Crystal Dark Cave

Threading between Routes 31 and 45, this unlit cavern hides Dunsparce in its gloom and demands Flash before you can see the walls at all.

Dark Cave is in Johto, with Route 31 to the west. In the story you arrive from Route 45 to the east and continue south to Route 46.

DARK CAVE MAP

Dark Cave is a single unlit sprawl opening on Routes 31, 45, and 46, dark enough that Flash earns its slot before you wander in. Surf and Rock Smash reach the corners it hides.

Pokemon Encounters

Dark Cave splits in two. The Route 46 mouth swarms with low-level Geodude and Dunsparce, while the deeper Blackthorn stretch trades them for Wobbuffet at night and Ursaring through the morning.

Method
Floor
Type
▾East16
Walking8
#074Geodude
30% - Lv 23
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 23
#075Graveler
20% - Lv 25
#217Ursaring
15% - Lv 25–30
#202Wobbuffet
15% - Lv 20–25
#217Ursaring
10% - Lv 25
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 23
#216Teddiursa
5% - Lv 20
Surf1
#129Magikarp
100% - Lv 5–19
Fish7
Old Rod2
#129Magikarp
85% - Lv 10
#118Goldeen
15% - Lv 10
Good Rod2
#118Goldeen
65% - Lv 20
#129Magikarp
35% - Lv 20
Super Rod3
#118Goldeen
70% - Lv 40
#129Magikarp
20% - Lv 40
#119Seaking
10% - Lv 40
▾West18
Walking8
#074Geodude
60% - Lv 2–4
#206Dunsparce
40% - Lv 2–4
During the Dunsparce swarm that Hiker Anthony reports by phone; it lasts until the daily reset
#074Geodude
40% - Lv 2–3
During the Dunsparce swarm that Hiker Anthony reports by phone; it lasts until the daily reset
#041Zubat
39% - Lv 2–4
#041Zubat
34% - Lv 2–4
#041Zubat
20% - Lv 2
During the Dunsparce swarm that Hiker Anthony reports by phone; it lasts until the daily reset
#216Teddiursa
5% - Lv 2
#206Dunsparce
1% - Lv 4
Surf1
#129Magikarp
100% - Lv 5–19
Fish7
Old Rod2
#129Magikarp
85% - Lv 10
#118Goldeen
15% - Lv 10
Good Rod2
#118Goldeen
65% - Lv 20
#129Magikarp
35% - Lv 20
Super Rod3
#118Goldeen
70% - Lv 40
#129Magikarp
20% - Lv 40
#119Seaking
10% - Lv 40
Rock Smash2
#098Krabby
90% - Lv 15
#213Shuckle
10% - Lv 15
Magikarp
#129

Magikarp

Water
Evolves into Gyarados at Lv 20
Encounter rate
100% Common
Level
5–19
EV yield
1 Speed
Here on Dark CaveEastsurf100% spawn
1 in 1wild encounters
will be Magikarp — about 36s of surfing to catch one.
Catch odds
~54s
to catch one
Poke Ball34%
Great Ball34%
Ultra Ball34%
Nuzlocke
D
community tier
Score20
PickLottery
SourceEstimated
Shiny hunt
1/8,192
full odds
Base1/8,192
Expected40h 58m

Also found in 49 other locations

Blackthorn CityLv 5–40
100%Dragon's DenLv 10–40
100%Lake of RageLv 10–40
100%Route 45Lv 5–24
100%Route 43Lv 10–40
100%Fuchsia CityLv 10–40
100%Cherrygrove CityLv 10–20
85%Goldenrod CityLv 10–20
85%Ecruteak CityLv 10–40
85%Ilex ForestLv 10–40
85%Mt. MortarLv 10–40
85%New Bark TownLv 10–20
85%Cianwood CityLv 10–20
85%Route 30Lv 10–40
85%Route 31Lv 10–40
85%Route 34Lv 10–20
85%Olivine CityLv 10–20
85%Route 32Lv 5–40
85%Mt. SilverLv 10–40
85%Route 40Lv 10–20
85%Route 41Lv 10–20
85%Route 44Lv 10–40
85%Route 42Lv 10–40
85%Slowpoke WellLv 10–40
85%Ruins of AlphLv 10–40
85%Union CaveLv 10–40
85%Whirl IslandsLv 10–20
85%Violet CityLv 10–40
85%Route 35Lv 10–40
85%Cinnabar IslandLv 10–20
85%Route 21Lv 10–20
85%Route 22Lv 10–40
85%Route 19Lv 10–20
85%Route 20Lv 10–20
85%Pallet TownLv 10–20
85%Route 10Lv 10–40
85%Route 12Lv 10–40
85%Route 13Lv 10–40
85%Route 14Lv 10–20
85%Route 25Lv 10–40
85%Route 26Lv 10–20
85%Route 27Lv 10–20
85%Route 28Lv 10–40
85%Route 24Lv 10–40
85%Route 9Lv 10–40
85%Route 6Lv 10–40
85%Tohjo FallsLv 10–40
85%Viridian CityLv 10–40
85%Vermilion CityLv 10–20
85%
Magikarp page →

ITEMS

Dark Cave rewards exploring with TM13 Snore and a pair of Black Glasses that sharpen Dark-type moves. Potions, a Revive, a Dire Hit, and a stashed Elixir lie through the gloom.

Source
Floor
TM1
TM13 Snore
Blackthorn Entrance
Item ball6
Black Glasses
Dire Hit
Violet Entrance
Full Heal
Violet Entrance
Hyper Potion
Violet Entrance
Potion
Violet Entrance
Revive
Blackthorn Entrance
Hidden1
Elixir
Violet Entrance
TM

TM13 Snore

Found on Blackthorn Entrance · Near the entrance separating the Route 45 side from the Route 31 side
Move
SnoreNormalPhysical
Power
40
Accuracy
100%
PP
15

Snore deals damage and has a 30% chance of causing the target to flinch (if the target has not yet moved).

TM1
TM

TM13 Snore

Found on Blackthorn Entrance · Near the entrance separating the Route 45 side from the Route 31 side
Move
SnoreNormalPhysical
Power
40
Accuracy
100%
PP
15

Snore deals damage and has a 30% chance of causing the target to flinch (if the target has not yet moved).

Item ball6
ITEM BALL

Black Glasses

From the man in the northwest corner of the Route 45 side (requires Surf)
Effect

Powers up dark-type moves. (HOLD)

ITEM BALL

Dire Hit

Found on Violet Entrance · Northwest of the exit to Route 46 (requires Rock Smash)
Effect

Ups critical hit ratio. (1 BTL)

ITEM BALL

Full Heal

Found on Violet Entrance · North of the Route 46 entrance (requires Rock Smash)
Effect

Eliminates all status problems.

ITEM BALL

Hyper Potion

Found on Violet Entrance · Directly north of the Route 46 entrance in the northeast corner (requires Rock Smash)
Effect

Restores Pokemon HP by 200.

ITEM BALL

Potion

Found on Violet Entrance · Near the exit to Route 31
Effect

Restores Pokemon HP by 20.

ITEM BALL

Revive

Found on Blackthorn Entrance · Southeast corner (requires Surf)
Effect

Restores a fainted Pokemon to 1/2 HP.

Hidden1
HIDDEN

Elixir

Found on Violet Entrance · In the northernmost area of the Route 31 side, at the end of a short dead-end path (requires Rock Smash) (hidden)
Effect

Restores PP of all moves by 10.

Dark Cave Guide

  • Mt. Mortar is the big change. Its halls were dark in Gold and Silver, but Crystal brightened them, so Flash is no longer needed to get through. Two caves still go pitch black, Dark Cave and Kanto's Rock Tunnel, and the move only works outdoors once you hold the Zephyr Badge.

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