New Pokmon to catch

Routes 30 and 31 contain a variety of new Pokmon (especially Crystal), so bring several Pok
Balls. Bug type Pokemon are plentiful here in all versions. Caterpie appears in Gold while
Weedle appears in Silver. Two new Pokmon also appear: Ledyba (morning in Silver) and
Spinarak (night in Gold). Unfortunately, they are all very weak (even Butterfree and Beedrill)
and will be useless in the first gym. Bellsprout, though weak at the first gym, is decent and very
useful if you did not chose Chikorita as your starter. Crystal gets all of the previously mentioned
Pokmon, plus three more! Gastly, Zubat and Poliwag are organized only at night and are rare
but worth capturing them. Poliwag appears only on that route, Gastly and Zubat will be found in
other places more easily, so do not worry if you miss those two.

Route strategy
At this point, if you can, train your starter enough to evolve it to its second form. Cyndaquil will
evolve into a Quilava at level 14, Chikorita will evolve into Bayleef at level 16, and Totodile will
evolve into Croconaw at level 18. Most enemies here are weak to Fire and Flying-type attacks,
so use this to your advantage.

Route #31

Route #30

Trainer battles begin

When you return to Route #30 after completing your errand, trainers will attack you whenever
you make eye contact. As you can see from their rosters below, their Pokmon are weak, but they
can wear you down. You can try to avoid them, but it's better to fight when you can: they're the
best source of money and EXP in the game.
One new twist is the ability to trade phone numbers with certain trainers once you've defeated
them in battle (they will say phone next to their rewards). If you agree, they'll call you

periodically to chat, challenge you to rematches, and most importantly, inform you of Pokmon
"swarms." Without that info, it's hard to catch Pokmon like Dunsparce in the nearby Dark Cave.

Catch a Bellsprout (or two)

The dividing line between Route #30 and Route #31 is right about where the trainer named Don
waits. To the north of him you'll find pretty much the same Pokmon you found below, but with
the addition of Bellsprout and Gastly. Try to catch an extra Bellsproutnot because they're that
great, but because they can be used to trade for a very useful Onix in Violet City.

Run an errand and get TM 50

A little later in the game, a guard in the guard house that separates Goldenrod City and Route
#35 will send you to deliver a message to the guy in front of the lake, so remember where he is!
Finishing this errand is the only way to get TM 50, Nightmare.
Free berries from Wade
After you beat Wade along Route 31, give him your phone number. In Crystal, he'll call from
time to time, and if you go visit him immediately afterward, he may give you one of a wide
variety of Berries.

Trainers and items

Route #30 Trainers

Youngster Joey: 64 (phone)

Route #31 Trainers

Bug Catcher Wade: 32 (Phone)

o Caterpie (lvl. 2, 22 EXP)

o Rattata (lvl. 4, 48 EXP)

o Weedle (lvl. 3, 33 EXP)

o Caterpie (lvl. 2, 22 EXP)

o Caterpie (lvl. 2, 22 EXP)

Youngster Mikey: 64
o Pidgey (lvl. 2, 22 EXP)
o Rattata (lvl. 4, 48 EXP)

Items

Potion (Crystal)

Bitter Berry (tree)

Bug Catcher Don: 48

Pok Ball

TM 50 (Nightmare)

o Caterpie (lvl. 3, 33 EXP)

Pokmon Found

Ledyba
Hoppip
Pidgey
Caterpie
Metapod
Weedle
Kakuna
Hoothoot
Rattata
Spinarak
Zubat
Poliwag

Morn

Route #30 encounters

Gold
Silver
Day Night Morn Day Night

Crystal
Morn Day Night

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20%

Route #31 encounters

Gold
Silver

Crystal

Ledyba
Hoppip
Pidgey
Caterpie
Metapod
Weedle
Kakuna
Bellsprout
Hoothoot
Rattata
Spinarak
Zubat
Poliwag

Morn

Day

Night

Morn

Day

Night

Morn

Day

Night

N/A

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5%

N/A
Gastly
#60 Poliwag

Poliwag are very common in Crystal, appearing

at night in several overworld routes. Poliwag

#10 Caterpie

isn't too impressive by itself, but if you evolve it This Bug Pokmon reaches its highest form,
into a Poliwhirl you can then use a Water Stone Bug/Flying Butterfree, at level 10. The speedy
or trade it with a King's Rock to get a powerful evolution is nice, and Butterfree is useful for a
Poliwrath or Politoed. But don't evolve it too
while after it learns Confusion at level 10.
early: Each of those forms can learn two
Unfortunately, its awkward mix of types and
exclusive moves, but none of them are
lack of other good early moves makes it a poor
anywhere near as good as the Hydro Pump that long-term choice.
Poliwag and Poliwhirl would learn if you didn't
evolve them until much later.
#13 Weedle
#167 Spinarak

Like Caterpie, Weedle evolves into its final

form at level 10. That Pokmon, Beedril,
actually gets a handful of strong moves: Fury
Attack at level 10, and Twineedle, Pursuit, and
Pin Missile later on. Beedrill is hardly the
game's best Bug Pokmon, but it will hold you
over until you get a Scyther.
#41 Zubat

Big news for Zubat fans: Gold/Silver/Crystal

introduces a third evolution for this underappreciated Poison/Flying-type. Crobat, who
evolves from a very "tamed" Golbat, doesn't
have any new moves, but it can learn Fly and is
much quicker than Golbat.
#69 Bellsprout

Spinarak is a nocturnal Pokmon with a good

variety of Poison, Normal, Bug, Ghost, and
Psychic attacks. One move exclusive to this
Pokmon and its evolved form (Ariados at level
22) is Spider Web, a useful technique that
prevents a Pokmon from running away.
#165 Ledyba

You'll have to wake up early to catch a Ledyba.

Bug/Flying type Ledyba and its evolved form
Ledian are primarily defensive Pokmon,
learning moves like Reflect, Safeguard, and
Light Screen. They do learn a few early attacks
like Comet Punch, but their Attack is too low to
put them to good use.
#92 Gastly

Gastly is a very useful Pokmon in Gold, Silver,

Bellsprout and its evolved forms, Weepinbell,
and Crystal. It now starts with Hypnosis, and
and Victreebel are still among the least useful
can learn four all new moves. One of the first is
Grass Pokmon, and their one new move
Mean Look, which prevents opponents from
(Sweet Scent) isn't worth much. But if you
running away. Between that, Hypnosis and its
didn't pick a Chikorita as a starter, you may find
Ghost-type resistance to Normal attacks, Gastly
Bellsprout to be temporarily useful. They start
is the perfect Pokmon for catching other wild
with Vine Whip, which is good against the
Pokmon. But you'll have to stay up late to
Gastly in Sprout Tower and great against Rockcatch one since they only come out at night.
type Pokmon in the upcoming Union Cave.
v