Red & Blue Victory Road
Sliding boulders with Strength is the only way through this final cave to the Pokemon League, home to the legendary bird Moltres.
Victory Road is in Kanto. In the story you arrive from Route 23 through its entrance and continue through its entrance to Indigo Plateau.
VICTORY ROAD MAP
Nothing opens here without Strength. You roll boulders onto floor switches to drop the barriers blocking each of the three levels, and a sloppy push can wall you off until you reset it.
Victory Road Walkthrough
1F
- Inside the Route 23 entrance, shove the nearby boulder east along the bottom passage, then north and east onto the switch.
- Walk north through the opening and west across the middle, where the CoolTrainer battles you with Persian and Ninetales.
- On the north ledge, roll its boulder fully west to take TM43 Sky AttackTMTM43 Sky AttackFlyingClassPhysicalPower140Accuracy90%PP51st turn: Prepare 2nd turn: AttackWhereOn 1F of Victory Road, or stop it early and send it north to collect the Rare CandyRare Candy1F of Victory Road.
- One prize comes free per visit; going up to 2F and back resets the boulder for the other.
- In the northwest, the other CoolTrainer challenges you with Ivysaur, Wartortle, Charmeleon and Charizard, then climb the corner ladder to 2F.
TM43 Sky Attack
Rare Candy2F
- Push the boulder below the ladder west, south, then west again onto the southwest corner switch.
- Pass east through the gap to face the Black BeltBlack Belt₱1,075
MachokeLv 43
MachopLv 43MachokeLv 43Weak toFlyingPsychic, then go southeast until the Juggler challenges you with Drowzee, Hypno and two Kadabra. - In the long bottom passage, detour west to grab TM05 Mega KickTMTM05 Mega KickNormalClassPhysicalPower120Accuracy75%PP5A powerful kicking attack., then shove the passage boulder from its east end west onto the far switch.
- Head east, up the east side and west until the TamerTamer₱1,760
PersianLv 44
GolduckLv 44Weak toFightingElectricGrass battles you, then pick up the Full HealFull Heal2F of Victory Road beside the path north to the top passage. - Follow the top passage east to battle the other Juggler and his lone Mr. Mime, then take TM17 SubmissionTMTM17 SubmissionFightingClassPhysicalPower80Accuracy80%PP25An attack that al so hurts the user.WhereOn 2F of Victory Road past him.
Full Heal
Highest-level fight · fight 1Juggler
Mr. MimeLv 48₱1,680Mr. MimeLv 48
TM17 Submission3F
- Take the ladder north of the middle passage, just east of the Tamer, up to 3F.
- Circle north and east to collect the Max ReviveMax Revive3F of Victory Road once the CoolTrainer guarding it battles you, then go west along the top for TM47 ExplosionMoveExplosionNormalClassPhysicalPower170Accuracy100%PP5Very powerful but makes user faint..
Max Revive2F
- Walk east along the top to uncover the hidden Ultra BallUltra BallHidden item on 2F of Victory Road below your path, pick up the Guard SpecGuard Spec2F of Victory Road past it, then head south to battle MoltresDoes not evolve.
- Climb back to 3F, retrace it to the main-room ladder, then take the southeast ladder up and follow the narrow 3F strip north.
- Descend its other ladder, uncover the hidden Full RestoreFull RestoreHidden item on 2F of Victory Road west of your landing, then walk east toward the Indigo Plateau.
Ultra Ball
Guard Spec
Full RestorePokemon Encounters
The final cave is wall-to-wall muscle, Machoke and Graveler in the 40s with Onix and a 1% Marowak in the mix. Moltres, the last of the legendary birds, waits deeper in at level 50. Top off your team before you push in.
Moltres
ITEMS
Victory Road packs four TMs for the endgame, TM47 Explosion and TM43 Sky Attack the strongest. A Max Revive, a Full Restore stashed off the path, and a Rare Candy top off supplies before the Elite Four.
TM43 Sky Attack
The user of Sky Attack will become cloaked in a harsh light on the first turn.
TM43 Sky Attack
The user of Sky Attack will become cloaked in a harsh light on the first turn.
TM05 Mega Kick
Mega Kick deals damage with no additional effect.
TM17 Submission
Submission deals damage, but the user receives 1⁄4 of the damage it inflicts in recoil.
TM47 Explosion
Explosion deals high damage, but causes the user to faint.
Rare Candy
Causes a level-up and raises happiness.
Full Heal
Cures any status ailment and confusion.
Guard Spec
Prevents stat changes in battle for five turns in battle. Raises happiness.
Max Revive
Revives with full HP.
Full Restore
Restores HP to full and cures any status ailment and confusion.
Ultra Ball
Tries to catch a wild Pokémon. Success rate is 2×.
TRAINERS
Eleven of Kanto's toughest trainers hold Victory Road, Cool Trainers and a Black Belt fielding teams up to level 48. The boulder puzzles slow you between fights, the last test before the Elite Four.
Victory Road Guide
Inside Victory Road, not up a mountain like the remakes put it. Moltres waits deep in the cave at level 50, the Fire and Flying legendary bird. You pass it on the way to the Elite Four, so save first, soften it with a strong physical hit, and bring plenty of Ultra Balls.
You need HM04 Strength to push boulders onto the floor switches, which drop the barriers blocking each level. Line a boulder up over the right panel and the door ahead unlocks. There's no Rock Smash in these games, so Strength and Surf are the only field moves the cave asks for.
Rock Tunnel is the only one you can't see inside. Mt. Moon, the Seafoam Islands, Victory Road, and the Unknown Dungeon all light themselves, so Flash is just a convenience there. Claim HM05 Flash from Oak's Aide in the Route 2 gatehouse once you've caught ten different species.
Victory Road and the Seafoam Islands both gate progress behind it. Victory Road uses boulder-on-switch puzzles to open doors, while Seafoam needs you to shove boulders into holes to kill the water current. You earn HM04 Strength from the Safari Zone Warden after returning his Gold Teeth.
Worth it when you're only passing through. Repels turn off any encounter weaker than your lead Pokemon, which makes a high-level run through Golbat-infested Victory Road far quieter. Just pull the Repel back off when you actually want a rarity like Chansey or Clefairy to appear.