HeartGold & SoulSilver Dark Cave

Pitch-dark passages burrow under the hills between Routes 31 and 45, the best place in Johto to dig out the elusive Dunsparce hiding in the gloom.

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 pitch black throughout, its mouths on Routes 31, 45, and 46 feeding one unlit warren where Flash is essential, Surf opens the ponds, and Rock Smash breaks into the hidden pockets.

HeartGold & SoulSilver

Dark Cave Walkthrough

0 trainers 9 items 1 gift 16 species

East

0 TRAINERS · 3 ITEMS · 1 GIFT · 12 SPECIES
1
Enter Dark Cave from Route 45 for this later crossing, and search the entrance area before spending time on the water beyond it.

Wobbuffet can appear while you walk here.

  1. Check southwest of the Route 45 entrance for the hidden Elixir before crossing the chamber.
  2. Use SurfMoveSurfWaterClassSpecialPower95Accuracy100%PP15It swamps the entire battlefield with a giant wave. It can also be used for crossing water. to collect TM54 False SwipeTMTM54 False SwipeNormalClassPhysicalPower40Accuracy100%PP40A restrained attack that prevents the foe from fainting. The target is left with at least 1 HP.WhereNortheast of the exit to the Route 31 side (requires Surf) northeast of the exit toward the Route 31 side.
  3. With SurfMoveSurfWaterClassSpecialPower95Accuracy100%PP15It swamps the entire battlefield with a giant wave. It can also be used for crossing water., search the rock north of that same Route 31-side exit for the hidden healing pickup.
TM54 False Swipe
2
Once you can cross the water, the man becomes your next landmark: his gift and the hidden rock above him are separate stops.
  1. Use SurfMoveSurfWaterClassSpecialPower95Accuracy100%PP15It swamps the entire battlefield with a giant wave. It can also be used for crossing water. to reach the northwest corner of the Route 45 side, where the man hands you Black GlassesBlack GlassesHELD ITEMAn item to be held by a Pokemon. It is a shady-looking pair of glasses that boosts Dark-type moves.From the man in the northwest corner of the Route 45 side (requires Surf).
  2. With SurfMoveSurfWaterClassSpecialPower95Accuracy100%PP15It swamps the entire battlefield with a giant wave. It can also be used for crossing water., inspect the rock north of the man for a hidden Max Revive before leaving his corner.
  3. Take the exit into West, the Route 31 side, after finishing the man's corner.
Black Glasses
Free itemGift ItemGives Blackglasses
Max Revive

West

0 TRAINERS · 6 ITEMS · 10 SPECIES
3
On the Route 31 side, you can work through the water pickup and breakable-rock pockets before leaving through the early approach.

Dunsparce can appear along the walk.

  1. Use SurfMoveSurfWaterClassSpecialPower95Accuracy100%PP15It swamps the entire battlefield with a giant wave. It can also be used for crossing water. for the Black Flute east of the Route 31 entrance; use Rock SmashMoveRock SmashFightingClassPhysicalPower40Accuracy100%PP15The user hits with a punch that may lower the target’s Defense. It can also smash cracked boulders. with the Zephyr Badge when breakable rocks interrupt the sweep.
  2. Use StrengthMoveStrengthNormalClassPhysicalPower80Accuracy100%PP15The foe is slugged with a punch thrown at maximum power. It can also be used to move boulders. with the Plain Badge to move the boulder that opens the way to Route 46.
  3. After Rock SmashMoveRock SmashFightingClassPhysicalPower40Accuracy100%PP15The user hits with a punch that may lower the target’s Defense. It can also smash cracked boulders., collect Dire HitDire HitBATTLE ITEM · BATTLEAn item that raises the critical-hit ratio of a Pokemon in battle. It wears off if the Pokemon is withdrawn.Northwest of the exit to Route 46 (requires Rock Smash) northwest of the Route 46 exit and Full Heal north of its entrance.
  4. After Rock SmashMoveRock SmashFightingClassPhysicalPower40Accuracy100%PP15The user hits with a punch that may lower the target’s Defense. It can also smash cracked boulders., take the visible Hyper PotionHyper PotionMEDICINE · HEALINGA spray-type medicine for wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokemon by 200 points.South of northeast corner (requires Rock Smash) south of the northeast corner; the Surf-reached hidden counterpart sits north of the Route 31-side exit.
  5. After Rock SmashMoveRock SmashFightingClassPhysicalPower40Accuracy100%PP15The user hits with a punch that may lower the target’s Defense. It can also smash cracked boulders., search between two rocks in the wall southeast of the Hyper Potion south of the northeast corner for hidden Max EtherMax EtherMEDICINE · PP RESTOREIt fully restores the PP of a single selected move that has been learned by the target Pokemon.In a wall between two rocks southeast of the Hyper Potion (requires Rock Smash) (hidden).
Black Flute
Dire Hit
Full Heal
Hyper Potion
Max Ether
Blocked pathRock Smash Rock
HM06 Rock Smash
Zephyr Badge
Blocked pathStrength Boulder
HM04 Strength
Plain Badge

Requires HM06 Rock SmashMoveRock SmashFightingClassPhysicalPower40Accuracy100%PP15The user hits with a punch that may lower the target’s Defense. It can also smash cracked boulders. + Zephyr Badge

Past the Route 31 Side Strength Boulder, this opens the ground behind it: Hyper Potion.

Requires HM04 StrengthMoveStrengthNormalClassPhysicalPower80Accuracy100%PP15The foe is slugged with a punch thrown at maximum power. It can also be used to move boulders. + Plain Badge

Opens the ground behind the Strength Boulder: Dire Hit, Full Heal, another blocked path and the way to Route 46.

4
Finish beside the Route 31 entrance after completing the pond and rock-pocket sweep.
  1. Smashed rocks can also yield Star Piece, Revive and Red Shard.
  2. Take the PotionPotionMEDICINE · HEALINGA spray-type medicine for wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokemon by just 20 points. near the Route 31 exit, then search the rock northeast of the Potion for a hidden Poke Ball.

Pokemon Encounters

Dunsparce is the headline, and the reliable way to get one is Rock Smash, where it appears at 80 percent rather than the stingy 1 percent swarm. Wobbuffet wanders the dark at 15 percent, and tuning the radio brings Bronzor, Chingling, and Makuhita into the cave, none of them native to this region.

Method
Floor
Type
▾East17
Walking9
#074Geodude
30% - Lv 23
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 23
#359Absol
20% - Lv 23
Hoenn Sound
#436Bronzor
20% - Lv 23
Sinnoh Sound
#433Chingling
20% - Lv 25
Sinnoh Sound
#075Graveler
20% - Lv 25
#296Makuhita
20% - Lv 25
Hoenn Sound
#202Wobbuffet
15% - Lv 20–25
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 23
Surf1
#129Magikarp
100% - Lv 2–20
Fish7
Old Rod2
#129Magikarp
85% - Lv 10
#118Goldeen
15% - Lv 10
Good Rod2
#118Goldeen
60% - Lv 20
#129Magikarp
40% - Lv 20
Super Rod3
#118Goldeen
70% - Lv 40
#129Magikarp
20% - Lv 40
#119Seaking
10% - Lv 40
▾West18
Walking8
#074Geodude
60% - Lv 2–4
#206Dunsparce
41% - Lv 2–4
Swarm
#041Zubat
39% - Lv 2–4
#359Absol
20% - Lv 2–3
Hoenn Sound
#436Bronzor
20% - Lv 2–3
Sinnoh Sound
#433Chingling
20% - Lv 2
Sinnoh Sound
#296Makuhita
20% - Lv 2
Hoenn Sound
#206Dunsparce
1% - Lv 4
Surf1
#129Magikarp
100% - Lv 2–20
Fish7
Old Rod2
#129Magikarp
85% - Lv 10
#118Goldeen
15% - Lv 10
Good Rod2
#118Goldeen
60% - Lv 20
#129Magikarp
40% - Lv 20
Super Rod3
#118Goldeen
70% - Lv 40
#129Magikarp
20% - Lv 40
#119Seaking
10% - Lv 40
Rock Smash2
#206Dunsparce
90% - Lv 4–8
#074Geodude
10% - Lv 8–14
Magikarp
#129

Magikarp

Water
Evolves into Gyarados at Lv 20
Encounter rate
100% Common
Level
2–20
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
~36s-1m
to catch one
Poke Ball33%
Great Ball50%
Ultra Ball67%
Nuzlocke
D
community tier
Score20
PickLottery
SourceEstimated
EV - Speed
15
fights to cap
Raw255 fights
+ Power29 fights
+ Pokerus128 fights
Shiny hunt
1/8,192
full odds
Base1/8,192
Expected40h 58m

ITEMS

TM54 False Swipe is the catch-hunter's friend here, leaving wild Pokemon on a sliver of HP for an easy capture. Black Glasses sharpens Dark moves, and a hidden Max Revive and Elixir wait in the dark.

Source
Floor
TM1
TM54 False Swipe
Route 45 Side
Item ball10
Black Flute
Route 31 Side
Black Glasses
Route 45 Side
Dire Hit
Route 31 Side
Full Heal
Route 31 Side
Hyper Potion
Route 31 Side
Max Ether
Route 31 Side
Potion
Route 31 Side
Red Shard
Revive
Route 45 Side
Star Piece
Hidden5
Elixir
Route 45 Side
Hyper Potion
Route 45 Side
Max Ether
Route 31 Side
Max Revive
Route 45 Side
Poke Ball
Route 31 Side
TM

TM54 False Swipe

Found on Route 45 Side · Northeast of the exit to the Route 31 side (requires Surf)
Move
False SwipeNormalPhysical
Power
40
Accuracy
100%
PP
40

Always leaves opponent with at least 1 HP.

TM1
TM

TM54 False Swipe

Found on Route 45 Side · Northeast of the exit to the Route 31 side (requires Surf)
Move
False SwipeNormalPhysical
Power
40
Accuracy
100%
PP
40

Always leaves opponent with at least 1 HP.

Item ball10
ITEM BALL

Black Flute

Found on Route 31 Side · East of the Route 31 entrance (requires Surf)
Effect

A black flute made from blown glass. Its melody makes wild Pokemon less likely to appear.

ITEM BALL

Black Glasses

Found on Route 45 Side · From the man in the northwest corner of the Route 45 side (requires Surf)
Effect

An item to be held by a Pokemon. It is a shady-looking pair of glasses that boosts Dark-type moves.

ITEM BALL

Dire Hit

Found on Route 31 Side · Northwest of the exit to Route 46 (requires Rock Smash)
Effect

An item that raises the critical-hit ratio of a Pokemon in battle. It wears off if the Pokemon is withdrawn.

ITEM BALL

Full Heal

Found on Route 31 Side · North of the Route 46 entrance (requires Rock Smash)
Effect

A spray-type medicine. It heals all the status problems of a single Pokemon.

ITEM BALL

Hyper Potion

Found on Route 31 Side · South of northeast corner (requires Rock Smash)
Effect

A spray-type medicine for wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokemon by 200 points.

ITEM BALL

Max Ether

Found on Route 31 Side · Break the rocks for a 25% chance to uncover one
Effect

It fully restores the PP of a single selected move that has been learned by the target Pokemon.

ITEM BALL

Potion

Found on Route 31 Side · Near the exit to Route 31
Effect

A spray-type medicine for wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokemon by just 20 points.

ITEM BALL

Red Shard

Break the rocks around the area for a 10% chance each
Effect

A small red shard. It appears to be from some sort of implement made long ago.

ITEM BALL

Revive

Found on Route 45 Side · Smash the breakable rocks for a 20% chance to find one
Effect

A medicine that revives a fainted Pokemon. It restores half the Pokemon's maximum HP.

ITEM BALL

Star Piece

Smash the breakable rocks for a 5% chance to find one
Effect

A shard of a pretty gem that sparkles in a red color. It can be sold at a high price to shops.

Hidden5
HIDDEN

Elixir

Found on Route 45 Side · Southwest of entrance from Route 45 (hidden)
Effect

It restores the PP of all the moves learned by the targeted Pokemon by 10 points each.

HIDDEN

Hyper Potion

Found on Route 45 Side · On a rock north of the exit to the Route 31 side (requires Surf) (hidden)
Effect

A spray-type medicine for wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokemon by 200 points.

HIDDEN

Max Ether

Found on Route 31 Side · In a wall between two rocks southeast of the Hyper Potion (requires Rock Smash) (hidden)
Effect

It fully restores the PP of a single selected move that has been learned by the target Pokemon.

HIDDEN

Max Revive

Found on Route 45 Side · On a rock, north of the man who gives BlackGlasses (requires Surf) (hidden)
Effect

A medicine that revives a fainted Pokemon. It fully restores the Pokemon's HP.

HIDDEN

Poke Ball

Found on Route 31 Side · In a rock northeast of the Potion (hidden)
Effect

A device for catching wild Pokemon. It is thrown like a ball at the target. It is designed as a capsule system.

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