Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire FAQ

The famous Mirage Island gets talked about a lot. To date, is there a foolproof way to get there? To tell the truth, a lot of people say you need to have a Pokémon on your team that can also be found on the Island. That Pokémon must have a friendly nature, be the same color, and have stats roughly identical to those on Mirage Island…
To find out whether you can reach Mirage Island, fly to Pacifidlog Town and talk to the old man in the house in the south-east.

Otherwise, for people using Action Replay codes on the US version of the game, it couldn’t be simpler. After entering your code, head to Route 130.

On the Island, you’ll find Wynaut, all between levels 5 and 50. Lastly, the Lansat Berry, the rarest berry in the game, is found here.

In fact, you can get to Mirage Island without resorting to Action Replaycodes, you just have to be very patient…

Lots of you have asked this question: how do you get to Southern Island, the island in the south? At the moment, only Nintendo can give us the key to this riddle, since the Eon Ticket is definitely in the game, but nobody knows how to get it…
First, you should know that the point of this island is that you can catch the legendary bird that is missing from your version.

For example, if you play Pokémon Ruby, only Latios can be caught. But Latias can be caught too, provided you find a way to get to Southern Island.

Next, head to the dock in Lilycove City and talk to the lady. Watch out: for a great many of you, the lady doesn’t offer to take you to Southern Island. Normally, a man comes to take the lady’s place and offers you this little trip. Try asking at Slateport City’s port first!

Télépoche, the French TV listings magazine, gives you this famous Ticket (more information on the site).

In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, a large number of Legendary Pokémon can be caught. The equivalent of Mewtwo is called Rayquaza. To be able to enter the Sky Pillar, you must have completed the League at least once. After that, pay a visit to Rydel, the bike shop owner, and choose the Mach Bike.

Head to Route 131 and a tower should have appeared!

Get through the first floor, then…

Now, let’s get to the holes that seem to be giving you trouble. First of all, when there’s a hole in front of you, step back to get as much run-up as possible, then go for it, and you’re done!

 

Sometimes several rows of holes will be in your way, but with a bit of skill you should manage!
One little piece of advice all the same: save at every floor and/or passage so you don’t have to start all over again!

You can’t claim to have finished a game without having caught at least one specimen of each Legendary Pokémon. That’s why you want Latios or Latias so badly!
First, finish the game and watch the TV in your bedroom. You’ll learn that a strange blue Pokémon (Latios in Ruby) or red one (Latias in Sapphire) has been spotted. These two Pokémon appear randomly in the tall grass of Hoenn. To catch them, the best route is 121 (I say “the best“, but you can also find them in the water, for example), the route just before the entrance to Lilycove City 🙂 !

If you’re on Route 121 and Latios or Latias is there too, you’ll have a 1 in 4 chance of encountering them !

Be aware, though, that they can move around: if they’re on Route 120, they will move either to Route 119 or to Route 121, which would make you a lucky trainer!

Look carefully in the tall grass!

It is strongly recommended to use a move like Mean Look to prevent it from fleeing and start the capture in peace!

Reminder: if you encounter Latios or Latias and it flees, you can always track it with the PokéNav!

Feebas is the hardest Pokémon to catch in the game: out of 400 water tiles, only 6 contain it ! To find it, grab a Super Rod and fish on Route 119.

If no Feebas shows up, fly to Dewford Town and change the trendy saying, and Feebas’s locations will change!

However, it seems that if you find a Feebas on a specific tile and don’t change the trendy saying in Dewford Town afterwards, more Feebas can be fished up in the same spot !

There’s nothing more to say about it: its location is different for every copy of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.

The famous Mystery Events… Perhaps they are the key to all the game’s riddles: the Eon Ticket, some say it can only be obtained through the Mystery Event.

Designed to work with the e-Reader, it might hold some surprises for us. Normally, you would simply have to swipe cards through this accessory to get new features in the game (like an Eon Ticket, for example), or even new Pokémon.

The e-Reader’s release in Europe is still unknown.
Originally planned for November 2003, the date has been pushed back.
In the United States, a special day was organized to obtain the Eon Ticket (you load it into the game using the e-Reader).
The developers did integrate a menu into the game to work with the e-Reader all the same.

To unlock the Mystery Event menu, fly to Petalburg City and talk to the person next to the PC in the Pokémon Center. Then say this to them: MYSTERY EVENT IS EXCITING

The menu is now unlocked!

Note that if you don’t have the e-Reader, this menu is useless!

Shedinja is one of the most unusual new Pokémon. Indeed, you will surely have noticed that its Ability is unique.
It is called Wonder Guard and means it can only be hit by moves that are “super effective”.

The developers aren’t crazy: since Shedinja is partly untouchable, its HP is ridiculously low in return!

That is why Shedinja has almost no HP!

As you’ve understood, you therefore don’t need to work on its Defense or Special Defense!

It is still recommended to teach it a move like Grudge (to reduce the PP of the move that hit you to 0). So avoid exposing your Shedinja to a Flying-type Pokémon, for example!

To get level 50 berries, you first need to own the best berries in the game. To do so, go to Route 123, and talk to the Berry Master.
Then say these five phrases to her:
 "Great battle” and she will give you a Spelon Berry !
 "Contest challenge” and she will give you a Pamtre Berry !
 "Irresistible Latias” and she will give you a Watmel Berry !
 "Cool Latios” and she will give you a Durin Berry !
 "Super hustle” and she will give you a Belue Berry !

Note : You must have already encountered Latias to get the Watmel Berry and Latios for the Durin Berry. Finally, you must have a Pokémon with the Ability “Hustle” in your party (Corsola has it) for the Belue Berry !

Snorunt is a precious Pokémon with respectable stats. To start, fly to Mossdeep City, then surf along Route 125 to the entrance of the Shoal Cave!

The cave must absolutely be at low tide to find Snorunt.

This is the most frequently asked question! Unfortunately, all Europeans will have to wait a while longer before they can open this door, because an e-Reader is required…

I’ll still explain how to do it: to begin with, sign up for the Mystery Club (to do so, talk to the boy in the Pokémon Center in Petalburg City and say to him:MYSTERY EVENT IS EXCITING).
Then swipe a “Trainer Card” (this card can be found, among others, in stores) through your e-Reader and follow the instructions.

Then fly to Mossdeep City and enter the house where the door is locked. The man will tell you that a trainer is waiting for you behind the door. All that’s left is to battle them!

 

Once again, here is a section reserved for the lucky ones! Special news bulletins are little TV flashes announcing to you that something out of the ordinary is happening.

Among these events, you can benefit from sales at the Slateport Market, a colony of Skitty and Surskit in the tall grass (easy to catch one!)…

To get a special bulletin, watch TV as often as possible.

This is undoubtedly THE most asked question. I have gathered here all the information that exists about this mysterious evolution, everything you need to do to finally get your hands on the gorgeous Milotic.
If after this you still can’t get one, there is nothing more I can do for you ^^ !

General information from the press:

Feebas is a very hard Pokémon to catch, but if by a stroke of luck you find the tile that contains it, never lose sight of it ! Indeed, your Feebas will need to like the Dry flavor of Pokéblocks! Then feed it as many Gray or Blue Pokéblocks as possible and take it into battle. Just a few levels later, it will evolve !

The foolproof trick:

First of all, you will need to have a female Feebas !
To begin with, get lots of Cornn Berries , then at the Verdanturf Town Contest Hall, blend about 15 berries to make Gray Pokéblocks.
Next, put your Feebas in your party and fly to Mauville City. Leave your Feebas with a male Pelipper (or another Pokémon from the Water 1group) at the Pokémon Day Care.
Come back a few minutes later (just a few) and the Day Care man will give you an Egg. Hatch it and feed it all your Gray Pokéblocks until it is full !
When the word “Max” no longer appears, raise Feebas’s level by 1 and… it will evolve into Milotic !
To back up what I have just written, here are screenshots of the trick, all of this is guaranteed to be genuine !

1- Catch a female Feebas on Route 119, and make sure it likes the Dry !	2- Put your Feebas in the Day Care with a Pelipper(male) (or another), and come back a few minutes later to pick up your Egg.
3- This is the longest step! Walk, walk… until theEgg hatches! A Feebas will come out of it, it is level 5.
4- Blend 15 Cornn Berries at the Pokémon Center in Slateport City, and give all your Pokéblocks to Feebas. Its condition should then be exactly like this one.	5- The moment you’ve earned! Raise your Feebasby a single level, just one level and… Milotic will be yours! It is level 6, plenty of room to grow!

Warning ! For all the techniques used, you must give berries of level 23-25. Don’t give anything of a level lower than your Feebas, as that could prevent a possible evolution…
One more thing: I told you that you need to have 15 Cornn Berries on you…
Don’t panic, it goes very quickly! First of all, you’ll find these berries on Route 115, but at the very north, meaning you can only get there by leaving Meteor Falls !
Then plant one, and water/growit until you get 15 fruits !
There you go, you who wanted a Milotic, your wish has been granted! Follow my instructions to the letter and you will have it very quickly !

Don’t worry if one of your Pokémon has the PKRS (Pokérus) status! First of all, you should know that in the Gold and Silverversions, there was a 1 in 65536 chance of catching Pokérus; that figure may have been kept for R/S.
It is very useful: at the end of each battle, it doubles the EVs gained by the infected Pokémon !

The PKRS status lasts about four days…
But there is a way to keep it: store the Pokérus carrier in one of your Pokémon PC boxes, and the virus will be preserved until the Pokémon returns to your party.

Finally, a Pokémon that has been infected can never get the PKRS status again…

Chimecho, a very rare Psychic-type Pokémon, seems to be giving you trouble…
Finding this Pokémon is more a matter of luck than anything else.
To do so, set out to conquer Mt. Pyre…
On the ground floor, you’ll notice a small door on the left leading outside. Go through it, and search the tall grass. With a bit of luck, you’ll come across the famous Chimecho. Look carefully, its frequency is really very
low!

1- Right next to Lilycove City is Mt. Pyre, go there!	2- Take the passage on the left…
3- Keep searching again and again; personally, it took me nearly 20 minutes to find it!	4- Chimecho is valuable simply because of its rarity; stats-wise, we’ve seen better… Catch it!

First, surf along Route 108 to reach the Abandoned Ship.

Once in the Abandoned Ship, try to find a room with water and use HM08 Dive. Swim to the end and then resurface.

Six rooms will be there. Some will be locked, and you will need to find keys to open them.
The third door from the bottom is already unlocked; you’ll quickly notice that a little sparkle appears when you enter.

Click on the spot of the sparkle and key number 1 will be yours!

The rest is very simple: open the rooms matching the key’s number, bearing in mind that a sparkle marks the position of a key.

Slakoth	Vigoroth Lv.: 18	Slaking Lv.: 36

At level 18, Slakoth evolves into Vigoroth, which then changes into Slaking at level 36.

Slaking’s special traits:

1) Its stats are pleasantly high and fairly even, and its Attack is even the highest in the game: 160 base and 460 at most.

2) Its Ability Truant is unique among the final evolutions of Pokémon; its effect is rather crippling, since Slaking will only attack every other turn (and loaf around the other turn).

3) It learns many physical moves, and a recovery move of its own: Slack Off, which restores half of its max HP.

Using it on a team:

Its Ability rules out any use as a classic physical sweeper, since it will quickly be KO’d by only attacking every other turn.
So forget all moves like Bulk Up, Amnesia and even Counter…

Slaking is effective as a physical Pokémon, it is made to stay in battle only on its attacking turn and be switched out (replaced) right afterwards..
That way you can avoid hits as well as the effect of its Ability, while hitting any Pokémon very hard as long as Slaking uses the right move.

That is why you must NOT teach it Hyper Beam, as this move prevents switching.

The suitable moveset:

Choice of item:
When using this switching technique, one item suits it
particularly well: the Choice Band.
All of Slaking’s moves will receive a 50% power boost (that’s a STAB and even a double STAB for Normal-type moves), enough to hurt even more!

Here is an example moveset for Slaking:

Slaking

@ Choice Band

Return Focus Punch Shadow Ball Slack Off

– Return has a maximum power of 204 (with STAB and the item) and can KO an impressive number of Pokémon in a single hit.
– Focus Punch is for Pokémon that resist Return and will be sent in by the opponent to counter Slaking (Rock or Steel types).
– Shadow Ball is useful against Ghost types.
– Slack Off is used to heal it (you will have to switch it out after healing).

A few tips…

With this moveset, Slaking can wipe out an entire team, since it hits very hard and very fast.

Focus Punch, a move as effective as it is impressive!

Also, you should only send it against Pokémon that won’t hit it hard (since it is not very defensive) and/or lower their stats.

Try to include on your team Pokémon that can take hits for it, or dodge them. Shedinja or Wobbuffet are the best known.

Watch out for the factors designed to counter Slaking!
– Protect or Detect make everything fail!
– Paralysis and especially Burn are quite annoying…
– Moves that remove items, such as Knock Off !

Conclusion:

To sum up, Slaking is a very interesting Pokémon, but complicated to use. If you can anticipate what the opponent will do, it can hurt a lot of people.

How do I get a Shedinja?

To get Shedinja, you simply need to catch a Nincada (you’ll easily find one on Route 116) and level it up to level 20. It will then evolve into Ninjask. If, before Nincada evolves, you have two free spaces in your party, you will also get a Shedinja !

Warning: If you can’t get Shedinja, it may be because you don’t have a Poké Ball in your bag, the same kind that caught Nincada.
Example: you caught Nincada with a Premier Ball, so when your Nincada evolves, you will need to have another Premier Ball in your bag !

Instead of spending your time looking for them, here are their locations:

Water Stone : You’ll find it in theAbandoned Ship, on Route 128. Otherwise, trade a BlueShard (Clamperl, Route 124) for a WaterStone at the Treasure Hunter’sHouse, Route 124.

Fire Stone : It can be found on the FieryPath (left side). Otherwise, trade a Red Shard (Corsola, Route 126) for a FireStone at the Treasure Hunter’sHouse, Route 124.

Thunder Stone : This Stone can be found in NewMauville. Otherwise, trade a Yellow Shard (Chinchou, Route 124) for a Thunder Stone at the Treasure Hunter’sHouse, Route 124.

Leaf Stone : The Leaf Stone can be found on Route 119, just above the waterfall. Otherwise, trade a Green Shard (Relicanth, Route 124) for a Leaf Stone at the Treasure Hunter’sHouse, Route 124.

Moon Stone : Search in Meteor Falls to get it! Otherwise, catch a Lunatone (Meteor Falls), which will hold a Moon Stone as an item!

Sun Stone : The Sun Stone will be given to you by an astronomer at the Space Center. Otherwise, catch a Solrock (Meteor Falls), which will hold a Sun Stone as an item!
That’s all six Evolution Stones!

Their encounter rate depends on the version you are playing. If you have the Rubyversion, the rate of Illumise and Minun will be higher. Whereas if you play Sapphire, you’ll find Volbeat and Plusle more easily in the tall grass. Note that this doesn’t mean you can’t catch the other two Pokémon, you will just need to persevere more in the tall grass!

It is indeed possible to win more ribbons by winning Pokémon Contests. Few people have won them all, so we don’t really know which techniques to use to get them. Well, almost…

–If the Pokémon at the top of your party likes you, talk to the lady in the Slateport City market (next to the form coach), and she will give you a ribbon !
–Catch a wild Pokémon and raise it by 50 levels. Then enter a Pokémon Contest in Slateport City and another special ribbon will be yours !
Those are just two examples of techniques for getting a ribbon. Since there are 32 ribbons in total, there are others…
Finally, a little surprise for the end: here are the 12 remaining ribbons to unlock!

Quite a few of you ask me this question…
You can’t enter this garden without an Action Replaycode; once inside, you quickly realize there is nothing interesting there, the Pokémon present are completely ordinary.
With Action Replay, here is what it looks like:

Note: the AR code used is the walk-through-walls one (US).

In the category of questions whose answers are on the site, this one wins hands down!
This precious TM isn’t that hard to find…

Here is an explanation:
Just after Fallarbor Town, there are two houses to the north. Just before heading down toward Route 114, go into the second house.
A child will talk to you about his big brother, a tunnel, and finally the TM of the same name!

For those who have lost this TM (many are in that situation), there is no way to get it back, other than by trading Pokémon (with one of the two holding TM28 as an item).

“Hey, I read that there was a way to catch the famous Feebas. But first, I have to change the trendy saying in Dewford Town.

I go to see the boy, he asks me which words to change, I enter Maximum and I browse the word list to enter Fire Blast… Shock! No matter how much I search, there isn’t a trace of a single Fire Blast ! Why?

I get tons of emails like this!
The word list works in a very particular way: it fills up according to your progress in the game!

If you want to choose a Pokémon name, for example Treecko, but you don’t have a single Treecko in your Pokédex, it will not appear in the word list.
The same goes for the TM Fire Blast. You will have to obtain it (in Lilycove City at the department store, 4th floor on the left, for 5500 Poké Dollars) to be able to use it as a word.
The more your adventure in the game is completed, the more the word list will fill up.

A funny kind of question, isn’t it?
In fact, you find your Pokémon weird because it has an inappropriate color.

No problem, your luck has just kicked in, because your strange Pokémon is simply a Shiny : that is, a Pokémon that is much rarer than the others and that has slightly higher stats than the original!