With Cut in your pocket, the bush that was blocking the Vermilion City Gym is no longer a problem. Inside, Lt. Surge, a former soldier, awaits you with his Electric Pokémon… behind a security system as electric as it is eccentric.

Objective
Defeat Lt. Surge and get the Thunder Badge
Gym type
Electric
Puzzle
two switches hidden in the trash cans
Reward
TM24 Thunderbolt and ₽2,376

🛡️Preparing Your Team

Electric Pokémon hit Water and Flying Pokémon hard: leave Gyarados, Pidgeotto and company in the PC. The best counter is a Ground Pokémon, completely immune to Electric moves. If you don’t have one, first make a quick trip to Diglett’s Cave, just east of the city (next step): a Diglett solves the problem there in no time. TM28 Dig, picked up in Cerulean City, is also perfect for the occasion.

  • DiglettGround

    Diglett's Cave: immune to Electric, fast and able to learn Dig.

  • SandshrewGround

    Routes 9 to 11 (Blue). Pure Ground, it learns Dig by TM.

  • GeodudeRockGround

    Mt. Moon: Rock and Ground, it has nothing to fear from Thunderbolt.

  • NidokingPoisonGround

    Nidoking (Nidorino + Moon Stone) is Poison and Ground: an excellent choice.

🗑️The Trash Can Puzzle

Lt. Surge is behind a double electric barrier. To open it, you have to find two switches hidden at the bottom of two trash cans in the Gym. Search them one by one: the first is placed at random. As soon as you find it, the second switch is hidden in a neighboring trash can (right next to it, above, below or diagonally). If you get it wrong, the switches reset and you have to start all over again.

Lt. Surge
Gym Leader

Lt. Surge

📍 Vermilion City GymElectric
Thunder Badge

💰 2,376 ₽🎁 TM24 (Thunderbolt)

  1. VoltorbNo. 21Electric
    • SonicBoom
    • Tackle
    • Screech
  2. PikachuNo. 18Electric
    • Thunder Wave
    • Thunder Shock
    • Growl
    • Quick Attack
  3. RaichuNo. 24Electric
    • Thunder Wave
    • Thunder Shock
    • Growl
    • Thunderbolt
Our strategy

Raichu, at Lv. 24, is the real danger: Thunderbolt can sweep a Water Pokémon in a single hit. With a Diglett or a Geodude, the battle becomes a walk in the park, especially since Voltorb makes do with Sonic Boom and Tackle. Without a Ground Pokémon, rely on Grass Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Oddish), which resist Electric.

Yellow

In Yellow, Lt. Surge has only one Pokémon: a Lv. 28 Raichu that knows Mega Punch and Mega Kick in addition to Thunderbolt. Your Pikachu is useless here, so you need a Ground Pokémon. Once you have the badge, Officer Jenny entrusts you with a Squirtle in Vermilion City.

Vermilion City Gym

Trainers

3 Trainers · 2,740 ₽ in total

  • Rocker
    Magnemite20Voltorb20Voltorb20
    500 ₽
  • Sailor
    Pikachu21Pikachu21
    630 ₽
  • Gentleman
    Pikachu23
    1,610 ₽

🌾Route 11

East of Vermilion City, Route 11 leads to Diglett’s Cave (the entrance is at the far west, near the city). Ten Trainers, including Gamblers and Engineers, are waiting there. At the end of the route, in the gatehouse, Professor Oak’s aide gives you the Itemfinder if you have caught at least 30 different species: it detects hidden items around you. In the same building, a Trainer offers to trade a Nidorino for a Nidorina.

Route 11

Map
Click to enlarge
Wild Pokémon
Tall grass
Old Rod fishing
Good Rod fishing
Super Rod fishing
Trade for Nidorino
Trainers

10 Trainers · 8,115 ₽ in total

  • Gambler
    Bellsprout18Oddish18
    1,260 ₽
  • Gambler
    Growlithe18Vulpix18
    1,260 ₽
  • Engineer
    Magnemite21
    1,050 ₽
  • Youngster
    Sandshrew19Zubat19
    285 ₽
  • Youngster
    Nidoran♂18Nidorino18
    270 ₽
  • Gambler
    Voltorb18Magnemite18
    1,260 ₽
  • Engineer
    Magnemite18Magnemite18Magneton18
    900 ₽
  • Youngster
    Rattata17Rattata17Raticate17
    255 ₽
  • Youngster
    Ekans21
    315 ₽
  • Gambler
    Poliwag18Horsea18
    1,260 ₽
Items
  • ItemfinderGiven by Professor Oak's aide at the checkpoint to the east if the player has caught at least 30 different Pokémon species.
  • Escape RopeHidden on a tree at the far northeast of the route.