. For that reason each section contains a detailed description of any special events, side-quests, or what is euphemistically referred to as "optional" story play by most fan sites, as this is the only way to efficiently cover this content. Please bear in mind that this Walkthrough is intended to cover the main game, its story-line, and play, and while it does address much of the optional content, does not do so in great detail or completeness. Covering the optional content is beyond the scope of this walkthrough. This guide is intended to be used as a companion resource as you play through the game, or as a reference source for wrapping up play after you have completed the main story. In it you will find both hints and close detail that include secret information, access to companion resources via the World Wide Web, and a wealth of hints and tips that are intended to enhance your enjoyment of the game. Please be aware that each section includes images and videos that can (and often do) contain spoilers that reveal more information than the game designer intends for the player to have at each stage -- so if you prefer to have a 100% spoiler-free experience, you are advised to complete each section of the game prior to reading that section of the walkthrough or watching its video! The video files and, to a lesser extent, the images, serve as a combination of illustration and where it is needed, a precise guide to managing any particularly difficult section or event. I want to stress that Pokémon LeafGreen is a complex game with optional content that far exceeds that of the plot and play in the story mode, offering the ability to explore new content that is only revealed after the player has actually beaten the game! The gamer can continue playing long after the story mode has been completed, which is an attractive feature that is traditionally built into the games in the Pokemon series. I want to encourage you to continue to play after you defeat the final battles and the credits are finished rolling, because there is a significant chunk of content -- and fun -- to be had post-victory! I have included additional information in the form of reference data presented in the format of organized Appendixes in order to provide you with access to information that you will constantly be referring back to as you play. This is a very complicated game, with a very deep and rich world that in many ways resembles our own. Because if the unique back-story that interlaces through the entire series of games, there are going to be aspects of play that even the most serious and dedicated of fans and gamers will not experience, in one or even two complete games, and that brings us neatly to the next subject -- the Pokemon Assets provided by SuperCheats. -- SuperCheats Pokemon Assets -- In the process of writing this walkthrough I have utilized the wealth of resources and information that is available on our site, and you will want to as well! There is no point in re-inventing the wheel when a perfect collection of wheels has been provided for us, and for that reason I have not incorporated a Pokedex, a Move Guide, or any of the other statistical tomes that are often included in walkthrough guides. I have not included them for the simple reason that they already exist, on our website, for your instant and easy use. The following links will be of particular value to you as you play through the game using this guide: -- LeafGreen Main Landing Page -- LeafGreen Pokédex -- LeafGreen Cheats In addition to the above you will find, off of the landing page, links to Game Shark and Action Replay Codes that are specific to LeafGreen, so if you own and use one of these devices, we have got you covered. You will also find inside of the chat boards hosted on our site a literal treasure-trove of information, hints, guides, and help with even the most esoteric of challenges you will encounter in the game. No matter what the issue is, check our boards and pages, because we have got you covered! That is really all that there is to say about that, so with no further preparation, and in the spirit of the serious Pokemon Trainer and Breeder that I am, I want to say: Welcome! Good Luck! Have Fun! Thank you for reading this! And Enjoy! Pokemon LeafGreen is a Game Boy Advanced (GBA) game, and as such it uses the GBA Cartridge, which means that you must have either a Game Boy Advanced, Game Boy Advanced SP, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Light, or a Nintendo Game Cube equipped with a Game Boy Player (a slab-like hardware expansion module for the Game Cube that allows you to play GBA games with your Game Cube). The game will NOT play on a DSi or later console! Slot the cartridge into your console/device and turn on the power, hitting start when prompted to be brought the the game loading screen. You have two basic choices here -- continue a current game, and start a new game. You also may see Mystery Gift as a menu option if it is unlocked, but if this is a brand new cartridge it should not be unlocked. Assuming that this is a brand new cartridge you should select New Game -- but if it has a previous game on it, you still pick New Game. In previous games you would have then been told that a save for another game exists, and been told to do a certain button combination in order to reset the game and make a new save, but you do not have to do that in this game -- simply complete the following and then save the game as usual, and it will ask if you are sure you want to over-write the previous game, to which you say 'yes' of course. After you select New Game from the menu you will enter the start-up mode, and the following message will be displayed on the screen: "In the world which you are about to enter, you will embark on a grand adventure with you as the hero. "Speak to the people and check things wherever you go, be it towns, roads, or caves. Gather information and hints from every source. "New paths will open to you by helping people in need, overcoming challenges, and solving mysteries. "At times, you will be challenged by others and attacked by wild creatures. Be brave and keep pushing on. "Through your adventure, we hope that you will interact with all sorts of people and achieve personal growth. That is our biggest objective. "Press the A Button, and let your adventure begin!" Professor Oak will now appear on the screen and introduce himself, then give you a very brief introduction to Pokemon, showing you the one in his Pokeball, before asking you to tell him your sex. Once you do that, he asks you for your name -- then he asks you to confirm that this is the name you want to use. Oak then introduces you to his grandson -- and then asks for his grandson's name -- which suggests to me that he may be in the initial stages of Alzheimer Disease... Or not. There is a list of names that you can pick from: Red, Ash, Kene, and Geki, or you can select your own name. I thought it was funny having Ash be one of the names, considering that the canon for the game clearly states that Gary is the Prof's grandson, and it would be weird for Ash to be related to him, but anyway -- I picked Gary, you pick what you like. After you complete that last chore you will find yourself in your bedroom at home -- and before you do anything else you want to save the game now, so that you do not have to go through the starting screens again if you forget and reset it! Another step you will want to take is to hit the start button to bring up the menu, then select 'OPTION' from the menu and 'Text Speed' and change that from Slow to Fast -- believe me that will make life so much better! There are several other options that you can change here - you can turn off the Battle Animation Scene if you like (I didn't but I rather like it myself), change the Battle Style, the Sound, the Button Mode, and the Frame. Go ahead and play with the Frame options -- make the screens more snazzy, after all you will be looking at them for a lot of hours, they may as well fit in with your idea of color and form, right? Once you have made all of the changes to the Options that you want to make, hit the A Button to commit the changes. Hitting B will back out without saving your changes, so do not do that. Now before we jump back to the game, move up one to your name and select it with the A Button to view your Trainer Card. -- The Trainer Card -- If you are new to the Pokemon series of games, your Trainer Card is more valuable to you than a driver license, a gun permit, or your dad's life membership to the Playboy Club. It is your ticket to success as a Pokemon Trainer, Breeder, and perhaps one day, Pokemon Master! On the face of your card you will see your ID number in the upper right corner -- this five digit number is actually combined with another five digit hidden number that you cannot see to, and together they make up your universal ID number for the Pokemon world for this game. That way if some other trainer happened to choose the same name as you and also ended up with the same trainer number, your Pokemon and cartridge would still be uniquely your own, which is an important consideration if you decide you want to battle in official tournaments -- more on that later. The next line down is your name, of course, then how much money you have, how many Pokemon you have caught, and the elapsed play time in the game. Along the very bottom edge of the card are open slots where your Pokemon Gym Badges will be attached. What you cannot see right now is that by completing certain milestone events -- like beating the Elite Four -- you will earn gold stars, and each star changes the color of your Trainer Card to indicate that you are a higher-level trainer. Sort of like the Frequent Flier cards you get from airlines. When you hit A, you will be shown the reverse side of the card, which will later contain information and if you like, a drawing of your favorite party members by using a machine at the Game Corner later in the game. For now though, you should be familiar with the basic layout of the card and now know where to look for information and statistics if you need them later! -- Action Replay and Game Shark Warning -- The Action Replay and Game Shark devices are very popular with gamers who play the Pokemon games because they are often the only way that a gamer can unlock the special events and Pokemon that are part of the game, due to the fact that the real world events at which these parts of the game could be unlocked happened years ago, and will not likely happen again. While it is understandable that you may want to experience those parts of the game, you should be warned that using those devices to alter your game at all -- even a little -- will invalidate that game cartridge for tournament play, and for accessing any future official special events or give-aways. The folks at Nintendo America have a machine that they use to check every game cartridge that is presented for play at every special event, and it can detect when the game save has been edited or altered. I think it is best that you be aware of that before you decide to use those devices, in case you actually plan to participate in those fun events! -- A final word on Saving -- The world of Pokemon is often fraught with peril, so as you play, any time you have a significant event, capture a special Pokemon, or accomplish a particularly hard task, it is really a good idea to save your game! It may help to develop the habit of also saving any time you enter a Pokecenter or shop as well as after important events. Remember -- Save Early, Save Often!
Preface
Each session starts with a refresher of the last one
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Getting Started
The Continue and Start Screen 
The Trainer Card
Pallet Town
Choosing your Starter Pokemon
After you complete the starting screens you find yourself standing in your bedroom in your house in Pallet Town, about to begin your first steps on an epic adventure in your quest to become a Pokemon Master! Take a quick look around -- there is your bed, a nice rug, and in the corner is your PC.
Go ahead and boot-up your PC to learn that it has Item Storage capability as well as a Mailbox. If you look inside the Item Storage then hit Withdraw, you will see that there is a Potion inside! Go ahead and take that now! There is no mail in your mailbox at the moment so go ahead and turn off your PC, then hit the Start Button and select your Bag.
You will see that your bag is divided into sections -- called pockets -- for the various types of items you will be collecting and using. There are pockets for Poke Balls, Key Items, and Regular Items -- the Potion you just took from your PC is now stored in the Regular Items pocket. Move your cursor onto the Potion to get a description of it -- and you will learn that this spray-type medicine will restore up to 20 Hit Points (HP) for an injured Pokemon! Later when you find other items you can open the bag to examine them and learn more about what they are and what they do in this same way.
Head to the stairs in the other corner, and pause to read the Posted Notice before you head down to learn how to access Help in the game. Right, now head down the stairs and you will see your mother by the table down there. Talk to her to learn that Professor Oak is looking for you. Your mom seems to be a little flaky, and places a lot of faith in what the TV says, but she has a good heart and she loves you, mate.
As we exit the house and enter Pallet Town it is time to add the Area Pokemon List to this section of the walkthrough! You will find a list like the one below included for the first time that we enter any town, route, or location, providing you with information on what Pokemon can be captured in this area. While this list is no use to you at the moment -- you do not have a Pokemon of your own or Poke Balls, and you will need both to capture wild Pokemon -- it will be very useful later, so remember to consult it when you return to an area when you do have the ability to capture to see if there are any Pokemon you need here.
The key below explains what each listing means -- and you should be aware that each listing contains the National Pokedex Number rather than the Regional Pokedex number, followed by the Pokemon's proper name, the manner or technique by which it is acquired, its rarity, and the difficulty in encountering and capturing it. In the sections that follow this one the Area Pokemon List will come right after the basic description of the area at the top of the section, FYI.
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
130 - Gyrados / Fishing (Super Rod)
099 - Kingler / Fishing (Super Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Good Rod)
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod)
120 - Staryu / Fishing (Super Rod)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now that we have that out of the way, go ahead and look around the area a bit -- below you is a flower garden with a sign identifying the town, and another with a Trainer Tip -- you will find signs like this all over the Region, and it never hurts to read them! Next to the tip sign is a person -- talk to them, in fact you should talk to everyone you meet in your travels, as some of them will be other trainers who will want to fight you while others will just provide information.
Fighting other trainers is a good idea, both because it helps you to level up your Pokemon faster than fighting wild Pokemon, and because beating them earns you prize money! And let me tell you, you are going to need lots of money to keep yourself in Poke Balls and kit as the game progresses!
There is another resident you can talk to to the right, but then you should enter the building above, which is Professor Oak's Lab.
-- The Professor's Lab --
Professor Oak's Lab in Pallet Town
Inside you will see three people you can talk to -- two of the Professor's Aids, and a brown-haired girl and in the back of the Lab you will see Gary, the Professor's grandson and your life-long rival! The Professor does not seem to be here, so talk to Gary, then read the two notices on the wall. If you are feeling nosy, go ahead and access the computer in the corner to read a special email that was sent to the Professor. Nosy little git, aren't you?
On a table nearby there are three Poke Balls -- those will be significant in a bit -- and in the far corner are bookcases that are crammed full of Pokemon books! When you get tired of waiting around leave the Lab and head north past your house to the path above -- before you can actually enter the path, which would be dangerous and foolish without your own Pokemon to defend you, the Professor appears to stop you.
He escorts you back to the Lab, where you find Gary waiting impatiently. The Prof offers you a Pokemon from one of the three on the table -- a Bulbasaur, a Squirtle, and a Charmeleon -- which are a Grass, Water, and Fire type respectively. There really is no wrong choice here, though each type has its own set of strengths and weaknesses inherent to it, if you use them properly they each represent strong choices -- and this is the only place you can get these three in the game, as they are Starter Pokemon...
Once you make your choice, Gary will choose the one that is strong against the one you chose, and he will then challenge you to a battle! You should be able to beat him since regardless of what you and he chose they are both Level 5 and do not have any of their special moves yet. Both have physical moves, and even though they are balanced you have a tiny advantage -- call it karma if you like -- so you should be able to beat him!
If it looks like you will lose, do not forget about that Potion you have in your bag! Use that if your Pokemon's health gets too low. It is not cheating, and it is not your fault that Gary did not bring a Potion with him. Either way you should have won this fight, and Gary will stomp off in a huff. Now head back to your house and talk to your Mom, who will allow you to rest and heal your Pokemon.
-- Route One --
Route 1 on the way to Viridian City
The Route that connects Pallet Town to Viridian City.
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
016 - Pidgey / Normal
019 - Rattata / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After you wake up, head outside and north to the path we almost entered before when the Prof stopped us. This time we can enter the path, and walk through the tall grass, where eventually you will encounter a wild Pokemon. Since we do not have an balls we cannot capture any, but you can fight them to gain levels!
Route 1 consists of a path that winds through several sections of tall grass -- and as I mentioned, tall grass is where you will encounter wild Pokemon. Past the first set of tall grass you will encounter an NPC who will give you a Potion as a gift, and once you have that continue along the path north. If you do not want to fight or your Pokemon is badly injured you can choose to run away from the fights -- there is no obvious penalty for doing so.
When you arrive in Viridian City be sure to stop at the Pokecenter (the orange roofed building directly above and to the right of the entrance to town. There you can heal your Pokemon by talking to Nurse Joy at the counter. There are other facilities here, but we cannot really make use of them yet, so we will cover those in a later section.
Now would be a good time to save as well, so go ahead and do that!
On a Mission
Viridian City is a small town in Western Kanto that is famous for being the stepping-off point for Pokemon Trainers who are on their way to the Indigo Plateau. Famous trainers and Pokemon Masters reside and shop in the area.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good Rod)
130 - Gyrados / Fishing (Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Good Rod)
060 - Poliwag / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
061 - Poliwhirl / Fishing (Super Rod)
079 - Slowpoke / Surf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After you heal your Pokemon at the Pokecenter and save your game, you will no doubt wish to explore the city -- and it is a city, not a town like where you grew up. Here there is commerce, culture, the arts, and famous Pokemon Trainers, though you probably will not be able to recognize any as you are less than an amateur at this stage in your training!
Exit the Pokecenter and head east to talk to the Bug Expert near the Pokecenter, then head north and enter the building with the blue roof -- that is a Poke Mart, at which you can purchase all sorts of useful kit! As you enter the clerk notices you and inquires if you are from Pallet Town -- man we must have country mouse written on our forehead! You admit that you are, and they ask you to deliver his order to him, and of course you say you will!
Basically that is what we came to do -- and until we do they will not let us buy anything or even look at their inventory, so just say yes and then, if you like, talk to the people in the store before exiting. Immediately west of the store is the Pokemon Academy, where you can learn about status ailments by reading the blackboard inside. I strongly suggest that you do so if you are not familiar with that ailment and its cure!
We have pretty much done all that we can here for now, so go ahead and head south and back to Route 1 now.
-- Route One --
This time we have a choice in our path -- we can go through the tall grass in the reverse of the path we used to get to the city, or we can jump down the cliffs, thereby avoiding confrontation with any wild Pokemon. I chose to jump down the cliffs, as I was in a hurry to get back to Pallet Town and deliver the package!
Do not be surprised if you get caught by a wild Pokemon in the last stretch before you enter town -- just fight or run, it is up to you... though it is probably worth fighting this one of you did not do so on the way to the city, as that will get you enough XP to reach Level 7, and unlock your Pokemon's first special type move. As I chose Charmander I unlocked Ember, which is a pretty nice Fire Type move.
-- Pallet Town --
You do not need to stop at home to heal, just head to the Lab now and deliver the package. Once you do, Gary shows up again, as it turns out that Oak had summoned him. The Prof gives you both one of his newest inventions -- the Pokedex -- and asks you to help him with his research by using it on all of the Pokemon that you encounter in your travels.
The Pokedex is basically a computerized encyclopedia of all things Pokemon. As you encounter new types it will record data about them. This is a good thing, and it has the added benefit of letting you easily tell which ones you have seen, and which you have caught!
After he gives you the dex Gary leaves, and then the Prof gives you a small supply of Poke balls to start out with. How cool is that?
Ignore what Gary said -- go to his house and talk to his sister Daisy, and she will give you a map of the Kanto Region as well. Now head home and talk to Mom for a minute, and she will heal you up!
-- The Pokedex --
The Pokedex
Now before we do anything else let us examine our new Pokedex!
Open the menu by hitting Start, then selecting the Pokedex -- as you can see it is organized in several different ways -- you can view the contents numerically, or by Pokemon Habitats (only the habitats for the ones you have actually encountered will be available), as well as access the data through its Search function, which is broken out by alphabet, type, and size of Pokemon. For now though, just click the Numerical selection.
As you can see there are two slightly different entries available on the first page -- there is the one for the Pokemon you chose as your Starter, and it has a Poke ball symbol next to it and lists its type, and then there is the one that Gary chose, which lists only its name. Move the pointer to yours and click A to see a detailed display of its data now.
As you can see, the details include its Regional Number, its name, its genus and its height and weight. There is a representation of its footprint or track to help you in identifying any tracks you encounter in the wild, and a brief description. If you hit the A button again you will see another page that includes a map showing the area that it can be found in (if the area is known) and a relative size comparison using you as the measure.
If you hit the Start button you can hear a recording sample of its cry -- A will take you back to the first page, and B will exit the record. Go ahead and hit B twice to get back to the numerical listing page, then select Gary's Pokemon -- you see the difference in the listings? There is a lot less information, because you have only seen this one, not caught it!
Right, that is enough of that! Now tell your mother goodbye and hit the door mate, it is time to head back to Viridian City!
Capturing a Mankey
Head towards the path to the north and back on to Route 1, only this time when we encounter a wild Pokemon, instead of killing it we are going to capture it! With any luck that is... So head into the tall grass and walk back and forth until you encounter a Pidgey or a Rattata, then go into battle mode!
Now the idea here is not to kill it, but to weaken it as much as you can... You should have a pretty good idea of how much damage your average attack does, so base when you stop attacking and start throwing balls on that. Once it is weakened, throw a ball and, if you are lucky, you catch it in the first go!
-- Capturing your first Pokemon --
Attack it until it is as weakened as you can manage without killing it, then select bag from the battle menu, switch to the ball pocket, and select your Poke ball -- right now you only have the basic type, there are other types that have special uses and properties that we will acquire later.
Select Use and you will throw the ball. With each capture attempt the wild Pokemon has three chances to escape -- thus the ball will wiggle three times -- if it succeeds in making its escape roll, instead of a wiggle the ball will explode open, breaking it, and the Pokemon will get out and possibly escape from the fight altogether, though usually it will just get free of the the ball, giving you another chance to throw another ball.
If the attempt fails that ball is destroyed -- which is why you want to have a reasonably large inventory of balls -- and you will encounter Pokemon who escape more often than not, especially if they are a rare type of Pokemon. Often getting them to a sliver of health and hitting them with a status ailment like Sleep is not enough to keep them from escaping, and the rarer they are, the harder it gets.
Once you have captured your first wild Pokemon, you will be given the opportunity to name it -- I always name mine, even the ones I intend to trade. Rumor has it that naming them increases their like for you by a bit, and getting your Pokemon to like you is a good thing to do, as it helps in battle and in their mood!
Once you have acquired a Rattata and a Pidgey, go ahead and complete the trip to Viridian City as these are the only two types you will find on this Route.
-- Viridian City --
Viridian City
First thing you will need to do is go to the Pokecenter and heal then save. After that, stop by the store and purchase some kit that you will need -- at a minimum get one or two Antidotes and all the balls you can afford.
Now before we do anything else, put one of your new Pokemon in the number one position in our party (do that by hitting Start, then Pokemon, then one of the new Pokemon in the list, hit A, then Switch, target the lead Pokemon and hit A again so they switch places) head back to Route 1 and start waking in the tall grass. What you want to do is fight wild Pokemon for XP, which means killing them. You want to raise your two new Pokemon so that they are the same level as your Starter, which should be Level 7 or 8 by now.
As a general strategy you want to try to gain at least a few levels for each Pokemon you catch in the area that you caught it, if not level it up to match the base party level, because the further away from where you caught it you get, the higher level the Pokemon will be in the new area, which makes levels harder to get for lower-level Pokemon.
Once you get them all to the base party level, it is time to raise the base party level! Yeah, I know, you just spent an hour leveling Pokemon, but you really need your base level at around 10 or 11 because you have another rival fight coming up, and if your base level is not 10 or 11 you could get badly beaten by your rival... And really, seriously, do you want that to happen? The indignity, the shame, I mean Gary? Gary?!
You can return to the Pokecenter as needed to heal and save, then rinse and repeat until both are leveled up. Once they are, head west and you will see a path that exits from town in that direction -- that is the entrance to Route 22.
-- Route 22 --
This short Route leads west from Viridian City and then turns sharply north, and will take you to the entrance to the indigo Plateau, and your destiny as a Master Trainer -- but not yet! In fact other than a very brief foray into the Route for two specific tasks, the rest of this Route will remain unexplored until near the very end of the adventure...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
022 - Fearow / Normal
056 - Mankey / Normal
057 - Primeape / Normal
019 - Rattata / Normal
027 - Sandshrew / Normal
028 - Sandslash / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After you heal and save at the Pokecenter in Viridian, head towards the western exit and just before you reach Route 22 you will see a white fence along the upper edge of the path -- where the fence ends there is a path leading north -- follow that path north and then east to find a treasure ball with a Potion n it! Make sure you grab that before backtracking to the path and continuing on to Route 22.
Ahead on the path is an area with tall grass -- that is our destination! You should quickly capture a Mankey here, and as you already have a Rattata all that leaves for now is a Spearow -- who will either be very easy to catch or very hard depending upon your luck.
Since you may be working your way through a significant number of wild Rattata and Mankey before you encounter a Spearow here, if you are going to go ahead and get one it would be an idea to quickly run back to the Pokecenter and heal your new Mankey so you can kill two birds with one stone and level it up while trying for the Spearow. Note that Spearow are actually fairly common elsewhere in the region, so you do not have to try for one here if you do not want to.
Before you leave the area you will want to heal up and save at the Pokecenter, then return to the tall grass patch here and head past it to the north and then west, in order to trigger your second encounter with Gary for another Rival Battle!
-- Rival Battle 2 --
On the path above the tall grass on Route 22 you will encounter Gary, who is confident that he is now ready to kick your butt! He is pretty good at trash talking -- Gary must play WoW a lot... Anyway, this time around his Pokemon are Level 9, and he has learned a little bit better tactics, but as long as you leveled your team up properly this battle should be a cake walk!
After you beat Gary -- and if you decide not to get a Spearow here -- or if you decide to -- either way return to the Pokecenter in Viridian, heal and save, and then head to the north of town and the entrance to Route 2, which leads to the Viridian Forest, which is our next destination!
Organizing your Pokemon Storage
-- Route 2 --
The main Route between Viridian City and Pewter City, Route 2 also happens to be the path one must take to visit the Viridian Forest, with the path and Forest being excellent spots for catching Bug Type Pokemon!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
010 - Caterpie / Normal
019 - Rattata / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
013 - Weedle / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As you head north to exit Viridian City you are stopped by an old man who insists upon teaching you how to capture Pokemon. It does not matter that you already know how, he has decided you need to be taught, so you are going to be taught! Just suck it up, it only takes a few moments, and you have made an old man happy, which is your good karma deed of the day!
As a reward for allowing him to teach you how to capture Pokemon he gifts you with a Teachy TV -- a Key Item that functions as the defacto Help System for the game. Go ahead and open your bag and take a look at it now -- it has can teach you how to battle, what status ailments are, how type matchups work, and how to catch Pokemon again if you forgot something about that (grin).
If you are new to the game checking out the status ailments and matchups is not a bad idea... The host for these edumacational epics is the Poke Dude, sort of a cross between Mr. Wizard and Fonzie, and despite the goofy over-the-top good mood this guy shows, he does effectively teach the lessons.
Now continue out of town and on to Route 2, and you will notice that there is a path to the east that you cannot gain access to at the moment. There are bushes blocking the path into that path, and to get past those bushes you will need the HM Cut, and a Pokemon who can use it outside of battle, which means having the necessary Gym Badge as well -- more on that later! For now bear in mind that it is there so you can explore it later when you are equipped to do so!
Around the bend ahead is a patch of tall grass that you can avoid if you like -- but we do not want to do that because there are some Pokemon here that we want to catch! So go ahead and walk into the grass now...
The first one that we want to catch is a Weedle, which is the first evolutionary stage of the Bug-Type Pokemon line of Beedrill (Weedle > Kakuna > Beedrill). While it is possible to catch a Kakuna later, that amounts to the waste of a Poke ball, because a Kakuna caught as a Kakuna has no offensive moves, all it can do is sit there and absorb damage. Ideally you want to catch a Weedle, then level it; at Level 7 it transforms into a Kakuna but with the offensive moves it had prior to the transformation, and at Level 10 it reaches the end of the evolutionary line, becoming a Beedrill, which is not a shabby Pokemon at all and is a good one to have as an alternate for your A-Team (more on that later).
The next Pokemon we want to catch is a Caterpie, which is the first stage in the evolutionary line of the Butterfree (Caterpie > Metapod > Butterfree) a fairly powerful Psychic/Bug Type that is certainly a desired alternate for our A-Team! Like the Weedle it evolves at Level 7 and then Level 10.
Once you capture these two, you will now have a full team of six Pokemon. What that means is that any additional Pokemon that you catch will now be automatically sent to a storage box in the public PC's that are located in Pokecenters all over the region. That being the case, there is a bit of prep-work that we need to do now, so head back to the Pokecenter, heal, then save.
-- Setting up the PC --
The Personal Computer
In the right corner you will see a Public PC -- go over and log into it now, and you will see that there are four available choices: Someone's PC, Your PC, the Professor's PC, and Log Off.
Someone's PC: This is the public Pokemon Storage System. Since you can only have six Pokemon in your party at any one time, and there are well over 500 Pokemon in total in the National Dex, you have to have someplace to store the Pokemon you are not actively using at the moment! This is where you store them.
Your PC: You already know what that is for -- item storage and email.
Professor Oak's PC: When you select this you are connected to the Professor, where you can have him rate your current Pokedex and get some advice from him.
Log Off: That is an obvious one.
Now, open Someone's PC -- do not worry finding out whose it actually is will happen as a result of our adventure, but for now we do not know the answer so it is Someone's... Anyway, open it up, and you will see the basic menu options. For now we want to select Move Pokemon so that we have undettered access all of the boxes.
Each box can hold a total of 30 Pokemon, and there are 14 boxes, which means that you have the maximum storage capacity of 420 Pokemon -- way more than we will actually need for this game. Now the boxes are numbered, so the first thing you should do is move to Box 14, then click on the title of it and change the name to "Incoming" (without the quotes). Now click on the name again but this time change the wallpaper -- selecting etc and then Pokecenter.
Now move to Box 13 and repeat the process above, but substituting the name "Outgoing" (again without the quotes). Now move to Box 1 and repeat the process again, but substitute "A-Team" for the name, and choose the Simple Wallpaper. Go to Box 2 and do that but call it "B-Team" and then starting with Box 3 and onward, name them for the major types that will have the most in number of unique Pokemon in the game, and a few that are labeled Misc...
The way that I set mine up is: BUG/GRAS, Electric, Fire, Fly, Ice/Watr, Normal, Rck/Grnd, Poi/Psyc, Misc-1, and Misc-2, but you can do it any way you like.
Basically when you leave the PC you want to make sure that you exit with the Incoming Box selected, so that any new Pokemon will be placed in that box, and thus you know which ones are new next time you access the PC. You can then move then to their appropriate type box, or to one of the Misc boxes for the minor types. Keeping them organized like this is actually a really good idea, because it will make selecting and building special-function teams a LOT easier.
Use the A-Team box for your active team -- the one you will use for most of the story mode, and your B-Team box for the alternate teams you put together for specific battles and situations. You may also want to store any rare or hard to get Pokemon in the B-Team box as well. When you start breeding Pokemon to complete your Pokedex later you will be very happy that you took the time to organize this storage system when it was empty and thus easier to manage, trust me!
Hunting Treasure in the Viridian Forest
-- Viridian Forest --
A deep and sprawling forest that is located in the middle of Route 2, the Viridian Forest is said to be a maze-like challenge in which many have gotten lost over the ages. The almost jungle-like canopy of the forest lets in hardly any light at all, which provides the perfect environment for Bug Type Pokemon to flourish. The Viridian Forest is thought to be a rich spot for treasure hunting.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
010 - Caterpie / Normal
014 - Kakuna / Normal
011 - Metapod / Normal
025 - Pikachu / Normal
013 - Weedle / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now that you have the Pokemon for Route 2 in the bag so to speak, and you have created your storage organization, it is time to head back to Route 2 and into the Viridian Forest! You have two basic concerns to look after here -- fighting the trainers and capturing a Pikachu.
Capturing a Pikachu is less of a concern if you did not choose Charmander as your Starter, but if you did than adding a Pikachu to your party will help a lot in balancing it out as far as ability and move types is concerned. Obtaining a full party is not the end of our concern in that respect, sure we have all six slots filled, which gives us six Pokemon to call upon in a rough battle, that is true. But what we really need are the right Pokemon, so we need to shift our concentration towards improving our party now that we have it built.
The second concern is to be sure to battle all of the trainers in the Forest, since they can provide needed XP and money to us. You should battle Bug Catcher Rick, Bug Catcher Doug, Bug Catcher Charley, Bug Catcher Anthony, and Bug Catcher Sammy, all of whom will field Bug Types.
Finally there are a few treasure balls scattered about the area that are worth the effort to collect, which you will spot as you make your way from trainer to trainer towards the exit from the zone in the northwest corner.
Catching a Pikachu in this area is certainly possible, but they are rarer than the other types so it will take more effort on your part. Since you need to raise your party level to between 12 and 14 anyway, combining the hunt for a Pikachu with leveling will get you two tasks complete for the price of one.
-- Party Building --
At present your party should consist of your Starter plus at a minimum a Mankey (Fight Type), a Pidgey (Normal & Flying Type), a Rattata (Normal Type), a Caterpie -- which will evolve into a Butterfree (Bug & Flying Type), and a Weedle -- which will evolve into a Bedrill (Bug & Poison Type).
You need to decide which of these will make up your core party, because you probably do not have the time to invest in maintaining the levels of every Pokemon that you catch! Your Starter will represent one specific Type presence in your party -- mine covers Fire Type -- and the next coverage you will want to manage is for a Normal Type Pokemon, because of the utility aspect of that Type.
You could just go with Rattata, but they are a single Type Polemon, whereas Pidgey is both a Normal and a Flying Type, and multi-class Pokemon are almost always a better choice. Butterfree is also a Flying Type but also a Bug Type, though as we already have a Flying Type in Pidgey, Beedrill is the obvious choice, being both a Bug and Poison Type! Mankey is a Fight Type, and for now our best choice for brute force attacks, so we keep him -- for now.
So we have established that our Starter, Pidgey, Beedrill, and Mankey make up our core party. We may have others filling in slots but leveling them is not a priority -- we should concentrate upon leveling our core members first. Clearly Pikachu would be an important and valuable addition to the core party, so obtaining her is a given.
-- Base Party Level --
There is a Gym Battle coming up with Gym Leader Brock (yes, THAT Brock) and another Rival Battle, so we are going to need to raise the Base Level for our party to around 13. Actually Level 13 would be the ideal level to target here, though there is nothing wrong with 14! The thing is, Level 13 is a key level where some moves are learned -- in particular if you chose Charmander as your Starter that is when you will unlock and learn the move Metal Claw, which will be very useful in the upcoming Gym Battle.
At the moment my team consists of my Charmander (Cinder), Manky (Muhamad), Pdigey (Stoolie), and Beedrill (Buzz), who are all at Level 13, and my newly caught Pikachu (Peeka), who is Level 3, which is the same Level that they were at when caught. That leaves the 6th spot on my team still empty, so I will fill that slot with one of the other Pokemon that I have captured as a temporary fill-in, until I can find a better one to be the semi-permanent for that slot.
Fortunately there is a diverse selection of Pokemon coming up on the routes that we will be traveling after the Gym Battle, so it will not be hard both to fill that slot and add Pokemon to the rotation pool that will offer dynamic strengths for the A-Team. Having said that though, Pikachu being at Level 3 is a serious problem, so I will need to level her now.
The tall grass in the Forest has Weedle's in it -- and they like to poison -- so that is not the best spot to do the leveling. While the Pokemon offer slightly less XP, the tall grass on the path south of Viridian City are a better spot for some chain leveling, both because they will not poison my Pokemon, and because the Pokecenter is conveniently near enough to make refreshing PP and healing less of a chore.
So if you are following this guide, you will also want to level your Pikachu to at least Level 13 now.
-- Back on Track --
Right, the Base Level of the team is now 13, you have filled the vacant 6th slot with a temporary and we are now ready to continue our adventure after pausing for several hours to take care of these chores! So the first thing that we need to do is be sure that we have healed and saved, then hit the store and restock any Potions and Antidotes that we used up, and re-supply our Poke balls.
After that hit the north exit from Viridian City, pass through Viridian Forest, and enter the gatehouse on the other side. Inside the gatehouse speak to an old man, who will tell you about the small trees and what you can do with them, a purple-haired woman who will instruct you in the method for stopping a Pokemon from evolving, and a boy who will remind you that some Pokemon are harder to find than others.
After you exit the gatehouse you will find yourself on the northern half of Route 2 -- we have the Pokemon from this Route, so you just need to follow the path in to Pewter City!
Obtaining our first Gym Badge
-- Pewter City --
Located in northwest Kanto, Pewter City is Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader, and is the closest metropolis of any size to Mt. Moon. A famous science museum is located in the city, a museum that contains interesting old fossils and an opportunity for a clever trainer to obtain some very rare and unique Pokemon if they apply themselves.
As you enter the city you will see that there are a fair number of citizens wandering around -- we may as well chat them up first for some local gossip -- and an escort to the museum.
-- The Pewter City Museum --
There is a $50 admission fee -- pay the bloke at the desk -- and then you are free to roam around, examine the displays, and chat with the other visitors. On the ground floor is a case with a Kabutops Fossil, and another with an Aerodactyl Fossil, and near the second case is an old man you can chat with. Up the stairs you will find more people -- a father and his daughter (who wants a Pikachu), a member of the staff who tells you that this month they have a space exhibit, and two other visitors who do not have that much to say.
A model of the Space Shuttle is on display near the stairs, and in a large display there is a meteorite called the Moon Stone that was found on Mt. Moon. That is really all that there is to see -- but you will notice that there are people behind the desk that you could talk to if you could reach them, and when you exit you should notice the other door that you cannot enter, because it is blocked by a tree. We will return here once we have the Cut TM...
In the small house to the east after you exit the museum you can talk to a man who will fill you in on the difficulties of Outsider Pokemon, and in a garden to the south you can learn about Repel. In a small house to the southwest you can learn about TM's and using Status Ailments to help in capturing Pokemon, while the other buildings here are a store, the Pokecenter, and the City Gym. For now hit the store if you need to replace any of your kit, then the Pokecenter to heal and save.
-- The Pewter City Pokecenter --
Inside after you heal and save take a look around -- talk to the girl in the corner to set your profile by answering a few questions that describe you as a trainer... In fact I set my profile to say "I am a Pokemon Trainer" which she seemed to like a lot. Plain, direct, and to the point -- the perfect profile!
A pair of blokes are trading Pokemon at the nearby table, and the old man by the door talking on his cell phone does not have time to be social -- but you overhear him talking about Team Rocket being at Mt. Moon! In the upper left corner is a trainer with a Jigglypuff -- don't get too close if you do not want that Jigglypuff to sing you to sleep mate!
Nurse Joy is behind the counter, and up the escalator you can find the business side of the Pokecenter! When you get upstairs Teala will brief you on the wireless communications system, starting with an overview of the Pokecenter itself.
First she tells you about the Union Room, where you can gather with a group of other real life trainers via the wireless connectivity that is provided by the snap-on device that came with the game. In newer games that use Wi-Fi you can connect to people via the Internet as well, but not in LeafGreen. The other room is called The Direct Corner, where you can battle and/or trade with one specific partner using either the Wireless dongle or a GBA Connection Cable.
There is a PC here for managing your stored Pokemon that is the same as the one downstairs, and in front of each of the rooms are the clerks who will admit you to them if you request that. Near each clerk is a video display that, when you access it, will display your statistics for the use of each of the rooms respectively, basically showing you your battle results, and that concludes our tour of the Pokecenter!
Assuming that you have completed leveling your team -- and you have all but the 6th temp slot at a minimum of Level 13 -- it is now time to visit the Pewter City Gym and begin the process of battling our way to Brock! I say begin the process, because before we can face Brock to earn our first Gym Badge, we have to defeat his Assistant Gym Leaders! But that is okay! It is extra XP and battle experience that will give us a peak at what we are facing with Brock, as he trained these Assistants!
-- Pewter City Gym --
As this is our first Gym Battle, and our first shot at a Gym Badge, we will cover the event in some detail, but the first matter we should discuss is basic battle strategy...
Gym Battles are about domination -- it is a battle in which you are meant to prove not simply that you can beat a Gym Leader -- anyone can do that if they are lucky -- but rather that you know your moves and your Pokemon well, have a good relationship with your Pokemon (evidenced by the fact that they will take your orders and battle fiercely for you), and that you have developed a minimal level of skill as a Pokemon Trainer.
That translates to using the most suitable Pokemon and their best moves against whatever opponent they happen to be facing. You may have noticed that each Pokemon is of a Type or Types -- for example Charmander is a Fire Type. The Gym Leader you are facing today is Brock, who is famous for becoming one of the two regular companions of Ash Ketchum, the boy who would be Pokemon Master.
Brock's area of interest and skills as a Gym Leader lie in the Rock Type Pokemon, so naturally his own and those of his Assistant Gym Leader are of that type. Brock is actually pretty good at what he does, but then, our job is to be better, and he is at a decided disadvantage -- you see we know what Type he favors, and therefore we can arrange our team to present Pokemon who have an advantage over his.
How this battle will play out has more to do with which Pokemon you selected as your Starter than any other factor -- two of the Starters are pretty useful against Rock Type, while the third -- Charmander -- is not as useful. Why, then, did I pick Charmander as my Starter? I did not say he was completely useless! In fact just the opposite -- Charmander can be devastating versus Brock, but only if you have made the effort to train him up to at least Level 13, unlocking the move Metal Claw.
To sum it up, 90% of your success in this Gym Battle will fall to preparation, and 10% to skill, because you do not have a lot of the latter at the moment, and the former is all that you really need to win this battle. That, and unlike future Gym Battles, where you will be facing nearly complete and complete teams, Brock and his AGL only have two Pokemon in each of their teams!
-- The Gym Battle --
For this battle I placed my starter at the head of my team -- and you should do the same. As you enter the Gym you will see a man standing to the right called the Gym Greeter (they all have them). His job is to give you sage advice about how to handle this Gym -- if you are willing to ask and listen -- but other than that you do not have to interact with him if you choose not to. He is standing beside the pillars that list the name of the Gym Leader, and the most recent trainers to master him in battle.
The path ahead is clear -- and as you can see, Brock only has one AGL at his Gym. You will need to defeat the AGL first, before you can battle Brock. That is an understandable requirement, as after all any decent Gym Leader does not want just anyone to be able to come in and challenge them until they have established that they have at least the minimum level of skill required for that battle, right?
-- The AGL Battle --
The Assistant Gym Leader for the Pewter City Gym is Camper Liam, whose team consists of a Level 10 Geodude and a Level 10 Sandshrew. This is a low-key, low-pressure battle, and a good opportunity for you to experiment with your moves to see how they work against these opponents. For example your Starter's special move might be very effective here, so now is a great time to find out!
I used Charmander's special move -- Ember -- but I learned that it was not very effective at all! That is OK, I was expecting to need to use Metal Claw anyway, based upon my lengthy past experience as a Pokemon Trainer -- even though we are starting out as a newbie here, we still have all of the knowledge and experiences from the other games to guide us, right?
The audio and video effect that you experience when using a particularly effective move is distinctly different than that of an effective or non-effective move, which you have just discovered. It is of course comforting to hear and see the devastation of a well-planned and executed attack! Once you have narrowed in to the best move, the battle will not last very long, which is a good thing, as you want your Pokemon to take as little damage as you can manage.
If you watch this sections video, you will see that I had some bad luck -- my first calculated attack with Metal Claw failed, and instead of that gratifying sound I had a miss; but my next attack connected, and then it was only a matter of moments before my opponents Pokemon was rendered helpless.
Next Liam brought out his Sandshrew. I decided to use my Manjey, because I knew that he would be a much more effective choice -- there was a reason why I made sure to catch and level a Mankey! A you can see in the video, Mankey's attack was not classified as a Super Effective, and yet it still brought the opponents Sandshrew down in the exact same number of moves that a Super Effective would have used! Why is that?
It is simple, really -- although a SE class move does the maximum damage, all that the sound effect and that label are meant to indicate is that you have chosen a particularly appropriate move. The move that we used with Mankey, Karate Chop, also does the maximum damage per blow, despite the fact that he is not a member of the strong opposing Type for that opponent! I knew this from past experience in being a Trainer -- and perhaps you did too -- but if nor, you do now. The point to this lesson is that while it is always a good idea to use the opposing Type in a battle, you have other options. Get to know the weaknesses for each Type, and you will better be able to use your team members in battle.
-- The Gym Leader Battle --
The Pewter City Gym
Brock is something of an enigma -- he is a very good and well disciplined Gym Leader who clearly cares about his Pokemon, and treats them well. In turn, he has their absolute loyalty. He is also an amateur chef whose specialty is cooking for Pokemon -- and he has been known to whip up some very tasty meals for both Pokemon and his human companions while on the road and cooking rough. He is friendly, loyal, and affable, and genuinely a good traveling companion. Those are his good traits.
On the bad side is the fact that Brock is a Horn Dog. He has never met a woman that he did not want to sleep with, except perhaps Misty, but I believe that she intimidates him, which would explain his lack of attraction towards her.
While Brock is a serious Horn Dog for practically all women, when he encounters one in uniform -- and particularly Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny -- he must be physically restrained to prevent him from rubbing up against them and drooling on them. I guess we all have to have our kinks, but I often pause to wonder about this... Apparently Japanese children are much more mature and able to process and accept this sort of emotional aberration -- event he heavily edited and revised version of the show that appears in TV outside of Japan makes his predilection clear, if perhaps softened, but the original versions of the show pull no punches.
Back to the battle -- after you finish your battle with Camper Liam, pause to assess the damage that your team has taken, and repair as needed. In my battle Charmander took a few hits, so I applied a Potion to his wounds to heal him up so that he was in top form for the coming Gym Leader Battle. You may want to do the same.
Brock is waiting for you at the head of the Gym, and when you approach him he starts off the encounter by bragging up his team -- but that is OK, any good Trainer is going to want to use at least a small amount of psychological tactic at the start of a confrontation, and he has more to lose here than you do after all. If he wins, he has proven you are not ready, whereas if you win, he is obligated under the rules of the Pikemon League to provide you with a Gym Badge and reward for your victory!
Unlike Ash Ketchum, who often manages to obtain a Gym Badge without properly winning the Gym Battle, you and I are going to do this the right way, and beat his team into the dirt! The battle opens with Brock's Level 12 Geodude facing our Starter -- and getting taken down very quick because we now know which of our moves are the most effective against a Geodude!
Next he brings out his Big Gun -- a Level 14 Onix. The Onix is a formidable opponent, but we know how to deal with Rock Types now, so we are not afraid. As you can see in the video, I allowed my Starter to begin the battle -- this is a good idea mostly because your Starter can open things up and deal a little damage for you to soften up the opponent before you bring out the closer to KO it!
Metal Claw takes out a nice chunk of its health, but Brock uses Rock Tomb, a particularly devastating attack against many Types, including Charmander. FYI you do not want to let a Flying Type or a Bug Type get hit by that move -- it can one-shot it. Still, Charmander takes the hit with stoic aplomb, because he knows we know what we are doing, and that we will pull him out of the fight now that he has taken serious damage.
Our closer for this battle is our Mankey -- I named mine Muhamad, and I am sure you can figure out why. Brock goes for another Rock Tomb, but that is not an effective move against a Mankey, which is a Fight Type Pokemon better suited to brute force attacks. A quick series of Karate Chops is all that it takes to leave Brock's Onix moaning on its back in the dirt at our feet -- I call that a clear victory with no doubt as to whether or not we deserve to be awarded that Gym Badge!
Brock agrees with us, and is both humble and honorable in admitting that he grossly underestimated our abilities. Perhaps he recently fought Ash? That would easily explain why he thought he could take us... After presenting us with our Boulderbadge -- which he is obligated to do per the Pokemon League Policy, Brock goes a step further and gives us $1400 and TM 39 -- Rock Tomb -- and we now have a TM Case in which to store our TM's. You will find the TM Case in our Key Items Pocket in our Bag.
TM's -- or Technical Machines -- are one-time-use devices that will teach a move to a Pokemon, and then be destroyed in the process. For that reason you want to be very careful to use it strategically so that you teach that move to the right Pokemon. The opposite of TM's are HM's -- Hidden Machines -- which are devices that teach a special move and can be used over and over again. Unlike TM's, HM's have additional requirements in order to be used -- mostly they require you to have a certain number of Gym Badges before you can use that move outside of battle. The HM's are how you teach a rare set of special moves like Cut, Fly, and others which allow your Pokemon to access restricted areas of the Region and move themselves -- and you -- quickly to and from any town or location you have already visited.
The Boulderbadge allows your Pokemon to use the special move Flash outside of battle -- but we do not have that move at the moment, as Brock points out.
-- After the Battle --
Now that we have succeeded in besting our first Gym Leader, go ahead and open the menu and select your Trainer Card -- as you can see we have already affixed our first Gym Badge to our card. In the TV show you might have pinned it to your hat or jacket, but pinning it to our Trainer Card works OK here as well. One down, seven to go!
The first thing that we should do is return to the Pokecenter, heal and save. Next hit the store to replace any kit we used in the Gym Battle. At this point you should have, at a minimum, the following items as your working kit:
-- 10 Poke Balls
-- 5 Potions
-- 3 Antidotes
-- 1 Awakening
-- 1 Paralyze Heal
-- 1 Burn Heal
-- A Town Map
-- A Teachy TV
-- A TM Case
The Status items are there for emergencies -- the reason you have three Antidotes and only one of each of the others has more to do with the frequency at which your Pokemon will be poisoned than anything else. So prior to continuing on, it would be an idea to see to your kit!
A note on purchasing Poke Balls: While you should always try to maintain a minimum of 10 Poke Balls as part of your active kit, more is clearly better! But when purchasing this item you do not, as was common in previous games, purchase it in quantities of 10, because the store in this game does not give you a bonus Premium Ball when you do that.
It's the shoes that make you faster
-- Route 3 --
Route 3 is the path that connects Pewter City and Mt. Moon, and is also the first Route in the game that has a large number of trainers for you to battle -- previously we only found them in the Viridian Forest you will recall. Route 3 is the only Route in Kanto that has a Pokecenter situated on it (at the end of the Route). It may interest you to know that once you have the move Fly -- and have visited that Pokecenter, you can Fly there at will.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
039 - Jigglypuff / Normal
056 - Mankey / Normal
029 - Nodoran F / Normal
032 - Nidoran M / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Head towards the east side of Pewter City to exit, and as you arrive at the exit you will spot a familiar looking figure -- one of Professor Oak's Assistants! As you marvel at running into them here, you learn that they actually came here looking for you! They have something for you -- a special item called a pair of Running Shoes.
After you read the letter that was attached to the shoes you learn that they are from your Mom -- see I told you she was a good old woman! The Running Shoes allow you to move much faster, but be aware that when you use them in tall grass it increases the chance for a wild Pokemon encounter. You put the shoes on automatically -- and now is a good time to test them out! So hold down the B Button and run back and forth for a bit to get a feel for how they work.
Now that you have that down cold, continue along Route 3 and you will see a group of trainers ahead! This is the first Route with a significant number of trainers on it, and as such a good place to pick up some XP in larger blocks -- so have at it! When you need to, just run back to Pewter City to heal and save now that you CAN run!
-- Trainer Battles --
Your first battle is with Lass Janice, who fields a pair of Level 9 Pidgey worth 105 XP each, and a $144 payout. Your next bout is with Bug Catcher Coulton -- who you saw last in the Viridian Forest -- and who has a Level 10 Caterpie worth 112 XP, a Level 10 Weedle, worth 111 XP, and another Level 10 Caterpie, worth 112 XP, and a $120 payout.
Hopefully you are using these battles strategically and not collecting the XP on one Pokemon -- you should try to use trainer battles to help keep your team levels in parity and of course to increase the base level as needed. At the moment our target base level for the team is Level 15, so bear that in mind, won't you?
Our next battle is with Youngster Ben, who fields a Level 11 Rattata worth 133 XP, and a Level 11 Ekans worth 145 XP and a $116 payout. That is our first Ekans, so it adds a basic entry in our Pokedex. At this point you may need to run back to the city and heal -- if so, do that, then return!
Continue to the east and we battle Bug Catcher Greg, who has a Level 9 Weedle worth 99 XP, a Level 9 Caterpie worth 102 XP, followed by a Level 9 Kakuna worth 136 XP, and a Level 9 Metapod worth 138 XP, and a $108 payout!
Further to the east and above is Lass Sally, who fields a Level 10 Rattata worth 121 XP, and a Level 10 Nidoran F worth 126 XP and $160. At this point you should have at a minimum two of your team at Level 15, and one at Level 14 almost to Level 15.
Continue east and battle Bug Catcher James, who fields a Level 11 Caterpie worth 118 XP, and a Level 11 Metapod worth 169 XP and $132. Now before you head south to the trainers in the tall grass, backtrack a dozen feet and head south, jumping down the cliff to the enclosed area and a battle with Youngster Calvin, who berates you for your lack of sartorial splendor. Calvin fields a Level 14 Spearow, which nets you a whopping 174 XP and $224!
Now head south down the cliff and work your way back around to the entrance to the tall grass area, where you will battle Lass Robin, who will field a single Level 14 Jifggleypuff that is worth 228 XP and $224! You did not get put to sleep did you? Yeah, that one is a Pokemon you want to KO very quickly!
-- Catching Route 3 Pokemon --
Before we start tearing up the tall grass it would be an idea to head back to the city, hit the Pokecenter to heal and save, and then pick up some more Poke Balls if you need them. Once you have done all that, head back to the tall grass and begin patrolling it. There are several Pokemon that we are interested in catching here -- if we can.
If you have yet to get a Spearow this is a good place to do that, and of course the Nidoran F and M, but those are about as rare as the Pikachu was back in Viridian Forest, so you will have to be dedicated and patient I suppose. You already have a Mankey and a Pidgey, but you do not have a Jiggleypuff, so that one should be high on the list and a priority as it may come in handy later thanks to its special ability.
Treat the hunt for the rarer Pokemon here as an opportunity to raise the rest of your part to the base level target (Level 15) and this will be a lot less painful as a pause activity, right?
IMPORTANT: Make sure that you capture a second Nidoran-F to stick in your box for later -- that way you do not have to try to capture a Nidoran-M here, which could take you literally days of trying since it is THAT rare. Stick an extra Nidoran-F in your box, because later on you will run into a little girl who will offer to trade you her Nidoran-M for your Nidoran-F!
-- Route 4 --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
056 - Mankey / Normal
019 - Rattata / Normal
027 - Sandshrew / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Once you have satisfied your catching and training needs, continue along the path and you will encounter an exhausted trainer standing by the tall grass patch where the path turns north towards Route 4 and Mt. Moon.
Note -- it would be an idea to swap the Nidoran into your team as the temp in the 6th slot, so that you can start leveling it to bring it to the base level of your team -- as this is not strictly speaking a standard box Pokemon, rather it is an A-Team Alternate due to its contact poison ability and some of the special moves it can learn later. You will be swapping it in and out of your team as needed later in the game, so getting a jump on its levels now is a good plan...
-- Route 4 Pokecenter --
The Pokecenter in the Wilderness
We will actually cover the Pokemon for this Route after Mt. Moon as you do not have the opportunity here to catch them. The first trainer you encounter as you enter the Route is not a fighting trainer -- he is actually a fan of Brock -- and neither is the second trainer, who is a but clumsy!
Ahead of you is the Route 4 Pokecenter, but before you go inside, you see the three rocks in the area to the left of the Pokecenter? If you stand facing the open space above the center of the three and hit the A Button you will discover and take a hidden Persim Berry! Hey! Our first berry in the game! How about that! GO ahead and grab that, then head inside the Pokecenter, heal and save, then use the PC to move your recent catches to their proper boxes -- an activity that you should incorporate as a regular part of your Pokecenter routine from now on.
There is an old man sitting at the table on the right reading a newspaper who will comment upon the increase in attacks by Team Rocket, and a boy near him with advice on what to do when you have too many Pokemon. The boy near the center of the room is mumbling about only being able to carry six Poke balls, and the bloke in the corner there in just his undershirt and slacks has a deal for you -- he wants to sell you a Magikarp for just $500! I am surprised he is not also selling Magic Beans while he is at it...
Obviously this is not a deal we want to take -- we can catch Magikarp all day long later in our travels, so paying this joker $500 we could better spend upon kit is just not a good idea. As there is nobody that we need to see upstairs, it is time to exit the Pokecenter and begin our journey through the cave of Mt. Moon!
Mt. Moon Treasure Hunt
Mt. Moon is a dome-shaped mountain near Brisbane in Queensland, Australia... Okay, really, it is, but that is not the one we are talking about here. Our Mt. Moon is on Route 4 in Kanto, and it is home to several types of Pokemon we have yet to catch, a bunch of trainers, and some Team Rocket Thugs! Its caves and plateaus feature prominently in many of the games and stories of the Pokemon universe, so try to observe this historic and interesting landmark with some awe and respect, right?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
035 - Clefairy / Normal
074 - Geodude / Normal
046 - Paras / Normal
041 - Zubat / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- Mt. Moon Level 1 --
There are opposing views on how to handle this area -- some folks think that you should make efforts to simply avoid the trainers here while you collect the items and catch the Pokemon you will want to catch here -- which are Clefairy, Geodude, Paras, and Zubat -- but in my opinion fighting the trainers should be part of that. It has a clear upside for one thing -- money and XP -- and for another it gets them out of the way so that you do not end up accidentally in a fight by walking too near one when you are on your way out to heal and save. Let your own taste be your guide here, but I prefer more control over confrontation myself.
-- Trainer Battles Guide --
First we want to fight all of the trainers on Level 1, so we will not be using any of the ladders yet. Ahead and to the right is the first trainer:
Your first battle is with Lass Iris, who fields a Level 14 Clefairy, worth 102 XP and $224 (watch out for infatuation and Sing, a deadly combination for that particular Pokemon).
Next is Super Nerd Jovan, who has two Pokemon in his team -- a Level 11 Magnemite worth 103 XP, and a Level 11 Voltorb worth 241 XP, and $264.
Around the corner is Bug Catcher Robby, and his Level 10 Caterpie, worth 116 XP, Level 10 Metapod worth 153 XP, and Level 10 Caterpie, worth 112 XP and $120.
In the northeast corner is a miner you do not fight near a patrolling trainer who you do! Her name is Lass Miriam, and she has a team of two -- a Level 11 Oddish worth 183 XP, and a Level 11 Bellsprout worth 198 XP and $176.
Youngster Josh is further along the upper path to the west, with his trio consisting of a pair of Level 10 Rattata worth 121 XP each, and a Level 10 Zubat worth 115 XP and $160.
Nearby is Hiker Marcos and his trio, a pair of Level 10 Geodude worth 183 XP each, and a Level 10 Onix worth 231 XP and $360.
Head back to the entrance past the first trainer that we battled, and keep going west to the final battle for Level 1.
To the left of the entrance area is Bug Catcher Kent, and his Level 11 Weedle worth 138 XP, and a Level 11 Kakuna worth 166 XP and $132.
After you defeat Kent, exit Mt. Moon and go to the Pokecenter outside to heal and save. Excellent! Now we begin the sub-level battles! Enter Mt. Moon and follow the path east and north until you come to the first ladder, and take that down into a large hallway that is shaped like a backwards L. At the end of that hallway is another ladder that goes down to the sub-basement of Mt. Moon. Take that now, and you will see our next trainer nearby!
Team Rocket Grunt has three Pokemon in his team, a Level 11 Sandshrew that is worth 219 XP, a Level 11 Rattata that is worth 133 XP, and a Level 11 Zubat worth 126 XP and $352.
Backtrack up the ladder, along the hall, and up the next ladder to the first level then follow the path east then north and west to find the next ladder down -- and take that. Follow the short hallway here to the next ladder, and you will find your next battle nearby!
Team Rocket Grunt with a Level 11 Zubat worth 126 XP, and a Level 11 Ekans worth 145 XP and $352.
Now backtrack to the first level again, and continue to the northwest corner and the last ladder on this level -- which leads to an L-shaped hallway and another ladder down to the sub-basement! Head to the right and down the short flight of stairs to fight the next opponent!
Team Rocket Grunt with a Level 14 Rattata worth 57 XP, followed by a Level 13 Sandshrew worth 258 XP and $416.
Follow the long path to the east, then south and west, doubling back to the north for the next battle...
Team Rocket Grunt with a Level 13 Rattata worth 157 XP, and a Level 13 Zubat worth 150 XP and $416.
You finally reach Super Nerd Miguel, who has some serious attitude as well as a Level 12 Grimer worth 231 XP, a Level 12 Voltorb worth 264 XP, and a Level 12 Koffing worth 292 XP and $288.
-- Treasure Guide --
One thing that Mt. Moon is well known for is the generous collection of treasure balls that can be had here for the asking! Starting as you enter the caves, follow the left hand wall around to grab TM09, Bullet Seed, and then continue to follow the wall to grab a Paralyze Heal.
Head east to the next area and south down the ladder -- which by the way is where you are likely to catch a Paras -- then down the next ladder and up the stairs here to grab the Star Piece, before returning the way you came to the first level.
Head south from the ladder and then west to grab a Potion, then follow the south wall to the east to snag a Rare Candy, and then north to grab an Escape Rope. Head all the way north and then west to the next ladder, down and down again, then up the stiars for TM46, which contains the move Thief. Backtrack to the first level and continue west from here.
In the northwest corner past the final ladder for this level is a Moon Stone, and then after you take the ladders, head all the way north to grab a Revive.
Back at the ladder head east and down the stairs, past the Grunt and up the stairs, along the path to the very end and the Super Nerd you beat in battle, where you will have to choose a Fossil. You cannot have both -- you have to choose one. I chose the Helix Fossil myself, after which I followed the path past where the Fossils were blocking it, grabbing the final treasure for Mt. Moon, an Antidote, next to the ladder that takes us to the exit on to Route 4 on the other side of the mountain!
-- Route 4 Part II --
The other side of Route 4
The cheerful and sunny continuation of the Route on the Cerulean City side of Mt. Moon. This is where the Pokemon that are available on this Route are to be found in the tall grass.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
056 - Mankey / Normal
019 - Rattata / Normal
027 - Sandshrew / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After you exit the cave head east and you will see two martial arts masters facing each other -- these are move tutors, and they will teach ONE Pokemon their move, ONE time. That means, at least for now, we do not want to make use of the service that they offer until we have a Pokemon that is worthy of the move. FYI the bloke on the right teaches the move Mega Kick, and the one on the left teaches the move Mega Punch.
Further east is a treasure ball with TM05, Roar in it -- go ahead and grab that now. Turn around and head south, hopping down the first cliff, and then the second, and immediately stop. If you use the A Button here, you will grab the hidden Razz Berry here. You should do that.
East and south of here is a large patch of tall grass on the other side of a cliff -- this is what is called the Point of No Return by veterans of the original games, in that once you drop down that cliff you cannot return to Mt. Moon or that part of Route 4 until later in the game... So make sure that you have the TM and berry prior to dropping down this cliff ledge right?
All that we need from this particular patch of grass is a Sandshrew, so go ahead why don't you and troll for one, then capture it now just to get that out of the way! Note that the Sandshrew is the rarer of the Pokemon in this patch, so you will have to fight or run from a bunch of Rattata and Spearow before you are likely to encounter one, but it is no where near as rare as say, Pikachu was in the Viridian Forest.
Now that we have that out of the way, follow the road ahead along past the white fences on either side until you enter Cerulean City!
An epic Gym Battle in Cerulean City
This seaside city is home to the famous Gym Leader Misty, and is one of only two cities in the region that has four different routes in and out. Attractions in Cerulean include the Bicycle Shop and the Berry Powder Man, as well as the City Gym.
The first thing that we need to do upon reaching the city is head directly to the Pokecenter to heal and save. With that accomplished, head over to the PC and distribute your newly captured Pokemon to their proper boxes. At this point we have actually caught all of the Pokemon for our "Base Team" because we have a Geodude!
Go ahead and move that Geodude into your party, and place the temporary slot 6 guy in its proper storage box just to get that out of the way. The reason that we choose Geodude for our final party member -- for now that is -- has more to do with the fact that he is a multi-Type Pokemon than it does anything else. If you examine him you will note that he is a Rock and Ground Type. This is good -- eventually most of our team will consist of multi-types, but for now he is the best fit.
We are going to want to pause to get him leveled up to the base level of our party, but before we do that why don't we take care of some local exploration first?
-- The Pokecenter --
First have a chat with the old man at the table -- who will talk to you about Bill. Pay attention to what he says, this Bill person could be important! The boy near the counter will also tell you about Bill, as will the boy at the door, whereas the girl at the far left side of the counter simply wants you to go trade Pokemon with yoru friends. Hmm, this Bill character sounds interesting -- we should keep an eye out for him!
-- Cerulean City --
There is a boy to the west of the Pokecenter who will tell you about the Slowbro blocking the path, and if you head inside the house here, an old couple inside will welcome you. The wife urges you to trade Pokemon with her husband, and he wants you to trade him a Poliwhirl -- which we do not have at the moment -- for which he will give you a Jynx. Keep that in mind but say no, since you do not have what he wants.
The bloke below in the street is amused by you, and the boy outside the Bike Shop wants a red one. Inside the bike shop you can learn about the different bikes from the customers, and the counter man will happily sell you a bike... For $1 million bucks that is! We don't have that much money and, even if we did... But no worries mate, something will turn up to get us a bike later, I am sure.
In the house next to the store is a bored old man -- and of course in the store are a few customers to give you some advice on your shopping. Talk to the person at the counter to re-stock your kit while you are here, as that is one more chore out of the way!
-- The Poke Mart --
There is a new item on the menu here -- The Super Potion -- but at $700 it is a bit steep and, more to the point, it heals more points than our current team would likely need at any one time, so you may as well not bother adding that to your kit right now.
Your kit should have, at a minimum:
- 10 Poke Balls (or more)
- 5 Potions
- 3 Antidotes
- 3 Paralyze Heals
- 1 Awakening
- 1 Burn Heal
- 1 Escape Rope
- 1 Repel (or more)
If you have the extra money I would spend it on more Poke Balls rather than Super Heals but that is me...
-- Back in the City --
The girl next to the Slowbro cannot seem to control him, as it is ignoring her orders to move. Above the store near the Gym is an amateur trainer who wants you to commiserate with them, and after you do follow the road west and then north to the first house above, and go inside.
The old man at the table in here will talk to you about Pokemon Badges -- if you are playing this one for the first time and it is your first Pokemon game, you may want to talk to him and hear him out -- it will not hurt you to do so at any rate.
Whether you talk to him or not, be sure that you exit through the back door of this house, and stand on the lower right flower to the right, looking left and hit the A Button to discover a hidden Rare Candy here! What a wonderful find! As you probably know by now, Rare Candy will instantly raise the level of your Pokemon by one -- so hold on to those for use at much higher levels, where its value really stands out!
The house next door is where the Berry Man lives -- head inside to chat with him now, and he will ask you if you are interested in Berries. Say yes! By saying yes, you will cause him to give you a Key Item: Powder Jar. He tells you about the new Berry Crushing Machines that are located in the Pokecenter upper floors, and asks you to get him powder with that machine when you have the chance.
On the wall in here is a poster that lists the best Berry Crush times if you are curious to see how well you did after you do some crushing.
There is a coppa standing next to the house to the east, and if you chat him up he will tell you that the place was robbed, and that he suspects that Team Rocket is behind the theft.
-- Third Rival Battle --
Right, now before we do anything else, approach the steps to the bridge to the north to trigger our third encounter with our Rival -- Gary! That is correct -- he wants another battle because he is desperate to win and thus prove that he is better than us. Well fat chance of that LOL.
Gary now has four Pokemon in his team -- a Level 17 Pidgeotto worth 411 XP, his Starter, which in my case is Squirtle, that is now Level 18 and worth 253 XP, a Level 16 Abra, worth 249 XP, and lastly, his Level 15 Rattata, which is worth 183 XP and $288.
That was not a bad fight, and Gary is getting a little better, but clearly he does not have a solid relationship with his team just yet, or an advanced understanding of Type vs. Type. After you beat him he tells you about Bill! Gary lets slip that it is Bill who invented the Pokemon Storage Computer, and before leaving, gives you a Fame Checker as a gift.
Open your bag and activate the Fame Checker in your Key Items Pocket to see what it does! As you can see, it lets you check the fame level for some of the people that you have met. When you check each of the people that it has in it at the moment you will notice that it is divided by informal relations through organization, and it details the data you have discovered about that person from each of the people you have spoken with so far... Very handy if you are keeping track of the details you have been uncovering!
Hit the Pokecenter now to heal and save, and then head next door to the Gym to take on Misty!
-- Cerulean City Gym Battle --
The Cerulean City Gym
A chat with the Gym Greeter should give you a clue as to what you are facing here -- and being that I chose Charmander as my Starter, I am none too confident! The only thing for it is for me to take on the Assistant Gym Leaders to get a better idea of how difficult this one will be!
The first AGL is Swimmer Luis, who fields a Level 16 Horsea worth 283 XP, followed by a Level 16 Shellder worth 331 XP and $64. That was not too bad, two one-hits in a row!
Next we battle Picnicker Diana, who has a Level 19 Goldeen worth 451 XP and $380! Okay, I am really happy that I took the time to catch a Pikachu and level it to the team base level, let me tell you!
One Electric Type Pikachu is not going to be enough to carry this battle to a successful conclusion if I am not very very lucky -- and I cannot count on luck -- so I temporarily retreat from the Gym to alter my team setup. We have to approach this strategically.
Our first decision is to remove Charmander and Geodude from the team, as they are the weakest links. Both are very weak to Water Type attacks, and that is what Misty uses, so taking them into the battle is pointless. I decide to replace them with Mary-Kate (my Nodoran F) and Minnie (my Rattata), and then I head to the Tall Grass patch to the west to level them up. I want my entire team to be Level 18 going into this battle -- and that means I have to level up most of them one more level and the two new ones a half-dozen levels!
An Hour Later
Okay, my team is not properly prepared, and I sropped by the Poke Shop to purchase two Super Potions *just in case* I need them. Yeah, I know that is over-kill, but you know what the Boy Scouts say, right? I am as ready as I am likely ever to be, so here we go, let us take on Misty, Gym Leader and companion to Ash Ketchum!
For the Record my Team consists of:
- Leader: Peeka (Level 18 Pikachu) Electric Type
- Second: Mary-Kate (Level 18 Nidoqueen) Poison/Ground Type
- Third: Muhamad (Level 18 Mankey) Fight Type
- Fourth: Stoolie (Level 18 Pidgeotto) Normal/Flying Type
- Fifth: Buzz (Level 18 Beedrill) Bug/Poison Type
- Sixth: Minnie (Level 18 Rattata) Normal Type
Obviously the team is heavy on the Normal Type, bit two of those are rotation members of the A-Team (Buzz and Mary-Kate), and the other is not an A-Team member (Minnie). Mary-Kate was captured as a Nidoran F, and at Level 16 evolved into a Nidorina. Just prior to heading into the Gym for the battle I used the Moon Stone that we picked up in Mt. Moon earlier to trigger her final evolution form which is Nidoqueen, though I am not sure what - if any - benefits that had.
The point here is that the team detailed above is pretty close to what you should already have save for some minor differences in level development presuming you did not make it a routine to pause to balance the levels for your A-Team members including the alternates. Whatever the differences, you should easily be able to adjust your team to match the above stats with the investment of modest time and effort. Using Rattata as a fill-in for the battle with Misty is optional -- you can use any of the standard box class (ie non-team designated) Pokemon that you own, I just thought since it was likely a higher level it was the obvious choice.
-- Battling Misty --
Musty opens the battle with her Level 18 Saryu, and I used my Level 18 Rattata -- my first hit was with Hyper Fang, which took her down to a slice of health, but she instantly used a Super Potion -- no surprise.
I hit her with another Hyper Fang snapping off a major chunk of HP but not as much as the first hit, then I hit her again, taking out the Staryu with Rattata without actually taking any damage on my Rattata at all! Her Level 18 Staryu was worth 408 XP.
Her second Pokemon is a Level 21 Starmie -- I stuck with my Rattata (Minnie) figuring that she was toast anyway but I might get in the first hit -- nope. That Starmie has massive speed stats and one-shot me right out of the gate! Clearly this required some basic strategy in the battle, so I brought out Buzz and managed to land a String Shot before he was confused by her Starmie, and a second String Shot after he was confused before being taken out, which nicely altered her speed stat!
Next I used Stoolie to lower her accuracy with a pair of sand-attacks, and used my other Pokemon as meat shields while I revived Pikachu and healed him to full health. With her Starmie's accuracy compromised and speed stat now lower than my own, I was able to get the first shot in, and a solid hit with Pikachu's Thundershock took her down!
You know, this fight could go either way -- despite the fact that she only has two Pokemon, I have always thought that this was the hardest Gym Battle in the game if you choose Charmander as your Starter. The irony is that this battle is a cakewalk with the other two! Still, I prefer to start with a Fire Type, just the same.
After the battle ends Misty presents us with our second Gym Badge -- the Cascade Badge -- which allows us to control all Pokemon up to Level 30 (including traded Pokemon), and use the HM Cut outside of battle. She also gifts us with TM03, Water Pulse, which was a very annoying attack to face but likely will be a gratifying one to use when we have a proper Water Type to teach it to!
With Misty managed and our new badge in hand it is time drop by the Pokecenter to heal and save, and then to head back out onto the bridge, which takes you on to Route 24, where we will finally solve the mystery of the Pokemon Storage System once and for all!
Helping Bill out of a spot of trouble
-- Route 24 --
The northern route from Cerulean City, Route 24 is packed with trainers and is the best way to reach Bill's House.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
063 - Abra / Normal
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
010 - Caterpie / Normal
130 - Gyrados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good Rod)
014 - Kakuna / Normal
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Good Rod)
011 - Metapod / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
013 - Weedle / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The first trainer that you encounter on the bridge is Bug Catcher Cale, who has four Pokemon in his team. He leads with a Level 10 Caterpie that is worth 112 XP, then a Level 10 Weedle worth 111 XP. This is followed by a Level 10 Metapod worth 138 XP, and finally a Level 10 Kakuna worth 151 XP and $120.
The next trainer is Lass Ali, who has three Pokemon -- a Level 12 Pidgie worth 141 XP, a Level 12 Oddish worth 199 XP, and finally a Level 12 Bellsprout that is worth 216 XP and $192.
The third trainer is Youngster Timmy with a pair of Pokemon -- a Level 14 Sandshrew worth 280 XP, and a Level 14 Ekans worth 186 XP and $224.
Next is Lass Reli, who also has a pair of Pokemon in her team, a Level 16 Nidoran M worth 205 XP, and a Level 16 Nidoran F worth 198 XP and $205.
Camper Ethan is the final trainer actually on the bridge, and he sports a Level 18 Mankey as his sole Pokemon, which is worth 285 XP and $360.
When you step off of the bridge there is another bloke waiting for you -- but he is not a trainer! In fact when you talk to him he tells you that your success in beating the phalanx of trainers on the bridge has actually won you a prize! It seems you were participating in a contest and you did not know it. Ah but it gets worse... The prize is a Gold Nugget, which is nice, but the organization holding the contest is none other than Team Rocket!
It seems that they are using this contest as a way to test potential recruits -- of which we are not -- and they do not react well to our refusal to join!
The mild mannered prize agent morphs into a Team Rocket Grunt! As the battle ensues he pulls out his Level 15 Ekans, which is worth 200 XP, followed by a Level 15 Zubat that is worth 172 XP and $480.
Something for you to consider as you run through the battles above if you decided not to complete the Gym Battle in the city first like I did -- our current Gym Badge allows us to control non-traded Pokemon up to Level 19 reliably, but the closer we get to Level 20 the less likely that they are to obey every command we issue! In fact Level 18 is as close as I am comfortable getting with my team before the Gym Battle with Misty, and you may want to follow the same caution.
What that means is you are going to need to carefully manage your fighting so that none of your Pokemon get much higher than 18 before you take on Misty -- you can do it, but you need to be careful! Of course if you battled Misty than this is not an issue for you!
Now that the Grunt is defeated head north on the road and you will see a treasure ball above you -- go to it and take it to obtain TM45, Attract, and then continue to the east!
-- Route 25 --
Bill's House and Lab
Located at the end of Route 24 - which connects Route 25 to Cerulean City -- Route 25 is notable for two features: it is the Route on which Bill's House is located, and it is also the Route that has the famous Cerulean Cape -- which is the historic Lover's Lane of Kanto. More of the region's eligible girls have received their proposal of marriage here than at any other spot in the land!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
063 - Abra / Normal
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
010 - Caterpie / Normal
014 - Kakuna / Normal
011 - Metapod / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
013 - Weedle / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As you move along the road on Route 25 you will notice some tall grass above on the other side of the ledge, and ahead of you a sort of plant maze with trainers in it. Excellent! More bounty money and XP! Fight your way through the trainers here, being sure to balance the XP out among your party members so as to advance then at a reasonably equal level.
When you reach the trainer above who is blocking access to the treasure ball inside the area with a tree blocking the regular entrance, be sure to draw him away from that fence as you engage him so that when the battle is completed you can grab the treasure ball inside, which contains TM43, Secret Power.
After that head to the nearby Sea Cottage and knock on the door. If you check the mailbox you will confirm that this is indeed where Bill lives! Yes, THE Bill. The Bill everyone was talking about!
Inside you look for him, but Bill is nowhere to be seen... Or is he?! Talking to the very strange looking Pokemon in the room reveals it to BE him! One of his experiments has gone horribly wrong, and the famous Bill has been melded with a Pokemon! He asks for your help -- and of course you help him!
Once Bill climbs into the Cell Separation chamber you activate the controls on the nearby PC, and Bill's body is passed through the digitizer and then carefully separated from the cells of the unfortunate Pokemon, and thankfully Bill steps out of the unit on the other side, once again fully human!
When he learns that you did not come to see his famous Pokemon Collection, Bill is understandably disappointed, but he still wants to give you a reward for helping him, and settles upon an S.S. Ticket he happened to have... A ticket that will get you in to the Party of the Century on the cruise ship S.S. Anne in Vermillion City -- a party that is supposed to have some of the best trainers in the world attending! How cool is that? Very cool, I tell you!
We have accomplished what we set out to do, so now it is time to return to the City and visit the Pokecenter, where we will heal and save. If you have not already done so, return to Routes 24 and 25 and capture the final odd Pokemon from those routes that are still outstanding on our list -- after which you should have at a *minimum* the following entries in your Pokedex and one of each of these Pokemon evolutionary lines in your Storage or Party:
• Your Starter (plus any evolved forms)
• No. 010 Caterpie
• No. 011 Metapod
• No. 012 Butterfree
• No. 013 Weedle
• No. 014 Kakuna
• No. 015 Beedrill
• No. 016 Pidgey
• No. 017 Pidgeotto
• No. 019 Rattata
• No. 021 Spearow
• No. 025 Pikachu
• No. 027 Sandshrew
• No. 029 Nidoran F
• No. 030 Nidorina
• No. 031 Nidoqueen
• No. 032 Nidoran M
• No. 035 Clefairy
• No. 039 Jiggleypuff
• No. 041 Zubat
• No. 046 Paras
• No. 056 Mankey
• No. 063 Abra
• No. 069 Bellsprout
• No. 074 Geodude
If you are missing any of these, you need to backtrack and grab it now, so that you have the maximum catch level for your dex. That way you do not have to worry about doing make-ups later!
Wrapping things up in Cerulean City
First I want to congratulate you on your victory over Misty, on winning the Cascade Badge, on beating your way across that bridge, and for rescuing Bill. I also want to congratulate you for having the patience and the persistence that was absolutely critical in capturing the Pokemon on Routes 24 and 25, and in particular the version-specific ones! That is a big deal, even if it does not feel like it now. Having said all of that, there are some minor matters we must wrap up here in town, and then there is a major matter that is really not negotiable if, like me, you did not choose Bulbasaur as your Starter...
First thing is first: head back to the Pokecenter, heal and save, so that we are starting this fresh. Now our first small matter...
-- The Crime Scene --
Remember that house from earlier with the coppa standing in front of its door? Right, head back to that house real quick, and you will notice that the door is now unblocked! Talk to the folks inside to learn that Team Rocket has robbed them of a valuable TM. This is terrible! After you finish talking to them, exit the house through the large hole in the back wall, and you will spy a member of Team Rocket just standing around in the back yard...
Walk up and confront him and he will try to lie to you, and then panic and attack! He brings out a Level 17 Machop -- but you know what to do about that! You score a nice 319 XP off of that, and then he brings out his Level 17 Drowzee, which is worth 368 XP and $544.
After you beat him he willingly returns TM28, Dig, to you, and you put it in your TM Case. After that he runs off. You go inside and try to give the TM back to them, but they do not want it any more, as they plan to teach Diglett to dig without the TM! I guess it is yours to keep then!
If you head back into the yard and then around the house to the east and south you will see the road for Route 9 but its proper entrance is blocked by a tree, and as yet we do not have Cut. If you continue south you will find access to Route 5, which we did not have previously, but before you decide to go wandering down that route, do not. Instead head back to town, and visit the Pokecenter, where I want you to heal and save. If you chose Charmander or Squirtle as your starter, you do not have a decent Grass Type, and to round out your team you need one! Thankfully you caught a Bellsprout when you were gathering the Route 24/25 Pokemon, so now you do have a Grass Type, it just needs a little training...
Before we get into that, pop next door to the Poke Shop and re-supply your kit -- you know what you should have, so just replace what you used up. There will be no replacing that Revive if you used it, that will have to wait until later... Once you have all of your kit topped off, head back outside, and then north over the bridge to that wide swatch of tall grass on the very top there.
-- Team Base Level Training --
As discomforting as this is to hear, life will be a LOT easier for you if you take some time now, and train up the base level for your team. At this point we have the second Gym Badge, which means that Pokemon up to Level 30 will obey us, including traded ones. That is all well and good, but as our current team level is around 18 and lower, we need to do something about that, and in an organized fashion.
What you want to do is pause here -- this tall grass is a nice place to train -- and go ahead and run all of your team members up to Level 20. That might not make a lot of sense to you -- after all we are about to head down a route that has more than a few trainers on it for us to level off of, but if you hash the numbers, you will see that starting off from here with everyone at Level 20 actually improves our chances of maintaining an even advancement rate and arriving at our destination with our team ready to complete the next Gym Battle!
Just throw a movie on, or an audio book, or some music, grab a snack and your favorite beverage, and get this out of the way now. Seriously, you will be glad that you did, as it is going to make life so much easier for the foreseeable future, believe me! If you want now might be a good time to grab your Rattata and add the few levels it needs to hit 20, so you have it reach its final evolutionary form and thus add that to your dex... That is obviously optional, but it will not add a lot of time to the pause so why not?
Once you have your primary A-Team Members trained up to Level 20, pop into the Pokecenter and grab your alternates -- that would be your Nidoqueen and Bellsprout if you already had a Grass Type -- and train THEM up to Level 20 so that we are all on the same basic page here. Hey, did you notice that the menu says "Bill's Computer" instead of "Someone's Computer" now? Yes, you have solved that mystery, so pat yourself upon the back for that one!
After your training period ends you should be feeling like you accomplished something here -- your entire A-Team is now at Level 20, which is a good start on the new base team level of 25 -- which you will reach largely by the XP you will be gaining from the army of trainers that you will be fighting between here and the next city -- and on the cruise ship. Basically the reason we got the team to Level 20 is that there is enough XP coming up from trainer battles to get most of the team to Level 25 with no real effort on our part as it is only 5 levels for each member...
Getting Bellsprout to Level 15 unlocked the move Sleep Powder, which is a very good move to have available in your party. When she hits Level 21, which should happen soon, she will evolve into the middle phase of her evolutionary line, Weepinbell, after which you want to keep an eye out for a Leaf Stone to make the final evolution to Victreebel.
You are now ready to take on all comers, and life is good! That being the case, be sure that you hit the Pokecenter for one last heal and save, and then it is time to hit Route 5! Go ahead and run through the robbed house, follow the path down and around, and then enter the Route!
-- Route 5 --
The Route 5 Daycare Center
The Route that connects Cerulean City and Saffron City, with features that include a steeple chase and the celebrated Pokemon Daycare Center!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
052 - Meowth / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As you approach the Route you will notice that the center is a sort of steeple chase style path, with open roads on either side -- the tall grass is in the middle though, so that is where we want to be for now, because there is one new Pokemon on this route that we want to catch: Meowth!
You will remember Meowth as being the third member of that dastardly trio of Team Rocket thugs who constantly chased after Ash and tried to steal his Pokemon. Meowth has a number of interesting traits and a move -- called Payday -- that is nice to have available. For now though, just concentrate upon getting one.
Once you have your Meowth continue to the bottom and visit the Pokemon Daycare Center, which can only be reached by coming down the center section of Route 5, as we did. Mind you do not accidentally hop over the ledge, as if you do you have to head all the way back up to the top and come down again...
-- The Pokemon Daycare Center --
If you have played other Pokemon games you already know what a useful service it is that they provide here -- and not just for leveling your lower-level Pokemon! In full-service Daycare Centers you can drop off a male and female Pokemon, and if they are members of the same egg group, there is a chance that they will produce an egg, which you can hatch to create a new Pokemon.
Breeding allows you to do a lot of things -- like give a Pokemon specific moves from birth, get a special trait, and of course, obtain some types of first evolution forms of Pokemon you cannot get any other way! If you have a Ditto, you can breed Pokemon that cannot be bred with any other Pokemon as well. Sadly this is not a full-service Daycare Center, and you will not be breeding any Pokemon here -- but there is a full-service Center on one of the islands later in the game, so fear not! And you can still leave one here to level!
Leveling your Pokemon at a Daycare Center is simple -- you drop off the one you want to level and, for every step you take in the world, it adds to its XP. Take enough steps, it goes up a level. Keep running around in the world and you can easily raise it several or more levels. Now how cool is that?
After you run around enough to raise its levels, you simply return, pay the fee that you are asked for, and you get your Pokemon back with its new level!
-- Back to Business --
Directly south of you is the entrance to the Gatehouse for Saffron City -- but the road is currently closed, and a thirsty guard inside will not allow you to pass. On the east side is the entrance for the Underground Path that you can use to bypass the blocked road, allowing you to get from Cerulean City to Vermillion City, bypassing Saffron City, and as that is the only option currently available to us, that is what we have to do!
-- The Underground Path --
The Underground Path
As you enter you will see a little girl inside -- do you remember the extra Nidoran-F I said you should capture and stick in your box earlier? Yes, this is that little girl! So run over to the Daycare Center and use their computer to put that extra in your party, then head back here and trade with her -- good on ya mate! You now have a Nidoran-M in your party and dex! Now go back to the Daycare Center and put it in a box -- later you will want to level it to evolve it, then use a stone to evolve it to Nidoking to complete the evolutionary chain for your dex!
Right -- with all that now out of the way, head into the tunnel proper, and run along this long empty tunnel to the other side, where you will meet a girl who tells you how people lose stuff in the tunnel -- good to know as we will have a use for that information soon!
Exit on to Route 6 now...
-- Route 6 --
This is the Route that connects to Vermillion City.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good Rod)
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
052 - Meowth / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
060 - Poliwag / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
061 - Poliwhirl / Fishing (Super Rod)
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod), Surf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There are a fair number of trainers for you to battle here, starting on the west side of the Route with Bug Catcher Keigo, who has a Level 16 Weedle worth 177 XP, a Level 16 Caterpie worth 181 XP, and a Level 16 Weedle worth 177 XP and $192.
Since Route 6 and 5 have the same Pokemon on them, there is nothing for us to catch here, so we should concentrate on the trainers and work our way along the route.
Just down the road are a pair of twins -- Camper Ricky with a Level 20 Squirtle worth 282 XP and $400, and Picnicker Nancy, with a Level 16 Rattata worth 195 XP, followed by a Level 16 Pikachu worth 280 XP and $320.
Our next battle is with Bug Catcher Elijah, who has a Level 20 Butterfree worth 685 XP and $240. You want to KO this one fast, because it has a very nasty set of moves -- Supersonic, Sleep Powder, and Stun Spore -- which do not sound like they are all that dangerous until you have them used against you in combination, and find yourself unable to attack, and when you do attack, hurting yourself as a result. That can get frustrating!
As the road narrows you will spot the next two opponents -- twins -- and start with Picnicker Isabelle, who has a trio of Level 16 Pidgey worth 187 XP each, and $320. Her partner is Camper Jeff, who has a Level 16 Spearow worth 198 XP, and a Level 16 Raticate worth 397 XP and $320.
That is the last fight for Route 6! Simply continue south and enter Vermilion City!
A lot to do in Vermilion City!
-- Vermilion City --
A major port city in the Kanto Region, Vermilion is also important because it is the home of the
Our first task is to visit the Pokecenter to heal and save, and then talk to the purple-haired girl at the counter, who will give you a Vs. Seeker -- that is a device that allows you to re-battle trainers you have already battled. To use it you have to fully recharge it (by walking 100 steps). The other three trainers here in the Pokecenter will offer you their wisdom on different aspects of Pokemon -- go ahead and talk to them!
Now exit the Pokecenter and head west, entering the house next door, which belongs to the Fishing Guru. He asks you if you like fishing -- say Yes -- and then gives you an Old Rod. This rod is not all that useful, as you can only catch Magikarp with it, but the point here is that you CAN catch Magikarp with it! And it gets us started on the exciting new hobby of capturing Pokemon through fishing!
Talk to the old man outside the Pokecenter to learn that the S.S. Anne is in port. Head south and west to enter the building with the Poke Ball as its sign -- the Pokemon Fan Club! Talk to all the people inside, but in particular to the old man on the couch -- if you agree that you came to ask him about his Pokemon he will tell you all about them, with enthusiasm! When he is done though, he will gift you with a voucher for a free bicycle that you can redeem at the bike shop back in Cerulean City! That is a million dollar coupon!
In the house next door is a young trainer who will trade a Farfetch'd -- a decent trade! And what do you know?! We happen to have a Spearow in our storage box! Run back to the Pokecenter and grab it, then return and trade it to them to get the Farfetch'd -- the first Pokemon we have acquired that comes with an item (a Stick).
The City Gym is below, but we cannot get there without the move Cut, so head to the house next to the Gym and talk to the people there. If you are nosy -- I am -- read the letter on the table.
Drop by the Poke Shop and you will see a new item available -- Ice Heal -- we should grab a few for our kit!
Drop back by the Pokecenter to store our new Farfetch'd and retrieve our team member, then head for the docks and the S.S. Anne!
On board the Cruise Ship S.S. Anne
-- S.S. Anne --
We are stopped on the dock and asked to present our ticket -- which we do -- and then are invited to board! Inside a member of the crew warns us that the passengers are all bored from the long journey, and that we may get challenged to a few battles -- fine with us! To the left is a waiter, and if you follow the hall all the way left and then down, you will end up in the kitchen!
In the southwest corner of the kitchen is a treasure ball that has a Great Ball in it -- grab that and then talk to the chefs here, and look in the three trash cans along the east wall to grab some berries. After that head back out into the hall, and at the main hall you will notice that there are doors in the south side -- let us start by checking each cabin on this level!
Inside the first you meet a Global Police Agent who is trailing Team Rocket. Hmmm...
In the next you meet with Youngster Tyler who has a Level 21 Nidoran-M worth 270 XP and $336. His mother is at the desk -- say hi -- and his sister Lass Ann has a Level 18 Pidgey worth 211 XP and a Level 18 Nidoran-F worth 226 XP and $288. In the corner is a treasure ball with TM31, Brick Break, in it -- be sure to grab that!
Your next battle is three cabins over, with Gentleman Arthur, who has a Level 19 Nidoran-M worth 243 XP, and a Level 18 Nidoran-M wirth 244 XP and $1368.
In the next cabin you can rest to heal your Pokemon -- I would do that -- in fact I did!
The next cabin is the last on this hall, and inside is Gentleman Thomas, who has a pair of Level 18 Growlithe worth 351 XP each, and $1296.
Follow the hallway to the south and go down the stairs.
-- Lower Level --
In the dustbin next to the stairs is a Super Potion -- and on a table in the first cabin is a treasure ball with another Super Potion in it. Score! In the cabin next door are a pair of sailors... Sailor Duncan has a Level 17 Horsea worth 301 XP, a Level 17 Shellder worth 352 XP, and a Level 17 Tentacool worth 382 XP and $544. His partner Sailor Leonard has a Level 21 Shellder worth 436 XP and $672.
The third cabin has Sailor Dylan in it, and he has a trio of Level 17 Horsea worth 301 XP each, and $544. On the floor nearby is a treasure ball with an Ether in it -- grab that then hit the door!
Next is Sailor Huey, with a Level 18 Tentacool worth 405 XP, and a Level 18 Staryu worth 408 XP and $576. By the bed is a treasure ball with TM44, Rest, in it. Be sure to grab that!
The final cabin has two trainers -- Fisherman Barny has a Level 17 Tentacool worth 382 XP, a Level 17 Shellder worth 352 XP, and a Level 17 Staryu worth 385 XP and $612. His partner is Sailor Phillip, who has a Level 20 Machop worth 187 XP and $640.
That is it for this level, so head back up the stairs and stop at the rest cabin to heal up. Now head west to the stairs that go up and use them!
-- Second Level --
Inside the first cabin on the second level is an old man who will show you a picture of a very odd Pokemon -- it is worth a peak!
In the next cabin is Fisherman Dale, who has a Level 17 Goldeen worth 403 XP, a Level 17 Tentacool worth 382 XP, and a Level 17 Goldeen worth 403 XP and $612. His partner is Gentleman Brooks, who has a Level 23 Pikachu worth 403 XP and $1656. On the floor near the bed is a treasure ball with Stardust in it -- grab that now.
In the next cabin are a pair of learned gentlemen who will impart information -- particularly about Cut.
After that is a cabin with Lass Dawn in it. She has a Level 18 Rattata worth 219 XP, and a Level 18 Pikachu worth 315 XP and $288. Her partner is Gentleman Lamar, who has a Level 17 Growlithe worth 330XP, and a Level 17 Ponyta worth 335 XP and $1226. On the floor is a treasure ball with an X-Attack in it.
In the next cabin you learn about the Safari Zone, and finally, in the last cabin you learn that the Captain is sick. Roh nohs!
As you head around the corner and north who should you run into?! That's right! It is Gary! And time for a Rival Battle! Yay!
-- Rival Battle --
Let us see if Gary has gotten any smarter... He only has a four-Pokemon team, and his first is a Level 19 Pidgeotto worth 459 XP. His Level 20 Wartortle is worth 306 XP. His Level 16 Raticate is worth 397 XP, and his Level 18 Kadabra is worth 558 XP and $720. Yes, he has learned a bit, but not as much as he thinks he has!
Now head up the stairs to the Captain's Cabin and you will find him, sick, in there. You rub his back and he feels better! The Captain gives you the HM Cut as a reward, how nice of him!
Now we are almost done here -- return to the deck and head back west and then up the stairs at the end here to the main deck outside. Near the bow is Sailor Edmond, who has a Level 18 Machop worth 339 XP, and a Level 18 Shellder worth 373 XP and $576.
Sailor Trevor has a Level 17 Machop worth 319 XP and a Level 17 Tentacool worth 382 Xp and $544.
That is the final fight, and as the boat is about to leave port, it is time for us to get off! Head down to the main deck that we entered by, but stop off at the healing cabin for one lasts heal before we leave the ship! There is a reason we want to leave fully healed! Once you have healed, exit through the door down that short hall and step off the ship seconds before it leaves the dock and sails away! Whew, perfect timing!
Diglett and the Illusive Dugtrio!
-- Vermilion City --
Standing on the docks watching the ship sail away almost makes you wish you were on her, eh? But as we are not, and we have been very successful, there is a long list of things that we need to do! But first we need to leave the dock, so head off and, when you reach the shore instead of heading west (left) head east (right), and enter Route 11.
-- Route 11 --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
096 - Drowzee / Normal
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
027 - Sandshrew / Normal
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod)
021 - Spearow / Normal
072 - Tentacool / Surf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Okay this is one of those side-trips to eliminate an area just so it is done. That cave, by the way, that we just ran past is Diglett's Cave, and we will be going in there in a bit, but there is no need to go in now... So keep going east and you will see that there are trainers ahead.
Remember before when we discussed using the trainers to level our team? Well hopefully you remembered that, and you have been alternating your team members in the battles to uniformly distribute the XP -- you have, right? Well continue to do that with the trainers ahead -- the idea is that we want to get our entire team to Level 25 as painlessly as we can, which means using the trainers when we can!
Ahead you will fight Youngster Eddie, who has a Level 21 Ekans worth 279 XP and $336. On the grass above where you fight him is a treasure ball with an Awakening -- get that now. OK, now check your team to see if you need to put a different Pokemon in the number one slot -- especially if one of them is really under-level compared to the others... We have a Gym Battle coming soon and we need to be ready!
Our next battle is with Youngster Dillon, who has a Level 19 Sandshrew worth 378 XP, and a Level 19 Zubat worth 219 XP and $304. When I finished this battle it leveled my two lagging Pokemon (my Starter and my Pidge) to 23, which means my entire team is now Level 23. Yours should be about the same if you have been following this guide. This is great progress we are making!
Below Dillon is a patrolling trainer, Youngster Dave, who you can aggro from the path. Dave has a pair of Level 18 Nidoran-M worth 454 XP each, and $288. Continue further east to see the next few trainers now!
Engineer Braxton is waiting on the center path, and he has a Level 21 Magnemite worth 400 XP and $1008. On the path below him is Gamer Jasper, who has a Level 18 Bellsprout worth 324 XP, and a Level 18 Oddish worth 300 XP and $1296. That battle should take one of your team to Level 24.
In the tall grass above is a treasure ball with an X-Defend in it -- grab that and then head to the northeast corner for another battle. If you leveled a Pokemon put a different one in the lead position before this battle.
Gamer Darian has a Level 18 Growlithe worth 351 XP, and a Level 18 Vulpix worth 243 XP and $1296. This battle should have raised another of your team to Level 24, so swap another one in to level.
Now we should go ahead and trash the tall grass to scare up a Drowzee to catch, since we do not have one of those yet. Once you catch that head over to the water and use your Old Rod to catch a Magikarp now too, that way we have covered the Pokemon for this area that we can, that we did not have -- it is all part of the mop-up to get us current to our present capability.
With any luck you should have managed to level another team member while capturing the Drowzee, which means half of your team is now at Level 24!
Along the bottom path is Engineer Bernie with a pair of Level 18 Magnemite worth 342 XP each, and a Level 18 Magneton worth 621 XP and $864.
Back on task, continue east and you will encounter a patrolling trainer -- Youngster Yasu -- with a pair of Level 17 Rattata worth 207 XP each, and a Level 17 Raticate worth 421 XP and $272.
You likely need to heal so on the way back to the Pokecenter follow the bottom path west and battle Gamer Hugo, who has a Level 18 Poliwag worth 148 XP, and a Level 18 Horsea worth 319 XP and $1296.
Noe hit the Pokecenter, heal and save. At this point all but two of your team should be Level 24 -- so head back to Route 11 and continue east to the southeast corner below the gatehouse, where you will find Gamer Dirk with his Level 18 Voltorb worth 396 XP, and his Level 18 Voltorb worth 342 XP and $1296. That battle will have leveled another team member to 24, so you now only have one left to level.
In the grass on a narrow path beside the gatehouse is a treasure ball with a Great Ball inside it -- grab that and then walk above to the other side of the gatehouse, where you will see a brown boulder. Stand next to the boulder, facing it, and hit the action button to find an Escape Rope hidden here -- sweet!
You should only have one Pokemon on your team that is not Level 24 -- put that one in the lead position and troll the grass for battles, and quickly level it to 24 to get that out of the way now! Done? Excellent! Head to the gatehouse entrance now.
Enter the gatehouse and use the stairs to go to the second level -- there is a young boy trainer here looking to trade his Nidorino for a Nidorina -- you already have this evolution line covered, so there is no need to make this trade. Seated at the table in the back you see one of Professor Oak's Lab Assistants -- go talk to him now. If you have gathered data on a minimum of 30 Pokemon he is authorized to give you a new Key Item -- the Item Finder -- and as you have, you get it.
This is one of the items that we needed to get in order to finish off some of the odds and ends that we left hanging earlier -- so getting this is not optional! Head upstairs and get it! Now open your bag and move to the Key Items pocket, select the Item Finder, and register it so you can quickly activate it. Excellent! Finally, before you leave look through one of the binoculars at the windows. Hmmm...
If you exit the gatehouse on the east side, a short ways along blocking the path is that large Pokemon you were shown a photo of on the S.S. Anne! It is a Snorlax! You cannot wake it up at the moment, which means you cannot pass by this path, so return to the gatehouse, exit to the west, and go all the way back to the Pokecenter in town, heal and save. We have done everything that we came to do on Route 11, and it is time to wrap up the unmanaged tasks!
-- Back to Cerulean City --
This is one of those instances where a lot has come together all at once, and because of that we have to do a little backtracking to take care of small bits of opportunity that we could not avail ourselves of before! As this requires a bit preparation though, let us see to that now...
After you heal and save use the PC, and pick two of your least needed team members and store them in the A-Team box. Once you have done that, withdraw the Farfetch'd you traded for, and the Abra we caught back in Cerulean City on Route 24 or 25.
The Farfetch'd is going to be your HM Mule... Instead of teaching HM's to our team members, who I am sure you will agree are better off having effective moves, we will instead teach them to this Darfetch'd, and then only drag it out when we need it. Trust me, this makes sense! And the reason you are grabbing that Abra is we have a trade opportunity coming up that requires it!
Now you have healed, you have saved, and you have the two Pokemon... Exit the Pokecenter and then head around the corner and north as we make the return trip to Cerulean City!
-- The Underground Tunnel --
The Entrance to the Underground Tunnel
After you go down the stairs, stop. Trigger your Item Finder in the center of the red zone. If it fails to find anything AND you have obtained the Vs. Seeker (you should have done so if you are following this guide) then it is temporarily bugged. Do not worry about it, it will fix itself later -- I do not know what causes this bug, but it does auto-correct eventually.
If your game does not bug, then use the Item Finder to locate the Antidote, Awakening, Paralyze Heal, a Potion, an Ice Heal, and a Burn Heal down here. Once you have all of those, exit the tunnel via the north entrance and continue our journey!
Teach HM01 Cut to Farfetch'd and then use him to cut the tree so we can enter the city at the top of the Route.
-- Cerulean City Again --
First things first -- go to the shop and restock any kit you used up -- there are items you can only get here so check those especially. Now head to the top of the city and over the bridge to Route 24 -- at the top of the route turn right go a bit and use your Item Finder -- follow the arrow to the Pecha Berry.
Now continue east and by the next trainer use the IF again -- follow the arrows to the Elixer! Go further east, use the IF and get the Oran Berry. Use the IF to get the nearby Bluk Berry, and then all the way east and IF the Ether!
Now go into Bill's House and say hello - and accept his offer to view his Rare Pokemon Collection on his PC! Look at the database entries for Eevee, Flareon, Jolteon and Vaporeon now -- if you now check your Dex you will note that you have basic entries for all four just like you did for Snorlax! How cool is that?!
-- Abra Op --
If you did not obtain an Abra when we where here the other day, well... Now you really need to get one, because we are going to need it soon. So if you did not get one for whatever reason, hit the Pokecenter in town and get whatever Pokemon you have that knows the move Sleep Powder, and put it in your party, then head back up to Route 24 and troll for an Abra. When one pops up, put it to sleep and capture it, then go back to the Center and stick it in your party.
Once you have the Abra, return to town and visit the Bike Shop, where you will turn in your coupon for a nice shiny new Bicycle! If there are ANY trainers you did not fight when we were here before, fight them now -- you can use the XP! Once you have wrapped any remaining trainers up, it is time to make the trip back to Vermilion City...
On the way, stop off at the Pokemon Day Care Center and, using the compute there, withdraw the Magikarp you caught on Route 11 and give it to the Daycare Center bloke to raise for you.
When you enter the underground tunnel -- IF it was bugged when you were here before, it will be unbugged NOW. I have no idea why, but that is how it works. So go ahead and grab the hidden items with the IF now if you did not get them before.
With that last chore done, head back to Vermilion City, hit the Pokecenter if you need to and heal, then save, hit the Shop if you need to, and top off your kit, and then head back to Route 11 and enter Diglett's Cave!
-- Diglett's Cave --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
050 - Diglett / Normal
051 - Dugtrio / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now obviously one of the things that we need to do here is to capture a Diglett! And if we are lucky enough to encounter one -- though it is not likely -- a Dugtrio as well, as those are the only Pokemon you will encounter in the cave.
Catching a Diglett is dead simple -- they appear 95% of the time, which means pretty much every time -- and are fairly easy to catch. If you decide to go after a Dugtrio while you are in the cave, there are a few things that you can do to make this easier on yourself...
(1) Put a Pidge as your lead party member -- you should have a Pidgeotto you can use.
(2) Once you have the Diglett do not bother fighting, just run away from the Digletts until you get a Dugtrio.
The reason you want to use a Pidgeotto is simple enough -- none of the devastating attacks that Diglett has like Earthquake or Dig will work against a Pidgeotto, whereas they will quickly kill a non-flying Pokemon.
Second, because your lead is a Flying Pokemon, it cannot be trapped in battle the way a non-flying one can. It can be held up once, but you can escape, whereas non-flying Pokemon can find themselves trapped in the battle with no way out but to fight, which makes this take soooo much longer!
So grab your Pidgeotto and put it in the lead position if you are trying for a Dugtrio -- but be warned, they only have a 5% chance of appearing! To illustrate for you the difficulties, it took me a full 20 minutes of trolling for a Dugtrio to get one, and that mates was pure luck! It could have easily taken five times as long to get one -- and if you watch this sections video, you will notice that the when you do manage to pull one, it is a high level! Level 29!
At that level catching it is almost as hard as pulling it -- and considering the pain it was to pull, it would royally suck if you ended up accidentally KO'ing it, right? If you do not believe that I was worried when I used that third Quick Attack against it, well, I was worried -- and relieved when it took it into the red without a KO. Even then I had to throw a few balls to catch it, and I still think that it was mostly luck that I managed that catch!
When you exit the cave at the other end, you are now back on Route 2! Remember that area we could not get to before because we did not have cut? Yes, that is where we are now!
Wrapping up Pewter City
-- Route 2 --
After you exit the cave head south and you will find a house we could not access before. Inside there is a man at the table who mumbles some advice, but the person we came to see is actually standing against the back wall. His name is Reyley, and as far as I can tell he is bug-freaking-nuts, because he wants to trade us a partially leveled Mr. Mime for an Abra! If I have to tell you why that is a great deal for us, and a not so great deal for Reyley, I can only assume you do not understand how useful Mr. Mime can be at later levels...
The one we trade for is named "Mimien" and matches the level of the Abra you traded -- so in my case that is Level 11. Mr. Mime is a Psychic Type, and he comes with the moves Barrier, Confusion, and Substitute.
After you leave the house, cut the tree to the south and continue along this path, entering the gatehouse ahead. Inside you should spot a familiar figure -- that is right, one of the Professor's Lab Assistants! Go over and chat him up and he will lay HM05 on you -- that is Flash -- a very useful HM to own!
Talk to the kid in the corner by the door we just came in and he will let you know that this HM is what we needed to be able to pass through the Rock Tunnel!
Exit the gatehouse via the south door and you will find a treasure ball with an Ether in it just ahead. Grab that and then continue south for another treasure ball. This one has Paralyze Heal in it.
You can hit the Poke Shop in Veridian City if you like, for some cheaper Antidote and Paralyze Heals as they are not as expensive here as they are at later shops. When you are done, follow the route to Pewter City now.
-- Pewter City --
When you reach Pewter City hit the Pokecenter to heal and save, and then head over to the Pokemon Museum -- but this time instead of going in the front door, go in the back door on the right side! Now that you have Cut you can do that!
Inside there is a bloke on the right that will teach one of your Pokemon the move Seismic Toss -- but he will only do this once time, so if you do not have the right Pokemon, do not do it. Since I wanted to teach that move to my Geo and I have him with me, naturally I had it taught to him!
Talk to the scientist in the back of the room -- he will tell you of his suspicions, and then slip you a rock sample called Old Amber, which you will put in the Key Item pocket of your bag. Now if we happen to come across a Pokemon Lab... Well, we now have another sample in addition to the Fossil we already own that can be um, looked at... Uh hem.
Before you leave the Museum be sure to check the bookshelf in the right hand corner to get the final update for Brock's Fame Checker Database Entry. You do not actually need that, but it is nice to get to complete the data, right?
Note: If you did not obtain an extra Nidoran-F when we were originally here go ahead and hit Route 3 to the east and get one now, so that you can trade it to the little girl in the underground entrance when we return to the previous area. Getting the male Nidoran in the trade will save you a lot of time trying to pull one -- if you think Dugtrio was a rare pull, go ahead and try to pull the male here!
And with that, we have completed our last outstanding item on the list for this area -- so hit the path and head back to Diglett's cave, run trough that to the other side, and Vermilion City!
Before we start on the next leg of our journey so to speak, and assuming that you have not completed this trade, make a quick run up Route 6 to the Underground Path, run to the other side and up, and talk to the little girl here. Trade her the Nidoran-F for her Nidoran-M -- who she named Mr. Nido -- and you now have the ability to complete the full evolution lines for both sexes. Good on ya mate! Now just make a quick run back to Vermilion City!
Battle at the Vermilion City Gym
If you are not already there, head to the Pokecenter now. Go to the PC, open Bill's Computer, and store the Nidoran-M that you just acquired in the Poison Box, and then jump to your A-Team Box. You need to set yourself up for the Gym Battle...
I am assuming here that you at a minimum got everyone to at least Level 24. Level 25 would be better, but Level 24 is fine as long as you also captured a Dugtrio? You did, right? Good! So, build your team to include the following:
(1) Your Starter
(2) Dugtrio
(3) Pikachu
(4) Whatever Pokemon you like (I chose Geodude)
(5) Whatever Pokemon you like (I chose Pidgeotto)
(6) Meowth
Now Meowth is here because it is our new HM mule -- it can learn both Cut and Flash -- so rather than have two mules for now, we have just one! If you have not switched over to Meowth, go ahead and do that now, and teach it both moves.
Having your Starter in the team is obvious -- you should always have them with you -- and Pikachu might be useful as this is an electric gym we are going into but then, maybe not... It really does not matter because our secret weapon -- Dugtrio -- combined with Geodude, are going to get us through this gym like it was manned by girl scouts!
With your party complete, go ahead and save before leaving the Pokecenter -- just in case.
-- Vermilion City Gym --
First we have to cut the tree blocking access to the Gym -- we do that and enter the Gym.
As with the previous Gyms talk to the Gym Greeter to get some tips on what to do -- or not to do -- and then defeat the Assistant Gym Leaders (AGL's) who are waiting for you in the first area. Considering that our current Gym Badge only allows us to control Pokemon up to Level 30, and with Dugtrio already at Level 29, it would be an idea to use Geodude to take out the AGL's so we do not end up with our main hitter out of control, right?
The first AGL is Sailor Dwayne, who has a pair of Level 21 Pikachu worth 369 XP each, and $672.
Next is Engineer Baily, who has a Level 21 Voltorb worth 463 XP, and a Level 21 Magnemite worth 400 XP and $1008. Depending upon how much damage you took you may want to hit the Pokecenter to heal up now. After this fight my Geodude gained a level and evolved -- I expect yours did as well!
At the head of the room by the electric barrier is Gentleman Tucker, who has a Level 23 Pikachu worth 403 XP and $1656. Once you have taken him out, it is time to try to find the switches to drop the barrier and give us access to the next area of the Gym!
How this works is simple -- when you find a switch, the second switch is in one of the nearby cans because they are always right next to each other. The trick is guessing right, because if you guess wrong, the switches reset and move, and you have to start all over again. Yes it is a matter of luck, but eventually you will get it right!
-- Lt Surge Battle --
He opens with a Level 21 Voltorb, which is worth 463. His tactic here is to weaken your stats, and every time you get his Pokemon close to dying he will use a Super Potion. The trick here is to damage it just enough so that you can deliver a killing blow but not so badly that he uses a potion...
I actually took out the Voltorb with my Geodude before switching to Dugtrio for the second fight...
Surge brings out his Level Level 18 Pikachu, which is worth 315 XP. You can make very good use of Dugtrio's Dig move here -- which will allow you to KO the opponent without him being able to damage you!
Surge's final Pokemon is his Level 24 Raichu -- and this one is a heavy hitter! Still this was really not much of a fight -- you can one-hit kill it by just doing Dig again. Raichu paid out 627 XP and $2400, plus the Thunderbadge, which increases the Speed stat of your Pokemon, and allows you to use the HM Fly outside of battle! Surge then gives us TM34 and tells us that we are special!
TM34 contains the move "Shock Wave" that is useful for your Electric Type Pokemon. That is all she wrote for Lt. Surge and the Vermilion City Gym! We now have our third badge, and are well on our way to becoming a Pokemon Master!
After you leave the Gym return to the Pokecenter to heal and save, then open the PC and put Dugtrio into your A-Team box as a team alternate, then grab your Grass Type if you have one to round out your team, then move to the Incoming Box and close the PC.
As soon as you are ready, make your way back to Cerulean City, but instead of entering the city by cutting the tree, backtrack down to the Daycare Center and check on the Magikarp we dropped off to see what its level is! When the Daycare Center bloke handed him back he was Level 13 -- an 8-Level hike! Very nice, but not where I want it. I handed Magikarp back, since we really want it to be level 20, so that we only have to do one level before it evolves into the very powerful Gyarados!
With that chore out of the way, we follow the path to the right and up to the entrance to Route 9, which is blocked by a tree. No worries there though, we can cut that now!
The Rock Tunnel Treasures
-- Route 9 --
The only way to get from Cerulean City to the Rock Tunnel, while Route 9 does not hold any new Pokemon for us, it does have some trainers for us to battle!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
019 - Rattata / Normal
027 - Sandshrew / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After you cut the tree and take a few steps in you will see that the path is fringed by ledges. There is a trainer directly ahead for you to battle -- Picnicker Alicia, who has four Pokemon in her team.
Alicia starts off with a Level 18 Oddish worth 300 XP who is fond of the Sleep Powder move. Her next is a Level 18 Bellsprout worth 324 XP, then another Level 18 Oddish worth 300 XP, and finally another Level 18 Bellsprout worth 324 XP and $360.
Drop down the ledge and you will see your next battle -- Hiker Jeremy, who has a Level 20 Machop worth 376 XP, and a Level 20 Onix worth 462 XP and $720. Those two battles likely were fought using different Pokemon, but should represent enough XP to bring both near to Level 25 if you are still balancing out the team.
A treasure ball containing TM40, Ariel Ace, is on the ground to the west of Hiker Jeremy so be sure that you pick that up! When you reach the short grass area ahead cut up and back to the west to find Camper Chris and his Level 21 Growlithe, worth 408 XP, and a Level 21 Charmander worth 292 XP and $420.
Above Chris is Bug Catcher Brent, who has a pair of Level 19 Beedrill worth 646 XP each, and $228. Continue to the west and then a little south by the tall grass and you will see an odd-colored boulder. Stand beside it and hit the A Button to collect a very useful hidden Ether!
As we already have all of the Pokemon types that are available in the tall grass here, we do not need to pull any up or catch any, so backtrack to the east and our next battle, with Hiker Alan, who has a Level 21 Geodude worth 387 XP, followed by a Level 21 Onix worth 486 XP and $756.
As you are fighting these trainers it is a good idea to keep an eye on the levels of your Pokemon -- remember with our current badges we can only control them up to Level 30, so it would be a bad idea to let any of them level past 29! At least until after our next Gym Battle that is.
Just past Alan on the ground is a treasure ball with a Burn Heal in it -- be sure to grab that, and then backtrack to the opening and enter the ledge above, head east and up through a gap in the north ledge to fight Bug Catcher Conner, who has a Level 20 Caterpie worth 226 XP, a Level 20 Venonat worth 321 XP, and a Level 20 Weedle worth 222 XP and $240. And yes, the level of the trainer teams are going up :)
Before you head up to the next trainer, head west where Camper Drew is waiting. Drew has a Level 19 Rattata worth 231 XP, a pair of Level 19 Sandshrew worth 378 XP, and a Level 19 Ekans worth 252 XP and $380.
If you use your Item Finder near here you will see that there is a hidden item near the trainer we battle that is above Conner, so let's go there and battle Hiker Brice first.
Brice has a pair of Level 20 Geodude worth 367 XP each, and a Level 20 Machop worth 376 XP and $720. In the grass to the west of Brice by the wall (look for the discolored dot in the grass) you will find the hidden item you detected earlier -- a Chesto Berry!
Head east now and you will see the ledge you have to jump down to move to the next area and the next trainer battle!
Picnicker Caitlin is waiting here for you, with her Level 23 Meowth worth 339 XP and $460. TP the east just past her is where Route 10 begins!
-- Route 10 --
The entrance to the infamous Rock Tunnel is found off of this route, just past the Pokecenter which serves as an outpost or the brave trainers who risk the perils of this wilderness in search of unique Pokemon!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
027 - Sandshrew / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
100 - Voltorb / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tow of the Pokemon here we already have, but here is our chance to pick up one that we do not! For Voltorb can be found on this route, and having one of those is good for our Pokedex! Just enter the tall grass directly east of here and you should quickly manage to capture a Voltorb. When you are done, follow the path south to the Route 10 Pokecenter, where you can heal and save.
Inside the Pokecenter you will find one of Professor Oak's Lab Assistants who is waiting for you! If you have data on 20 unique Pokemon -- and you do -- he has a special item to give you: an Everstone!
What is an Everstone you ask? Why only one of the most useful of held items for Pokemon, that is what!
When you have a cute Pokemon that you want to level, but you never want it to evolve out of its current form -- a Pikachu for instance -- by having it hold the Everstone it will never try to evolve. Now how cool is that I ask you?!
A young lad warns you that ghosts are haunting Lavender Town, and an old gentleman points out that Pokemon have opposing types. In the corner there is a bloke who will fill you in on Nuggets -- and the fact that they are worth $5k -- so if you did not know that, now you do! Next time you are near a store you may want to sell the Nuggets we have collected.
This pretty much concludes our business at the Pokecenter, so go ahead and leave now, and you will see some trees we can cut outside. Standing beside one of them is our next trainer to battle: Picnicker Heidi!
She has a Level 20 Pikachu worth 351 XP, and a Level 20 Clefairy worth 291 XP. and $400. Her special move is Encore, which forces you to repeat whatever the last move was that you used, so be mindful of that in picking your moves!
Grab the hidden Cheri Berry in the middle of the grassy area, and then head on into the Rock Tunnel!
-- Rock Tunnel --
The Infamous Rock Tunnel
Connecting Route 10 with Lavender Town, the Rock Tunnel is a treacherous and dark place with lots of trainers as well as wild Pokemon for you to encounter!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
074 - Geodude / Normal
066 - Machop / Normal
056 - Mankey / Normal
095 - Onix / Normal
041 - Zubat / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As you step inside the first thing that you will want to do is execute the HM Flash on your HM Mule -- that will light up the otherwise pitch dark Tunnel. This is a huge area in here, with a lot you can do and find, so we are going to cover the offerings here in some detail... The video included in this section is a detailed guide to the items you can collect here, and I list the trainers, with their XP and reward values, here as usual, though not as part of the video...
Inside the Tunnel there are several Pokemon that we have not, until now, had the opportunity to capture, including Machop and Onix! Obviously you want to catch at least one of each when you encounter them!
First the trainers!
Ahead to the east is Pokemaniac Ashton with his Level 23 Cubone, worth 427 XP, and his Level 23 Slowpoke worth 487 XP and $1104.
Follow the eastern path that is south of Ashton until it turns north, and then use the ladder here to go down to the southeast corner of the lower level. Head south and then west to the next battle with Pokemaniac Winston.
Winston has a Level 25 Slowpoke worth 529 XP and $1200.
Continue west then north to battle Picnicker Martha, who has a Level 22 Oddish worth 367 XP, and a Level 22 Bulbasaur worth 301 XP and $440.
Continue along the path north, then east and north, and you will encounter Pokemaniac Steve, who has a Level 22 Charmander worth 306 XP, followed by a Level 22 Cubone worth 409 XP and $1056.
IMPORTANT: If you chose Meowth as your HM Mule, be sure to check him every so often, as he has a special ability that allows him to pick up items as you walk -- and you will often find tha the has managed to pick up a berry or other item in your travels! You need to take that item away from him so that he can pick up another item!
Follow the path north and east and you will run into Hiker Allen at the bottom left corner of the central rock structure, and his buddy Hiker Eric at the top right corner.
Hiker Allen has a Level 25 Geodude worth 229 XP and $900. Hiker Eric has a Level 20 Machop worth 376 XP, and a Level 20 Onix worth 462 XP and $720.
The next ladder is in the northwest of the center block, and leads up to the northwest corner of level above. Near by is Hiker Lenny, who has a trio of Level 19 Geodude worth 349 XP each, followed by a Level 19 Machop worth 357 XP and $684.
Head all the way south to find Hiker Oliver, who has a pair of Level 20 Onix worth 462 XP each, and a Level 20 Geodude worth 367 XP and $720.
To the east and a bit north you will find Hiker Lucas standing near the ladder down. Lucas has a Level 21 Geodude worth 387 XP and a Level 21 Graveler worth 603 XP and 756. After you defeat him take the ladder down to the level below, where you will find yourself in the Center area.
Head west to the adjacent hallway and battle Picnicker Sofia, who has a Level 21 Jigglypuff worth 342 XP, a Level 21 Pidgey worth 247 XP, and a Level 21 Meowth worth 310 XP and $420. Head south and west from here for your next trainer.
Here you will find a trainer who is willing to teach the move ' Rock Slide' to one of your Pokemon - but be aware that he will only do this ONE time. Pick the Pokemon you want to learn the move carefully, and if you do not have that Pokemon with you do not use this opportunity up! I decided that I wanted my Graveler, Hitman, to know this move, so I had it taught to him...
Hitman is a permanent member of my A-Team, and a Rock/Ground Type, so it only makes sense for him to know this move. Once you learn the move -- or not -- head east and then north back up the corridor past Sofia to the large area above, where you will encounter a Hiker to the west.
Hiker Dudley to the west in the opening to the next passage. Dudders has a pair of Level 21 Geodude worth 387 XP each, and a Level 21Graveler worth 603 XP and $756. Above Dudders near the ladder leading back up is Pokemaniac Cooper, who wants your Pokedex for himself!
Cooper leads with his trio of Level 20 Slowpoke, worth a nice 423 XP each, and $960. Cooper is the final trainer for us to battle on this level of the Rock Tunnel, and when you go up the ladder nearby you will find yourself near the southeast corner of the level, with a few trainers left for us to battle here before we reach the exit!
Our first battle is with Picnicker Leah, who is standing directly south of the ladder. She has a Level 22 Bellsprout worth 396 XP, and a Level 22 Clefairy worth 319 XP and $440. Her Clefairy can be very frustrating to fight, because of Sing, but mostly because of her move, Minimize, which can make her hard to hit.
Across the corridor is Picnicker Arianna and her Level 19 Pidgey, worth 223 XP, Level 19 Bellsprout, worth 342 XP, and a pair of Level 19 Rattata worth 231 XP each, and $380.
The final trainer in the Rock Tunnel is Picnicker Dana, who is to the west on the way to the exit. She has a Level 20 Meowth worth 295 XP, a Level 20 Oddish worth 333 XP, and a Level 20 Pidgey worth 235 XP and $400.
The exit nearby leads to the continuation of Route 10, but before we use that we have some other things to do first!
One thing I want to stress is Level management -- I hope that you have been paying attention to the levels of your team, and making sure that none of them rose much beyond Level 28... Our next Gym Battle features Pokemon that are between Levels 28 and 29, but remember that we have to take care of the AGL's as well as the Gym Leader, and we can only control Pokemon up to Level 30 until we get that next badge! So it is very important that you not over-level your Pokemon, otherwise you could end up in a situation in which they refuse to obey your instructions.
Be sure to check Meowth frequently and grab the items that he collects for you, as you never know what he will pick up, and he can not pick up a new item if he is already holding one!
-- Rock Tunnel Treasures Mini Guide --
At the entrance use your mule to cast Flash, then head to the east for the first treasure, Repel. If you get lost of confused at any point, consult the video for this section! Follow the path around to the ladder and to the next level.
Head south then west all the way to the end of the hall, where you will find a treasure ball with a Revive in it. Follow the north and east path to the next ladder and use it.
Head all the way down to the south then east to the next treasure ball, which contains an Escape Rope -- always a nice piece of kit to own. Take the nearby ladder to the north now.
Head south and west to the hallway, then follow it all the way to the north to grab the item from the next treasure ball, a Max Ether! Head to the south, west, and north to the next ladder now.
The final treasure ball is to the far north of the adjacent chamber, and contains a Pearl! Once you have that, head to the exit and leave the Rock Tunnel!
A Tour of Lavender Town
-- Route 10 Continued --
As you exit the Rock Tunnel you will notice some handy trainers for you to battle! Excellent! The first and nearest is Picnicker Carol, who has a Level 21 Pidgey worth 247 XP, and a Level 21 Pidgeotto worth 508 XP and $420.
Near by is Hiker Clark with a Level 21 Geodude worth 387 XP, and a Level21 Onix worth 486 XP and $756. On the other side of the nearby ledge is another Hiker named Trent who has a Level 19 Onix worth 439 XP, and a Level 19 Graveler worth 544 XP, and $684.
Patrolling nearby is Pokemaniac Herman, who has a Level 20 Cubone worth 372 XP and a Level 20 Slowpoke worth 423 XP and $960.
After that battle head through the cut and into Lavender Town.
-- Lavender Town --
The first thing that you are going to want to do is visit the Pokecenter, where you can heal and save. If your experience in the Tunnel is anything like mine, you probably needed the heal. With that taken care of, talk to the people in the Pokecenter -- one will tell you about Cubone's mother being killed, and the bloke in the corner tells you that Cubone is a valuable Pokemon. The old man by the counter reminds you that Team Rocket is a threat, but you knew that.
Head outside and visit the house directly south of the Pokecenter -- that is the Lavender Volunteer Pokemon House -- the home of Mr. Fuji, an kindly old soul who looks after orphaned Pokemon. He is not here, and the volunteers are worried about him! Just for giggles read the magazine on the table, and then head out the door.
There are two houses south of here -- the one on the left is where the orphaned baby Cubone is being taken care of -- talk to the woman inside to hear her outrage. The one on the right is the home of the Official Name Rater -- a bloke who will evaluate the name you have chosen for your Pokemon and, under certain circumstances, even allow you to change its name! If he rates the name Decent or lower, you can change it, but you cannot rename traded Pokemon!
To the east is the town Poke Shop -- head in there now and talk to the bloke in the back to learn about items that alter your Pokemon's stats in battle, while the bloke in the corner will tell you about Revives. The kid on the aisle tells you about double battles, where you fight two Pokemon at the same time, if you are curious, but now it is time to talk to the clerk at the counter to see what they have, and re-stock our kit for all of the items that we used up in the Tunnel!
If you have anything valuable to sell, now is a good time to do it, though with that long line of trainers we just finished battling you should not be short on money! The Shop here stocks Great Balls -- a new item to us -- as well as Super Potions and the other standard kit items. Check your supplies and top them off. At this point you probably want to keep around 10 or more of all of the stat-cures as there are times ahead when we will not be conveniently close to either a Shop or a Pokecenter!
They also sell Super Repel here -- having a few of those cannot be a bad thing -- they come in handy when things have gone very wrong and you need to be able to get out of an area or through tall grass without having to fight. I am just saying, it is good to be prepared!
-- Pokemon Tower --
Haunter in the Pokemon Tower
After you finish up in the shop, head directly north to the Pokemon Tower, which is really the only interesting thing in the town! When you heard talk earlier about a haunting here, this is what they were referring to...
First thing you want to do is head inside and chat with the people here, starting with the bloke on the left, who is here to pray for his Clefairy. Talking to the counter person fills you in on what the Tower is for, and the Channeler and the other pair of mourners are there for flavor.
The spooky music and our uncertainty about what lies ahead are enough to peak interest, right?
We may as well get this show on the road and head up the stairs by the counter now -- and find ourselves in an aggro area! That guy above looks familiar... Could it be... No! It is! Gary!
-- Rival Battle --
That is right mate, it is time for our next Rival Battle! And this time Gary has finally learned a bit about battling with Pokemon!
He starts the battle with his Level 25 Pidgeotto, which is worth a cool 604 XP! Next comes his Level 25 Wartortle, worth a sweet 765 XP, followed by his Level 23 Growlithe, worth 448 XP. Gary's Level 22 Exeggute is next, worth a decent 462 XP, followed by his Level 20 Kadabra worth 621 XP and $900.
After the battle Gary insults you, claiming to have taken it easy on you, and then asks you about your Dex, boasting that he recently caught a Cubone himself. After he leaves you can head back to the Pokecenter to heal and save if you took any damage, then start looking around the area. After all, there are some Pokemon here that we want to catch, right?
-- Back in the Tower --
Cross the room and talk to the trainer standing by the stairs -- who mentions that a Silph Scope would probably help you to identify the mystery ghosts here... The smoke in the air here is a sign that should tell you that wild encounters are possible... And of course there are trainers here for us to battle!
Ahead above is Channeler Hope, who has a Level 23 Gastly worth 468 XP and $736. Above her on the ground is a treasure ball with an Escape Rope in it.
The first trainer below is Channeler Patricia, who has a Level 22 Gastly worth 447 XP and $704.
At this point we discover that we cannot do battle with the wild Pokemon here without a Silph Scope, so we may as well leave for now. We will come back when we are properly equipped for this challnge, so for now, hit the Pokecenter to heal and save, and then head to the west side of town to continue our adventure!
Our journey to Celadon City
-- Route 8 --
Your best route to Celadon City -- usually via Saffron City, but the route into Saffron is temporarily closed, so you will need to take the Underground Passage to Route 7, and bypass Saffron for now...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
052 - Meowth / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
027 - Sandshrew / Normal
037 - Vulpix / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As we enter Route 8 we encounter Lass Julia, and her pair of Level 22 Clefairy worth 319 XP each, and $352. I have to admit that fighting one Clefairy is annoying, while fighting two in a row is downright disgusting!
Close by is Gamer Rich, who has a Level 24 Growlithe worth 468 XP, and a Level 24 Vulpix worth 324 XP and $1728!
After the battle use cut on the tree ahead and enter the tall crass area that is fenced in, and catch a Vulpix, and then head back onto the path for our next trainer battle!
Super Nerd Glenn is waiting for you with his Level 22 Grimer worth 423 XP, his Level 22 Muk worth 739 XP, and his Level 22 Grimer worth 423 XP and $528. This is clearly one of the more annoying fights on this route, but what can you do?
Ahead on the path is your first dual-battle with Twins Eli & Anne, who field a Level 22 Clefairy worth 318 XP, and a Level 22 Jigglypuff worth 356 XP, and $528.
Ahead of you is a group of trainers you will battle, starting with Super Nerd Leslie, who has a Level 26 Koffing worth 634 XP and $624.
Next is Lass Megan, who has a five-member team starting with a Level 19 Pidgey worth 223 XP, a Level 19 Pikachu worth 333 XP, a Level 19 Rattata worth 231 XP, a Level 19 Nidoran-M worth 243 XP, and a Level 19 Meowth worth 280 XP and $304.
Lass Andrea has a trio of Level 24 Meowth worth 354 XP each, and $384.
Lass Paige is next, with her Level 23 Nidoran-M worth 289 XP, followed by a Level 23 Nidorina worth 576 XP and $368.
On the road are a pair of bicyclists -- Biker Jaren with his pair of Level 24 Grimer worth 462 XP each and $480. Biker Ricardo has a pair of Level 22 Koffing worth 537 XP each, and a Level 23 Grimer worth 442 XP and $460.
Above is an old man -- Gamer Stan -- with a pair of Level 22 Poliwag worth 363 XP each, and a Level 22 Poliwhirl worth 616 XP and $1584.
Near the gatehouse is Super Nerd Aidan with his Level 20 Voltorb worth 441 XP, a Level 20 Koffing worth 487 XP, a Level 20 Voltorb worth 441 XP, and a Level 20 Magnemite worth 381 XP and $480.
When you try to enter the gatehouse a thirsty guard stops you! Man, these guys are all thirsty! And they have the route closed! There was a small building outside, an underground entrance, so let us go check it out! A quick run along the underground path leads us to an exit on Route 7!
-- Route 7 --
The Underground Passage to Celadon and Route 7 allows us to bypass Saffron fortunately...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
052 - Meowth / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
037 - Vulpix / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
We have all of the Pokemon we can catch on this Route, so we should head directly in to town and hit the Pokecenter here!
Celadon City
Celadon City
The largest city in the region, Celadon City is the metropolis of Kanto, and home to the Super PokeMart, Celadon Mansion, and the Game Corner, among other attractions. You, country mouse, have arrived in the big city!
-- Celadon City --
First, there are no wild Pokemon for you to capture here, so put that task out of mind as it does not apply. Second, there is a large number of small side-quests we have to do here. Third, I want to congratulate you for making it this far, and encourage you to retain your gung-ho spirit, because the game is only half-over!
After you visit the Pokecenter, heal, and save, talk to the people here -- a purple-haired girl will clue you in about the existence of the Cycling Road and its connection to Fuchsia, and the boy at the table sort of reminds us that we have a bike! The old bloke at the counter tells us the secret to managing that sleeping Pokemon, and that wraps up the intel we can gather here!
Now before we leave, let's take stock of our current status... Our team should consist of five core members who are all at Level 28, and an HM Mule that is whatever level it is. Unfortunately we actually do need the mule to get to the Gym, so we cannot pack our team with six core members... Bummer. Speaking of the Gym, why don't we get that out of the way now? Yes, but first we need to pay a visit to only the biggest freakin' Poke Shop in the world!
-- The Celadon Department Store ---
When we exit the Pokecenter we see a uniformed Team Rocket Grunt standing around outside, who when we try to talk to him is very rude! Heading west we encounter a trainer with a Poliwrath, and he tells us how it got that way, which may be your first introduction to stone-based evolution, I don't know.
The nearby sign tells you about kit you can get to boost performance in battle, and directs you to the Celadon Department Store. We pass by the entrance to Celadon Mansion and chat with a bloke standing between the buildings trying to sooth his burning tongue, and then we see it, off in the distance... The glorious Celadon Department Store, one of the tallest buildings in the region!
Inside on the counter is a guide that lists the different departments and their floors, and a clerk who cheerfully welcomes us to the store! Head to the back and you will find both stairs and a lift -- I took the stairs myself, good cardio workout.
2F: The Trainer's Market
First thing we should do is talk to the trainer walking back and forth near the counter, who advises us that having Revive on long trips is a good idea. A quick browsing of the displays is now the thing to do, and when you get tired of that, head over and talk to the bloke at the lower counter.
He has a good variety of kit for sale, but at the moment all we really need to do is resupply our usual, so do that. You can buy any of the new stuff you like, but right now we have less money than we need to get all the stuff we would like to have, and you need to save a little for beverage shopping on the roof, so fair warning, do not spend it all!
The other clerk has TM's for sale, but hold off on buying any right now, because there are some we can get for free later, and some that really we do not need until we get additional Pokemon. When you are finished here, head up the next flight of stairs.
3F: TV Game Shop
This may not seem like a floor that we need to stop on, but trust me, you might be surprised! First check out one of the posters on the wall -- yes, Red and Green ARE both Pokemon! Now you see the trainers standing by the game consoles? Go talk to them to learn that the Pokemon Haunter will evolve when it is traded -- Trade-based Evolution! Who knew??
Check out one of those cutting edge game consoles! It is a wicked fast... Err... Super NES...
A pair of trainers will fill you in on how to identify traded Pokemon, and the bloke behind the counter will offer to teach you the move Counter -- seriously... This is a decent move and you do not have the best Pokemon to use that so politely decline -- you can come back later.
4F: Wise Man Gifts
This is ground zero for obtaining evolution stones!
The two trainers here will fill you in on how to best use the Poke Doll, and the bloke at the counter will sell you one if you like -- but you can hold off on that, money is tight at the moment. If you check out his selection of Evolution Stones you will see that he has Fire, THunder, Water, and Leaf, all of which we will need eventually, but not at the moment.
The important think is to remember that they are here, and they are $2100 each!
5F: The Drugstore
Head up the next flight of stairs and you will be in the Drug Store. Talk to the trainers to learn about Pokemon Stat Enhancers -- these are drugs that permanently increase a stat. We will want to come back here and do some serious shopping prior to taking on the Elite Four, you can bank on that.
Like real drugs though, this stuff is expensive! Head for the stairs up now.
6F: Rooftop Square
The Vending Machines - Source for Cheap Healing
Talk to the pair of trainers up here to learn that the little sister is thirsty! See those vending machines? To start with, go buy one of each selection -- that is one Water, one Soda, and one Lemonade. Give the little girl a Fresh Water and she will give you TM16, Light Screen. Now give her a Soda and she will give you TM20, Safeguard. Finally give her the Lemonade, and she will give you TM33, Reflect. You now have all of the TM's she can give you, good on ya!
Head back to the vending machines and buy 5 of each item now. Our work is done here! Head downstairs and exit the building now!
Back in the City Again
Chat with the people you encounter to pick up on the local gossip, then head down to the south-most road -- see that tree blocking the path there? That leads the the City Gym, which will be important in a bit... There are some buildings along the north side of the road -- enter the first one and you will see that you are in a restaurant! Talking to the people here can reveal some important information, for example one of the diners tips you that there is a basement under the Game Corner, which is good to know...
The bloke at the counter tells you about the man in the corner, who has had a spot of bad luck, and when you talk to him he confirms that, and gives you a Key Item, the Coin Case, as he will not be using it anymore. The Coin Case is used for holding the coins you use to play the slot machines at the Game Corner, if you did not know that.
The building next door is where one of the officers from Team Rocket lives, and if you drop in you wil learn how successful the Game Corner is, and that there is most certainly not a secret switch behind the poster on the wall in the Game Corner!
The last building on the street is the local hotel, but sadly there are no rooms available here. Follow the grassy lane around the side of the hotel and cut down the tree to gain access to the path that will quickly take you back to the Game Corner!
-- The Game Corner --
Enter the Game Corner and chat with the people playing there to pick up some useful intel about the City Gym Leader, and get some free coins! One gamer will give you 10 Coins, while two others will give you 20 Coins each, leaving you a total of 50 Coins.
If you whip out your trusty Item Finder and use that, you will find 10 Coins in front of the right-middle rank of machines on the floor, another 10 in front of the left middle bank, 20 Coins on the floor of the left aisle, 10 Coins by the counter on the floor, 10 Coins on the floor of the left aisle near one of the chairs, 10 Coins on the floor of the middle aisle, 20 Coins on the ground in front of the right side of the counter, and 10 more Coins very close to that last spot!
There are 10 Coins on the ground by the half-wall to the right of the poster, 10 Coins by the corner of the half-wall, and a whopping 40 Coins on the ground above the last machine on the right side of the right aisle! When you tally up the coins you were given and the ones that you found, you already have 210 Coins before you even touched one of the machines! It looks like treasure hunting pays better than gambling!
At this point you should probably save the game, considering that you have 210 Coins in your case without breaking a sweat, it would be sad to lose them on a few bad pulls of the one-armed bandit, right? Why would you want to gamble at all you are wondering? The answer to that is easy enough: the Rocket's give prizes for a certain number of coins!
The prizes can be obtained in the building beside the Game Corner, where there are three clerks at the counter who will take your coins and give you the prizes you select. You can obtain the following:
-- Game Corner Prizes --
- Items -
Charcoal (1000)
Miracle Seed (1000)
Mystic Water (1000)
Smoke Ball (800)
Yellow Flute (1600)
- Pokemon -
Abra (120)
Clefairy (750)
Dratini (4600)
Pinsir (2500)
Porygon (6500)
- Technical Machines -
TM13, Ice Beam (4000)
TM23, Iron Tail (3500)
TM24, Thunderbolt (4000)
TM30, Shadow Ball (4500)
TM35, Flamethrower (4000)
Obviously we do not have the coins we need for most of this, or for the most desirable items -- which means we will have to be very lucky or very good at gambling! At the moment playing the slots is not high on our list of priorities -- but you should go do that a few times anyway to give me an excuse to tell you how it works, right?
-- Playing the Slots --
Slot Machine Gambling
Like in real slot machines, you can increase your bet in order to open up the other ways of winning. Basically the bet of a single coin only allows you to win on the center line, straight across, but by increasing your bet you add in the top and bottom lines, and diagonals when you bet three coins, so betting three coins every time is just smart. When you pull the arm (in this case, push the button) the three wheels start spinning inside. You have to stop them by hitting the button again three times - and this is where it goes from being purely a game of chance to a game of sorta skill...
It really is a matter of timing, but after you play a bit you will get used to the blurred wheels and be able to tell when, for example, the 7 is about to show up. Eventually you will get good enough so that you win more often than you lose, and coming up with the coins to obtain the prizes you want will come down to more a question of time than anything else!
You are looking to make specific combinations when you play the game, as each pays a different rate. The combinations are:
All '7's' (300)
All 'R's' (100)
All Pikachus (15)
All Slowpokes (15)
All Voltorbs (8)
All Stars (8)
2 Cherries (6)
1 Cherrie (2)
I don't know about you, but Porygon is the first prize that I would like to walk away with from playing this game -- but 6500 coins? That will take a while I am thinking...
Before we head on out of here, how about we head to the back and kick that Team Rocket Grunt's butt for some extra XP and money! We don't need a reason, the fact that he is there is reason enough.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 20 Raticate worth 496 XP, and a Level 20 Zubat worth 231 XP and $640. The Grunt runs off in the direction of the Team Rocket HQ! Remember that for now, we will be back!
Before you leave the arcade stop at the machine in the lower right corner and have a photo taken for your ID card! I chose black, which gives you a shadow-image of all of your team on the back of your Trainer Card! How cool is that?
Exit the arcade and continue east to bump into a scientist who will tell you that someone stole their Silph Scope! Roh Nohs!
It is time to deal with the Gym Leader, and hopefully score another Badge so we do not have to worry about losing control of our team! So hit the nearby Pokecenter to heal and save, then head down to the south side of town and cut the tree blocking access to the road that leads to the Gym.
Celadon City Gym Battle
At this point your core members should be Level 28, with one or two either close to or at 29, which is the same range as the Pokemon you will be facing in the Gym. You may be tempted to raise a few more of your team to 29, just for the slight edge that it will give you. You may want to not do that though, because there are a fair number of AGL's in the gym you are about to battle through, and you will get some serious XP in the process. There is no point in taking unnecessary risks and ending up facing a Gym Battle with Pokemon you cannot control, right?
When you are ready, enter the gym. There is no Gym Greeter on duty here -- he is actually the guy you spoke with in the Game Corner who told you about what you would be facing here -- as it seems that the Celadon City Gym Greeter has a gambling problem!
As usual, before you can face the Gym Leader you have to take care of the AGL's, so start by doing that. It will also give you a feel for what the battle will be like against the Leader,
-- Assistant Gym Leader Battles --
Your first battle is with Lass Kay, who has a Level 23 Bellsprout worth 414 XP, and a Level 23 Weepinbell worth 744 XP and $368.
Next is Beauty Bridget, who has a Level 21 Oddish worth 351 XP, a Level 21 Bellsprout worth 378 XP, a Level 21 Oddish worth 461 XP, and another Level 21 Bellsprout also worth 378 XP, and $1512. Now before you cut the tree in front of you down and step into the center area, let us take down the AGL's on either side of the stage, shall we?
On the left is Beauty Tamia, with a pair of Level 24 Bellsprout worth 432 XP each, and $1728. On the Right side is Picnicker Tina with a Level 24 Bulbasaur worth 328 XP, and a Level 24 Ivysaur worth 724 XP and $480.
Cut the tree on the right side of the stage and step in, turn and engage Cooltrainer Mary first.
Mary has a Level 22 Bellsprout worth 396 XP, a Level 22 Oddish worth 367 XP, a Level 22 Weepinbell worth 711 XP, a Level 22 Gloom worth 621 XP, and a Level 22 Ivysaur worth 664 XP and $792. Now take two steps north and pick off Lass Lisa!
Lass Lisa sports a Level 23 Oddish worth 384 XP, and a Level 23 Gloom worth 649 XP and $368.
At this point all of your core team should be at Level 29 -- if not, there is still the last AGL to battle, but at this point you are pretty much home-free as far as preparing the team for this fight, so take the last AGL down with whatever team member you like. You know what you are facing here, you are trained, you are ready! After you take down the last AGL, head back to the Pokecenter, heal and save, and then come back and take this Gym Leader down!
Beauty Lori has a Level 24 Exeggcute worth 504 XP and $1728.
-- Gym Leader Erika --
As she explains at the start of the battle, she has only Grass Type Pokemon, and she leads off with her Level 29 Victreebel, which is worth 1186 XP. Bear in mind that you want to set up your KO hits here, so try not to use an opening move that will put her Pokemon under 10% health, because she is will automatically use a healing potion if you do. The best tactic is to take a small amount of health first, enough so that when you use your KO move it will actually kill in one-shot.
Her next Pokemon is her Level 24 Tangela, which is worth 853 XP. If you are using a Fire Type you can usually one-hit kill this one.
Her final Pokemon is a Level 29 Vileplume, which is a fairly tough opponent. It can take significant damage, and it has some annoying moves like Stun Spore that she likes to use. Erika will use a potion if it is below 20%, so you have to plan your attacks with that in mind.
Once you have her in the yellow, deliver the killing blow and collect your 1143 XP and $2900, along with the Rainbow Badge, which causes Pokemon up to Level 50 to obey you, including traded ones. It also permits you to use the HM Move Strength outside of battle. Erika gives you TM19, Giga Drain as her move gift, and you have taken down another Gym Leader, gained another Badge, and are halfway through the game! Good on ya!
Return to the Pokecenter now to heal and save, and then head over to the Pokemon Mansion down the street!
-- Pokemon Mansion --
When you enter there is an old woman who will offer you Tea -- accept and hold on to that, we will need it later. On the second floor is a bookshelf with a bio entry for Erika -- if you are trying to fill the Fame Checker you will want to grab that now.
The third floor has the bullpen for the Gamefreak Development Team - you can meet the people who created the Pokemon Games here! The Game Designer tells you to return and visit with him after you complete your Dex -- so remember to do that!
The next set of stairs will take you to the roof -- but not the side you actually want to be on! So head all the way downstairs and exit the building, then head behind it to find the hidden entrance, and go all the way up the stairs to the other side of the roof, and into the small structure up there.
Inside is a Master Trainer who knows all that there is to know about Pokemon. On the table is a TM Guide -- read that -- then read the blackboard (it is really a greenboard but still) to learn all about the Wireless Adapter. When you are done, go pick up the Poke Ball on the small table nearby -- this is an Eevee!
- About that Eevee -
You may be tempted to start using this Eevee immediately - and if you are, well, I do not blame you! You can go to the Department Store right now and purchase an evolution stone that will transform this Pokemon into an amazing one -- there are five forms for it -- but before you do that, consider this: you want ALL of the evolved forms, not just one of them.
That being the case, it makes more sense to just tuck her into a storage box in the PC and wait until after you have access to the Daycare Center on the Island, the one you can actually do breeding at! All that you will need is a Ditto, and this Eevee, to breed a bunch of them. Then you can start evolving them into their other forms! Still, there are two forms that you cannot evolve her into in this game -- you will need to trade those two forms in from another game, but that is just a minor detail, really. Right now simply be happy that you have added another Pokemon to your Dex, and a fairly significant one at that!
-- Team Rocket HQ --
Team Rocket HQ
Now it is time to deal with those pesky Rocket Thugs! Leave the Mansion and head to the Game Corner, use the switch that is actually hidden behind the poster to open the stairs that lead down to the basement, and enter the HQ!
- Team Rocket HQ B2F -
The first battle is with a Team Rocket Grunt south and then west of where you enter. He has a pair of Level 21 Raticate worth 522 XP each, and $672.
Past him in the office to the south is an Escape Rope in a treasure ball and a laptop you can look at. To the east is another Grunt to battle.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 21 Drowzee worth 459 XP, and a Level 21 Machop worth 396 XP and $672. There are some blueprints in the room that you cannot decipher, and a locked door, so head down the stairs near where we entered.
The Team Rocket Grunt here has a Level 17 Zubat worth 196 XP, a Level 17 Koffing worth 414 XP, a Level 17 Grimer worth 327 XP, a Level 17 Zubat worth 196 XP, and a Level 17 Raticate worth 421 XP and $544.
To the left is a series of warp squares that will move you along what amounts to a puzzle area. This is actually fairly simple, just do the following:
(1) Use one of the left arrow tiles then the up arrow tile. When you stop, continue west and up, then head all the way east to the treasure ball with an X Speed in it. Now return to the yellow tile you stopped on before.
(2) Walk back one tile east and take the Moon Stone from the treasure ball here.
(3) Use the nearby right-arrow tile to stop on the yellow tile; Walk back and pick up TM12, Taunt.
(4) Walk down then use the down-arrow tile to get to the yellow tile bellow. Use the nearby right-arrow tile to the next yellow tile, and then the left-arrow tile to the next yellow tile. Take the top left-arrow tile to the yellow tile, then the up-arrow tile above to the far yellow tile, and grab the Super Potion from the treasure ball here.
(5) Walk up and take the right-arrow tile to the yellow tile above, then walk around and down to take the down-arrow tile here. Take the right-arrow tile to the next yellow tile, then the down arrow tile to the next left-arrow and down to the bottom hallway, that leads to the room in the lower right-hand corner of the area.
There is a lift and a set of stairs in this room - first take the stairs up and fight the bottom Grunt.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 19 Rattata worth 231 XP, a pair of Level 19 Raticate worth 471 XP each, another Level 19 Rattata worth 231 XP and $608. In the upper left corner is a treasure ball with a Hyper Potion -- grab that now -- then fight the next Grunt!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 20 Grimer worth 385 XP, a pair of Level 20 Koffing worth 487 XP each, and $640. On the tables are more blueprints and laptops -- clearly something strange is going in here!
When you head back downstairs and enter the lift you discover that it requires a key that we do not have! Bummer! Backtrack to the puzzle room, take the north arrow then the stairs going down in the next room.
- Team Rocket HQ B3F -
Directly south is a Grunt to battle. Team Rocket Grunt has a pair of Level 21 Machop worth 396 XP each, and $672. After the battle head all the way south in this area and grab TM21, Frustration, from the treasure ball that is partly hidden here. That would be easy to miss if you were not looking for it!
Head back up past the defeated Grunt and west, to find another puzzle room. This one is less complicated -- walk to the opening in the center area and take the left-arrow to the yellow tile, then the right-arrow below, and down to take another right-arrow to grab the Rare Candy from the treasure ball here.
Now take the up-arrow back to the start, return to the break above and take the same left-arrow we took at the beginning, then the right-arrow, but this time head west and then down, west to the west wall and down, and then take the top right-arrow (the more east one) so we end up on the yellow tile that the Grunt below is facing!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 20 Rattata worth 243 XP, a Level 20 Drawzee worth 346 XP, and a Level 20 Raticate worth 496 XP, and $640.
Now that you have defeated him and he is no longer blocking your passage, head south and east to the treasure ball, and grab the Blackglasses from within. If you are curious, this is a held item that can be used by one of your Pokemon to improve their Dark stat.
A flight of stairs leading down is directly above you -- use that now.
- Team Rocket HQ B4F -
Ahead of you on the table is a treasure ball with a Max Ether in it. Grab that and then head north to the next room and another treasure ball with TM49, Snatch, in it. Once you have that, notice the Grunt above? Go kick his ass!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 21 Koffing worth 513 XP, and a Level 21 Zubat worth 243 XP and $672. He drops the lift key (inside a treasure ball), so go ahead and pick that up now. It is placed in your Key Items pocket in your bag. Now backtrack to the lift and go inside!
-- The Lift -
We start out on B2F -- so first let us head to B1F to see what there is to see, shall we? As we step off of the lift we are attacked by a Grunt.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 22 Grimer worth 423 XP, and a Level 22 Koffing worth 537 XP and $704. If you have been following this walkthrough guide -- and I presume you have -- than you should just have leveled to 30 on the last member of your team, so everyone except your HM Mule is now Level 30! Excellent! Keep leveling them equally so one does not get too far ahead of the others and you will be in excellent shape when we reach our next Gym Battle!
Head north now up a long hall and we find another Grunt, but he does not want to fight, he just wants to complain about you because we already beat him once. Right, so we have been here before, head back to the lift now and select B4F as our destination.
- Team Rocket HQ B4F -
Head all the way west and grab the Calcium from the treasure ball on the table, then head north and battle the Grunts guarding the door.
Team Rocket Grunt (left) has a Level 23 Sandshrew worth 457 XP, a Level 23 Sandslash worth 802 XP, and a Level 23 Ekans worth 304 XP and $736. Now fight his buddy.
Team Rocket Grunt (right) has a Level 23 Ekans worth 304 XP, a Level 23 Sandshrew worth 457 XP, and a Level 23 Arbok worth 724 XP and $736.
After you defeat the second Grunt the door behind them snaps open, and you can enter. Inside the room on the couch is Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket. It seems that he was waiting for you, and has plans to take his revenge out -- on you.
Gio leads with a Level 25 Onix worth 577 XP, a Level 29 Kangaskhan worth 1087 XP, and a Level 24 Rhyhorn worth 693 XP and $2900.
Gio is upset and having a hard time accepting that you served him out like a little girl... He bails, leaving behind a treasure ball with the Silph Scope! Hey, just what we were looking for! Excellent!
Head back to the Pokecenter now, heal and save.
Solving the Tower Haunting Mystery
-- Leaving Celadon City --
After defeating the Team Rocket Boss, and hitting the Pokecenter to heal and save, you should stop by the Department Store to re-stock your kit, and pick up any items you think you will be wanting. You should have a decent amount of money now, but bear in mind that there are some deals to be had there that you should not overlook.
The vending machines on the roof offer healing items that are, point for point, cheaper than the potions you can buy at the Poke Marts, so grabbing a supply of those would be an idea. I mean consider this: a Super Potion costs $700 and heals 50 points of damage, right? Well, a Fresh Water heals 50 points of damage but only costs $200, and a Soda heals 60 points of damage and only costs $300. Lemonade heals 80 points of damage and it only costs $350! It seems to me that it would be worth spending a big chunk of our current bankroll to stock up on cheaper healing liquids now than to stick with the way that we have been doing it. That's all I am saying...
Also, we have a Pikachu, and unless you are really attached to that form, we could pick up a Thunder Stone there to do the job... Once you have stocked up on everything that you need, we have one minor chore that we need to do before we head back to Lavender Town.
-- Route 16 --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
084 - Doduo / Normal
022 - Fearow / Normal
020 - Raticate / Normal
019 - Rattata / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After you exit the Department Store head west to Route 16, and you will see that the entrance to the gatehouse is blocked by a Snorlax. Bummer -- or not really -- because that is not where we actually need to go anyway! See that tree you can cut in the fence line? Cut it!
There is one Pokemon that we want to capture while we are here and the tall grass is convenient: Doduo. We have the other three already, and the fourth, Fearow, is the evolved form of Spearow, so technically we do not have to catch one, as we already have a Spearow, and we can evolve it.
Go ahead and capture Doduo now. If you want to you can pull and capture a Fearow here as well, I suppose, but wouldn't that be masochistic? I mean consider this: Doduo is the more common of the Pokemon on this Route so you will see a lot of them, and I would not be surprised if they were the first one you saw -- and you captured them right off the bat!
The thing is, Fearow is the least common -- there is only around a 2% chance of pulling one, so this will take some serious time and effort on our part if we actually decide to go for one that way... But hey, there is a much easier way to handle getting one! Just catch a Level 20 Spearow, put it in your party, and come back here and level it one level, and it will evolve into a Fearow! Dead simple!
Well, I thought so, so I chose to do it that way... You do what you like here -- I will wait for you. Done? Excellent! Now you see that pair of trainers there? Yeah, let's battle!
Young Couple Lea & Jed have a Level 29 Rapidash and Level 29 Ninetales worth 1190 XP and 1104 XP respectively, and $1624.
Now that they are no longer preventing you from passing, go through the smaller private gatehouse and out the other side to a restricted -- meaning private -- area with a house in it. Inside that house you will find Bill Gates and his... OK, it really is not Bill Gates. But it could have been! I believe it!
It is actually a girl and, out of fear of you revealing her secret hiding place -- even though we do not actually know who she is -- she gives us HM02, which is Fly for those of you who were not paying attention in HM Class! This is a very useful and valuable HM, mate. It will allow us to Fly pretty much wherever we want to!
Even better, it is an HM move that is not lame, so you do not have to have a mule for it because it is worth having in the move set of your flying team member! What is even cooler is that we can acutally use it! So go ahead and teach it to your Pidge -- or whatever your Flying team member is -- then use it to fly back to Lavender Town now!
-- Lavender Town & The Pokemon Tower --
The Pokemon Tower
Right, so now that we have the Silph Scope, it is time to head back into the Tower! Head up the stairs, and then up another flight to the smoke-filled room, and south and then east to battle some possessed trainers! You will probably want to use your Electric Pokemon in here, as it will make dealing with the Ghost Types easier.
Channeler Carly has a Level 24 Gastly worth 487 XP and $768. We are now able to identify the ghosts - they are Gastly! Go out of your way to be sure that you catch one now. Got one? Good! Now head up the stairs to the next level.
Channeler Laurel has a pair of Level 23 Gastly worth 468 XP each, and $736.
Channeler Jody has a Level 22 Gastly worth 447 XP and $704.
Now the nearby treasure ball has an Elixir in it -- so grab that -- then head down and west to the next treasure ball, where you find a Great Ball. The middle treasure ball has an Awakening in it.
Channeler Paula has a Level 24 Gastly worth 487 XP and $768. Head up the nearby stairs to the next level, then north and east to work your way through the trainers here!
Channeler Ruth has a Level 22 Gastly worth 447 XP and $704.
There is a glowing square in the center of the area that one of the non-possessed Channelers has set up. It is basically a safe zone where we can rest and heal our Pokemon. There is also a treasure ball in it which you should grab, which contains a Cleanse Tag (a held item).
Channeler Karina has a Level 24 Gastly worth 487 XP and $768, and Channeler Janae has a Level 22 Gastly worth 447 XP and $704. Near her is a treasure ball with a Nugget in it, so grab that and then continue through the room!
Channeler Tammy is the last trainer in the room we need to battle, and she has a Level 23 Haunter (for a change) worth 621 XP and $736. Head up the stairs to the next level for some more trainers!
Channeler Angelica has a trio of Level 22 Gastly worth 447 XP each, and $704. The treasure ball south of her has an X Accuracy in it, so grab that then head north.
Channeler Jennifer has a Level 24 Gastly worth 487 XP and $768. Channeler Emilia has a Level 24 Gastly as well, worth 487 XP and $768. Continue west and south to the treasure ball, which has a Rare Candy -- pretty cool -- then head to the stairs where you get a spooky message!
"Be gone intruders!"
A Ghost shows up -- not, not a Gastly -- a GHOST! Spoookkkyyy. Don't say it like that Scoob! Ruh? Roh Kay! Spookeee! Spokiespookie? Spooky spooky spookey!
Your trusty Scope reveals the ghost to be... A Marowak. Wait a second... Wasn't that orphan Cubone's mom one of those?? Hmm, electric moves do not work but physical ones do... Can we actually capture this thing? Maybe! If it does not wipe our team that is!
This thing is tough! It took out my first two team members like they were nothing! It's boomerang attack is deadly! Thankfully that attack does not work on Pidge, so there is a that. I got it down to a sliver of red and tried to catch it, but no, it is not catch-able, so it looks like it is time to KO it!
It is worth 531 XP, and it seems that knocking it around was what it needed to see the light, and leave this earthly plane for the next world! Yay! We preformed a public service! I don't know about you, but I needed to go rest up in the glowing square to recover half of my team before heading up the next set of stairs!
- The Top Floor Battles -
I used a standard Repel to go back, heal, and return to where I was, my team now happily not unconscious! Upstairs -- which is the final level of the Tower it seems -- I encountered some Grunts from Team Rocket!
What the heck, I am alway up for smacking around some Team Rocket Grunts!
Team Rocket Grunt has a pair of Level 25 Zubat worth 288 XP each, and a Level 25 Golbat worth 915 XP and $800. After tuning up on the guy he got angry and stormed off, vowing to get even. Ruh Roh!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 26 Koffing 634 XP. His Level 26 Drowzee is worth 567 XP though, and $832. He also got huffy and stormed off after the battle...
Team Rocket Grunt has a pair of Level 23 Zubat worth 265 XP each, a Level 23 Rattata worth 260 XP, and a Level 23 Raticate worth 571 XP and $736. Again with the angry foot stomping pout words and storming off! What is it with Team Rocket these days!
The old man turned out to be the missing Mr. Fuji! He thanks you for freeing Cubone's mother, and then you follow him home, where he rewards us with a Poke Flute! Awesome! Now we have what we need to take care of those sleeping giants! A very spiffy reward indeed -- consider this: with this flute you no longer need to keep Awakenings in your kit! In fact we may as well sell these when we visit the Department Store -- which we are about to do momentarily!
Capturing Snorlax
Capturing Snorlax
Exit from the volunteer center now, and use Fly to return to Celadon City. You are probably wondering why we are taking the Cycling Road instead of the Silent Bridge Route that is south of Lavender, as we happened to be in Lavender a moment ago. The reason we are doing it this way is because we needed to pay a visit to the Department Store, and the Cycling Road Route is a bit shorter... But rest assured we will be heading back to Lavender to clear that Route as well!
So first thing we will do is head over to the Department Store, and take the lift to the 5th Floor. Head up on to the Roof and replace any of the reasonably priced health drinks that you used up. Now that we have restocked that part of our kit, head back down to the 5th Floor and chat up the bloke at the counter.
First, sell off all of your Awakenings -- we no longer need those thanks to the Flute that Mr. Fuji gave us. Sell that Nugget we found for a cool $5K now as well. At the moment we only have around $30K, which is not really enough to buy all of the things we probably should have, so let's keep this careful, shall we? Careful and frugal and just what we really need...
Head down to the next floor and chat up the clerk in the back who sells evolution stones now.
So that I am sure you know what ones do what, and to decide what you need, here is the details surrounding these stones listed by Stone, with "Starting Pokemon > Evolved Form" under them.
Fire Stone-based Evolutions (2)
Eevee > Flareon
Growlithe > Arcanine
Vulpix > Ninetails
Leaf Stone-based Evolutions (2)
Exeggcute > Exeggcutor
Gloom > Vileplume
Weepinbell > Victreebel
Moon Stone-based Evolutions (1)
Clefairy > Clefable
Jiggleypuff > Wigglybuff
Nidorina > Nidoqueen
Nidorino > Nidoking
Sun Stone-based Evolutions (1)
Gloom > Bellossom
Thunder Stone-based Evolutions (2)
Eevee > Jolteon
Pikachu > Raichu
Water Stone-based Evolutions (2)
Eevee > Vaporeon
Poliwhirl > Poliwrath
Shellder > Cloyster
Staryu > Starmie
(1) This stone must be found in treasure balls, it cannot be bought. When selecting an evolution with this stone, give careful thought to your choice because there may not be enough stones in the game to evolve all of the Pokemon who use it!
(2) This stone can be purchased at the Celadon City Department Store as well as be found in treasure balls, so you do not have to worry about not having enough of these!
Note that the list above only addresses the Pokemon that can be evolved with stones in THIS game. There are other Pokemon, from other lands, in the other games, that also use this form to evolve, so this is by no means a definitive listing!
We do not need to purchase stones in advance for the Pokemon that we do not have yet -- and we cannot really afford to do that anyway -- but we should think about getting stones for the ones we do have... That would include:
Eevee (Varies)
Pikachu (Thunder Stone)
Weepinbell (Leaf Stone)
In addition, we have some Pokemon that use stones we have to find, which are:
Clefairy (Moon Stone)
Jiggleypuff (Moon Stone)
Nidorina (Moon Stone)
Nidorino (Moon Stone)
So far we have found a total of two (2) Moon Stones in the game -- and I know I used one of them to evolve Nidorina into Nidoqueen. That leaves me with a need for three more Moon Stones but only one in hand, however to my certain knowledge there are five (5) actually available in the game, so we should keep an eye out for those!
At the moment the only stone that we need to purchase is a Thunder Stone and a Leaf Stone. We will be back later as needed for the others though -- but go ahead and buy that one now if you did not already do so. The Pokedoll is a defensive decoy, and if you can afford it, it would not hurt to have one in your kit. I bought one.
Now down to the 2nd Floor, where we have some simple choices to make...
IF you used up your Dig TM that we recovered from the Rocket Thug earlier on a Pokemon that is either not in your party or is not your main HM Mule, you can purchase a replacement here for $2000. If the above describes your situation, I would buy one now. In addition, TM43, Secret Power, can be incredibly useful and powerful if you have a Pokemon who you feel is underpowered or does not have a really hard-hitting move in its set. Your call on this...
Finally check in with the second clerk, who has the general kit items. I remind you that we no longer need the Awakening items, but most of the others you should be carrying at least 10 of... With respect to Revive, 5 would be plenty, and as for the Super Potion, I don't buy those anymore now that we have access to the vending machines on the Roof.
Poke Balls are a heavy matter... I honestly think that the regular ones are adequate for most Pokemon, with the higher level ones only really being needed for rare and catch-resistant types. That being the case, I carry 25 regular, and 15 of each of the other types that I can buy, and in this case that is just the Great Ball, since we do not have access to purchase any of the others... So I recommend you have between 10 and 15 of them.
Exit from the Department Store now. If you are low on regular Poke Balls, Fly to Viridian CIty and stock up there. Now Fly Vermilion City (isn't Fly awesome?).
Head south and then east along Route 11 to the gatehouse -- enter and then exit out the other side -- and you now find yourself facing the sleeping giant!
-- Snorlax I --
First let me say, this is probably going to be one of the most frustrating captures in your game. Often in cases like this it comes down to luck, but there are things you can do to improve you chances here, and there is a technique that is known to work better than most, and I will be sharing that with you below. First though, I want to assure you that you CAN catch this guy, even if it seems like you cannot!
When you exit the gatehouse and walk down the path towards the bridge you will see, laying on the ground before you, your arch nemesis, Snorlax! He is a rare and awesome-sized Pokemon!
I say "rare" because there are only two (2) in the whole game! That being the case, you do NOT want to KO this one, you want to catch it! And you want to catch the other one too, so that you have a spare you can trade to a friend! We are going to capture this bad boy now... And you will see from the video that it can be done in under 7 minutes! In fact it took me a total of just under 5 minutes to capture him.
Before we being this epic capture there are a few things we need to do... First, make sure that your Victreebel knows the move Sleep Powder -- it should but make sure. Put Victreebel in the first party slot (if you still have not used the Leaf Stone to evolve him do that now). Right, now SAVE your game!
You need to save now, after you complete the above steps but before you engage it so that if things go really sideways you can reload and not lose this one.
Now just do the following, rinse and repeat as needed, and you WILL capture it:
(1) Blow the flute to wake him up.
(2) Immediately use the move Sleep Powder to put him back to sleep.
(3) Use the move Acid to damage him.
(4) Keep using Acid until he is in the smidgen of yellow or in red.
(5) Use Great Balls (NOT Regular Balls) to capture him. You will not need all 15.
(6) When he wakes up, hit him with Sleep Powder immediately. If you fail, or he manages to use his Rest Move and recovers his health, go to number (1).
(7) If your Sleep Powder put him back to sleep, resume throwing balls to capture him.
(8) Captured! Now give him a name and send him to storage!
If you have had trouble with him using any other tactic than the one I have outlined above, I will totally understand if you are skeptical, but this tactic really does work. Watch the video for this section and you will see it in action -- a painless catch, or at least mostly painless!
-- Snorlax II --
Now Fly to Celadon City, hit the Pokecenter, heal and save, then look at your new Snorlax resting in the Incoming Box! Move him to the Normal Box now, and then visit the Department Store to replace the Great Balls you used, before you head for the west exit of town, where you will find the second of the two Snorlax that exist in Kanto!
All that you need to do is repeat the numbered steps above for this one, and you will quickly capture it. After it is safely captured, pull out your trusty Item Finder and do a quick scan to detect the hidden held item, Leftovers, which you certainly want to grab!
Adventures in Cycling
Head to the west exit of town and past where the Snorlax used to be -- pretty cool you caught both of them mate! Enter the gatehouse and pause -- see that set of stairs in the corner? Head upstairs and you will find one of the Professor's Lab Assistants waiting for you!
If you have added full details for at least 40 Pokemon to your Dex, he is authorized to give you a special held item -- the Amulet Coin -- as a reward! The Amulet coin is wicked useful to you and a valuable item, because it will double the cash reward for any trainer battle in which a Pokemon who is holding it participates! How cool is that?! Take a quick look out of the binoculars before you leave for a stunning view of... the Department Store... Riiigghhhttt.
Note: All prize money values in the walhtrough are the non-modified values. I did not use the held items that alter the pay-out rates so that I could provide base values for this guide.
Head back downstairs and exit the other side, where you will automagically be mounted on your bike -- it is the Cycling Road after all, you have to be on your bike!
-- Routes 16, 17, and 18 AKA The Cycling Road --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
084 - Doduo / Normal
022 - Fearow / Normal
020 - Raticate / Normal
019 - Rattata / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ahead you should see your first few trainer battles waiting for you as you enter Route 16, so ride up and say hello! Some of these battles may end up challenging you even though your team is pretty well developed by now, so you will probably need to duck back to hit the Pokecenter to heal and save a few times. Do not worry about doing that, and besides there is no point in wasting resources from your kit when you are this close to a convenient Pokecenter, right?
So let us take care of the first cluster of trainer battles now!
Biker Lao has a Level 29 Grimer worth 558 XP, and a Level 29 Koffing worth 708 XP and $580.
Cue Ball Luke has a Level 29 Mankey worth 459 XP, and a Level 29 Machop worth 546 XP and $696.
Biker Ruben has a Level 28 Weezing worth 1038 XP, a Level 28 Koffing worth 684 XP, and a Level 28 Weezing worth 1038 XP and $560.
Cue Ball Cameron has a Level 29 Mankey worth 459 XP, and a Level 29 Machop worth 546 XP and $696.
Biker Hideo has a Level 33 Weezing worth 1222 XP and $660.
Cue Ball Koji tires to steal your bike with his Level 28 Machop worth 528 XP, his Level 28 Mankey worth 444 XP, and his Level 28 Machop worth 528 XP and $672.
That wraps up the cluster of bikers at the start of the Route, so go ahead and duck back into the Pokecenter to heal and save before you continue south from here.
-- The Cycling Road --
The first thing you should be aware of is that the comments that were made by the guard in the gatehouse and other citizens with respect to the route is that they were being literal -- it actually is a downhill run here, which means you have to use the brakes to slow down or stop!
On the route riding back and forth are other evil bikies that you will have to deal with -- and we will! In fact we will start in on them right now!
Biker Virgil has a Level 28 Weezing worth 1038 XP, a Level 28 Koffing worth 684 XP, and a Level 28 Weezing worth 1038 XP and $560.
These battles can be very frustrating due to the tactics and moves that are pretty much common among the trainers here... Smokescreen lowers your accuracy temporarily, which means you are going to have a LOT of missed attacks, and they just love to poison you with Sludge, which means you are going to have to do a lot of healing and use a lot of Antidotes as you make your way along the route defeating the trainers.
Your best strategy here is to use your team rather than trying to rely upon or level any one Pokemon! As each battle starts, shift to a fresh member of your team rather than trying to continue battling with the one you just used, because stat modifiers carry forward until the expire, and there is no sense in going into a battle already crippled.
You will very likely have to make several trips back to town to heal and save, and you should keep an eye on the level of your kit, and replace it when you have used significant numbers.
Biker Billy has a Level 33 Muk worth 1110 XP and $660.
Cue Ball Jamal has a pair of Level 26 Mankey worth 411 XP each, a Level 26 Machamp worth 1074 XP, and a Level 26 Machop worth 489 XP and $624.
Biker Jaxon has a Level 29 Weezing worth 1074 XP, and a Level 29 Muk worth 975 XP and $580.
Cue Ball Isaiah has a Level 29 Machop worth 546 XP, followed by a Level 29 Machamp worth 1198 XP and $696.
By the large section of tall grass is Cue Ball Raul, who has a Level 29 Mankey worth 459 XP, and a Level 29 Primeape worth 925 XP and $696. We already have all of the Pokemon that we could catch in that tall grass, so it is OK to just ignore it and continue working through the trainers on the road. Remember to dish out the XP evenly, the idea here is to use this excellent source of XP to level our team towards the base level target, after all!
Biker William has the largest team we have faced so far from a trainer on the Cycling Road! Five members!
He leads with a Level 25 Koffing worth 610 XP, then brings out a Level 25 Weezing worth 925 XP, and pair of Level 25 Koffing worth 610 XP each. His final offering is a Level 25 Weezing worth 925 XP and $500.
Biker Nikolas has a pair of Level 29 Voltorb worth 639 XP each, and $580.
Cue Ball Zeek has a Level 33 Machoke worth 1032 XP and $792.
Cue Ball Corey has a Level 29 Primeape worth 925 XP, and a Level 29 Machoke worth 906 XP and $696.
When you arrive at the bottom of the Road head east to the Gatehouse, and after you enter take a detour to the upper floor via the stairs to find a trainer who wants to trade his Lickitung for a Slowbro. We do not have that to trade at the moment, so we must regrettably say no, but keep this location and trainer in mind for later!
After exiting the Gatehouse you will notice a section of tall grass with some trainers in it to the south! Head on over there to say hello!
Bird Keeper Jacob has a trio of Level 26 Spearow worth 322 XP each, and a Level 26 Fearow worth 901 XP and $624.
Bird Keeper Wilton has a Level 29 Spearow worth 360 XP, and a Level 29 Fearow worth 1006 XP and $696.
Bird Keeper Ramiro is the last trainer here, with a Level 34 Dodrio worth 1150 XP and $816.
The tall grass here has the same Pokemon in it as the one we passed on the road above, so there is no point in pulling here unless you want some extras. Be sure you check your HM Mule to see if they have picked up anything on the trop down the road as well!
After this all that is left is for us to climb back onto the Route and head east to Fuchsia City!
** Optional **
The Gatehouse Observation Lounge
-- Routes 12, 13, 14, and 15 AKA The Fuchsia Highway --
You may recall that we made a choice when we finished things up in Lavender Town to go to Celadon CIty because we needed to do some stuff there, including restock our kit, and so using Cycling Road (Routes 16, 17, and 18) made slightly more sense than just continuing south from Lavender via the bridges and paths that constitute the route known as The Fuchsia Highway. Well, we have completed the journey via the Cycling Road, and have now arrived at the Fuchsia Pokecenter, healed and saved, and thus Fuchsia is now flagged as a valid target for HM Fly!
As we are in training to level up or team's base level, and as there is a cornucopia of trainers on the Fuchsia Highway Route, this is a purely OPTIONAL side-trip. You can actually complete the game without doing this part, so it is entirely up to you as to whether you do it. If you decide that you do not want to complete the extra battles that are necessary to clear these routes, simply skip ahead to the next Part of the guide, that covers Fuchsia City. If you do want to complete this optional part, then contineu as below...
After healing and saving at the Pokecenter in Fuchsia, step outside and use Fly to return to Lavender Town, then head south through the corridor to Route 12.
-- Route 12 --
Route 12, situated south of Lavender City, and often called 'The Bridge Route' is made up almost entirely of floating bridges that run along the rocky coastline here. The start of the historic Fuchsia Highway, this used to be the only route to that city until the completion of the Cycling Road, an ambitious project that required hundreds of specially trained construction Pokemon to carefully level and fill in the steep slopes of the foothills leading down to Fuchsia City from Celadon along the Harbor Road.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Route 12 Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
016 - Pidgey / Normal
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod)
143 - Snorlax / Normal
072 - Tentacool / Surf
048 - Venonat / Normal
070 - Weepinbell / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As you enter the bridges of Route 12 you will notice that there are fishing docks that extend to either side of the route -- this being a very popular spot for holiday anglers. Ahead of you is the Route 12 Gatehouse -- After you enter and greet the Gatehouse Guard, he reminds you that there is a picturesque view to be experienced on the second level of the Gatehouse.
Upstairs you take in the view, and meet a child in mourning over her Pokemon who has passed on. She tells you that her Pokemon's ashes are now entombed in the Tower back in town, and she gives you a TM that she no longer needs, TM27, Return.
As you exit the gatehouse and make your way south you run into Fisherman Ned, who has a Level 22 Goldeen worth 522 XP, a Level 22 Poliwag worth 362 XP, and a Level 22 Goldeen worth 522 XP and $792.
Fisherman Chip has a Level 24 Tentacool worth 540 XP, and a Level 24 Goldeen worth 570 XP and $864.
Fisherman Hank has a Level 27 Goldeen worth 642 XP and $972. As you proceed along the bridge to the small short grassy landing you find a Hyper Potion hidden in the grass near the center, and your next trainer battle on the bridge as you resume the path!
Fisherman Elliot has a Level 21 Poliwag worth 344 XP, a Level 21 Shellder worth 434 XP, a Level 21 Goldeen worth 498 XP, and a Level 21 Horsea worth 372 XP and $756.
Young Couple Gia & Jes are waiting for you before the turn south, with Level 24 Nidoran-M and Nidoran-F worth 306XP and 302 XP respectively, and a reward of $1344.
As you move past the exit for Route 11 at the Sportsfishing Area, you are reminded that this is where you successfully fought and captured one of the uber rare Snorlax! Continuing south on the main path you stumble upon a small cottage built on a grassy island that is past of the highway. Knocking softly on the door you are admitted to what you realize is the home of the Fishing Guru's youngest brother! After chatting you up about fishing, the youngest Guru gifts you with one of his extra fishing rods -- the Super Rod! Your fishing rod collection is now complete!
As a parting comment the Guru issues you a challenge in the form of a respectful request -- if you catch a Magikarp with that rod, he urges, bring it back here to show to him! When you bring back a Mgikarp for him to see he inspects it and then gifts you a Net Ball -- a somewhat different ball that works especially well on Water and Bug type Pokemon!
Rocker Luca ia patrolling the bridge when you bump into him, and he launches his Level 29 Voltorb at you. His Voltorb is worth 638 XP, and a Level 29 Electrode worth 931 XP and $696.
As you progress along the path you come to a small green section of the shore that is blocked off by a small tree. After you cut the tree you encounter a green-clad trainer who is waiting there for you!
Camper Justin has a Level 29 Nidoran-M worth 372 XP, and a Level 29 Nidarino worth 732 XP and $298. In a nearby treasure ball you find an Iron.
Fisherman Andrew has a pair of Level 24 Magikarp worth 102 XP each, and $864.
As you round the bend in the path you see a section of shoreline overgrown by tall grass that is blocked by a small tree! As we have all of the types available here there is no point in pulling from this section. As you work your way along the bridges to the south, Route 12 ends and Route 13 begins!
-- Route 13 --
The middle-section of the Fuchsia Highway connecting Lavender Town and Fuchsia City, Route 13 is a fisherman's paradise, full of convenient spots to drop in a line, and picturesque scenes of the rugged coastline and green forests that this part of the region is best known for.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Route 13 Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
132 - Ditto / Normal
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
017 - Pidgeotto / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod)
072 - Tentacool / Surf
048 - Venonat / Normal
070 - Weepinbell / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A Battle with Picnicker Gwen
As you enter Route 13 your first trainer battle awaits!
Picnicker Alma has a Level 28 Goldeen worth 666 XP, a Level 28 Poliwag worth 462 XP, and a Level 28 Horsea worth 498 XP and $560.
Our priority is to take care of all of the trainer battles first, so let us do that, but be aware that we have some pulling to do in the tall grass on this route, for a special Pokemon -- but more on that after our battles!
Bird Keeper Sebastion has a Level 29 Pidgey worth 338 XP, and a Level 29 Pidgeotto worth 702 XP and $696.
Picnicker Susie has a Level 24 Pidgey worth 282 XP, a Level 24 Pikachu worth 421 XP, a Level 24 Meowth worth 354 XP, a Level 24 Rattata worth 292 XP, and a Level 24 Mewth worth 354 XP and $480.
Beauty Lola has a Level 27 Rattata worth 328 XP, a Level 27 Pikachu worth 474 XP, and a Level 326 XP and $1944. Her partner Beauty Sheila has a Level 29 Clefairy worth 421 XP, and a Level 29 Meowth worth 427 XP and $2088.
Picnicker Valerie as a pair of Level 30 Poliwag worth 495 XP each, and $600.
Picnicker Gwen has a pair of Level 27 Pidgey worth 318 XP each, a Level 27 Meowth worth 399 XP, and a Level 27 Pidgeotto worth 652 XP and $540.
Bird Keeper Robert has a Level 26 Pidgey worth 306 XP, a Level 26 Pidgeotto worth 628 XP, a Level 26 Spearow worth 322 XP, and a Level 26 Fearow worth 901 XP and $624.
Bird Keeper Perry has a Level 25 Spearow worth 310 XP, a pair of Level 25 Pidgey worth 294 XP each, and a pair of Level 25 Spearow worth 310 XP each and $600.
Biker Jared has a trio of Level 28 Koffing worth 684 XP each, and $560.
Jared is the final trainer on Route 13, so it is time to backtrack to near the start of this area and the patch of tall grass sealed off by a small tree. Cut the tree and enter the tall grass to begin pulling! What we are here for is the super useful Pokemon Ditto! But we do not need just one, in fact we need two, and we need to make certain that the two we catch have different natures.
Why different natures? The reason has to do with what Ditto is good at -- and it is not fighting! No, Ditto is the Universal Breeder, and can be used to breed a Pokemon that you only have one sex of, and in certain cases, is used to breed Pokemon that are sexless. The reason that we want two different natures is because it is the nature that can cause incompatibility in breeding.
If you place your Ditto and the Pokemon you want it to breed with in the Daycare Center and the Daycare bloke tells you that they prefer other playmates that means that their natures are incompatible. But clever you, you have a second Ditto with a different nature! So you can simply use that one, and chances are almost a lock that it will breed. You are so smart, can we hang out?
Ditto is not super rare, so you should not have too much trouble catching a pair, but if you have never actually faced one in combat, do not be surprised when it morphs into the Pokemon you are battling it with! That is its special ability, after all, and why it is called Ditto!
Once you have captured both Dittos, head back out onto the nearby bridge and, using the Super Rod, catch two Slowpoke next. We need two because we want one for ourselves, and one to evolve into a Slowbro that we can trade to a trainer in the game for another desirable Pokemon! See, that is thinking ahead! It is that sort of planning that makes me want to hang out with you!
Note -- it may take a while to catch a pair of Slowpoke, as they are somewhat rare. You will see a lot of Krabby, but if you view this as an opportunity to pick up a level on one or two of your team towards the goal of Level 40 for your team. That may seem like a very high goal and a little overkill when you consider that Koga only has one Level 43 Pokemon in his team, with the rest lower than that, but the logic here is that by going to 40 now, you easily take Koga down, and you are already set up for the next Gym! So instead of two medium length training sessions to level up, you only have one larger one.
Your team is probably a little beat up and low on PP at this point, so go ahead and Fly to either Lavender Town or Vermilion City to heal and save at the Pokecenter, then run back to here to continue on with the route battles!
-- Route 14 --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Route 14 Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
132 - Ditto / Normal
048 - Venonat / Normal
070 - Weepinbell / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Just past where we had our last battle on Route 13 we cross over on to Route 14 -- how convenient! Now this is pretty much the same story as before, with more of the maze-like layout of the route. Just work your way through the trainers, and be sure to distribute the XP evenly, by getting each of your team members to the same level before starting towards the next one. Trainer battles are wicked convenient for this sort of leveling, I know I do not have to say...
Between the levels you picked up in getting the trading Pokemon and what you have obtained in trainer battles you should be well on your way to our goal of Level 40, but if you come up short for whatever the reason, remember that you have the VS. Seeker in your Key Items Pocket!
On your way back from one of the quick trips to the Pokecenter to heal and save, when you land in Lavender Town, instead of heading directly out onto the bridge, stop by the Pokemon Tower and capture a Cubone if you have not already gotten one! I used capturing Cubone as an excuse to level my HM Mule Meowth to Level 28, where it evolved into a Persian, just to get adding that to my Dex out of the way!
Back on the path now, we find a new set of trainers to battle!
Bird Keeper Mitch has a Level 26 Pidgey worth 306 XP, and a Level 26 Spearow worth 322 XP. Another Level 26 Pidgey worth 306 XP, and a Level 26 Fearow worth 901 XP and $624.
Bird Keeper Carter has a Level 28 Pidgey worth 330 XP, a Level 28 Doduo worth 576 XP, and a Level 28 Pidgeotto worth 678 XP and $672.
Bird Keeper Beck has a Level 29 Pidgeotto worth 702 XP, and a Level 29 Fearow worth 1006 XP and $696.
Bird Keeper Marlon has a Level 28 Spearow worth 348 XP, a Level 28 Doduo worth 576 XP, and a Level 28 Fearow worth 972 XP and $672.
Bird Keeper Donald has a Level 33 Farfetch'd worth 664 XP and $792.
Bird Keeper Benny has a Level 29 Spearow worth 360 XP, and a Level 29 Fearow worth 1006 XP and $696.
Our next twins battle is with Twins Kiri & Jan, who have a Level 29 Charmander and Squirtle worth 402 XP and 408 XP and $696.
You have reached a split in the path where you can continue west on to Route 15, or head north on the continuation of Route 14. Being completionists and needing the extra XP for team leveling I opted to head north first before heading west.
Biker Gerald has a Level 29 Koffing worth 708 XP and a Level 29 Muk worth 975 XP and $580.
Biker Lukas has a pair of Level 26 Koffing worth 634 XP each, a Level 26 Grimer worth 501 XP, and a Level 26 Koffing worth 634 XP and $520.
Biker Malik has a Level 29 Koffing worth 708 XP, and a Level 29 Grimer worth 558 XP and $580.
Biker Isaac has a pair of Level 28 Grimer worth 540 XP each, and a Level 28 Koffing worth 684 XP and $560.
North of here is a patch of tall grass blocked off by a small tree you can cut, but as we already have all of the Pokemon that we could catch here, it is time to backtrack and head west on to Route 15!
-- Route 15 --
As we enter Route 15 there are basically two paths to follow - the continuation of the northern road, which requires us to cut a small tree, and the main route that is below. A we are working the XP off of the trainers we are going to cover both, so for simplicity we do the lower route first!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Route 15 Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
132 - Ditto / Normal
048 - Venonat / Normal
070 - Weepinbell / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A Battle with Biker Alex
Biker Ernest has a pair of Level 25 Koffing worth 610 XP each, a Level 25 Weezing worth 925 XP, a Level 25 Koffing worth 610 XP, a Level 25 Grimer worth 481 XP and $500.
Biker Alex has a Level 28 Koffing worth 684 XP, a Level 28 Grimer worth 540XP, and a Level 28 Weezing worth 1038 XP and $560.
Beauty Grace has a Level 29 Pidgeotto worth 702 XP, and a Level 29 Wigglytuff worth 676 XP and $2088.
Beauty Olivia has a Level 29 Bulbasaur worth 397 XP, and a Level 29 Ivysaur worth 876 XP and $2088.
Picnicker Kindra has a Level 28 Gloom worth 792 XP, a pair of Level 28 Oddish worth 468 XP each and $560.
Bird Keeper Chester has a Level 28 Dodrio worth 948 XP, a pair of Level 28 Doduo worth 576 XP each and $672.
Bird Keeper Edwin has a Level 26 Pidgeotto worth 628 XP, a Level 26 Farfetch'd worth 523 XP, a Level 26 Doduo worth 534 XP, and a Level 26 Pidgey worth 306 XP and $624.
Picnicker Yazmin has a Level 29 Bellsprout worth 522 XP, a Level 29 Oddish worth 484 XP, and a Level 29 Tengela worth 1030 XP and $580.
Now to the upper path!
Picnicker Becky has a Level 29 Pikachu worth 508 XP and a Level 29 Raichu worth 757 XP and $580.
Our next twin battle is with Crush Kin Ron & Mya, who have Level 29 Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee! They are worth 870 XP and 860 XP respectively, and $1392.
Picnicker Celia has a Level 33 Clefairy worth 480 XP and $660.
This concludes all of the trainers for this series of Routes. To the west of Celia on the path is a treasure ball containing TM18, Rain Dance, which you should grab now.
IMPORTANT SIDE TRIP
To the west is the Gatehouse that leads into Fuchsia City. Talk to the guard inside to learn that one of the Professor's Lab Assistants was there looking for you! Head up the stairs to the second level of the Gatehouse, where you will find the Assistant waiting for you.
If you have captured and obtained the data for 50 Pokemon -- and you have if you have been following this guide -- he has a gift for you: Experience Share.
This held item is going to be so valuable for you later, when you are working on filling the Dex and need to level up lower-level Pokemon in order to evolve them that I cannot describe its value in an accurate and meaningful way. It is THAT valuable!
So be certain to make this side-trip now, and obtain that held item!
Exploring Fuchsia City
Previously on Lost... err.. no... Sorry, wrong game.
Previously in Kanto, with Team Rocket still recovering from the nasty beating they took at the hands of that spectacularly extraordinary trainer from Pallet Town, said trainer finds the way unblocked towards his previous mission, of becoming a Master Trainer. That being the case, and having negotiated the deadly Cycling Road without even a flat tyre, our hero finds himself standing in the Fuchsia City Pokecenter chatting with Nurse Joy, who fills him in on the background of this new city!
Home to the celebrated Safari Zone, an almost theme-park-level famous holiday destination for up and coming Pokemon Trainers, our hero learns that the Safari Zone is home to quite a few Pokemon he cannot easily find anywhere else in the region!
In addition to its well known recreational attractions, the city is also home to a celebrated master angler, and famed Gym Leader and Pokemon Trainer Koga, the master of the Fuchsia City Gym!
A quick tour of the City is the order of the day, and our hero sets out from the Pokecenter with his team well rested, and his stomach full!
Note for Trainers who chose Charmander as their Starter
At this point you should have evolved him to his final form, Charizard, which is a winged (thus Flying Type) form. You can, if you like, teach him Fly, which would basically eliminate the need to have the Pidge or Spearow based member of your team, which is, I have to admit, not the strongest or most useful member and can be thought of as the weak member in the team...
Of course, if you do that, you will need to pick a replacement and then level it up to the base team level before you continue with your adventuring... The thing is, this presents an excellent opportunity to bring in the Graveler we had swaped out of the team in order to place our HM Mule in it. And as that Polemon is both dual class (Rock/Ground Type) and already mostly leveled to the base team level anyway, it is the obvious choice!
Another point worth raising is that there really is no need to consider your HM Mule to be just a mule... If you chose Meowth than your mule is now a Persian, and that Pokemon does have some teeth to it, so it is worth training it to the base-level of your team and maintaining parity after that. I know that means a little extra effort, but the pay-off is worth it.
-- Fuchsia City --
I know that I have not mentioned this before, but Fuchsia City is one of the more interesting cities in the Kanto Region, mostly due to the fact that it is for the most part a Tourist-slash-Holiday destination geared largely towards recreation and entertainment. It has the Zoo, it has the Safari Zone, and it has some recreational fishing in the form of a private but very well-stocked pond in the back yard of the Fishing Guru's House!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
060 - Poliwag / Fishing (Good Rod)
119 - Seaking / Fishing (Super Rod)
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod), Surf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The trainers lounging around the Pokecenter are full of useful advice, so be sure to chat them up before you leave for your tour of the city. As you depart the Pokecenter you will notice that to the west there are two houses sandwiched between the Center and the City Gym.
- The Move Deleter -
The first house belongs to the Move Deleter, a man who can delete any move on any of your Pokemon. This is a very useful service and one whose location you should burn in your memory!
The reason that it is important has to do with how move management is handled in the game... A normal TM can be over-written by any other normal TM or an HM, but any HM you teach to a Pokemon cannot be over-written by a TM *or* another HM! If you need to get rid of an HM the only place to do that is right here, at the Move Deleter's house!
So place a marker on that map in your head before you depart!
- Bill's Grandparents -
The house next door to the Move Deleter belongs to the grandparents of the celebrated Bill, creator of the Pokemon Storage System, co-creator of the Pokemon Transfer System that allows you to send Pokemon, via Pokecenters, back to the Professor later on in your adventures that take place in other regions, as well as have the Professor send you some of your old ones that he kindly looked after for you!
Have a chat with Bill's grandparents while you are here, and say hello to his daughter, who is wandering about the house. In the corner of a full-size map of the region if you want to take a peak, but as it is the same map as the one you own, there is not much to see there you have not already seen!
- Back on the Tour -
Pop into the Pokemon Gym and read the Gym Status Marker (one of the pair of statues) to learn that Gary has been here before you, and has defeated the Gym Leader! Say hello to the Gym Greeter, who is standing beside the statue on the right to learn a secret about the Gym! That is all that we want to do here right now though, so turn around and head back outside!
If you head back to towards the Pokecenter you will notice a path that you can take to the south - this leads to Route 19, and a few trainers that give you the opportunity to pick up some more XP and pocket money, so why not?
-- Route 19 --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
072 - Tentacool / Surf
073 - Tentacruel / Surf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Battles abound on Route 19
Ahead of you on the beach are a pair of swimming trainers, so let us go and have battle with them now!
Simmer Richard has a Level 30 Tentacool worth 675 XP, and a Level 30 Shellder worth 622 XP and $210.
Swimmer Reece has a Level 29 Goldeen worth 688 XP, and a Level 29 Horsea worth 514 XP, followed by a Level 29 Staryu worth 658 XP and $116.
There are swimming trainers out in the water, but at the moment we cannot reach them, so just ignore them for now :) After you get the Good Rod (in a few minutes) you may want to come back here and fish up a Krabby and a Horsea just to add them to your Dex, right?
- Back on Tour -
Beside the Pokecenter down a ledge are a pair of houses -- the first, if you check the mailbox, belongs to the Warden of the Safari Zone! Let us pay him a visit, shall we?
It seems that the Warden is having significant difficulty in making himself understood... I know I could not understand him! Something to do with his teeth I believe... We will have to look into the matter and return if and when we can help him!
Notice the display cases in the center of the room -- the one on the left shows ancient Pokemon fossils, while the one on the right is a display of old Pokemon merchandise. To their right is a desk with a treasure ball that is blocked off by a large boulder. As we cannot move it... yet... we will also have to return to deal with that when we are able.
Exiting the Warden's home you will notice that the house next door is open and, when we go inside, we discover that it is the home of the Fishing Guru's brother! A brief chat with him results in his gifting us with a Key Item: the Good Rod!
After we put the Good Rod away in our bag, he explains that this rod is far superior to the old one we have been using, which was only able to catch Magikarp! Since we are here, and we have this wonderful new rod, how about we test it out?? Yes? Excellent!
Leave the house by the back door and you will find yourself at the Good Guru's private fishing pond! No sense in not taking advantage of this situation, right? Well, dip that rod in the water why don't you?
Only moments later you get a nibble and hook into a nice-sized Pokemon! I very much wanted to capture this Goldeen, but I knew that all of my core team were now too high to be able to do that without killing it, but then I remembered my HM Mule! A Level 12 Meowth is not likely to 1-hit kill this baby, so I quickly shifted over to it, and in no time at all had the Goldeed ready for my Poke Ball!
You capture your first true Water Type, a Goldeen! Good on ya mate! Before leaving whip out your trusty old Item Finder and it will reveal a hidden Max Revive on the ground near the flowers!
When you head back to the road above you will see the main entrance to the Safari Zone Lounge, inside of which is a group of very rude Interns -- but hey it has been my experience that all Interns are rude, no matter the industry! These ones have made up a disparaging nickname for the Warden, and they are not shy about sharing it with you!
Beside the Lounge Building you will find a pen with a Slowpoke in it. If you examine the ID sign on the pen you will get to see a picture of the occupant. How cool is that? Around back is a pen with a Chansey and one with a Voltorb,
There are small trees you can cut to make your route through the zoo displays easier, and additional displays that include a Kangaskhan, where a trainer will offer to teach one of your Pokemon the move Substitute, a pen with a Kabuto, and a pen containing a Lapras by the Poke Mart!
-- The Fuchsia Poke Mart --
Normally a Poke Mart does not get its own subsection of a section in the guide, but this one is special... It is not the pair of trainers inside who you can talk to, or the items sold by the shop. It is not the counter person, but they are closer to the mark! What it is, in fact, is the Questionnaire that is ON the counter that warrants this special attention!
When you enter the Poke Mart you will see, on the counter, a clipboard with a Questionnaire in it. When you approach nothing jumps out at you as obvious, so there is no reason for you to realize that here is something very special and important indeed! You see, this questionnaire is the magic ticket to Mystery Gift Land!
Normally when you start the game, the start screen only has just that, the ability to start a new game or continue your old one... But if you fill out this questionnaire properly, a new selection will be added to that menu, one called "Mystery Gifts" that will give you access to both the official Mystery Gift events (though they do not hold many for the GBA games now), but also this will give you access to Mystery Gift tickets that were claimed by other trainers that they can share with you by linking with this option selected!
As it is still useful to have, you should fill this out now!
The correct answers to the questionnaire are: "LINK TOGETHER WITH ALL" and when you turn in the questionnaire the bloke behind the counter will fill you in on the good news. Well done!
With that we have taken care of almost all of the tasks that are left, and it is time to head to the Safari Zone, where we will play a game that will obtain for us some very desirable Pokemon! So what says you? Yoiks! Off we go!
Obtaining HM03 Surf
-- Safari Zone Introduction --
The Safari Zone is a theme-park style of destination for Pokemon Trainers that offers the oppotunity to capture types that ordinarily a trainer would not have access to. The system is simple: the trainer pays a set fee and is provided with 30 special balls that work in the Safari Zone only. They may use these balls in the Safari Zone park, and have 30 balls to use with a limit of 500 steps total.
The balls that are used in the Safari Zone -- and for that matter the tactics for catching Pokemon as well -- are very very different than that used in the wilds! First and foremost, you are not allowed to attack and weaken the Safari Zone Pokemon! I mean after all, where would the fun or challenge be if it was the same style of capture as in mundane and real life?
In place of the usual weakening tactics, you are provided with some Nerf Rocks and some Pokie-Chow. The Nerf Rocks are for throwing at the Pokemon to piss them off enough to get them to (A) stay, because they are angry with you, and (B) lose their normally good judgment - because they are angry at you and want to hurt you.
The second tactic is Pokie-Chow, which is delightful little snacking morsels that you toss out in order to lure in your prey and (A) occupy its attention with eating that yummy treat and thus not noticing your approach, ball in hand, and (B) keep it from running because of the smell and taste of those nummy poke-snacks.
You got that? Good!
Now as for the Safari Balls, they are not of the same strength or base stats of the standard balls... For instance they are easier to break and, what is worse, take longer to close and lock, which means that any Pokemon you throw them at has an even better chance of breaking loose than usual.
I know, it sounds like a bum deal, but do not forget that this place is not about going home with Pokemon, or adding more to your Dex, it is about the fun of the chase. The joy of stalking the wild and unique types that are here and that you do not see in the wild in this region normally! Just try to remember that you are having fun here, and everything will be OK!
If you have played the other games and/or are a fan of the series this can be a bit confusing, since there are a actually three Safari Zones in the series in total: Kanto's in Fuchsia City, the Hohen Safari Zone and one in Johto, but those two operate under slightly different rules than the one here, and after all this is the original, right? I mean this is a remake of Red/Green/Blue, which were the first games, so this is the Original Safari Zone!
-- Safari Zone Hints, Tips, and Secrets --
First of all it will help you to know that the Safari Zone is actually divided into four unique areas, and each area has its own special Pokemon with different percentages and methods for pulling, as well as the ones that are common to all of the areas. This guide breaks the zone out by these established and well defined areas, and includes the different relative appearance percentages for each Pokemon, as well as other information you will find useful, so enjoy! We have got you covered!
Hint #1 - Happy Endings: When you run out of Safari Balls or you take all of the steps that you can take, you will be automagically warped back to the Safari Zone Entrance. If you are close to hitting the limit in steps or you only have a few balls left and you want to leave, just chuck them away or run back and forth, and you will be warped rather than having to make your way on your own.
Hint #2 - When they run a lot: If the Pokemon you are trying to catch runs a lot, and you are having trouble getting it to hold still long enough for you to throw a ball at it, try using one or the other of the Safari Zone Kit you were provided. The Nerf Rocks can be used to piss it off, which will either make it run straight away, in which case you should try Poke-Chow next time, or make it get really angry at you and stay, glaring, in which case, bonus! You can now try to catch it!
Hint #3 - Catching of Chansey: This is probably the most frustrating of all the Safari Zone Pokemon, for a couple of reasons. First, it is the rarest of them all, and the one you encounter the least. Second, it is very paranoid and will run away at the least provocation. What that means is that it takes a lot of luck to catch this one... But there are things you can do to increase the odds in your favor.
First, as soon as you see that you have pulled a Chansey, throw a Nerf Rock at it. If it does not run -- and it could -- throw a second Nerf Rock at it. Now that it is good and pissed at you, you may be able to throw more than one Safari Ball at it before it finally realizes what a total wanker you are and bolts!
The other helpful hint is more of an observation -- do not go into the zone looking to capture a Chansey, because if you do, you will fail. You will have epic fail after epic fail. Why? Because the game knows you are trying to get a Chansey. It just KNOWS man. And because it knows, it will do everything that it can to cause you to fail, because that is how Karma works, and you should not have stolen little Susy Smith's apple pie from her lunch box that time in Second Grade, man. Yeah, that's right!
Karma knows what you did, and Karma will punish you. Oh yeah! But Karma can be fooled -- so when you go into the zone, just you know, nonchalantly say to the room, "If I catch a Chansey, cool, but I am not here you know, just to do that... I am here to relax man, this is my vacation from being a Pokemon Trainer and I am here to have fun, not capture a Chansey!" This will lull the game into a false sense of security, because it thinks you are not really there to capture Chansey, so it will not get in the way if you happen to pull one, thus giving you much better odds at actually capturing it. What? You do not believe me? Well, go try it my way and you will see, I am totally right about this!
Buying your balls at the Safari Zone
Hint #4 - Economy of Steps: Even though 500 steps sounds like a lot, this is a big zone and when you are working the far side of it you can (and often will) use up a huge chunk just getting to the area you want to pull from. Life will be a lot easier for you if you (1) follow the guide below with respect to the pre-pulling chores that should be completed, and (2) swap-in your Secondary HM Mule so you can take advantage of Surf now that you have it!
You will notice that a lot of the blockages that force you to use up steps are water hazards blocking the way. But if you know Surf you can, well, Surf right through them! That will save you oodles of steps and, in the long run, make you look like a sexy beast to all the Pokemon Trainer chicks, who will see you surfing and totally want to date you. That is all I am saying...
Tip #1 - Fishing Man Say Fish! Remember that you have a new rod now, the Good Rod, and you should use it if there are any types you have not obtained in the list for the zone section you are in! Bear in mind that you do not have the Super Rod at the moment - and that is the most useful one really as far as the Safari Zone is concerned, so you will be making a return holiday visit here once you have the full set of Rods anyway, in order to complete your Dex.
Tip #2 - Treasure is its own reward: There are a lot of treasure balls in the zone, and you will see them as you walk through, and say to yourself: "Self, it is only a few extra steps!" And yeah, it is only a few extra steps, but they add up!
Your best approach to this is to do only one thing with each trip through the zone. If you came to catch Pokemon, do only that, then come back later with the idea that this trip though is only about treasure, and collect only treasure balls on that run. By setting specific targets and limitations, you increase your effectiveness and obtain better results!
Tip #3 - Do not try to make a Pokemon Something it is Not: Some Pokemon are very well suited to being members of your core teams -- your A-Team and B-Team exist for specific reasons, but not all Pokemon will fit into that or even belong there. Some of the best looking Pokemon are total pants when it comes to battle because, the truth is, well, they suck. So do not force yourself into using one because it looks cool, or it is your favorite, or for any other reason.
Do not tell yourself that when it evolves, it will be totally bitchin' and better and stuff. That is rarely ever true, and in the end you are better served by choosing the more effective Pokemon over the better looking one. A good example of this is Exeggcute -- which is a cool looking Pokemon but, being blunt, totally sucks as a battler!
Rhyhorn is another example of this trend. Rhyhorn is an awesome looking Pokemon, very intimidating, with a huge well of HP, and you would think that it would make an excellent member for one of your teams, right? Wrong! He has no really good natural moves, and while there are a handful of TM's that you can buy or find and teach it, none of them have really good sympathetic or complimentary combinations with each other. Add to that the fact that Rhyhorn is, because of the screwball combination of types it inherited, is weak against Water, Grass, Ice, and Fighting Types, but strong against NONE!
Do not force yourself to use a Pokemon just because you think it is cool -- simply capture it, stick it in its box, and only bring it into your team when you need to evolve it for your Dex.
Tip # 4 - Try not to Burn Out: There is a natural inclination in Pokemon Trainers - especially trainers who are also breeders - to stay at an area if they have not captured all of the Pokemon, before moving on to the next area on the adventure.
This approach actually makes sense on the regular Routes, because some of those areas are hard to reach, and not part of the normal travel paths, which means if you leave without getting the two or three types that are unique to that area you will have to make a special trip back, etc. OK, so in those cases it makes sense to stay until you get all of the types for that place.
That approach does not make sense for the Safari Zone. First of all, very few of the Pokemon you can catch on the normal routes have small pull chances, whereas almost a full quarter of the types you can catch in the Safari Zone have small pull chances. That means that under normal circumstances, staying on one of the out of the way routes to catch the types that are available or even unique to them makes sense, because it is only an extra half-hour or forty-five minutes of effort, whereas in the Safari Zone you could easily take DAYS to get all of them.
Do that and you risk burn-out. There is no point in taking what is arguably a fun game that you should enjoy playing and turning it in to what amounts to a second job! Do your Safari Zone hunting in small blocks of time, and when you have burned through the amount of time you set aside for that session, cheerfully move on! Remember, the Safari Zone is in Fuchsia City, a place you can instantly Fly back to any time you want, with the zone only steps from where you arrive.
Here endeth the free advice -- and it was totally worth what you paid for it!
-- Pre-Safari Chores --
Prior to settling down for a run through the zone to capture those elusive but highly desirable rare Pokemon types, there are a few chores that we should get out of the way first. Call them pre-run missions if you like, but completing the following chores will make your life so much easier, trust me on that!
HM03 Surf at the Treasure House
-- Chore 1: Surf
Pay the man to enter the zone, and then ignore everything you encounter and work your way through the entire zone to reach the Safari Zone Treasure House at the back of the Zone.
After you enter the zone head east to area 1, then cross the cliffs and proceed through area 2 and work your way to its western exit. Once you enter area 3 work your way over to the Treasure House, being sure to grab the Golden Teeth.
You only have a narrow margin of grace steps here -- but you should have way more than you need to comfortably do this part even if you allow yourself to get sidetracked several times -- but go to the Treasure House directly anyway, because it sucks to get to where you need to be and then, a few steps from the HM, and end up warped back to the start because you ran out of steps!
If you get lost or have trouble figuring out where you need to go, watch the video for this section, as it covers this in a step-by-step (pun intended) demonstration.
On your way out of after getting Surf you will see a treasure ball with TM32, Double Team, in it. Grab that now, and then check the status of your run by opening the main menu, where you will notice a new box in the upper left corner that shows you how many steps you have taken, how many you have left to take, and how many Safari Balls you have left!
Now head east and then south to the next treasure ball, which contains the missing Golden Teeth! After you grab those, go north and zone back into Area 2. Go as far as you can north, then turn east and walk until you reach the treasure ball you passed on the way in, which has a Protein in it. Grab that now, and then bang a u-turn south and west, and continue west.
The house in the corner is a "Rest House" and while there are trainers in it, there are none that have anything for you, so ignore that and continue along the path until you read a treasure ball containing TM47, Steel Wing, which is by a tree on the path -- you passed this on the way in.
Grab this and continue west to the water, then head south into the tall grass here. This is one of the places where Rhyhorn lives in abundance, and wouldn't it be a nice way to close out this first run into the zone by capturing a Rhyhorn? Yes, I think so too!
You can use up most of your remaining steps by capturing this guy and any other Pokemon in this patch of tall grass that we do not already have -- so do that. Once you have captured your Rhyhorn and any others we need, continue until you either run out of balls, or run out of steps!
Chore 2: Odds and Ends
We have completed our first run into the Safari Zone, and we are now back at the entrance. Some things have changed in our world though -- for one thing we now have a few Pokemon in our storage boxes and in our Dex we did not have before! Good on ya for that!
Another difference is that we have HM03, Surf, and the Golden Teeth! It is time to deal with what is related to those last two items now! First though, head back to the Pokecenter, heal and save, then go over to the PC and sort out the Pokemon in your Incoming Box so that they are put in the Boxes that they properly belong in.
Now that this is out of the way, it is time to address the matter of Surf, and the fact that our designated HM Mule cannot use that HM... In order to make use if it, we need two things -- the 5th Gym Badge, and a Pokemon who can use that particular HM.
At the moment we have every basic Type covered in various combinations in our A-Team save for Water Type, with the caveat that Water Type and our Rock/Ground (which at the moment is Graveler) are the swing-members of our team, and are rotated in and out as needed. Unless you chose the Water Type as your Started, we are in need of a Water Type Pokemon both to fill that position as the swing member of the team, and to fill the duty of providing Surf capability for the team.
To address this open issue (which will also address the final HM, Strength), quickly pop over to Lavender Town, head out onto the Fuchsia Highway and, using the Super Rod, catch a Gyarados. Teach the Gyarados HM03, Surf, and HM04, Strength, eliminating the need to employ a secondary HM Mule. This is a good idea since opening up more than one slot in the party for a mule is generally a bad idea, and with respect to those two HM's, when they are taught to a Gyarados they are not really bad moves for it to have, as it can use them effectively in combat.
All that is left is for you to set aside an hour or so and level the newest member of your A-Team to the target base-level for the team, or at least bring it to parity with the current training level...
Chore 3: Strength
The Safari Zone Warden's House
The final HM we do not have yet, Strength, allows us to move heavy objects like Boulders.
Obtaining this is a side-quest of the first Chore in this series -- remember the Golden Teeth that we found inside the Safari Zone after we obtained Surf? Take those to the Safari Zone Warden who is in his house in the City now.
When you arrive simply walk up to the Warden, stand beside him facing him, and hit the A Button to give him the teeth, which he then puts in his mouth! We can now clearly understand what he is saying! As the reward for finding his teeth, the Warden gifts us with HM04, Strength!
Now quickly open your bag, select the Key Items pocket, and open the TM Case. Select HM04 and teach it to your Gyarados. Do not worry about it being an HM on a main party member, because Strength is actually often a useful move in battle, so we do not have any issues with teaching it to one of our team members!
-- Safari Zone Entrance Area --
The Safari Zone: Entrance Area
The Safari Zone is divided up logically, and it will not take you long to get the hang of how that is. The Entrance area is the area just after you exit the main building and begin the contest. extending towards the center of the zone, and to the east and west for around 60% of the south side.
We are now ready to embark upon our first "officail" Safari Zone run -- the one we did before was just to get the chores out of the way and obtain the final pait of HM's, so it does not count. Make note of which Pokemon you still need to capture, and then head on in!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Safari Zone Entrance Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method / Rarity)
113 - Chansey / Normal / 1% Appearance
148 - Dragonair / Fishing (Super Rod) / 1% Appearance
147 - Dratini / Fishing (Super Rod) / 15% Appearance
102 - Exeggcute / Normal / 20% Appearance
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good Rod) / 60% Appearance
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Super Rod) / 40% Appearance
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Good Rod) / 20% Appearance
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old Rod) / 100% Appearance
029 - Nidoran-F / Normal / 20% Appearance
030 - Nidorina / Normal / 10% Appearance
033 - Nidorino / Normal / 5% Appearance
047 - Parasect / Normal / 5% Appearance
127 - Pinsir / Normal / 5% Appearance
060 - Poliwag / Fishing (Good Rod) / 20% Appearance
111 - Rhyhorn / Normal / 30% Appearance
110 - Seaking / Fishing (Super Rod) / 40% Appearance
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod) / 4% Appearance
079 - Slowpoke / Surfing / 100% Appearance
048 - Venonat / Normal / 15% Appearance
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- Safari Zone Area 1 --
Area 1 consists of the east side of the zone, basically around 20% or so of the width from the east border heading to the center of the zone, and consists of a variety of surface types.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Safari Zone Area 1 Pokemon -
The Safari Zone: Area 1
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method / Rarity)
084 - Doduo / Normal / 20% Appearance
148 - Dragonair / Fishing (Super Rod) / 1% Appearance
147 - Dratini / Fishing (Super Rod) / 15% Appearance
102 - Exeggcute / Normal / 20% Appearance
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good Rod) / 60% Appearance
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Super Rod) / 40% Appearance
115 - Kangaskhan / Normal / 4% Appearance
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Good Rod) / 20% Appearance
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old Rod) / 100% Appearance
029 - Nidoran-F / Normal / 10% Appearance
032 - Nodoran-M / Normal / 5% Appearance
030 - Nidorina / Normal / 10% Appearance
046 - Paras / Normal / 15% Appearance
047 - Parasect / Normal / 5% Appearance
127 - Pinsir / Normal / 1% Appearance
060 - Poliwag / Fishing (Good Rod) / 20% Appearance
119 - Seaking / Fishing (Super Rod) / 40% Appearance
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod) / 4% Appearance
079 - Slowpoke / Surfing / 100% Appearance
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- Safari Zone Area 2 --
The Safari Zone: Area 2
This is the area opposite of the Entrance Area and is the same size (the Entrance Area and Area 2 are the larger of the two sizes), extending from the northern edge of the zone south to the center, and east and west roughly 60% of the width of the zone.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Safari Zone Area 2 Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method / Rarity)
113 - Chansey / Normal / 4% Appearance
148 - Dragonair / Fishing (Super Rod) / 1% Appearance
147 - Dratini / Fishing (Super Rod) / 15% Appearance
102 - Exeggcute / Normal / 20% Appearance
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good Rod) / 60% Appearance
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Super Rod) / 40% Appearance
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Good Rod) / 20% Appearance
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old Rod) / 100% Appearance
029 - Nidoran-F / Normal / 20% Appearance
030 - Nidorina / Normal / 10% Appearance
033 - Nidorino / Normal / 5% Appearance
046 - Paras / Normal / 15% Appearance
060 - Poliwag / Fishing (Good Rod) / 20% Appearance
111 - Rhyhorn / Normal / 20% Appearance
119 - Seaking / Fishing (Super Rod) / 40% Appearance
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod) / 4% Appearance
079 - Slowpoke / Surfing / 100% Appearance
128 - Tauros / Normal / 1% Appearance
049 - Venomoth / Normal / 5% Appearance
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- Safari Zone Area 3 --
The Safari Zone: Area 3
Area 3 consists of the west side of the zone, basically around 20% or so of the width from the west border heading east to the center of the zone, and consists of a variety of surface types.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Safari Zone Area 3 Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method / Rarity)
084 - Doduo / Normal / 20% Appearance
148 - Dragonair / Fishing (Super Rod) / 1% Appearance
147 - Dratini / Fishing (Super Rod) / 15% Appearance
102 - Exeggcute / Normal / 20% Appearance
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good Rod) / 60% Appearance
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Super Rod) / 40% Appearance
115 - Kangaskhan / Normal / 1% Appearance
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Good Rod) / 20% Appearance
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old Rod) / 100% Appearance
029 - Nidoran-F / Normal / 20% Appearance
032 - Nodoran-M / Normal / 5% Appearance
030 - Nidorina / Normal / 10% Appearance
060 - Poliwag / Fishing (Good Rod) / 20% Appearance
119 - Seaking / Fishing (Super Rod) / 40% Appearance
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod) / 4% Appearance
079 - Slowpoke / Surfing / 100% Appearance
128 - Tauros / Normal / 4% Appearance
049 - Venomoth / Normal / 5% Appearance
048 - Venonat / Normal / 15% Appearance
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After you have captured all of the Pokemon types that you want to from the Safari Zone, it is time to visit the City Gym. Before you can do that however, you need to have leveled your Pokemon to the base-level for the team, which at this point is 45. As I said before, by getting them to this level now, you can easily blow through this Gym, and you are prepared for the next Gym without having to train at all!
If you need to level several of your team and you have used up all of the available trainers already, remember that you have the VS. Seeker in the Key Items Pocket of your pack. Simply select it and then register it so you can macro key trigger it, then head to an area that is outdoors (it will not work indoors) with a lot of trainers. Route 15 or 14 is ideal since it is close to town and thus easy for you to pop back into the Pokecenter to heal and save as needed.
Once you are on the Route, use the VS. Seeker to find a battle, and when you complete the battle, simply run 100 paces to recharge the device and use it again! Remember that it will work on any trainers who are on the screen -- you know you can rematch them because they have double-! over their heads.
You will quickly gain the levels that you need, and a side effect of this is you will also pick up some serious coin in the process. So go do this, rinse and repeat as needed, until your team is at the target level, and then head for the Gym!
Beating Koga
At this point you should have all of your team members except for your HM Mule at Level 40 -- and who knows, maybe you even leveled your mule! Whether you did nor not really does not matter, as the important bit is having your team at the base level of 40. Why is that important? Well, that is considered the minimum level for easily taking down Koga, but in addition to that it nicely sets you up for the next Gym, which is in Saffron City.
The reason that it sets you up nicely is that you will naturally be picking up more levels through the trainers and Rocket types you will be fighting along the way, which will see you arriving at the Saffron Gym with just the right levels and raring to go!
Now, before you head into the Gym here in Fuchsia, hit the Pokecenter to heal and save, and hit the Department Store in Celadon City if you need to re-supply your kit -- and you probably do. Once you have done all that, fly back to Fuchsia and head into the Gym!
-- The AGL's First --
If you tried to head right to Koga you no doubt noticed that there is a maze of invisible walls here. Right, so head left and engage the first AGL, Juggler Nate. Note that the AGL's all pretty much have Psychic Types, while Koga has mostly Poison Types, so be sure that you have plenty of antidotes for the fight with him!
Juggler Nate has a Level 34 Drowzee worth 742 XP, and a Level 34 Kadabra worth 1056 XP and $1360. Now head all the way right and up for the next battle.
Juggler Kayden has a Level 38 Hypno worth 1342 XP and $1420.
Juggler Kirk has a pair of Level 31 Drowzee worth 676 XP each, a Level 31 Kadabra worth 963 XP, and another Level 31 Drowzee worth 676 XP and $1240.
Tamer Edgar has a Level 33 Arbok worth 1039 XP, a Level 33 Sandslash worth 1152 XP, and a Level 33 Arbok worth 1039 XP and $1320.
Tamer Phil has a Level 34 Sandslash worth 1186 XP, and a Level 34 Arbok worth 1071 XP and $1360.
Juggler Shawn has a Level 34 Drowzee worth 742 XP, and a Level 34 Hypno worth 1201 XP and $1360.
-- The Battle with Koga --
Now Koga is a Poison Type Master, and you can learn a lot from his choice of Pokemon if that is the direction you are wanting to head in...
He leads off with his Level 37 Koffing, which is worth 903 XP. You will notice that if you take his Koffing below 20% health he will use a potion that heals it back to 100%, so your best approach is to use a move that takes a big enough chink of HP so that you can one-hit-kill with your following move.
Koga's next Pokemon is his Level 39 Muk, which is worth 1311 XP. You will notice that often with this one a move that should have KO'd it somehow only ends up taking it to a few points of it dying, which allows him to use a potion to take it back to fully healed. I am not saying the game cheats here, but it happens often enough so that it is likely that this is an intended piece of grief code...
Koga next brings out another Level 37 Koffing, worth 903 XP, but you know what to do with this by now, so it should not be that big a challenge.
His final Pokemon is his Level 43 Weezing -- and even though it has a combination of stat-effecting moves, with any luck you should make short work of it, picking up 1593 XP and $4300.
You have now earned the Soul Badge, and will receive TM06, Toxic. In addition to that, the Soul Badge boosts the defense of your Pokemon and allows you to use Surf outside of battle!
-- Some Side-Issues to Manage --
After you leave the Gym step next door to the Pokecenter, heal and save, and then we are going to take care of a few side-issues quickly just so that they are managed. So first, exit the Pokecenter and head east out of town all the way through Route's 15, 14, and 13, on to Route 12, then head north until you reach a point on the bridge where you can see a small island to the east with a treasure ball on it.
Surf over to the island and grab TM48, Skill Swap, out of that treasure ball!
Now, Surf back in the water until you catch a Tentacool, the only Pokemon you will encounter here using Surf, but one we happen to not have yet -- but now we do!
Use Fly to return to Fuchsia City now, and enter the Safari Zone.
If you gave up (or never tried) to capture some Slopokes earlier, now is an easy chance to correct that by simply using Surf in the first water that you encounter north of where you enter the Zone. Quickly capture a pair of these. Good on ya! And then land on the island in the center here and grab the Nugget from the treasure ball.
Chanses are that there are more than a few Pokemon that you did not get when we were here the first time, especially the types that you can catch with the different rods and, surf of course, so why not take a short break here and grab what you can of these? Just do that until you decide that you have had enough.
You should be leaving with, at a bare minimum, the following Pokemon in your Dex and in Storage:
- Doduo
- Dratini
- Exeggcute
- Goldeen
- Paras
- Parasect
- Poliwag
- Rhyhorn
- Seaking
- Slowpoke
- Venonat
Of you were very fortunate you will also have:
- Chansey
- Dragonair
- Kangaskhan
- Pinsir
- Tauros
- Venomoth
Basically you should expect to have the ones from the first list, and feel really good if you have even one from the second list!
Now that we are finished with the Safari Zone for the moment, exit and, using Fly, head to Celadon City now.
On the way to Saffron
When you land in Celadon hit the Pokecenter to heal and save, and then sort out the Pokemon in your Incoming Box to their proper boxes. Now hit the Department Store and restock any of your kit that you have used up.
-- Optional --
Now that we have Surf and can use it outside of battle, you may want to grab your Clefairy and Surf over to the old man by the house that can only be reached this way. He is a Move Teacher who will teach you the move Softboiled, which is a useful move for Clefairy to have.
After you do that remember to head back to the Pokecenter and swap Clefairy back into her box and grab whatever team member you temporarily swapped out to do this, right?
-- End of Optional --
Now exit the Pokecenter and head east to the Gatehouse. You will recall that this Gatehouse, just like the one on the other side of the City, could not be passed through because the thirsty guards were not permitting anyone to enter. Ah, police corruption at its zenith!
Now, if you will recall, back when we were first in Celadon we obtained a Key Item, Tea, from the kind old woman in the Mansion, yes? If for whatever reason you did NOT obtain that, head back to the City and get it now. Got it? Good!
Now enter the Gatehouse and the guard will stop you, but this time he will notice the Tea that we are carrying, and like all cops everywhere, he will be willing to accept that Tea as a bribe to allow you to pass through the Gatehouse and enter the City! Good on ya! You made it to the City!
The Team Rocket Invasion
The first thing you need to be aware of is that all is not well here in Saffron City! The second largest city in the region, Saffron is home to the Silph Company,
Your first stop in town is the Pokecenter, where you will heal and save, and then have a chat with the trainers that are here. From them you learn why Team Rocket is here, and you get a sense of the general hopelessness that pervades the City.
-- Mr. Psychic's House --
Before we take on Team Rocket at the Silph Company there are a few odds and ends we want to take care of first, starting with a visit to Mr. Psychic at his house down the street. Head there now and chat him up, and he will gift you TM29, Psychic.
-- Pokemon Trainer Fan Club --
Our next stop is to the northeast part of the city, to a building that holds the Pokemon Trainer Fan Club. Chat up the trainers here to add an entry to the Fame Checker, then exit the building and head down the street to the Poke Mart.
You can go ahead and sell any nuggets you have, as well as any other items you have that you do not need. This shop has some items for sale you may want to pick up a few of, including Hyper Potions, which restore 200 HP, Full Heals, which correct any and all status issues of your Pokemon. They also have Max Repels here, and it is an idea to have 5 or so of those on hand.
Now head around to the north road and you will see that Sabrina's Gym is blocked by a Rocket Thug. Curiously there is another Gym next door that is not blocked!
-- Fighting Dojo --
This is the old Gym -- the new one replaced it, and after the Gym was moved next door, this one was turned into a Fighting Dojo where trainers of a particular type could meet and work out together. We want to pop in here, as it is an opportunity for us to both pick up a few extra XP prior to the showdown with Team Rocket, and also to get some experience against Fighting Types.
Black Belt Hideki has a Level 32 Machop worth 603 XP, and a Level 32 Machoke worth 1000 XP and $768.
Take a quick look at your Pokemon before you proceed. You probably have at least one in your team that is Level 42, so that should be the level we choose as our base-level for the team. So use your other Pokemon here and distribute the XP with an eye towards getting everyone to Level 42 (or whatever your highest level is) before raising it more.
Black Belt Mike has a pair of Level 31 Mankey worth 490 XP each, and a Level 31 Primeape worth 988 XP and $744.
Black Belt Hitoshi has a Level 31 Machop worth 583 XP, a Level 31 Mankey worth 490 XP, and a Level 31 Primeape worth 988 XP and $744.
Black Belt Aaron has a Level 36 Primeape worth 1149 XP and $864.
We are now ready to face the Dojo Sensei, so go ahead and do that!
Black Belt Koichi has a Level 37 Hitmonlee worth 1101 XP, and a Level 37 Hitmonchan worth 1110 XP and $888.
After you beat Koichi you are permitted to step beyond and choose one of the Poke Balls that sits on the floor behind him. The left one contains a Hitmonlee, the right one a Hitmonchan. You must decide based upon your own personal likes -- there is a difference between these two, but the difference is slight, and one is not better than the other in any general sense.
I chose Hitmonchan.
After you have chosen, leave the Dojo with your head held high -- you have faced the best of the best of the Karate Trainers and you have beaten them. Your new Pokemon is the proof of this! Good on ya mate!
To the west and southwest are two buildings whose doors are blocked by Rocket Thugs, and there is a large building full of glass windows in the center of town -- that would be Silph Co. -- that is also guarded by Rocket Thugs. Now, BEFORE you go to the large building, be aware that once you beat the leader of Team Rocket there, all of the Rocket Thugs will vacate the town.
It would be a shame to allow that to happen without first having the opportunity to talk to them all, so go do that now. You will get some funny utterings, and a few will clue you in on the plans that Team Rocket has for Silph Company. Once you have talked to all of them, head back to the Pokecenter, heal and save, check your kit to verify that it is properly topped off, and then head for Silph Company.
-- Silph Company --
The Silph Company
The first thing you need to be aware of is that you CAN skip a lot of the battles if you want to. But why would you want to?! I sure do not want to, so I will walk you through the building battle by battle before we do in the Leader of Team Rocket, right then? Excellent!
- First Floor -
Walk past the sleeping guard at the front door to enter the building, and you will see that the Lobby is empty. On the walls are paintings of Pokemon, and there is a left as well as a set of stairs in the read of the Lobby. Ignoring the lift, we head to the stairs, and we see a sign on the wall that reads "Silph Co. Head Office, 1F" that tells us what is up ahead!
- Second Floor -
As we arrive on 1F we can see the stairs up across from us -- we will return to those in a bit -- and in the main hall there are areas to the south and a curious pad on the floor to the west that will teleport us to the 8th Floor if we take it. Not just yet tho...
As we enter the area to the south we are accosted by a Rocket Thug -- battle time!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 25 Golbat worth 915 XP, a trio of Level 25 Zubat worth 288 XP each, and a Level 25 Raticate worth 621 XP and $800. Heading down and west we see another Thug between a pair of drafting tables!
Team Rocket Thug has a Level 29 Cubone worth 540 XP, and a Level 29 Zubat worth 334 XP and $928.
All the way to the west we can see rooms that are sealed off by armored doors -- we will have to find another way in to those -- and to the east and south another battle opporunity.
Scientist Jerry has a Level 28 Magnemite worth 534 XP, a Level 28 Voltorb worth 618 XP, and a Level 28 Magneton worth 966 XP and $1344.
Inside the room he came from is a teleport pad -- and we take this one to the 8th Floor, where we find another Scientist to do battle with!
Scientist Parker has a Level 29 Grimer worth 558 XP, and a Level 29 Electrode worth 931 XP and $1392.
To the west is another room but it too is sealed off. South is a small room with another pad, but it is open to the hallway further south, so we should see what there is to see there first, right?
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 28 Weezing worth 1038 XP, a Level 28 Golbat worth 1026 XP, and a Level 28 Koffing worth 684 XP and $896.
Another of those pads lies to the west, while to the east is another room -- inside is a treasure ball containing an Iron, and one of the Silph Company Engineers hiding behind a plant. He tells you how worried he is, and then you head back into the hallway.
Take the hallway to the north and then east to face the last Grunt on this level that we can reach, effectively clearing the 8th floor.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 26 Raticate worth 645 XP, a Level 26 Arbok worth 819 XP, a Level 26 Koffing worth 634 XP, and a Level 26 Golbat worth 952 XP and $832.
The teleport pad in the southwest corner takes you back to the teleport pad near the lift on the 2nd Floor, bear that in mind eh? The teleport pad in the small room above will take you to the pad inside the office to the west that is sealed up. In the office you will find another Silph Engineer in hiding. Head back to the 2nd floor via one of the pads and then use the stairs up.
- Third Floor -
The Silph Company Third Floor
When we enter the floor you can see a teleport pad to the east, and a Grunt to the south. We should say hello to the Grunt first!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 28 Raticate worth 696 XP, a Level 28 Hypno worth 990 XP, and a Level 28 Raticate worth 696 XP and $896.
In the room to the south and east of him is another frightened Engineer, as well as a teleport pad. There are two pads, one at either end, of the long hallway to the south. The west pad leads to a storage room on the 5th floor with a treasure Ball containing TM01, Focus Punch -- so grab that now!
The pad on the east end of the hallway leads to the pad in the small office next to the Engineer we just talked with, the pad to the west of the north hall leads to the 5th floor main area, so ignore it for now. The pad on the east end of the north hall leads to one of the sealed-off rooms on the 2nd floor inside of which is a female Engineer in hiding.
When she realizes you are not with Team Rocket, she offers to teach you the move Thunder Wave -- which honestly is not that great a move and is certainly not better than the ones your Raichu already knows, but it is your call mate.
This pretty much clears what we can on the 3rd floor, so head back to the stairs and head up now.
- Fourth Floor -
Heading south into the office here we find our next Grunt to beat upon...
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 28 Ekans worth 372 XP, a Level 28 Zubat worth 324 XP, and a Level Cubone worth 522 XP and $896.
On the desk in the back of the room here is a treasure ball containing TM41, Torment, which you should grab now. Back in the main hallway, head west and then south to the end, where you will turn west again and encounter the next Grunt.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 29 Machop worth 546 XP, and a Level 29 Drowzee worth 633 XP and $928. Mind the poison gas, right?
At the end of this hall to the west is a teleport pad and a sealed door, and north is a small room with a pad. The pad in the small room leads to a pad on the 10th floor, but as that leads to a room that is off the main area and not a sealed-off one, we can safely ignore it for now.
The pad all the way to the west leads to a sealed room on the 10th floor that has a second pad and a frightened secretary in it. Give her a word of comfort before taking the other pad, which leads to the sealed office on the 4th floor that has the Team Rocket Scientist in it!
Scientist Rodney has a Level 33 Electrode worth 1060 XP and $1584.
A second pad in this sealed office leads to a room in the public area of the 6th floor, so it is safe to ignore this pad and use the one we arrived in to get back to the 10th floor, and then using the other pad we came in by earlier, return to the 4th floor hallway!
We have now cleared the first 4 floors -- so if any of your team is injured, or you have used a significant amount of PP, now is a logical time to head downstairs and hit the Pokecenter for a heal and save before continuing on up...
- Fifth Floor -
As you arrive at the top of the stairs on five you will notice a pad to the east, near a Grunt. The Grunt is actually blocking a very narrow hallway.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 33 Hypno worth 1165 XP and $1056.
As he is blocking the hallway here -- I could not get him to attack me unless I stepped close to him -- we cannot head along that route at present, so we head instead through the nearby door into the Engineering area, and are attacked by Juggler Dalton!
Juggler Dalton has a Level 29 Kadabra worth 900 XP, and a Level 29 Mr. Mime worth 844 XP and $1160. It was with this fight that I leveled my 5th team member to 42, and you will likely either have already done so or be close to that now.
- Pokemon Reports -
The Silph Company: Pokemon Reports
There are a total of three Pokemon Reports in this room on the desks. You should read all three, as they have important information on them! Now exit the office to the north and head all the way west until you encounter the Scientist here -- ignore that pad, it just leads back to the 3rd floor main area.
Scientist Beau has a Level 26 Magneton worth 987 XP, a Level 26 Magnemite worth 495 XP, a Level 26 Koffing worth 634 XP, and a Level 26 Weezing worth 963 XP and $1248.
Follow the hallway here all the way to the south to battle our next Grunt!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 33 Arbok worth 1039 XP and $1056.
Take the pad beside him to the 9th Floor storage room -- and STOP. Immediately take the pad back to the 5th floor, but instead of following it up, walk down (south) one square and then head east. Mid-way down the hall here is a treasure ball with a Key Card in it. This is mucho importanto -- you need to get this now. D'accord! Head back to the pad and take it to the 9th floor, and battle the Scientist here!
Scientist Ed has a Level 28 Voltorb worth 618 XP, a Level 28 Magneton worth 966 XP, and a Level 28 Koffing worth 684 XP and $1344.
If you follow the hallway here all the way around past the stairs and lift and then south you will battle the next Grunt.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 28 Golbat worth 1026 XP, a Level 28 Drowzee worth 612 XP. A Level 28 Hypno worth 990 XP and $896 wraps this up with respect to the main area of the floor... But we now have an all-areas access pass in the form of that Key Card!
See that door to the west? Yes, open it. Go inside and talk to the girl who is standing between the two beds in this relief area and you will sleep -- and heal your Pokemon. Now is a good time to save as well. Remember where this area is -- we will be returning here soon -- but for now we need to backtrack to the lift and go all the way down to the 2nd floor.
- Back on the Second Floor -
What we are going to be doing is systematically opening all of the doors from here up to the 5th floor to fully cover every area in case we missed anything!
So head to the west and open the door to the south, where you will find a Team Rocket Scientist who is pretending to be a Silph Co. Engineer to lure you in so he can attack you!
Scientist Connor has a Level 26 Grimer worth 501 XP, a Level 26 Weezing worth 963 XP (try to one-hit this one so it does not self-destruct on you), a Level 26 Koffing worth 634 XP, and a Level 26 Weezing worth 963 XP and $1248.
The pad in this room leads to the common area of the 6th floor, so ignore it and head to the door to the room above you. This is the room with the move teacher in it, so just open the door and then head for the stairs and go up.
- Back on the Third Floor -
Head into the center hallway to the south and open the door on the west side, ignoring the pad in here for the moment. Open the next door and enter the office here, grabbing the Hyper Potion from the treasure ball in the corner. Go confront the Scientist here.
Scientist Jose has a Level 29 Electrode worth 931 XP, and a Level 29 Weezing worth 1074 XP and $1392.
The pad in here leads to a pad on the 9th floor near a Grunt. Go say hello to him now...
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 28 Drowzee worth 612 XP, a Level 28 Grimer worth 540 XP, and a Level 28 Machop worth 528 XP and $896.
This is actually the area near the resting spot, so go ahead and open the door below, then use the beds again to fully rest and recover your PP! Now backtrack and take the pad back to the previous office, and take the pad that is in the outer office here, which leads to an office on the 7th floor with a surprise for you!
-- Rival Battle --
Your best buddy and worst friend Gary is waiting for you by the desk here! It is time for another Rival Battle! I bet you were looking forward to this -- I know I was -- after all we have soundly beaten him every time, and despite this he is slowly learning how to battle.
Gary still does not have a full team -- which means he was probably lying to us back in the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town about the Pokemon he caught there... Still, he sure has a mouth on him, eh?
Gary starts the battle with his Level 37 Pidgeot, which is worth 1363 XP, following it with his Level 35 Exeggcute, worth 735 XP. His next Pokemon is his Level 35 Alakazam, worth 1395 XP, followed by his Level 38 Growlithe worth 741 XP. His final team member is his Level 40 Blastoise, worth a whopping 1800 XP and $1440!
After having his butt thoroughly kicked by us, Gary declares that we are ready to battle Boss Rocket -- though to be honest you have to wonder what his opinion is really worth...\
As arrogant as ever, he lets you know what his immediate plans are before taking off. Thanks Gary!
Before you leave talk to the Silph Engineer standing by the wall to be given a new Pokemon - a Lapras! How about that?! The other pad in this room will take us to the 11th floor directly -- but we are not ready to do that just now, so ignore that and take the pad we arrived by back to the 3rd floor.
As we have cleared this level head to the stairs and up to four!
- Back to the Fourth Floor -
The Silph Company: Rest Spot
As you will recall there are some doors to open on this level, so head down the center hall to the south just before the defeated grunt and then north, where you will find a Silph Co. Engineer and two pads. He tells you something that you already know about the doors -- useless.
The pad in the bottom left corner leads to a room on the 10th floor we will visit in the normal course of clearing that level, so ignore this for now. The pad in the upper right corner leads to a small room on the 6th floor that is off the main area, so it is also safe to ignore!
Head south and then west to open the next door, which is a storage room with some items in it. Grab the Full Heal from the first treasure ball, the Escape Rope from the second treasure ball, and the Max Revive from the third treasure ball. There is an employee hiding in the back -- you can say hello if you like -- then head back to the stairs as we have cleared this floor!
- Back to the Fifth Floor -
Straight down into the large office with the Reports on the desks, then head to the door in the west wall and open it to find what I guess is another Silph Engineer in hiding? There is an Elixir hidden in the south plant -- grab that and then head back to the main hallway.
All the way to the west is another locked door -- inside is a treasure ball with a Protein in it, a very nervous Silph Engineer, and nothing else! Exit this room and head south down the hall to the next door, which is a now empty store room -- we are just opening the door to be able to say we did :)
Return to the stairs now.
- The Sixth Floor -
The pad near the stairs goes to the 2nd floor, so ignore it. Instead follow the hallway south along the east wall, and at the bottom turn west to find a Grunt to battle!
Team Rocket Grunt has a pair of Level 28 Zubat worth 324 XP each, and a Level 28 Golbat worth 1026 XP and $896. The odd thing about this guy is he yells "You traitor!" at us -- odd because we were never part of that organization so how can we be traitors to it or him?
Inside the room above is a large group of Silph Company employees being held prisoner. Nothing we can do for them at the moment, so continue west now, and battle with the Scientist in the next hallway.
Scientist Taylor has a Level 25 Voltorb worth 550XP, a Level 25 Koffing worth 610 XP, a Level 25 Magneton worth 862 XP, a Level 25 Magnemite worth 475 XP, and a Level 25 Koffing worth 610 XP and $1200.
Open the door to the storeroom in the southwest corner to find a treasure ball with an HP UP in it, and one with an X Special in it.
By the lift is the last Gurnt to battle on this floor, so go do that now before taking the stairs to the next level!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 29 Machop worth 546 XP, and a Level 29 Machoke worth 906 XP and $928.
- The Seventh Floor -
In the main hall by the lift is the first Gurnt to battle...
Team Rocket Grunt has a pair of Level 29 Cubone worth 540 XP each, and$928.
Open the door to the south and grab TM08, Bulk Up, from the treasure ball there, and then open the next door south to find another Grunt Battle!
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 29 Sandshrew worth 577 XP, and a Level 29 Sandslash worth 1012 XP and $928.
The pad in this room leads down to the 5th floor, so you can ignore it. Exit the room into the north hall and take the first turn south, following that around to a small room with a treasure ball and a Scientist in it...
Scientist Joshua has a Level 29 Electrode worth 931 XP, and a Level 29 Muk worth 975 XP and $1392.
The treasure ball contains a Calcium. Once you have that work your way back out to the main hallway and to the west you will see a foyer with a Grunt and a locked room that is occupied.
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 26 Raticate worth 645 XP, a Level 26 Zubat worth 300 XP, a Level 26 Golbat worth 952 XP, and a Level 26 Rattata worth 316 XP and $832.
The locked room contains three Silph Company employees. One of them knows what it is that Team Rocket has come here to take - the Master Ball! That concludes our work on this floor, so head for the stairs now!
- The Eighth Floor -
The Silph Company: Engineer in Hiding
We have actually cleared most of this due to the pads, but head down the center hallway then west and up to unlock the door here, just to be complete in our door-unlocking! Having done that small task, head for the stairs up to the next level!
- The Ninth Floor -
Open the door to the south and the door below that, then return to the main hall and head west and south, then west again to the beds where we can rest. Now is a good time to save as well.
Now backtrack to the stairs and head up to the next level!
- The Tenth Floor -
Head south into the room here and open the sealed door, then head back into the main hall and west to do battle with the Scientist in the large room here.
Scientist Travis has a Level 29 Magnemite worth 552 XP and a Level 29 Koffing worth 708 XP and $1392.
South of him is a small storage room with a Grunt and three treasure balls in it...
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 33 Machoke worth 1032 XP and $1056.
The first treasure ball has a Carbos in it, the second a Rare Candy, and the third an Ultra Ball! This concludes our adventuring on this floor, so head to the stairs up.
- The Eleventh Floor -
In the long east corridor that runs north and south is a Grunt...
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 25 Rattata worth 304 XP, a Level 25 Zubat worth 288 XP, a Level 25 Ekans worth 331 XP, and a pair of Level 25 Rattata worth 304 XP each, and $800.
At the end of this hall is a treasure ball with a Zinc in it -- so grab that and backtrack to the main hallway now. As you may recall the area that we actually want to go to is reached through the second pad in the room that we fought Gary in that you reach by using the pad in the first office on the 3rd floor...
Before we go for the final battle in is probably a good idea to check your kit to see if you need anything, and then duck outside and hit the Pokecenter to heal and save, and the Mart to re-supply anything you might need. Once all of that is out of the way, it is time to head to the final battle!
-- The Battle with Boss Rocket --
In the hallway outside is a Grunt that is the final guard..
Team Rocket Grunt has a Level 32 Cubone wirth 595 XP, a Level 32 Drowzee worth 699 XP, and a Level 32 Marowak worth 849 XP and $1024.
As we unlock the door and enter the President's Office we are confronted by Giovanni -- or Boss Rocket as he is also known -- who warns us to mind our own business. Too bad we suck at doing that, eh? And the battle begins!
Giovanni's first offering is his Level 37 Nidorino-M worth 934 XP. Next he sends out his Level 37 Rhyhorn worth 1069 XP, then his Level 41 Nidoqueen worth 1704 XP. Finally he sends out his Level 35 Kangaskhan, which is worth 1312 XP and $4100.
After you defeat Boss Rocket he gives a short speech and then runs away with all of his henchmen. The President of Silph Company is very grateful to you for rescuing them in their hour of need, and in a gesture meant to communicate his relief, gives you a gift: the Master Ball that Team Rocket was trying to get from him!
-- The Master Ball --
The Silph Company: Master Ball
You should be aware that there is only ONE of these in the entire game. The Master Ball is a special Poke Ball that when used will capture whatever you throw it at, without fail. It is a guaranteed capture -- it cannot fail!
That being the case you want to think long and hard before you use this. Make sure that the Pokemon that you use it on is one you would have a near impossible time capturing any other way... A lot of trainers hold on to this to use on one of the legendary Pokemon in the game -- but personally I think that is a waste, since you can -- if you are using the correct Pokemon and are patient -- catch even the most elusive of legendary Pokemon with regular balls.
No, I keep mine in reserve in case I ever run into a Shiny Pokemon, because it really hurts to run into one of those and fail to capture it! Shiny Pokemon are much rarer than the legendary Pokemon, and for most trainers, more desirable to boot! In the 10 plus years that I have been playing these games I have only run across perhaps a dozen Shiny Pokemon, and of that 12, only caught 7 of them. Those stats encompass thousands of hours of play, so that should say something about their rarity.
Now that you have completed this part of the game, go ahead and retreat to the Pokecenter to heal and save, check your kit for anything you need to replace, and, now that we are rested and ready, head for the Gym!
The Saffron City Gym Battle
Sabrina, the Saffron City Gym Leader, has mastered the nuances of Pokemon battle with Psychic Types, and that is what you will find when you arrive to challenge first the Gym, and then its Leader! But beating the AGL's and then Sabrina is only part of the challenge -- the other part is navigating through the many teleport pads that make up the puzzle that must be solved to progress through the Gym and, eventually, to the final showdown with Sabrina!
As you enter the Gym be sure to say hello to the Gym Greeter by the standard Gym Statues where you can verify that Gary has once again beaten you to the Gym and beaten the Gym Leader!
- The AGL's -
There are a total of 7 Assistant Gym Leaders at the Saffron City Gym, and each sports the signature Psychic Type Pokemon. Having worked your way, floor by floor, through the challenges presented by Team Rocket at Silph Company, and having cleared the Fighting Dojo next door, your team should be in perfect condition and Level to handle this Gym with no additional training other than the XP you will pick up battling the AGL's! So let us get to it!
Psychic Cameron has a pair of Level 33 Slowpoke worth 699 XP each, and a Level 33 Slowbro worth 1159 XP and $660.
Channeler Tasha has a pair of Level 33 Gastly worth 670 XP each, and a Level 33 Haunter worth 891 XP and $1056.
Channeler Amanda has a Level 34 Gastly worth 691 XP, and a Level 34 Haunter worth 918 XP and $1088.
Psychic Preston has a Level 38 Slowbro worth 1335 XP and $760.
Psychic Johan has a Level 31 Kadabra worth 963 XP, a Level 31 Slowpoke worth 657 XP, a Level 31 Mr.Mime worth 903 XP, and a Level 31 Kadabra worth 963 XP and $620.
Psychic Tyron has a Level 34 Mr. Mime worth 990 XP, and a Level 34 Kadabra worth 1056 XP and $680.
Channeler Stacy has a Level 38 Haunter worth 1026 XP and $1216.
Once you wrap up the AGL's head back to teh Pokecenter to heal and save, and then return to the Gym for the Main Event! The Battle with Gym Leader Sabrina!
-- Gym Leader Sabrina Battle --
After finishing off the AGL's you should have leveled almost the entire team to Level 44 -- my team was there save for one member, who was Level 43, so of course that is who I put in the front slot of my party for this epic battle!
Getting to Sabrina is actually very simple - as you can see in the video for this section - so just follow the steps below:
(1) Entrance Warp Pad
(2) Bottom Left Warp Pad
(3) Bottom Left Warp Pad
(4) Top Right Warp Pad
(5) Bottom Left Warp Pad
Voila! You have arrived! Now walk over to Sabrina and say hello to set this Battle Royale in motion!
Sabrina opens with her Level 38 Kadabra worth 1180 XP, followed by her Level 37 Mr. Mime worth 1077 XP. Next she brings out her Level 38 Venomoth worth 1123 XP, and her Level 43 Alakazam worth 1713 XP and $4300.
You also receive the Marsh Badge, which will allow you to control Pokemon up to Level 70, including those obtained in trades. She also gifts you with TM04, Calm Mind. After this all that is left is to backtrack out of the Gym and hit the Pokecenter to heal and save! Good on ya! Any pressure we might have had to feel about leveling our team is now gone, thanks to the large gap that now exists between here and Level 70!
A few loose ends in Saffron City
We have mostly taken care of the things that we had to do here in Saffron City, save for a few minor loose ends! So before we depart for the Seafoam Islands by way of Fuchsia City, why don't we wrap up the final bits here?
Assuming that you have completed the path as it is outlined above, all that should be left is to visit two homes in the City, one to learn about an item that we need, and one to learn a special move. So, exit the Pokecenter and go around the block to the next street and enter the house here to be yelled at by the girl who is writing a letter, before talking to the young man, who will clue you in that someone named Copy Cat wants a Pokedoll!
A quick check of our inventory reveals that we have a Pokedoll -- because we purchased one a long ways back, aware that we would need it here! Okay, *I* was aware that we would need it, you probably did not know WHY we would need it, but as long as you are following this walkthrough you should have, in your bag, a shiny new Pokedoll too!
Exit the house and, two streets up, enter the next house, which turns out to be the home of a young girl known far and wide by the nickname "Copy Cat" for her rude and unceasing mimicry of pretty much everybody! A quick chat with her parents on the ground floor reveals that she has paid dearly for her predisposition to mimic, but what can you do? Kids will be monsters... Errr... Kids!
Head upstairs now, and talk to Copy Cat -- the instant you say hello she spies the Pokedoll that is sticking out of your pack, and latches on to it! She is, in fact, so pleased with this "gift" that she offers to teach one of your Pokemon the move that earned her that unfortunate nick name -- Mimic!
Select whichever of your team you want to learn this move -- or don't -- you do not have to, this is simply an illustration of the potential for learning that move, after all! For instance, I had her teach it to my HM Mule in order to create the video of it being learned, but what you did not see was my resetting the game after leaving and after I stopped filming, because while that move might be a good one, there really is no point in teaching it to an HM Mule!
With this one lone loose end now neatly tied up, it is time to leave Saffron -- a City that we worked very hard to reach -- as we begin the next strenuous path on our long journey towards Pokemon Mastery and Fame! To the Seafoam Islands! Err... No... To Fachsia
The Capture of Articuno!
Previously on the Adventures of Us -- Our Hero has vanquished Giovanni, Leader of Team Rocket, depriving him once again of the prize that he sought through his evil ways, and liberating the President and employees of Silph Company, as well as the citizens of Saffron City! That's Hero -- H-E-R-O -- make sure you spell that right in the newspaper story about us, OK?
Having tied up all of the loose ends that remain in this, the Second Largest City in the lands, we hit the Pokecenter to heal and save, hit the Poke Mart in case we need to replace any of our kit. If you used some of the rarer items we may need to make a quick stop over in Celadon City in order to shop at the Department Store... If you need to do that, do it now. Done? Excellent!
Our next stop is Fuchsia City -- so pull out your Flying Pokemon and initiate Fly -- and happy landings!
-- Fuchsia City --
If you need to, go ahead and finish off anything here that you left undone. If you want to take another stab at the Safari Zone to grab any of the Pokemon that you did not get earlier, well, I am willing to wait for you. I will be sitting over there by that tree talking to that cute Beauty from Pallet Town. Just come get me when you are done, OK?
Right then! All set? Excellent!
-- Route 19 --
From here we want to head south on Route 19 to the water's edge. We beat up the trainers here a long time ago, so we do not need to fight them now, but we do need to get our feet wet, so dust off your Water Type and initiate Surf, and enter the water!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Route 19 Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
117 - Seadra / Fishing (Super Rod)
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod)
072 - Tentacool / Surf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Assuming that you have been following this walkthrough faithfully, the only Pokemon from the list above that you do not have is Seadra -- which is in fact the evolved form of Horsea at Level 32 -- and considering how high that level has to be to evolve it, if you get lucky and capture one good on you! But as it *is* one that we can evolve, this is something that you should save for after you have beaten the Elite Four and become the Pokemon Champion, right? Right!
So instead of spend a lot of time trying to catch a Seadra, we are instead going to spend a fair bit of time battling the trainers on this Route! Please remember that from this point onward we are "in training" for the battle at Victory Road that will crown us the Greatest Pokemon Master Anywhere! Yes, I know that there are still two Gyms left to be mastered, but the thing is, we need to get our entire team to Level 60 MINIMUM in order to take on the Elite Four and all that goes with it.
Level 60 is going to be a major haul for us, even with the benefit of the two Gyms we still have to battle -- which is why we are taking the long road to Cinnebar instead of the short road via Pallet Town!
We want to engage as many trainers as we can, and even so we will doubtlessly end up having to use the VS. Finder to cap off our team -- but we can burn that bridge when we get to it, right? Remember that a major part of our training strategy is to level up our team evenly, so make sure that you share out the XP evenly -- it works best working for these one level at a tiem. But for now, let's Surf baby!
Swimmer Tony has a pair of Level 30 Horsea worth 532 XP each, and $120.
Swimmer David has a Level 29 Goldeen worth 688 XP, a Level 29 Shellder worth 601 XP, and a Level 29 Seaking worth 1056 XP and $116.
Swimmer Douglas has a Level 27 Horsea worth 480 XP, a pair of Level 27 Tentacool worth 607 XP each, and a Level 27 Goldeen worth 642 XP and $108.
Swimmer Matthew has a Level 30 Poliwag worth 495 XP, and a Level 30 Poliwhirl worth 841 XP and $120.
Sis and Bro Lia & Luc are our first twins battle on the water, with a Level 30 Goldeen and Seaking worth 710 XP and 1092 XP respectively, and $240.
South of Lia and Luc is a group of four trainers clustered together -- this is an excellent VS. Seeker Training Spot (TM) when you need one later for leveling team members that are strong vs. Water Types, that is all I am saying...
Swimmer Axle has a pair of Level 27 Tentacool worth 607 XP each, a Level 27 Tentacruel worth 1185 XP, a Level 27 Staryu worth 612 XP, and a Level 27 Horsea worth 480 XP and $108.
Swimmer Alice has a Level 30 Goldeen worth 712 XP and a Level 30 Seaking worth 1092 XP and $120.
Swimmer Connie has a trio of Level 29 Staryu worth 658 XP each and $116.
Swimmer Anya has a pair of Level 27 Poliwag worth 445 XP each, a Level 27 Goldeen worth 642 XP, a Level 27 Seaking worth 982 XP, and a Level 27 Goldeen worth 642 XP and $108.
After this fight the path turns west, and changes into Route 20.
-- Route 20 --
Like Route 19 before it, this is a Sea Route, upon which you will be encountering Water Trainers with Water Type Pokemon.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Route 20 Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
117 - Seadra / Fishing (Super Rod)
079 - Slowpoke / Fishing (Super Rod)
072- Tentacool / Surf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Swimmer Barry has a Level 31 Shellder worth 643 XP, and a Level 31 Cloyster worth 1348 XP and $124.
Swimmer Darrin has a pair of Level 28 Horsea worth 498 XP each, a Level 28 Seadra worth 930 XP, and a Level 28 Horsea worth 498 XP and $112.
Note that these water routes will work fine for leveling your Electric, Grass, and Water Types, but not so good for leveling your Fire and Ground/Rock Types. For that reason I do not recommend trying to level the entire party in parity here -- even though that does create a temporary situation in which three of your team are higher in level than the other two core members -- this can be easily corrected when we are on land and, obviously, have targets that are more appropriate to their Types!
Swimmer Shirley has a Level 30 Seadra worth 996 XP, a Level 30 Horsea worth 532 XP, ans a Level 30 Seadra worth 996 XP and $120.
After this battle we make our first landfall on a large rocky island with a sandy beach. On the beach is a trainer for us to check in with who lets us know that Strong Trainers and Water Pokemon are common sights in these parts. That and the rumor that the famous Misty, Gym Leader of the Cerulean Gym is said to train here!
A sign ahead confirms for us that we have arrived at one of the Seafoam Islands, and the nearby cave entrance reveals a rather chilly downright icy reprieve from the heat outside!
Before we enter the cave though, there is the matter of that lone trainer floating just off shore -- so let us jump in and battle them before we go inside!
Swimmer Tiffany has a Level 35 Seaking worth 1275 XP and $140.
Now that she is out of the way, go ahead and enter the cave!
-- Seafoam Islands --
The Seafoam Islands: Entrance
As you enter the cave you will discover that there is quite an extensive system of apparently connected caves, caverns, and tunnels, which in theory should allow you to move from one island to the other without actually having to return to the surface!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Seafoam Islands Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
087 - Dewgong / Normal
042 - Golbat / Normal
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Fishing (Good Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good/Super Rod), Surfing
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
086 - Seel / Normal, Surfing
080 - Slowbro / Normal, Surfing
079 - Slowpoke / Normal, Fishing (Super Rod)
041 - Zubat / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As you venture further in you will come upon a treasure ball with an Ice Heal inside -- grab that -- and then continue along until you encounter a large boulder near a hole that happens to be just the right size for you to push the boulder into it! This cannot be coincidence, surely!
Using the HM Strength, we may as well push the boulders into the holes just to see what happens!
Making our way now to the other hole and boulder, we push that one in and, well, as there is naught else to do, why, we jump in after it! If by chance you happen to scare up a Golbat on your way, be sure to capture it, as we do not yet have that particular Pokemon in our Dex or in our Storage.
When we land below we discover that there is yet another boulder-shaped hole through which we might again push our boulder! How convenient! Let us do that now!
As we work our way towards the second boulder on this new level, we find a treasure ball with a Revive in it, and then we head up the nearby ladder and move to the second hole on the level above and drop down to find our second boulder, we find a repeat below.
When we drop down the second time after again pushing the boulder before us we discover that it is now partially blocking a river at the lowest level of the cave! We need to give that other boulder a final push, so head west and up a series of ladders to get to the other boulder and push it down to join its brother. On the way you will no doubt encounter a wild Seel -- so capture that!
Grab the Big Pearl in a treasure ball on the way, and then push that boulder down to fully block the river, thus making the area below it navigable. Dropping down we can now see that there are two possible paths to follow here! I would not be at all surprised if you encountered a Dewgong hereabouts, and if so, you really should capture it!
To the west is a collection of boulders, two of which you can easily drop down the adjacent holes -- so why not do that now? After dropping both boulders and then following them down we find ourselves floating on yet another becalmed lake -- thanks to our well-placed boulders! And we are precisely where we want to be too -- neat how that worked out!
-- Articuno --
To the north of where you are now floating is a very special Pokemon -- the first Legendary Pokemon that you will have encountered in the game so far!
Now, before you do anything rash, it would be a really good time to save your game just in case things go wrong in a few moments, right? When I say "go wrong" what I mean is that you (A) get your party wiped, or (B) KO the Articuno, both of which qualify as a bad outcome...
The reason that this would be bad is because, like all of the Legendary Pokemon, you only get one chance to capture it -- so if you KO it you basically blew it. Before we get into the details of how you are going to capture this, I want to come right out and say -- do NOT use your Master Ball on this Pokemon! As difficult as this one will prove to be to catch, there are worse Pokemon to catch in the game!
You will approach this the same as any other catch attempt -- once you get it down to a sliver of red you are ready to start trying to capture it -- though there are some very skilled trainers who claim that getting its health into the red is not really necessary, because, according to them, there is little difference between in the Yellow and in the Red with this one... I do not know if that is true or not, but my method is to whittle it down to a sliver of red anyway, because that is how you catch Pokemon!
Once you have it down to red, hit it with any non-damaging stat disabilities you have -- sleep for instance, or any other one that will not cause it to die but that *might* give you an edge... Let me be crystal clear about this -- catching this Pokemon will NOT be easy no matter how feels like it should be!
If you burn through all of your balls and still do not capture it, reload the game and try again. Remember this is strictly a matter of luck, not skill. You are hoping that the RNG hits one of the known four combinations of numbers that will allow you to capture it. It could happen on the hundredth throw or on the first, it is all just luck.
Once you do catch it you have a decision to make -- do you give it your own name? Serious Pokemon Trainers consider it to be bad form to actually change the name of a Legendary -- simply because there is only supposed to be ONE of them in the whole world, and its name IS its name, but it really is your call, so do as you please :)
Let us pause for a moment... First, congratulations on the catch, and on not using your Master Ball! Good on ya! Second, take a deep breath, save your game, and give yourself a pat on the back, mate, you did good!
-- Tying up Loose Ends --
Articuno is what this section and this part of the path was really all about, so you have essentially completed the section, but there are a few minor loose ends we should quickly wrap up before we leave here and complete the journey to Cinnabar Island...
Make sure that you save after catching Articuno, then work your way carfully through the area pulling Pokemon and making sure that you collect the treasure balls here. At a minimum you should collect the following items from treasure balls:
-- Big Pearl
-- Water Stone
- Pokemon we should leave with -
There are a few Pokemon we should make it a point to not leave here without -- at a minimum the lost below should be completed:
-- Dewgong (x1) for our Dex and Storage.
-- Golbat (x1) for our Dex and Storage.
-- Seel (x1) for oure Dex and Storage.
-- Slowbro (x2) one or our Dex and Storage, and one to trade to the NPC for Lickitung*
* For the complete list of trades see Appendix A
Transforming fossils into Pokemon
As you exit the caves of Seafoam Island, you will spot a trainer standing just outside of the exit!
Picnicker Irene has a Level 30 Tentacool worth 675 XP, a Level 30 Seel worth 642 XP and a Level 30 Horsea worth 532 XP and $$600.
With her disposed of, head back into the water and Surf to the west, on to the continuation of Route 20.
-- Back on Route 20 --
Ahead of you on a small sandbar you will spot Bird Keeper Roger, who has a Level 30 Fearow worth 1041 XP, a Level 30 Pidgeotto worth 726 XP, and a Level 30 Fearow worth 1041 XP and $720.
In the water to the west is Swimmer Nora, who has a Level 30 Shellder worth 622 XP, a Level 30 Cloyster worth 1305 XP, and a Level 30 Shellder worth 622 XP and $120.
In the water further west is Swimmer Dean with a Level 35 Staryu worth 795 XP and $140.
On a very small sandbar to the southwest is Picnicker Missy with a Level 31 Goldeen worth 736 XP, and a Level 31 Seaking worth 1128 XP and $620.
In the water to the west is Swimmer Melissa with her Level 31 Poliwag worth 511 XP, and a Level 31 Seaking worth 1128 XP and $124.
Melissa is the final battle as Cinnabar Island comes into view! On the shore you can see the Island's Gym, its Poke Mart, and its Pokecenter! As you make landfall you notice that there are people wandering about.
-- Cinnabar Island --
Our first stop is the Poke Mart, where you can re-supply part of your kit. Probably the most needful of items will be our Poke Balls, which we really put a dent into the supply of capturing Articuno. As we happen to have a large chunk of money at the moment, I think that a serious investment in Ultra Balls is in order -- there is no point really in buying the lesser balls, as the catch rate on the Ultra Balls is far superior to that of the Great Ball...
I decided to pick up 50 Ultra Balls, because there are some spots coming up where I do not want to be caught short on Poke Balls! Of course $60,000 in Poke Balls puts a serious dent into our budget (grin), but what can you do?
If you did not activate the Mystery Gifts system earlier you can do that here as well - simply target the Questionnaire on the counter and enter the phrase "Link Together With All" and it will unlock this, adding the option to the menu on the Start/Load Screen. If you are activating this, be sure to save when you are finished entering and the clerk congratulates you, right?
In addition to the Ultra Balls, you will probably need to restock Revives, Full Heals, and the cheap beverage healing items from the Celadon Department Store -- so it would be an idea, once you have the items that we can get here, to pop outside and Fly back to the Department Store and stock up on healing drinks before popping back to the Island!
And now that we are back -- and conveniently standing in front of the Pokecenter, why not head inside, heal, and then save?
-- Cinnabar Island Pokecenter --
The Cinnabar Pokecenter
Inside there is an old bloke who will encourage you to take advantage of the Union Room, but unlike the newer games in the series, LeafGreen and FireRed are not WiFi connected, so unless there are other trainers in the same room with you in real life with one of the games and a wireless adapter, going there is not going to be much fun!
The young trainer sitting on the east side of the table will reveal that you can cancel evolution and still learn techniques on your Pokemon... Good to know! The purple-haired trainer near the desk tells you that the Gym is locked -- but then she tells you that there may be a key somewhere in the Mansion that was partially destroyed by fire... I believe in the detective world they call that a clue :)
Nurse Joy happily heals our team, and of course we should save now, as we are in tip-top shape!
Examining your team should give you an idea of where you stand on level training. We are bound for the Elite Four and the Indigo Plateau, so keep in mind that this is all preparation for that! Before departing the Pokecenter be sure to use the PC and distribute the recently collected Pokemon to their proper boxes. With respect to Articuno, being as he is a Legendary, you may want to just drop him in the bottom of your B-Team Box for now?
Make sure you separate all of the trade-bound Pokemon into the Outgoing Box, so that when we get around to doing all of those trades they are conveniently grouped together, right?
OK, it is time to head out and take a look at the rest of the Island!
-- Cinnabar Island Proper --
The old bloke standing beside the Pokecenter outside fills you in on what the building next door is being used for these days, and as it is literally next door, that is our obvious next spot to visit!
As we enter we say hello to the bloke in the lobby and then enter the first room -- this is where two of the NPC trades are based -- we would need a Raichu and a Venonat, neither of which we have spare for at the moment, so we must politely decline for now!
The next room is the R&D Room -- Research & Development! There is a bloke in here that will teach you the move Metronome if you like -- we do not have a suitable Pokemon at the moment, so again, politely declined.
Use the computer in the back to learn about the Legendary Pokemon we caught -- and its two brothers!
The final room is the Testing Room, and when we head inside we find another NPC Trade -- this one for Ponyta. Remember where these are for later, right?
Now the reason we really game here!
-- The Fossil Doctor --
In the read of the room is a Doctor who, if you give him one of your Fossils, can turn it back into a living, breathing, Pokemon! Go and talk to him, and when he asks, give him one of your Fossils! He tells you that this will take some time, but really all that you need to do is leave the room and then return and he is finished!
Now had over the Old Amber and he sets to work while we step outside for a moment and then return, to collect our new Aerodactyl! How cool is that?!
In addition to covering the fossils in the video for this section, we also do the trade of our Venonat for a Tangela since we are here and it is convenient, and it would be nice to be able to show you that process :)
Obtaining the Secret Key
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
132 - Ditto / Normal
088 - Grimer / Normal
109 - Koffing / Normal
126 - Magmar / Normal
089 - Muk / Normal
020 - Raticate / Normal
019 - Rattata / Normal
037 - Vulpix / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- The Burned Mansion --
We may as well take it on faith that the Gym is, indeed, locked up, and head over to the Mansion now!
There are a few Pokemon here that we are going to want to capture while we are working our way through to obtain the Gym Key -- but first thing's first -- grab the Escape Rope in the treasure ball in the northeast corner of the ground floor, capturing a Grimer on the way!
In the northwest corner find Youngster Johnson who has a pair of Level 33 Ekans worth 438 XP each, and a Level 34 Raticate worth 844 XP and $544.
There is a switch in the room here that you can press if you like, doing so will open the door to the east that was blocking access to a treasure ball containing a Protein -- so grab that now, and capture a Vulpix while you are at it!
Now head back to the lobby and up the stairs to the level above, walk past the switch here for now and head up the nearby stairs. Grab the Max Potion from the treasure ball here and then fight the trainer here as well!
Burglar Simon has a Level 38 Ninetails worth 1449 XP and $3344.
Head back down the stairs then south down the hallway here to the checkered floor area, where you can grab a treasure ball with Zinc in it. Capture the Koffing as you move through the halls to add it to our Dex and Storage! You may as well capture a Muk while we are here, adding that to our Dex and Storage, right?
By now you should have captured one of everything that we do not have here, so lets reboot this so we are all on the same page here -- head back to the front door to the place, go outside and come back in to reset the building, then take that stairs up. Ignore any switches for now, head to the right and then up to the room in the top left corner where you will find a different set of stairs leading up.
To the east is a switch -- use that and it will open the door a bit further east and south -- enter that hallway to the south and you will notice that the floor ahead has collapsed. Ignore the trainer here for now, and walk off of the edge of the broken floor, and you will land on the floor below, where you will fight a trainer battle.
Scientist Ted has a Level 29 Electrode worth 931 XP, and a Level 29 Weezing worth 1074 XP and $1392.
Nearby is a treasure ball with a Carbos in it -- grab that and then take the nearby stairs down to the floor below. You see that closed door? Right, follow the path to the room ahead and another trainer battle.
Burglar Lewis has a Level 34 Growlithe worth 663 XP and a Level 34 Ponyta worth 1107 XP and $2992 -- being a Burglar must pay really well around here!
Use the switch here, and that will close the door above that you just came through but open the one from near where we entered this area at. Exit this room to the west and backtrack to the previously closed door, head inside where you will be attacked by a trainer.
Scientist Ivan has a Level 34 Magnemite worth 648 XP and a Level 34 Electrode worth 1092 XP and $1632, which just proves that science pays but crime pays better?
After the battle head up and to the right, and grab TM14, Blizzard, from a treasure ball in the room to the left. Now backtrack to the first room and throw the switch here, and head west to the now open door at the end of the hallway and grab the Secret Key off of the table in the next room.
The Cinnabar Island Mansion
In the room to the south is TM22, Solarbeam, so grab that now.
Return to the previous switch and throw it, then head back downstairs. and reset the first switch to its original position. Now follow the path to the east and south, where you will find you can now access the exit which leads out of the Mansion! You have basically completed the minimum that you have to do to have "finished" this dungeon -- but we are not into minimum effort here, are we? Of course not!
- Optional Completionist Stuff -
Turn around and head back inside, then make your way room by room and take out the trainers in the Mansion for the XP! You should concentrate on your Graveler (Rock/Ground) and your Charizard (Fire) as far as the XP here goes, because all of the other team members can do quite well with VS. Seeker rematches on the water nearby, whereas these two cannot. Ideally you should try to get them as close to Level 50 as you can, because getting the rest of the team to that level on the water will be very easy.
Burglar Arnie has a Level 34 Charmander worth 472 XP, and a Level 34 Charmeleon worth 1033 XP and $2992.
Scientist Braydon has a Level 33 Magnemite worth 628 XP, a Level 33 Magneton worth 1138 XP, and a Level 33 Voltorb worth 727 XP and $1584.
You will pick up some odds and ends in treasure balls -- an HP UP, an Iron, that sort of stuff, but with these last two trainers defeated we are pretty much done with the Mansion. Excellent job by the way!
Now depart the premises and head back to the Pokecenter to heal and save, then restock any essential kit you used up.
At this point you should have your Graveler and Char at Level 47, and one or two of the rest of the team there as well... Just for the sake of parity why don't we go ahead and level all of the team minus the HM Mule to 47? Use the VS. Seeker and the nearby and very convenient Swimmers to do that now. Done? Excellent! Heal and save again and then let us head to the nearby Gym!
Gym Leader Blaine
This Gym has something of a gimmick to it -- there are a LOT of AGL's here, and each one has a machine beside them that asks a basic question that any Trainer should be able to answer -- get it right and the door ahead opens and you can walk right in -- get it wrong and you have to fight the AGL to proceed.
The thing is, we actually WANT to fight the AGL's here! We want the XP they can give us! So we are going to intentionally get these questions incorrect -- but for the sake of this guide I will also provide the correct answers, just in case you are in a hurry or have already covered the XP for this leg and have your team at or close to Level 50... I took mine to Level 38 in preparation for this and that only required around 35 minutes using the VS. Seeker.
Now is also a good time to check over your kit, and top it off if anything is low. We actually have to adjust the kit levels here, as it would be appropriate to set the Indigo Road levels now. My kit is established (the main items anyway) at the following minimums:
-- Indigo Road Kit Levels --
-- 25 Fresh Water
-- 25 Soda Pop
-- 25 Lemnoade
-- 05 Hyper Potion
-- 15 Full Heal
-- 05 Revive
-- 05 Max Revive
-- 20 Antidote
-- 15 Burn Heal
-- 15 Ice Heal
-- 20 Paralyze Heal
-- 05 Escape Rope
-- 02 Poke Doll
-- 05 Max Repel
-- 05 Super Repel
-- 50 Ultra Ball
There are other elements in the kit -- but most of the rest are items whose numbers we have no influence over. For example, I have the 1 Master Ball, which I am saving for a very worthy Pokemon, and 3 Ether, 2 Max Ether, and 3 Elixir -- which represents every one I was able to find in the game up until this point. While I cannot control the numbers I have, I can hold on to the really important items, like the Ether and Elixers, so that they are available when I set out to fight the Elite Four.
The reason you want to be so well prepared -- I mean obviously the large numbers set as minimum levels for my kit are not realistic under usual circumstances since you are always close to a Poke Mart or the Department Store, being as they are only as far away as a Fly -- but when you set out to tackle the Elite Four it is an all-in-one-go battle session, which means you do not have the luxury of simply popping off to the Mart to replace kit between battles! That is why my numbers are so high, as like the Boy Scouts, I choose to Be Prepared!
You will benefit by doing the same.
Right, so we have covered all of the preparation issues that really need to be covered -- later on in the walkthrough we will be covering Move Assessment and Augmentation, but that is not something we need to worry about right now... So go do your final heal and save if you are satisfied with your base party levels and head for the Gym!
The Gym Greeter is waiting inside, and warns us that Blaine prefers Fire Type Pokemon, suggesting that a few Water Types on our Team would go a long way in the battles ahead. He also suggests that we lay in a supply of Burn Heals, but we have that covered already! A quick check of the sign below either statue reveals that Gary has proceeded us to this Gym. Go figure...
There are a lot more here than we usually expect, and while this seems odd, it is bonus time for XP! The Pokemon Levels we will face here run from the mid-30's to a spanning of the 40's so in a sense we are a little over-level for this Gym, but that is OK. It sets us up nicely to be able to proceed almost directly to the next and last Gym!
As mentioned previously, there is a Pokemon Quiz Machine near each door -- not each trainer, since there are trainers you will fight that do not have a door assigned to them -- and if you get the question correct you proceed, otherwise you fight the AGL.
As we want to fight the AGL's we intentionally get the questions wrong, but the CORRECT answers are included with each -- just do not use them unless you do not want to battle, right? Remember, the general rule of thumb here is to change Pokemon whenever your current one gains a new level...
The Cinnabar Island Gym Leader
- The AGL's -
Q1. Caterpie evolved into Matapod? (YES)
Burglar Quinn has a Level 36 Growlithe worth 702 XP, a Level 36 Vulpix worth 486 XP, and a Level 36 Ninetails worth 1372 XP and $3168.
Super Nerd Erik has a pair of Level 36 Vulpix worth 486 XP each, and a Level 36 Ninetails worth 1372 XP and $864.
Q2. There are nine certified Pokemon League Badges? (NO)
Super Nerd Avery has a Level 34 Ponyta worth 1107 XP, a Level 34 Charmander worth 2 XP, a Level 34 Vulpix worth 459 XP, and a Level 34 Growlithe worth 663 XP and $816.
Q3. Poliwag evolves three times? (NO)
Burglar Ramon has a Level 41 Ponyta worth 1335 XP and $3608.
Q4. Are Electric moves effective against Ground-type Pokemon? (NO)
Super Nerd Derek has a Level 41 Rapidash worth 1686 XP and $984.
Q5. Pokemon of the same kind and level are not identical? (YES)
Burglar Dusty has a Level 37 Vulpix worth 499 XP, and a Level 37 Growlithe worth 721 XP and $3256.
Q6. TM28 contains TOMBSTONY? (NO)
Super Nerd Zac has a Level 37 Growlithe worth 721 XP, and a Level 37 Vulpix worth 499 XP and $888.
This is the final AGL, as once you defeat him (or correctly answer the question) the door will open on Blaine's Room. Now BEFORE you take him on, there are a couple of things we should address...
You may as well head to the Pokecenter, heal and save, and return with your team full rested and restored prior to fighting Blaine... In fact do that now.
Second -- after we defeat Blaine and exit the Gym, Bill will be waiting outside for us and will stop us to talk. He wants us to go with him to a special destination. IF you choose to go (and you should) bear in mind that this is an adventure in itself, and a rather lengthy one at that. You will not be returning to Cinnabar (or the rest of the region) right away, so it is doubly important therefore that you fully restock your kit PRIOR to completing this Gym Battle!
Once you have fully restocked your kit and are ready to go, heal and save, then return to the Gym and proceed directly to Blain's Room and beat him.
-- Battling Blaine --
As was pointed out by the Gym Greeter, Blaine is partial to Fire Type Pokemon. What the Gym Greeter did not tell you, however, is that all of the Fire Type Pokemon in his team know a deadly move called Fire Blast that has the chance, if it connects, to one-hit KO most of your team. In fact if your team was lower in level getting one-hit would be almost a certainty.
One of the uses of your HM Mule is a tactic called buffering -- how it works is, when your team gets hurt bad or nearly wiped, instead of calling up one of your remaining core team members, you call up your mule, and then instead of attacking with him, you use a Max Revive on one of your KO'd core team members. Basically you are sacrificing your mule to revive a fully-recovered fully-healed member of your core team, which most trainers consider to be a reasonable tactic. You may not need to do this, but be aware of it in case you do...
Blaine opens the battle with his Level 42 Growlithe worth 819 XP, a Level 40 Ponyta worth 1302 XP, a Level 42 Rapidash worth 1728 XP, and a Level 47 Arcanine worth 2145 XP and $4700.
Blaine gives you the Valcano Badge that you earned, a badge that increases the Special Stats for your Pokemon. He gifts you with TM38, Fire Blast, and that is that! You have earned your 7th Badge, and have but one more to go!
Meeting Celio
As we exit the Gym in Cinnabar we run into an old friend, Bill. In case you have forgotten, Bill is the bloke who invented the PC Storage System for Pokemon that is in use in the region, and who helped to invent the Pokemon Transport System, a special machine that allows you to digitize your Pokemon in their Poke Ball and then send them -- like a FAX -- over long distances using the public Internet.
It seems that Bill is about to embark upon an adventure, and he wants you to come with him! Well, an invitation like that does not come along very often, and although we are presently working hard towards completing our goal to become a Master Pokemon Trainer and, with some luck and hard work, the World Pokemon Champion Trainer, perhaps it is time for a holiday?
Think about it... We have earned seven of the eight badges, we have trapsed from one end of the region to the other, and we have battled over a hundred different types of Pokemon! All that without a single break! We deserve a holiday mate! Besides, there are bound to be some trainers we can glom XP off of in this new area, it will add to our map and, perhaps even more important, it is bound to have types of Pokemon we have not encountered yet!
Sure we will go, Bill!
-- The Journey to One Island --
Bill's friend sent a boat to pick us up -- actually a fairly expensive double-hulled Ferry, but whatever... The important thing is that he sent a boat! After we follow Bill on board we are whisked off to One Island, a lush and green paradise that is something like Cape Cod...
Bill introduces us to his mate, Celio, but they end up getting sucked into working out a problem with the machine that he is building, and to get us out of their hair they give us some items that they want delivered to a nearby island. Right, some holiday this is turning out to be!
Being the nice bloke that we are, we go ahead and agree to help them out -- after all Bill did invite us on this holiday, would not want to appear ungrateful, now would we?
Before we depart though, we should have a look around, get the lay of the land, figure out what is going on. After all we not only have never been here before, we never even heard of the place before we arrived!
-- Pokemon Net Center --
The building that we are in looks like a typical Pokecenter save for the fact that there is extra hardware we are not used to seeing here. It is actually not a Pokecenter, but a Pokemon Net Center -- how cool is that?!
Checking the map on the wall reveals a series of islands in a chain -- we are on One Island, and to the north connected to it is Mt. Ember, which according to one of the trainers here is a Volcano that has not gone off in recent memory, so it should be safe, right?
Two Island has Cape Brink, while Three Island has the Berry Forest, but that is all that we can see for now... There is a PC here, but it is not in working order at the moment, so we cannot access our Pokemon, nor store new ones, and we have no access to our stored items or our own PC at home -- dude, the Net is down!
Somehow Nurse Joy is here! Excellent! May as well heal and save considering that we just finished a major Gym Battle -- a battle I might add that I was able to complete using just ONE of my Pokemon! How did you do, by the way?
A quick check upstairs verifies that save for the differences below, this is a typical Pokecenter. Now we head outside, where we see a few places we can explore! First though, we should talk to the people we see, get a grasp on the local news.
The house on the left belongs to a happy young woman, while the one on the right to a happy old couple. The strand of beach below their house leads to the Kindle Road, a route that is clearly at least partially sea-based.
-- Kindle Road --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
022 - Fearow / Normal
074 - Geodude / Normal
130 - Gyarados / Fishing (Super Rod)
116 - Horsea / Surf
099 - Kingler / Fishing (Super Rod)
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
052 - Meowth / Normal
053 - Persian / Normal
077 - Ponyta / Normal
078 - Rapidash / Normal
080 - Slowbro / Normal
079 - Slowpoke / Normal, Surf, Fishing (Super Rod)
021 - Spearow / Normal
114 - Tangela / Normal
072 - Tentacool / Surf
073 - Tentacruel / Surf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Despite the fact that all communications -- voice and data as well as Pokenetwork -- are down, we can still capture Pokemon and have our overflow end up in our regular Poke Storage Account! That is a good thing because there are more than a few new ones here that we want to capture!
I got lucky and pulled a Kingler right off the bat, fishing with the Super Rod just off shore, and a Tentacruel directly after, which I thought was rather fortunate. Ahead is a small sandspit with a trainer on it...
Swimmer Abigail has a pair of Level 35 Psyduck worth 600 XP each, and a Level 37 Golduck worth 1378 XP and $148.
To the north the rod continues on land, but before you climb out of the water and begin hiking, follow the coast up on the right to a small beach with a treasure ball that contains a Max Repel, and once you have that head back and climb onto the shore.
The first section of Tall Grass ahead will yield a Ponyta. There are rocks here that are breakable, but we do not have the HM we need to be able to break them - yet. So ignore those for now, and continue this unrestrained orgy of new Pokemon Captures! Persians are really common here, so if you did not evolve Meowth into one, you can grab one here,
Picnicker Claire has a pair of Level 35 Meowth worth 517 XP each, and a Level 35 Pikachu worth 615 XP, and a Level 35 Clefairy worth 510 XP and $700.
Picnicker Bryce has a Level 36 Nidorino worth 909 XP, a Level 36 Sandslash worth 1257 XP, and a Level 36 Raticate worth 894 XP and $720.
Crush Girl Tanya has a Level 38 Hitmonlee worth 1131 XP, and a Level 38 Hitmonchan worth 1140 XP and $912.
Swimmer Garrett has a Level 35 Shellder worth 727 XP, a Level 35 Cloyster worth 1522 XP, and a Level 35 Wartortle worth 1164 XP and $152.
Crush Kin Mik & Kia have Level 39 Machoke and Primeape worth 1218 XP and 1244 XP respectively, and $1872.
Black Belt Hugh has a Level 37 Machop worth 697 XP, and a Level 37 Machoke worth 1156 XP and $888.
Black Belt Shea has a Level 38 Machop worth 715 XP, and a Level 38 Machoke worth 1188 XP and $912.
Crush Girl Sharon has a Level 37 Mankey worth 586 XP, and a Level 37 Primeape worth 1180 XP and $888.
-- Ember Spa --
The Ember Spa
What appears to be the entrance to a cave turns out to actually be the entrance to a Spa on the island that features hot springs! Well, that makes sense, really, I mean where you find volcanos in nature you can usually find hot springs... In Washington State there are some hot springs (the Goldmeyer Hot Springs) near a mountain that I am reliably informed is actually an inactive volcano, and they are a pleasure to sit in.
Just inside and down a narrow hall the area opens up -- and a greeter here welcomes you. All over the area you see puffs of steam coming out of the ground, and ahead up a short set of stairs is an old woman who swears by the healing properties of the springs.
Ahead between the two waterfalls is the owner of the Spa, and after telling you how he made it, he gifts you his copy of HM06, Rock Smash, which you place in your TM Case. You need to teach this to one of your Pokemon -- unfortunately as is often the case, it likely will not be your HM Mule. Gah! I hate it when this happens! This is basically a useless move in combat -- I mean it is OK I guess, but there are so many better moves that I am loath to teach it to one of my core team, but we need this one for the areas ahead and that we have passed through...
On the bright side, it can be deleted later at the Move Deleter's house, but it would be an idea not to over-write an important move or one we cannot easily replace, right? After examining my team, I ended up choosing my Graveler, Hitman, not because it is a completely appropriate move for him -- it is -- but because he has Rock Blast...
While Rock Blast is a semi-useful move, the truth is that I intended to eventually replace it anyway, because it is a very inaccurate move, and it misses more often than it hits! Replacing it with the HM actually improves Hitman's move pool(?!) so it is a no-brainer. None of the other team members had moves on them that were even close to as useless as Rock Blast, and while YMMV depending upon your team makeup, if you have been following this walkthrough and you kept your team close to mine, then you will probably arrive at the same conclusion that I did.
One thing you will almost certainly want to do is edit your move order and change either Seismic Toss or Magnitude/Earthquake to be your first slot move... Did you choose Earthquake when we had the chance as a Level-Up move? I did not, I kept Magnitude, mostly because (1) it has more PP, and (2) we will be obtaining a TM with Earthquake later, so it was no great loss to abandon learning it.
Before you leave go ahead and climb down into the spring below and chat up the two blokes soaking there. The one on the right does not provide anything useful, but the one on the left urges us to step to the center of the spring -- and when we do our entire team is healed! Excellent! Be an idea to save at this point as well, considering the changes we have recently made to our moves.
-- Back on the Kindle Road --
We now have the ability to smash rocks -- coolio! But even so, there is no real need to instantly backtrack at the moment. Instead we should continue on our previous path, so jump in the water and Surf to the north now!
Swimmer Finn has a Level 38 Starmie worth 1684 XP and $152.
That huge chunk of XP sent my Charizard, Cinder, to Level 50, and as my Raichu, Peeka, is already Level 50, it behooves me to swap a lower level team member into the Number 1 slot now. The way this will work, if you are curious, is that by the time we leave the islands we will have all of our team leveled to above Level 50.
Remember that our target level is around 60 for our match against the Elite Four, but higher is better. It is doubtful that we would need to be as high as Level 70 for sure, but anything over 60 will be gravy! As a measure of insurance it would be an idea at some point in the near future to figure out what Pokemon is going to fill the Number 6 slot on your team when you face the Elite Four, and level it up to match the team's level ahead of that battle.
By now you have a large variety to choose from and all types -- I decided that I was going to use my HM Mule as my Number 6 instead of bringing in a new core teammate, and so I have been leveling it up all along, but I am very confident in the abilities of the team that I have put together, so having a solid anchor in the 6-slot is far less a concern that it otherwise might have been. If you are not all that confident in your core team for any reason, I urge you to select a strong Pokemon and take the time to level it up before you face the Elite Four -- getting that far and having it all blow up in your face would really suck!
Swimmer Maria is waiting with her pair of Level 37 Seadra that are worth 1228 XP each, and a reward of $148 she pays you for the privilege of having you whoop her butt!
Surfing in this area mostly pulls Tentacools, but there is an infinitesimally tiny chance of pulling either a Tentacruel or a Horsea here as well... But considering that you already have both of those and the Tentacool, what is the point of putting in that sort of time??
Fisherman Tommy is standing on a sand bar ahead, with his pair of Level 33 Goldeen worth 784 XP each, a trio of Level 35 Seaking worth 1275 XP each, paying you $1260 for the battle lesson you just taught him!
This was a VERY satisfactory battle and I am pretty sure the highest XP we have every received from a single trainer battle outside of a Gym... I could be wrong about that, but I do not think so, and either way this one is certainly going on my map for future VS. Seeker leveling! The end result of this one battle was leveling my Victreebel, Del Monte, to 50. I would be surprised if you did not get a level out of this battle too.
I made a quick visit to the Spa to recharge PP and heal, because we had a fair number of individual battles in this brief span between the trainers and wild Pokemon -- you do not have to do that, but it would be an idea, because that battle was the final one before we climb back onto land again.
Capturing the Legendary Moltres
-- Mt. Ember --
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
022 - Fearow / Normal
074 - Geodude / Normal
067 - Machoke / Normal
066 - Machop / Normal
126 - Magmar / Normal
077 - Ponyta / Normal
078 - Rapidash / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A narrow beach here leads to a double set of stairs, and then we zone out of this route and into the volcano area, which is surprisingly green! Ahead is a rather large but friendly bloke who makes some rather disturbing observations before offering to teach you the move Explosion -- that is right, he is a Move Tutor!
- Explosion -
Think long and hard about passing up this move, because Explosion is one of the more powerful moves in the game. Sadly the only team member that can learn it is our Graveler, and to learn it we have to make a judgment call -- which of the three moves that he has can we most live without?
Bear in mind that Explosion could easily come in handy when we face the Elite Four, but it is also not a first-choice move in any battle, rather it is a last-choice, we are about to die and need to take that bastard with us, pyrrhic victory sort of move! As King Pyrrhus might have told us -- if he wasn't dead I mean -- sometimes you have to sacrifice a lot to win... But as long as the victory is worth the sacrifice...
For me it came down to a choice between Seismic Toss and Rock Slide. While Rock Slide is a really useful move, it has half of the PP that Seismic Toss does, and ST is a little more reliable as far as accuracy is concerned, and in addition to that, does more damage on average, so it really was not a choice at all -- I over-wrote Rock Slide. You do not have to do this if you do not want to -- you can get by just fine without this move... But it really is a powerful one and is worth having, that is all I am saying.
- Rocket Power -
To the right along the path here you will spot a pair of Team Rocket Grunts standing by the cliff face. If you walk up and try to talk to them, you will overhear one saying:
"Over here. We'll try digging here. That treasure the Amins've been talking about should be here."
When his partner notices you eavesdropping he tells you to piss-off down the road! No worries, you cannot actually do anything with these two until after you have unlocked the National Dex anyway, but pointing them -- and that -- out to you is a good idea just the same.
Now head back to the move trainer and you will note that you cannot head up the stairs here, as there is a ledge and you are on the wrong side of it -- that is an exit, not an entrance in other words. All that leaves us is to head to the left (west) from here!
Our path is blocked by a large boulder -- so go ahead and push it out of the way until you can move around and past it, then do the same to the next one, and head a few steps north to confront a new type of trainer -- a Pokemon Ranger!
- - - -
Cue the music!
In the eyes of a ranger,
The unsuspected stranger
Had better know the truth of wrong from right,
'cause the eyes of a ranger are upon you,
Any wrong you do he's gonna see,
When you're in Kanto look behind you,
'cause that's where the Ranger's gonna be!
(Yes, I do think I am funny, thank you very much!)
- - - -
Pokemon Ranger Beth has a Level 38 Bellsprout worth 684 XP, a pair of Level 38 Gloom worth 1074 XP each, and $1368. Not only is she the first Pokemon Ranger that we have encountered (she is wearing the proper uniform as well), she is also one of the first trainers outside of a Gym that routinely uses healing potions as part of her battle technique, so you want to make sure to take a little health off of the front before you deliver the heavy moves so that you do not end up having to start from scratch again, right?
North of Ranger Beth is the first patch of accessible tall grass we have encountered in this area, but for the most part you already have the easy to pull ones. If you want to troll for the rarer ones be my guest, but when you are done doing that, continue along the path, where you will find some breakable rocks.
You can break those, or just head up the second set of stairs nearby as they lead to the same place, pausing for a quick trainer battle...
Crush Girl Jocelyn has a pair of Level 38 Hitmonchan worth 1140 XP each, and $912.
If you break the rocks there is a chance that it will spawn a Geodude for you to battle, but as we already have that Pokemon, the only reason to do that would be for the small amount of XP you will get.
Follow the path around east until you reach the treasure ball with a Dire Hit at the dead-end, then backtrack to the west where you will encounter another Pokemon Ranger who is sort of guarding the main entrance to the volcano.
Pokemon Ranger Logan has a Level 37 Exeggcute worth 777 XP, and a Level 40 Exeggutor worth 1816 XP and $1440.
A short distance past the Ranger is a cave entrance that leads inside of Mt. Ember, which consists of a medium-long corridor and then another entrance that leads into the main area of the volcano.
This is a great area to capture a Machoke, as it is not just the first place we can capture one, buy a location that has them in abundance. If you have yet to capture a Machop this is also a good place to do that as well.
Ahead of you is the exit, with the last few breakable rocks for this area, opening on to a short passage that ends in an exit to the outside, on the side of the mountain.
You will recall that set of stairs on the "right" side of the ledge that we were on the "wrong" side of earlier? This is the continuation of that path.
When you head up the stairs you will notice some moveable boulders to the right -- first smash the breakable rock closest to us, then move the bottom one out of the way and smash the rock that is blocking the other. Push the pair of boulders out of the way above to access the treasure ball that contains the Fire Stone, which you put in your pack. We will have a need for that one later.
The Team Rocket Factor
-- Legendary Pokemon Moltres --
Now head back to the west and continue past the stairs, following the path around and down to a dead-end with another treasure ball, this one containing an Ultra Ball! Excellent! Backtrack to the stairs now, and head up. After you zone into the next area, please save your game, and then work your way north, moving the boulders in the following manner:
(1) Push the right-hand boulder up.
(2) Push the left-hand boulder left.
(3) Push the middle boulder left.
(4) Push the top boulder up.
(5) Now push it right twice.
You now have access to your next Legendary Pokemon, Moltres!
- Moltres -
It would be an idea to save again now, before you engage, so that if anything goes wrong you can easily reload and try again...
You may recall that Articuno was a bitch to capture -- yes, well, here we go again! Just remember to follow these easy steps and you will certainly capture this one too:
(1) Whittle away its health so that it is in the red, but not at risk of death.
(2) Use any Stat modifiers -- like Paralyze, Sleep, etc. -- that you can.
(3) Be patient! This is a matter of LUCK, and NOT skill!
Moltres is one of the trio of Legendary Bird Pokemon, and the one we are facing here is Level 50, which means it will not be a push-over. With any luck you will be able to do serious damage to it on your first strike, which should cause it to use the move "Endure" which will guarantee it at least 1 HP if you hit it hard again.
IF it uses Endure, go ahead and hit it HARD, so that you take it down to 1 HP.
If it does NOT use Endure, be very careful with our second attack so you do not kill it.
Remember, you only get one chance at this guy, if you kill it, it is gone from the game forever (unless you saved so you can reload and try again).
At the risk of repeating myself from before, this really is a matter of luck -- you are trying to get one of the four known rolls from the Random Number Generator used by the game to cause the ball you throw to capture it. Adding stat modifiers and even lowering its health are not actually necessary here -- if you get the right roll, you capture it, regardless of its health or stats!
That being the case, your best strategy is to pick a Pokemon that it cannot one-hit-kill like Graveler or Gyarados, and simply keep it healed while tossing ball after ball. That way you are not using up any really valuable kit -- Lemonade we can replace all day long after all! Just keep your Pokemon in the game as it were, and toss those Ultra Balls until you capture it or run out of balls. If you run out, reload and do it again until you manage to capture it. That is all that there is left to say about this pull... Do not be tempted to use your Master Ball here, you will need that later.
After Action Report: I did not need to reload the saved game to capture this one.
When I started I had 48 Ultra Balls, and when I finally captured him, I had 11 Ultra Balls left. At the start I had 25 Lemonade and 5 Revive, and at the end I had 11 Lemonade and 2 Revive. This was not a cheap capture!
Still once you understand that it is the RNG you are fighting, and not the Pokemon in front of you, the many failures get easier to take, because you know that eventually you will capture it -- and you did! Good on ya, mate!
Now be sure that you save the game right away -- it would be heartbreaking if you accidentally turned off the game or it got reset or bugged and you had to do this all over again, right?
Obtaining the Ultimate Move
-- Mt. Ember Continued --
Now that you have captured the second member of the Legendary Trio of Pokemon Birds, you will be relieved to know that the last of the trio, the Electric Type, is tucked away at a Power Plant that we will be visiting after we take care of earning the final Gym Badge, but before we set out to defeat the Elite Four. Yes, you will have captured all three of them, and how cool is that?
At this point we just want to come off of the mountain, make it through the volcano, and back on to Kindle Road in order to reach the Spa, where we can heal and save. Once we have accomplished that, the order of the day is to work our way back to the Pokecenter, having completed what there is to do on this part of One Island!
On the way to the Pokecenter we will be breaking a few rocks to get at something we could not acquire before because we did not have the HM (were you wondering why we did not just Fly back to the Pokecenter? This is why).
Just south of the Spa there is a small area blocked by three breakable rocks in a line -- break those, then grab the oh-so-valuable Ether from the treasure ball here! Ah, another Ether to add to our kit, and thank you very much! This really will come in handy later!
Just to the south of here is a set of stairs leading up onto a raised section -- we were here before when we beat on the trainer that is south of here on the raised area -- but this time when we reach the end the pair of breakable rocks in a line will not prevent us from accessing the treasure ball, with its Carbos. I admit that this is not as valuable as, say, an Ether, but we will put it to use in buffing up our team for the Main Event later, to be sure!
After you grab the Carbos, take the nearby stairs to the small grass ledge and jump down rather than running all the way back to the main stairs. All that we need to do now is continue south, Surf to the other side of the pond, and hit the Pokecenter for a heal and save.
We are not quite ready to head for the next island, though it is tempting...
-- Treasure Beach --
Head towards the docks, but as you step into the dock instead of walking through the gate, surf off of the west side of the dock, and you will see that the accessible area widens to the south, and there are trainers in the water!
Swimmer Amara has a pair of Level 36 Seel worth 771 XP each, and a Level 36 Dewgong worth 1357 XP and $144.
South is the wide sandy stretch known far and wide as Treasure Beach, an area of the inner harbor of One Island where flotsam washes ashore often, and with it the occasional treasure ball! To locate these potentially valuable finds though, you will need to use your trusty Item Finder.
On the strand is another treasure hunter, who if you talk to him will admit that he comes here for the treasure. The items you can find here are random, and are not in fixed locations -- hence the lack of disturbed sand that usually gives away the location of a hidden object. Each time you visit the beach there will be a different item or items hidden about.
To the south of the beach is a section of tall grass, and if you did not trade for one, you can easily capture a Tangela here! They are quite plentiful for some reason.
At this point you should be down to only one team member that has yet to reach Level 50, plus your HM Mule... If you decided to level up your mule, a really good way to accomplish that if they are more than 5 levels below your current team level is to have them hold the Experience Share held item, which will automagically give them half of the XP from every battle you fight, whether wild or trainer based.
This will allow you to get your mule up to the party level without having to deal with the issues that usually impact leveling a lower-level Pokemon.
As soon as you finish up here, return to the docks, hitting the Pokecenter to heal and save if you need to, then use your new Tri-Pass to head for Island Two now!
The Market on Two Island
-- Two Island --
After you get off of the boat and leave the docks, follow the path around but, before heading north to the Pokecenter, continue east to the tree, cut it, and go into that small area where you will find a treasure ball with a Revive in it -- cool, we just replaced one that we used getting Moltres and did not have to pay for it!
Head inside the Pokecenter now, heal and save, then talk to the trainers here to hear some hints about the Island. The network is still down, which means that the PC is not accessible either. Bummer.
Around the corner is a small open-air shop, but at the moment all it has for sale is Great Balls and Fresh Water. My understanding is that the inventory changes in this shop after you accomplish key but unspoken goals -- some of which are objectives in the Islands, while others involve the mainland, for example beating the Elite Four adds some items to the inventory.
For now the only purchase we need to make is to pick up some Great Balls, as thanks to Moltres we burned through all but a handful of our Ultra Balls! I would rather be buying Ultra Balls, but we cannot get access to them, so Great Balls will have to do. I bought 15, which combined with the 11 Ultra Balls I have left, gives me a little breathing room if I run into a particularly resistant Pokemon.
-- The Game Corner --
Below the shop is a house, and connected to it is the Game Corner -- but this one is different from the one on the mainland... In fact unless you have a human partner there is not much we can do here really, but visit anyway, because it is where we trigger one of the missions we need to do!
Inside the manager is frantically running back and forth, upset that his daughter Lostrelle is missing. He prevails upon you to help him find her, suggesting that Three Island may be the place to look. While he is explaining all of this, an evil Biker crashes through the door.
It seems that he thought this was Three Island... Could that have been foreshadowing?
If you check with the desk clerk you will be told that no games are being run today -- games here are not the slots, rather they are interactive games you play with another human trainer, like the Dodrio Berry-Picking Game, and Pokemon Jump. No worries, you can better explore this when you have someone to play with -- that is beyond the scope of this walkthrough anyway!
We are done here for now, so go ahead and exit, then step into the house next door.
-- Pokemon Move Maniac --
Inside the house is a rather rotund individual whose special gift is the ability to teach any Pokemon any move that it has previously learned and then forgotten!
Well, forgotten in the sense that you over-wrote the move with another move. The point though is that you now have the ability to recover a move, something that is especially valuable if you accidentally wrote over a move you did not intend to. As with any really useful service in the game, there is a catch...
The Move Maniac will only preform his service for a fee -- specifically for either two (2) Tinymushrooms, or one (1) Big Mushroom. That might be something of a problem for you in that these items are only obtained as the held items of captured Pokemon...
They are more often found on Paras' -- in fact frequently -- but you do not want to run about capturing a dozen of those, do you? Of course not! And what is more, you do not have to!
If you check your TM Case you will notice a move there, TM46, Thief, whose description states: "An attack that may take the foe's held item if the user is not holding one."
In simple terms, once you have taught this to a Pokemon in your team, you make sure that that Pokemon is not holding any item, then you target a wild Paras and use this move, and it will steal the mushroom that the Paras is holding! All you need to do then is kill the Paras, find another, and rinse and repeat until you have an adequate supply on hand!
Your best practice here is to capture a Meowth and teach it that move, and then level it to a reasonable level, mid-20's or early 30's is about right. The reason you should use Meowth is that it will serve dual purposes -- in addition to being your Thief Mule, it also fills the position of what many trainers call a "Drag Mule" -- a Drag Mule is any Pokemon that has the natural ability of Pick Up -- meaning that it randomly picks up items that it finds in the wild.
Drag Mule's are incredibly convenient -- in fact later I am going to outline a small side-mission you will be undertaking that involves them prior to setting out for the Elite Four!
For now though there is nothing we can do here, so go ahead and hit the door!
The Perfect Move House
-- Cape Brink --
Now that we are done on the lower level of the Island, go ahead and climb the stairs behind the Game Corner to reach the start of Cape Brink.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Area Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
022 - Fearow / Normal
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
052 - Meowth / Normal
053 - Persian / Normal
060 - Poliwag / Fishing (Good Rod)
061 - Poliwhirl / Fishing (Super Rod)
080 - Slowbro / Normal
079 - Slowpoke / Normal
021 - Spearow / Normal
070 - Weepinbell / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
At the top of the stairs is a clearing and a pond that is fed by a waterfall, and a route through tall grass on your left. Before we take that route, we need to Surf out into the pond, and do some fishing! We need to catch two (2) Poliwhirl -- one for our Dex and Storage, the other because there is an NOC that wants to trade us a rather special Pokemon for one of these!
So first, catch a pair of Poliwhirl. If you somehow failed to get a Poliwag earlier, catch one of those now as well!
Once you have the Poliwhirls go ahead and climb the tall grass path on the left to the top, where you will find a small cottage, and inside the cottage a very nice woman. She is, if we interpret the implications, a Move Designer.
-- The Ultimate Move --
Specifically she has created what she considers to be "The Perfection" in moves -- for the right Pokemon that is...
How this works is simple - she will examine whatever Pokemon you have in the Number 1 Slot in your party. If it is not a Pokemon that is appropriate for the move she has designed, she will simply examine it and then say... No. A simple "No" but in that simple word is everything! She has examined your prized Pokemon, she has measured it, appraised it, judged it, and found it wanting! Bwah!
OK so what is she looking for then? Simple. She is only interested in one of the Starter Pokemon, that is what. You can show her the other ones until the cows come home and she will not be interested, but show her a Starter, and you are in, mate!
The good bit is that the moves that she is teaching are actually worth knowing... Even if you can only use them 5 times before you have to recharge PP, they are, to be blunt, the sort of moves that one uses to deliver the coup-de-grace, the killing blow.
As you can see in the video, I chose to replace Slash with Blast Burn, and believe me that was no easy decision. After all, Slash had fairly high PP, but on the other hand it was a Normal Type move, and Cinder is a combo Fire/Flying Type Pokemon, which means that replacing a Normal Type move with a Fire Type move is a good idea. So there you have it...
Once she has taught the Ultimate Move to your Starter we have pretty much exhausted all that Two Island has to offer, so it is time once again to make for the docks and use our Tri-Pass to move on!
Saving Little Lostelle
-- Three Island --
The last of the Sevii Islands, Three Island is home to the largest town in the chain and, no surprise here, also where your quests will resolve!
When you arrive at Three Island and step through the gate at the docks the first thing that you will see is a pair of obnoxious bikies harassing a woman! Well, we have to put a stop to that now, don't we?? Well apparently no, we don't. Or rather, we cannot -- as we cannot attack them.
To the right you see the entrance to a cave -- but unless you have beaten the Elite Four and obtained the National Dex there is no point in going in there, so ignore that for now, right? Instead go on and head north towards town, where we will encounter a large group of bikies vs. town folks!
Before you do anything about the bikies, head inside the Pokecenter, heal and save, and then talk to the trainers here to learn that the PC Network is back up! Excellent! Head over to the PC and distribute the fairly large number of Pokemon from the Incoming Box to their respective boxes first.
Now take a moment to look through the boxes and remove the items from the Pokemon that this is appropriate on -- basically you are looking for berries and mushrooms, of which there should be a few! Obviously we want the mushrooms to get an idea of how many we may need to farm later. With that done, it is time to see to the bikies!
-- Dealing with the Threat --
One of the town folk tries to reason with the bikies to no avail, then one of them notices you and, Katy bar the door!
Biker Goon has a Level 37 Koffing worth 902 XP, and a Level 37 Grimer worth 710 XP and $740.
Biker Goon has a Level 38 Koffing worth 926 XP and $760.
Biker Goon has a Level 38 Grimer worth 732 XP and $760.
Cue Ball Paxton has a Level 39 Weezing worth 1442 XP, and a Level 39 Muk worth 1310 XP and $936.
After beating all four bikers in a row the leader cries Uncle and they all ride to the ferry and leave the island, after which the locals thank you. One of them gives you a Full Restore -- nice! -- and the other lets you know where Lostelle was last seen.
-- The Town --
You have been to the Pokecenter -- and in fact we should return there now to heal and save! The house in the bottom left is empty, and the one above on the right has a little girl who provides more information about Lostelle.
The house beside the Poke Mart has a man and his child in it -- the man warns that there are Ghosts in the Berry Forest!
-- Poke Mart --
Thankfully this one has some inventory as we desperately need to restock some of our kit! I replenished my Ultra Balls, getting the total in my kit to 50 again, and then replaced my Revives, and my Full Heals. That pretty much marks the limit of what we can do here -- for the rest we need the Celadon Department Store, so it will have to wait a bit...
Head north and then east, cut the small tree, and head inside here and follow the path to the south, where there is a treasure ball with Zinc in it at the end. Now backtrack, ignoring the two houses as they contain nothing of interest, and cross over to the next area, Bond Bridge.
The Bond Bridge
-- Bond Bridge --
The path leads to several sections of tall grass -- on the left is a small tree that can be cut to create a shortcut to the next part of the area, though using that would deprive you of a twins trainer battle!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Three Island Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
069 - Bellsprout / Normal
118 - Goldeen / Fishing (Good Rod)
097 - Hypno / Normal
098 - Krabby / Fishing (Good/Super Rod)
129 - Magikarp / Fishing (Old/Good Rod)
052 - Meowth / Normal
053 - Persian / Normal
017 - Pidgeotto / Normal
016 - Pidgey / Normal
080 - Slowbro / Normal
079 - Slowpoke / Normal
072 - Tentacool / Surf
073 - Tentacruel / Surf
049 - Venomoth / Normal
048 - Venonat / Normal
070 - Weepinbell / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Twins Joy & Meg have Level 37 Clefairy worth 536 XP each and $888.
A large and obvious rock to the left on the level below has a hidden Max Repel.
Aroma Lady Violet has a Level 36 Bulbasaur worth 492 XP, a pair of Level 36 Ivysaur worth 1086 XP each, and $1008.
From here you head down on the beach for the next trainer match.
Tuber Alexis has a pair of Level 34 Staryu worth 770 XP each, and a pair of Level 34 Krabby worth 836 XP each and $136.
At this point your entire team should now be at least Level 50, so you are about to begin the final segment of leveling towards the target of 60 and well done!
Tuber Amira has a Level 34 Poliwag worth 560 XP, a Level 34 Poliwhirl worth 981 XP, and a Level 34 Poliwag worth 560 XP and $136.
Aroma Lady Nikki has a Level 37 Bellsprout worth 666 XP, and a Level 37 Weepinbell worth 1197 XP and $1036.
-- The Berry Forest --
As we move ahead we arrive at the entrance to the Berry Forest, which is reputed to have ghosts infesting it... Perhaps it does, it has the correct music for them.
There are some trees to cut, though they are not placed in any logical manner, but as we move through the tall grass the opportunity to collect a Hypno will present -- and since we still need that one for our Dex, we should do that!
As you follow the meandering path, look for the small pond, Surf out to the other side, and claim the Full Heal from the treasure ball there. To the north and west of this location is another treasure ball with an invaluable Max Ether in it, so be certain to grab that as well!
As you work your way west and north you will arrive at a long wide path at the end of which is Lostelle, who it turns out is a very young and little girl... It seems that a Hypno has been harassing her and has her terrified -- so we should deal with him harshly!
After we send that rogue Hypno to Pokemon heaven Lostelle is so grateful she gifts us with a rare Iapapa Berry -- and then you take her home!
-- Mission Accomplished.. And Accomplished! --
Now, before you leave, and after Lostelle and her father are done talking to you -- talk to her father again, because it turns out that he is the person you are meant to deliver that Metorite to! Excellent!
This basically wraps up our adventures in the Sevii Islands! After you exit the building use Fly to return to One Island and talk to Bill, reporting your success. He happily leads you back to the Ferry and you return to Kanto!
If you want to return to the Islands for any reason you can use the Tri-Pass to take the Ferry from Vermilion City at the docks where the S.S. Anne was!
The Viridian City Gym Leader is...
As we contemplate the upcoming final Gym Battle and the earning of our 8th Gym Badge, we must prepare by restocking our kit as well as one additional concern -- you see, the time has come for us to finally look to the moves of our Pokemon.
Up until now the moves we have assigned to each Pokemon were mostly a matter of convenience -- for the most part whatever moves that they acquired in the process of Leveling was sufficient -- in a few rare cases we might have intentionally added a specific move from our TM Case, this being more of a strategic decision and part of the process of replacing inferior moves, and of course there was the assignment of various HM's as needed, but now we must take a very critical look at each of our team members, and not just at their moves.
Some of the very good moves have a low PP count, which translates often to the ability to use a move less than a dozen times before its PP is gone, and you have to seek out a healing spot. There is something that we can do about this, but it requires careful planning and resource management.
Unless you can find the uber rare PP-UP devices that can be used to increase the number of PP points for a given move, the only solution to this limiting issue is Ether. There are several types we can have:
- Ether (Restores 10 Points)
- Max Ether (Fully Restores all Points)
- Elixer (Restores 10 PP for ALL moves on ONE Pokemon)
The problem is that you cannot buy these, you can only find them. Obviously if you could purchase Ether than this would not be a problem at all, now would it? Hopefully you have been hoarding these and not using them, because you are going to need them when you take on the Elite Four...
Spend some time now carefully reviewing what you have in your TM Bag and the moves of your team. If you see any areas that you can improve upon, do it now, so that you can test out the improvements on the final Gym, and thus know for sure that you have the team set up correctly for the Elite Four! When you are ready, go to the Gym.
-- Viridian City Gym --
The old gentleman standing outside of the Gym cheerfully tells you that the Gym Leader has returned! Inside you see the Gym Greeter and say hello. The Greeter tells you that he does not know the identity of the Gym Leader -- odd that he should feel the need to tell us that... Perhaps there is a reason? He also tells us that the Gym favors Ground-type Pokemon. Hmm.
As is always the case, the first order is to take care of the AGL's.
-- Assistant Gym Leaders --
Tamer Cole has a Level 39 Arbok worth 1228 XP, and a Level 39 Tauros worth 1762 XP and $1560.
Black Belt Kiyo has a Level 43 Machoke worth 1344 XP and $1032.
Cooltrainer Samuel has a Level 37 Sandslash worth 1291 XP, a Level 38 Rhyhorn worth 1098 XP, a Level 37 Sandslash worth 1291 XP, a Level 39 Nidorino-M worth 985 XP, and a Level 39 Nidoking worth 1629 XP and $1404.
Black Belt Atsushi has a Level 40 Machop worth 753 XP, and a Level 40 Machoke worth 1251 XP and $960.
Cooltrainer Yuji has a Level 38 Sandslash worth 1326 XP, a Level 38 Graveler worth 1090 XP, a Level 38 Onix worth 879 XP, a Level 38 Graveler worth 1090 XP, and a Level 38 Marowak worth 1009 XP and $1386.
Tamer Jason has a Level 43 Rhyhorn worth 1243 XP and $1720.
Cooltrainer Warren has a Level 37 Marowak worth 982 XP, a Level 38 Rhyhorn worth 1098 XP, a Level 37 Marowak worth 982 XP, a Level 39 Nidorina worth 976 XP, and a Level 39 Nidoqueen worth 1620 XP and $1404.
Black Belt Takashi has a Level 38 Machoke worth 1188 XP, a Level 38 Machop worth 715 XP, and a Level 38 Machoke worth 1188 XP and $912.
That completes the AGL's, which means all that is left is the Leader!
-- The Viridian City Gym Leader is... --
Giovanni?! All this time the Super Villain is a Gym Leader?! Does the Pokemon League know this?! Good gravy!
Giovanni leads with his Level 45 Rhyhorn worth 1300 XP, following with his Level 50 Rhyhorn, worth 1446 XP. His Level 42 Dugtrio is worth 1377 XP, while his Ldevel 44 Nidoqueen gives a massive 1828 XP! His final Pokemon is his Level 45 Nidoking, which is worth 1879 XP and $5000.
He hands over the Earth Badge, explaining that now Pokemon of any level will obey, including those from trades. As a gift he hands over TM26, Earthquake, mentioning that it would be useful for our challenge of the Elite Four!
I don't know about you but I was not expecting it to be him -- it had been so long since I played the original game that I was not sure who it was, but I did not expect it to be Giovanni.
Exit the Gym now and head back to the Pokecenter to heal and save, and then we have a few minor chores to do before we begin our challenge of the Elite Four!
We are almost done and ready for the grand finale - but first there are a few minor issues to take care of, starting with the last of the three Legendary Birds!
Catching the Third Legendary Bird
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- The Power Plant Pokemon -
(Key: Pokedex # - Name / Acquisition Method)
101 - Electrode / Normal
081 - Magnemite / Normal
082 - Magneton / Normal
025 - Pikachu / Normal
100 - Voltorb / Normal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After you heal and save, use Fly to go to the Rock Tunnel Pokecenter, and then head north on the path to the water and Surf south to the shoreline by the Power Plant. When you hop onto the shore you will be attacked by a trainer.
Pokemaniac Mark has a Level 29 Rhyhorn worth 838 XP, and a Levle 29 Lickitung worth 789 XP and $1392.
Inside the Power Plant you will find a treasure ball with a Max Potion on the path. Shortly after that you should pull a Magnemite -- and as we do not have one of these, you should capture it! As you work your way along the path you will pull a Magneton as well, so capture that!
In the corner down the center hall is an Electrode pretending to be a treasure ball - capture him!
In the far southeast corner is a treasure ball with TM25, Thunder, in it. Be sure to grab that. In the northeast corner is a Thunder Stone that you will want to grab, and that is on the way to the Legendary Bird Pokemon Zapdos anyway!
-- Capturing Zapdos --
Make sure that you save before you try to do this capture!
The previous advice from the other two holds true here -- it is almost all luck, but do what you can to increase the odds in your favor, and then just start tossing balls until he is caught! I will say though that of the three, Zapdos has to be the easiest to catch! I got him in three throws, which is either amazing improbably luck, or he is just easier to catch... The only trouble I had with him was getting his health down, because of his infuriating Protect ability.
Watch the video for this section, it shows the entire engagement from start to finish: 3 Ultra Balls, three minutes and thirty-five seconds... Priceless.
Mule Drag Team
As previously mentioned, among the many different types of "Mule Pokemon" (a Mule is just a special utility Pokemon who does one or two things of use to you that you would not want to assign to a regular team member) is the Drag Mule -- a Pokemon that has the natural ability called Pick Up that allows it to "find" items upon exiting a battle.
To set this up you need to head over to Route 5 and catch at least 5 Meowth -- preferably 6. Then you need to pick one to be the Team Leader, and you need to level it to around 30 or 31. Once you have it to that Level area, teach it the HM Cut, and then assemble your team with that one in the Number 1 Position, then head out to a section of tall grass that has Pokemon that it can easily one-hit-kill.
The mechanics of this are simple: There is a 10% chance that each of your Drag Mules will "pick up" an item as you are exiting battle mode.
It may sound unlikely, but using a Drag Mule Train (a full party of Meowth) can get us items that we really need for the final battle with the Elite Four. Items like Rare Candy, Ether, and PP-UP -- basically the stuff that we need to both prepare for that big battle and survive while in it...
A good target goal is around 25 Rare Candy and a dozen or so of the other items -- once you have that many you can stop.
Good luck!
The Fourth Battle
As you enter Route 22 your Rival Gary once again pops up -- and yes, it is time for a Rival Battle! You would think he is getting tired of losing to us, but no, here he is, ready to lose again!
Gary has a Level 47 Pidgeot worth 1731 XP, a Level 53 Blastoise worth 2385 XP, a Level 45 Growlithe worth 877 XP, a Level 47 Alakazam worth 1233, a Level 45 Rhyhorn worth 1300 XP, and a Level 45 Exeggcute worth 945 XP and $1908.
Arogance... He loses to us but then tells US that WE need more practice?! Gah!
A quick trip back to the Pokecenter to heal and save, and now we are seriously on the way to the Elite Four...
Follow Route 22 up and around to the Pokemon League Front Gate, pass through the lobby and get inspected by the guard, who passes us through once he spots our Boulder Badge! The next guard checks us for the Cascade Badge, and allows us to pass.
Another guard, and this time it is the Thunder Badge he wants to see... Then the Rainbow Badge, a quick Surf and we show our Soul Badge, then the Marsh Badge and we are back on land. The guard at the next gate wants to see our Volcano Badge and we show it to him!
The last gate and he wants to see our Earth Badge, then we step onto Victory Road!
-- Victory Road --
You can do as you like here -- you can clear the place out by fighting the trainers if you like, but at this point we are ready to take on the Elite Four, and unless you really want the extra levels, there is no real point to it. So I passed through this area in the shortest amount of time possible -- and I suggest that you do the same! There is a major series of battles ahead, let us not waste time!
Your first task is to push that boulder all the way to the east and put it on top of that switch. After that take the stairs up and around the now open path to your first battle!
Cooltrainer Naomi has a Level 42 Persian worth 1332 XP, a Level 42 Ponyta worth 1368 XP, a Level 42 Rapidash worth 1728 XP, a Level 42 Vu;pix worth 567 XP, and a Level 42 Ninetails worth 1602 XP and $1512.
A short distance along the path and we have our next battle!
Cooltrainer Rolando has a Level 42 Raticate worth 1044 XP, a Level 42 Wartotrtle worth 1287 XP, a Level 42 Charmeleon worth 1278 XP, a Level 42 Ivysaur worth 1269 XP, and a Level 42 Charizard worth 1881 XP and $1512.
Take the ladder here and then move the boulder on to the switch in the lower left-hand corner. Head up on the raised area that is now unblocked for our next battle!
Black Belt Daisuke has a Level 43 Machoke worth 1344 XP, a Level 43 Machop worth 810 XP, and a Level 43 Machoke worth 1344 XP and $1032.
Grab TM37, Sandstorm in the corner of the next area below, and then the Full Heal above.
Juggler Nelson has a Level 41 Drowzee worth 895 XP, a Level 41 Hypno worth 1449 XP, a pair of Level 41 Kadabra worth 1273 XP each and $1640.
Tamer Vincent has a Level 44 Persian worth 1395 XP, a Level 44 Golduck worth 819 XP, and $1760.
Juggler Gregory has a Level 48 Mr. Mine worth 1398 XP and $1920.
Beyond him is TM07, Hail, which you should grab, and then backtrack, heading up the ladder here.
Cooltrainer George has a Level 42 Exeggutor worth 1908 XP, a Level 42 Cloyster worth 1827 XP, a Level 968 XP, a Level 42 Electrode worth 1350 XP, and a Level 42 Sandslash worth 1467 XP and $1512.
Beside him is a treasure ball with a Max Revive in it, so grab that and then double back and go up on the raised level to the west for the next battle.
Cooltrainer Alexa has a Level 42 Clefairy worth 612 XP, a Level 42 Dewgong worth 1584 XP, a Level 684 XP, a Level 42 Persian worth 1332 XP, and a Level 42 Chansey worth 2295 XP and $1512.
At this point I ended up running out of PP on enough moves that it was time to bail out and heal up, so I used a trusty Escape Rope and then Flew back to town to do that. I also took the opportunity to restock my kit. Once that was accomplished it was a quick run back along to where I bailed from, and we resume the journey!
Just an observation: while it was often convenient early on to be able to pull wild Pokemon, and it helped with leveling, at this point it is more of an annoyance than anything else! I have not been saying so, but you can safely assume that I am making this journey using Repels. In fact I upped my kit minimum on the two top tier Repels to 20 each, and that should give you a clear idea of the present tactics (grin).
-- Return to Victory Road --
We will have to repeat a lot of the steps we took earlier, but this also means we can grab some of the things that we may have ignored earlier as well! So, push that boulder onto the switch again, but this time head up the stairs and around to where the other boulder is blocking the two treasure balls.
To get to these we basically have to pick one to get now -- as the other will be blocked by the boulder, and then come back after leaving the zone to reset it. The western one is a Rare Candy, and I grabbed that first, while the north one is TM02, Dragon Claw (nice one).
Now head back up the ladder in the corner and push the boulder here onto the switch in the lower left corner again. Do not forget to talk to the trainers that you have already beaten, because they have some interesting things to say! One tells you that Gary has already passed through here, while another encourages you by pointing out that you earned the right to be here.
The boulder that you see immediately after accessing the level actually belongs on a switch far to the west -- you need to push it along that north passage to the switch, basically. Grab TM50, Overheat, below and to the east of the switch, and then head down the ladder here...
Your next battle is below -- Pokemaniac Dawson has a Level 40 Charmeleon worth 1216 XP, a Level 40 Lapras worth 1876 XP, and a Level 40 Lickitung worth 1087 XP and $1920.
To the west is a treasure ball with a Guard Spec inside of it. Follow the path around and down to the pair of trainers who are standing sort of at angles to each other and battle them now.
Cooltrainer Caroline has a Level 42 Bellsproute worth 756 XP, a Level 42 Weepinbell worth 1359 XP, a Level 42 Victreebel worth 1719 XP, a Level 42 Parasect worth 1152 XP, and a Level 42 Paras worth 630 XP and $1512.
Cooltrainer Colby has a Level 41 Kingler worth 1809 XP, a Level 42 Tentacruel worth 1844 XP, a Level 42 Poliwhirl worth 1179 XP, a Level 42 Seadra worth 1395 XP, and a Level 43 Blastoise worth 1935 XP and $1548.
On the second level after working your way around the raised island push the boulder into the hole it is sitting beside, then drop down into the hole after it and, pushing it west, place it on the switch. That will open the rocks blocking access to the ladder up nearby. Head up and you will encounter a tinw battle...
Cool Couple Ray & Tyra have Level 45 Nidoqueen and Nidoking worth 1866 XP and 1875 XP respectively, and $2160.
Behind them is a ladder heading down, and when you reach the level below, another trainer is directly to the east who offers to teach one of your Pokemon the move Double-Edge. Whether you decide to learn that move or not, you have reached the end of the caverns of Victory Road! Head for the nearby exit and emerge outside into the bright sunlight! Well done!
The Indigo Plateau
-- Indigo Plateau --
Outside there is a maze-like ramp leading to the stairs that are the entrance to the Indigo Plateau, so make your way up these and you will see the building ahead of you here! Head inside to heal and save, and relax in the sure knowledge that, having reached this landmark area, you are now free to Fly in and out as you please!
At the store here you can actually purchase Full Restores -- thought they are a bit pricey at $3,000 each!
Upstairs is the standard connections room, and to the north is the door that leads to the Elite Four battle path. You have arrived, mate. This. Is. It!
-- Challenge One --
As you step through the door, Lorelei greets you! A member of the Elite Four, she specializes in Ice-type Pokemon. Are you ready for her?
Her Level 52 Dewgong is worth 1960 XP, and her Level 51 Cloyster is worth 2218 XP. Her Level 52 Slowbro is worth 1872 XP. Her Level 54 Lapras is worth 2533 XP, and her Level 54 Jynx is worth 1584 XP and $5400.
-- Challenge Two --
Bruno is next, with his Level 51 Onyx worth 1179 XP, Level 53 Hitmonchan worth 1590 XP, and Level 56 Machamp worth 2316 XP. Next he brings out his Level 53 Hitmonlee worth 1578 XP, and finally his Level 54 Onyx worth 1249 XP and $5600.
-- Challenge Three --
Your next opponent is Agatha -- and she does not think much of the Professor or you!
She begins with her Level 54 Gengar worth 2197 XP, her Level 54 Golbat worth 1978 XP, and her Level 56 Arbok worth 1764 XP. Next she follows with her Level 58 Gengar worth 2361 XP, and finally her Level 53 Haunter worth 1431 XP and $5800.
-- Challenge Four --
The final member of the Elite Four, Lance the Dragon Trainer, is going to be the roughest yet!
He leads with his Level 60 Dragonite worth 2803 XP, then his Level 58 Aerodactyl worth 2508 XP, his Level 56 Gyarados worth 2568 XP, then his Level 54 Dragonair worth 1665 XP, and finally his Level 54 Dragonair worth 1665 XP and $6000.
Yay... You are... Not the League Champion... Raaawwwr?! Gary is the League Champion! How in the world could he have beaten these guys when he could not beat us?? Well, there is nothing for it! We are going to have to whip his butt one more time!
-- The Final Rival Match --
He starts with his Level 59 Pidgeot which is worth 2173 XP, then follows with his Level 63 Blastoise, which is worth 2835 XP. His next Pokemon out is his Level 59 Rhydon worth 2578 XP, then his Level 57 Alakazam worth 2271 XP. His next offering is his Level 61 Exeggutor worth 2770, followed by his Level 59 Arcanine worth 2692 XP and $6300.
Well it looks like Gary is really pissed at us... I mean considering all of the times he lost to us you would think that he would be expecting to lose again, right?
Just as those thoughts go swirling around our head Professor Oak shows up! The Professor lays the harsh down on Gary, whew...
It is time to follow the Professor to the Room of Registry where our team will be immortalized for ever. Yay us! While we watch our Poke Balls are logged into the machine, and we get treated to a virtual parade of our team!
Welcome to the Hall of Fame!
Obtaining the National Dex from Oak
First, you should congratulate yourself -- you have beaten the game!
There is actually a lot left for you to do now, including the myriad loose ends that we left unfinished, as well as new content that is unlocked now that we have completed the game! First though, take a few minutes to revel in your glory, right?
As the credits play out and you marvel at your team being entered into the Hall of Fame, you should be giving some thought to what you will do next. If you followed this guide you will have acquired enough Pokemon and their corresponding Dex entries to unlock the National Pokedex -- in fact this should happen automatically when you continue the game, after the credits finish rollling.
As we arrive back at the start screen, it is time to enter the game again just to see what happens! And what happens is that the Professor's waiting for us back in Pallet Town! When he spots us he comes to collect us and take us back to the Lab, where he will upgrade our Kanto Pokedex to a National Version, which includes a fair number of Pokemon that are actually from the next set of games -- but remember that in this version a new set of Island areas was added, Islands that are actually part of a new region!
Now that we have obtained the National Pokedex return to your home to say hello to your mother, to heal, and to save the game. With that done, there are just a handful of items left for you to take care of from the list of things we did not complete, and then of course the new content that was added to the game after we completed it. The outstanding content consists largely the following:
-- Complete your Kanto Pokedex.
-- Find a partner and trade for the version-exclusive Pokemon (see the Appendix)
-- Complete the remaining in-game NPC trades.
-- Discover the new Daycare Facility on the Island and start breeding Pokemon!
-- Check your Dex to determine what Kanto Pokemon you need to level in order to reach their next or their final evolution forms.
-- Finish rounding up all of the entries in the Fame Checker.
-- Return to the Game Corner and spend a few hours gambling to obtain the Coins we need to get the Pokemon/Items here.
-- Find a real life partner and master Berry Crushing!
In addition to the tasks we left unfinished above, there is also the new content that was added after we completed the game:
-- Head back to the Sevii Islands and complete the Rocket Content that required the National Dex.
-- Discover the new islands and the special Pokemon there!
As you can see there is still plenty of optional content for you to explore, but that is all beyond the scope of this walkthrough -- as we stop at completing the game!
I wanted to say how much I enjoyed writing this guide, and tell you that I hope that it was very helpful to you. I hope that you enjoyed playing your game! Cheers!
CMBF
NB
It has come to my attention that some of the guides that I wrote for SuperCheats have been taken without permission and used on other sites. In each case I have been prompt in notifying the owners of the sites -- and their hosting companies when the owners were less than cheerful about removing the content -- but I want to touch upon that issue here.
This guide -- and all of the other guides I have written or will write for SuperCheats -- is a work for hire. What that means, in simple terms, is that SuperCheats owns this guide. It belongs to them, they paid for it, and if you use it without their permission, you are breaking the law. I have no doubt that they will take issue with any unauthorized use of this guide, but what I want to make clear here is that I cannot grant you permission to use this, so please do not ask.
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