Quick Guide:
- Beat the Dresco Gym and win the Leaf Badge
- Find your way through Grim Woods
- Explore Route 4
- Reach the Entrance of Cinder Volcano
Dresco Gym – Leaf Badge

The Dresco Gym is in the northeast corner of Dresco Town, and it’s a Grass-type Gym.
- Grass-type moves are super effective against Ground-, Rock-, and Water-type Pokémon
- Grass-type Pokémon are weak against Bug-, Fire-, Flying-, Ice-, and Poison-type moves
The Litleo that you completed the Route 2 trainer challenge for will come in handy here.

You’ll notice that the Gym is full of a strange fog, and if you battle in it, things might get more difficult for you than they need to be.
Bring your Ducklett and use its move Defog. That’ll get rid of the nasty substance, and you’re free to continue north into the gym proper.
Gym Trainers | |
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Youngster Doobie | |
Cherubi (Lv.14) |
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Oddish (Lv.15) |
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Camper Liam | |
Burmy (Lv.15) |
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Pansage (Lv.14) |
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The two trainers in here are Youngster Doobie and Camper Liam, and they should be relatively straightforward to defeat.
Once you’ve done so, head to the southeast corner where you’ll find Mirskle.
Dresco Gym Leader Mirskle

The Dresco Gym Leader is Mirskle, and he’s quite the character.
Be prepared for a Double Battle here too – make sure you’ve got two Pokémon who can use super effective moves against Grass-types.
Gym Leader Mirskle | |
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Gloom (Lv.16) |
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Flabebe (Lv.15) |
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Once you’ve beaten him, Mirskle gives you the Leaf Badge as well as TM86 Grass Knot.
However, there’s no time to celebrate – the Gym is immediately stormed by a couple of rough-looking thugs. Mirskle and his trainers immediately jump into the pond to escape, leaving you alone with them.

Luckily, you’re not the one these guys are after – apparently the Gym Leader gave them a dodgy deal and they’re not happy about it.
They soon leave, and you should too.

Professor Log’s Friend

With the Gym beaten, head south to the house of Professor Log’s friend.

The strange trainer appears to have flown away, so you’re free to head inside to talk.

Arthur is his name, and he’s very interested to hear about what those Shadow goons were doing at Frozen Heights. He says that the Legendary Bird Pokémon sealed a dark force and that bringing them together again can unseal it, which is what they must be up to.
Just then, the strange trainer from out front appears – and reveals himself to be Arthur’s grandson Jax.

Jax says that he saw a bunch of Shadow operatives near Cinder Volcano, and Arthur realizes they must be after Moltres.
He tells Jax to go get Professor Log, and after some discussion it’s decided that you and Jax both will go to prevent the Shadow from taking Moltres.

Cinder Volcano is accessible through Grim Woods, which is past the southwest bridge out of town.

Head west and you’ll eventually come to a thick canopy of trees – this is where Grim Woods begins.
Grim Woods

Points of Interest | |
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Bug Catcher Doug |
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Bug Catcher Anthony |
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Medium Patricia |
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Medium Carly |
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Bug Catcher Sammy |
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Medium Jody |
Exits and Passages | |
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Dresco Town |
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Requires HM Surf |
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Route 4 East |
Items
Items | |
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Nest Ball (hidden) |
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TM100 Infestation | ![]() |
Super Repel (hidden) |
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Super Potion | ![]() |
Tiny Mushroom (hidden) |
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Carbos | ![]() |
Wild Pokémon
Wild Pokémon | |
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Long Grass | |
Seedot Day and Night |
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Pumpkaboo Day and Night |
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Gastly Day and Night |
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Shuppet Day and Night |
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Duskull Day and Night |
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Phantump Day and Night |
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Caterpie Day |
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Weedle Night |
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Surfing | |
Psyduck | ![]() |
Golduck | ![]() |
Surskit | ![]() |
Masquerain | ![]() |
Fishing | |
Magikarp (Old Rod) |
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Psyduck (Good Rod) |
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Barboach (Good Rod) |
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Golduck (Super Rod) |
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Whiscash (Super Rod) |
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Trainers
Trainers | |
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Bug Catcher Doug | |
Weedle (Lv.16) |
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Ledyba (Lv.16) |
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Kakuna (Lv.17) |
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Bug Catcher Anthony | |
Dewpider (Lv.16) |
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Kakuna (Lv.17) |
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Medium Patricia | |
Duskull (Lv.16) |
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Pumpkaboo (Lv.17) |
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Medium Carly | |
Phantump (Lv.17) |
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Bug Catcher Sammy | |
Ledian (Lv.18) |
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Medium Jody | |
Pumpkaboo (Lv.17) |
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Gastly (Lv.18) |
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Shuppet (Lv.17) |
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Grim Woods can be confusing, so the optimum route to get through it – ignoring optional trainers and extra items – is below:

When you enter Grim Woods, the first trainer you see is Bug Catcher Doug.

Once he’s been taken care of, head southwest until you find an old lady.

The old lady is another trainer, and once she’s been defeated the way southwest will be clear of obstacles.

Keep heading south and west until you see an opportunity to go north.

Medium Carly is waiting to challenge you, and once you get past her you’ll see an intersection covered with long grass.

Head west and south through another patch of long grass and you will eventually come to a ledge you need to jump over.

This leads to Bug Catcher Sammy, and the final stretch of the path through Grim Woods. Head southwest and you’ll see a log bridge.

Jump the log and land on the wooden walkway, then go north.

Medium Jody is the last thing between you and the exit – beat her, and you’ll finally be out of the Grim Woods!
Route 4 East

Points of Interest | |
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Potion Man |
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Nurse Laura |
Exits and Passages | |
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(North) Grim Woods |
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(South) Dresco Town |
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Requires HM Surf |
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Requires HM Cut |
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Requires HM Rock Climb |
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Cinder Volcano |
Items | |
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Awakening | ![]() |
Persim Berry (hidden) |
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Revive | ![]() |
Wild Pokémon
Wild Pokémon | |
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Long Grass | |
Budew Day and Night |
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Lillipup Day and Night |
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Ekans Day and Night |
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Numel Day and Night |
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Mankey Day and Night |
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Ralts Day and Night |
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Starly Day |
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Hoothoot Night |
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Surfing | |
Tentacool | ![]() |
Tentacruel | ![]() |
Pelipper | ![]() |
Basculin |
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Fishing | |
Magikarp (Old Rod) |
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Corphish (Good Rod) |
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Staryu (Good Rod) |
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Staryu (Super Rod) |
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Starmie (Super Rod) |
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Crawdaunt (Super Rod) |
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Gyarados (Super Rod) |
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Trainers
Nurse Laura | |
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Starly (Lv.17) |
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Chansey (Lv.18) |
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You’ll be on Route 4 – technically Route 4 began at Dresco Town and was interrupted by Grim Woods, but this is the beginning of Route 4 proper, at least the eastern part of it.
The western part is on the other side of Cinder Volcano, which is our destination.

Southeast of the entrance to Grim Woods you’ll see a path that leads to a one-way ledge; past that point is a small path that leads alongside the outside edge of the woods and back to Dresco Town, should you need to go there.
Don’t go there if you need healing – that problem will be taken care of shortly.

Follow the path along until you see a man in the middle of the road, near where the volcano starts.
This is the Potion Man, and he’ll give you 3 Potions to help you on your journey.
Once you reach the entrance to the volcano, you’ll see Nurse Laura waiting for you. If you manage to beat her, she’ll heal your Pokémon and act as a checkpoint of sorts.

When your team is fully recovered and ready to go, head on inside to Cinder Volcano.
