Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Head back to Route 2 quickly to pick up the two items behind the bush and then on to the Dreamyard, where you'll need Cut to progress (the only time you need an HM to do so outside optional areas).
Beat the two Plasma Grunts and Ghetsis will shop up and take them away.
Musharna appears afterwards to help Munna. Leave Striaton via the NW to head to Route 3 and beat the Twins in a double battle. Further W Cheren will challenge you again, and then you'll be told to head W further into Wellspring Cave where you'll encounter some Grunts, first as a single battle, and then as a double battle alongside Cheren.
We can't explore much of Wellspring Cave until later, but it is well worth trying to catch Drilbur in here. You won't be able to do it until after talking to Bianca and receiving the Heal Balls. It has a chance to appear in the dust clouds, and luckily I get an Adamant one straight away. Excadrill is one of the best Pokémon for this game for its amount of resistances, stats, boosting moves and the ever reliable STAB Earthquake. After this I head back to Route 3 and level up Drilbur on the trainers I skipped. I heal up then head for the S end of Route 3.
Blitzle is another Pokémon I take, more as a for now Pokémon. There will be a better Electric type I catch to replace it later. Blitzle does get Thunder Wave at level 15, which will help with catching Pokémon, so it has that going for it.
Tepig evolves shortly after too, gaining Arm Thrust and STAB on it - which is useful for the next Gym.
When you arrive in Nacrene City, you'll be told by Cheren that the next Gym Leader used Normal types. A Fighting type will do well.
I nab the Charcoal from the SW house and a couple of other items before facing N again outside the Nacrene Museum, Blitzle sweeps him up easily.
Head through the back of the Museum to reach the Gym.
The books will give you a puzzle and knowledge test. Face the trainers along the way to finding the spot to move the Bookcase.
Lenora the Gym Leader waits here. Don't underestimate her. You'll most likely be sacrificing a Pokémon or two, especially if you can't outspeed and one shot her second Pokémon.
Double Edge from Herdier who has a base 80 attack will hit like a truck to anything that isn't a Roggenrola, and the same goes for Watchog with its 85 base attack and its ridiculous 140BP Retaliate on the turn it enters the field (halving to a still high 70BP for this part of the game on subsequent turns). I set up Pignite to outspeed with Flame Charge, and then one use of Arm Thrust is able to take it out.
You'll receive TM67 Retaliate for winning, alongside the Basic Badge.
Retaliate is fine if you're using either the Lillipup or Watchog, but it doesn't hit anything super effective, and only hits hard the turn after you've brought it in following a knock out. Not the kind of conditions you want to be setting up, to be honest. It will do for a couple more Gyms if you have these on your team.
Outside you'll receive the Dowsing Machine which works better than the equivalent from Generation 4. Have it on all the time and you'll find every Hidden Item easily.
0:00 - Striaton City
1:05 - Dreamyard
11:45 - Route 3
14:00 - Cheren Battle
18:00 - Wellspring Cave
58:10 - Nacrene City
1:01:40 - N Battle
1:05:50 - Nacrene Gym
1:12:00 - Nacrene Gym Leader Lenora (Basic Badge)
Head back to Route 2 quickly to pick up the two items behind the bush and then on to the Dreamyard, where you'll need Cut to progress (the only time you need an HM to do so outside optional areas).
Beat the two Plasma Grunts and Ghetsis will shop up and take them away.
Musharna appears afterwards to help Munna. Leave Striaton via the NW to head to Route 3 and beat the Twins in a double battle. Further W Cheren will challenge you again, and then you'll be told to head W further into Wellspring Cave where you'll encounter some Grunts, first as a single battle, and then as a double battle alongside Cheren.
We can't explore much of Wellspring Cave until later, but it is well worth trying to catch Drilbur in here. You won't be able to do it until after talking to Bianca and receiving the Heal Balls. It has a chance to appear in the dust clouds, and luckily I get an Adamant one straight away. Excadrill is one of the best Pokémon for this game for its amount of resistances, stats, boosting moves and the ever reliable STAB Earthquake. After this I head back to Route 3 and level up Drilbur on the trainers I skipped. I heal up then head for the S end of Route 3.
Blitzle is another Pokémon I take, more as a for now Pokémon. There will be a better Electric type I catch to replace it later. Blitzle does get Thunder Wave at level 15, which will help with catching Pokémon, so it has that going for it.
Tepig evolves shortly after too, gaining Arm Thrust and STAB on it - which is useful for the next Gym.
When you arrive in Nacrene City, you'll be told by Cheren that the next Gym Leader used Normal types. A Fighting type will do well.
I nab the Charcoal from the SW house and a couple of other items before facing N again outside the Nacrene Museum, Blitzle sweeps him up easily.
Head through the back of the Museum to reach the Gym.
The books will give you a puzzle and knowledge test. Face the trainers along the way to finding the spot to move the Bookcase.
Lenora the Gym Leader waits here. Don't underestimate her. You'll most likely be sacrificing a Pokémon or two, especially if you can't outspeed and one shot her second Pokémon.
Double Edge from Herdier who has a base 80 attack will hit like a truck to anything that isn't a Roggenrola, and the same goes for Watchog with its 85 base attack and its ridiculous 140BP Retaliate on the turn it enters the field (halving to a still high 70BP for this part of the game on subsequent turns). I set up Pignite to outspeed with Flame Charge, and then one use of Arm Thrust is able to take it out.
You'll receive TM67 Retaliate for winning, alongside the Basic Badge.
Retaliate is fine if you're using either the Lillipup or Watchog, but it doesn't hit anything super effective, and only hits hard the turn after you've brought it in following a knock out. Not the kind of conditions you want to be setting up, to be honest. It will do for a couple more Gyms if you have these on your team.
Outside you'll receive the Dowsing Machine which works better than the equivalent from Generation 4. Have it on all the time and you'll find every Hidden Item easily.
0:00 - Striaton City
1:05 - Dreamyard
11:45 - Route 3
14:00 - Cheren Battle
18:00 - Wellspring Cave
58:10 - Nacrene City
1:01:40 - N Battle
1:05:50 - Nacrene Gym
1:12:00 - Nacrene Gym Leader Lenora (Basic Badge)
