Second chapter: the opening ceremony of the Gym Challenge in Motostoke, Route 3, the Galar Mine, Route 4, then Turffield and the first badge against Milo, the Grass-type Gym Leader.
Motostoke: the opening of the Challenge
Arriving in Motostoke from the Wild Area, go to the Stadium to register for the Gym Challenge. You meet Bede, the protégé of League Chairman Rose, for the first time, as well as Marnie and her Team Yell supporters, who try to block the other challengers. Then comes the opening ceremony, at the Stadium, in the presence of the Gym Leaders.
When you first head toward the elevator on the main street, Leon gives you an item that boosts your starter Pokémon’s attacks: a Miracle Seed, a Charcoal or a Mystic Water, as you choose. A Nugget is hidden at the end of the path that runs along the canal, to the right of the little bridge near the Uniform shop.
Just before you leave the city for Route 3, Hop challenges you.
| Opponent | Pokémon | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Hop | Wooloo Lv. 11, Rookidee Lv. 12, his starter Pokémon Lv. 14 | 1,120 Poké Dollars |
Route 3
Route 3 runs alongside the factories of Macro Cosmos, Chairman Rose’s company. Sonia gives you an Escape Rope here. The tall grass is home to Galarian Zigzagoon, Gossifleur, Vulpix (Sword) or Growlithe (Shield) and, more rarely, Tyrogue. On a rock in the middle of the road, a Corvisquire reappears on every visit: whistle to battle it. Items not to miss: TM37 on the mound by the berry tree and three Heal Balls near the first tall grass.
Galar Mine
The mine links Route 3 to Route 4. Here you find Rolycoly, Timburr, more common in Sword, and Roggenrola, more common in Shield, as well as Drilbur and Diglett. Several workers challenge you. Pick up TM26 in the small room after Worker Shirley and the Heavy-Duty Boots behind Worker Bill.
At the back of the mine, Bede blocks your way.
| Opponent | Pokémon | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Bede | Solosis Lv. 13, Gothita Lv. 15, Hatenna Lv. 16 | 1,920 Poké Dollars |
Route 4
A country road populated by Electrike, Galarian Meowth and Pumpkaboo in its four sizes. Pikachu and Eevee appear there rarely. A Rare Candy is hidden to the left of the rock, to the right of the southern part; TM07 is next to the two standing stones in the northern part.
Turffield and Milo’s Stadium
Turffield, a country town, is known for its geoglyph, visible from the hill to the west and said to depict the Darkest Day. On the hill, help Sonia with her research: she gives you two Revives. An NPC at the top of the hill tells you about the pillars: interact with them in the order Grass, Water, Fire to get an Expert Belt. TM97 is in the area southeast of the Stadium, the Leaf Stone at the bottom of the west hill.
The mission
You have to guide Wooloo to checkpoints. Approach them: they get scared and roll in the opposite direction. From the second part on, Yamper scatter them if they get close; they calm down once the trainer in the area is defeated. The mission’s trainers use Gossifleur, Budew, Oddish and Bounsweet.
The battle against Milo
| Pokémon | Level | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Gossifleur | 19 | Magical Leaf, Round, Rapid Spin |
| Eldegoss (Dynamax) | 20 | Magical Leaf, Leafage, Round |
Milo is a first Gym Leader to take seriously: his Pokémon are the highest level ever fielded by a first Gym Leader in the series. Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison and Bug types are effective. Save your Dynamax to answer his: a Dynamax Pokémon gets a big boost to its HP and has access to Dynamax moves for three turns.
Rewards: the Grass Badge, 3,200 Poké Dollars, TM10 (Magical Leaf) and the Grass uniform. In the Stadium lobby, a schoolchild trades their Kantonian Meowth for a Galarian Meowth.
