Ruby & Sapphire Shoal Cave
Twice a day the tide floods and drains Shoal Cave, opening and sealing rooms on a clock. Gather four Shoal Salts and four Shells for the old man and he'll craft you a Shell Bell.
Shoal Cave is in Hoenn. In the story you arrive from Route 125 to the south and it comes before Route 127.
SHOAL CAVE MAP
Tide rules Shoal Cave. Low tide opens the ladders down to its frozen lower floors, while high tide floods them shut. Time your visit by the clock, since the bottom only clears when the water pulls back.
Shoal Cave Walkthrough
Entrance Room
- At high tide, surf north to the Shell Bell Maker's island.
- Cross to the northwest door into the Inner Room.
Inner Room
- SurfMoveSurfWaterClassSpecialPower95Accuracy100%PP15Creates a huge wave, then crashes it down on the foe. to the four Shoal Shells on the ledges of the room: northwest, just north of the southern bridge, northeast and southeast.
- Take the Rare CandyRare CandyRaises the level of a Pokemon by one.Inner room, east of central ledge east of the central ledge of the room.
- Take the southeast door into the Entrance Room.
Shoal Shellx4
Rare CandyEntrance Room
- Take the Big PearlBig PearlA lovely large pearl that would sell at a high price.Entrance room, northeast, accessible from southeast inner room in the Entrance Room's northeast corner by the southeast inner room door.
- SurfMoveSurfWaterClassSpecialPower95Accuracy100%PP15Creates a huge wave, then crashes it down on the foe. south to Route 125 and return at low tide.
Big PearlStairs Room (Low Tide)
- Walk north into the Inner Room and take its east ladder down to the Stairs Room (Low Tide).
- Climb its north ladder back up, then take the west ladder down to the Lower Room (Low Tide).
Lower Room (Low Tide)
- The Black Belt here gives you the Focus Band.
- Push the boulder aside and climb down the ladder behind it to the Ice Room (Low Tide).
Free itemBlack BeltGives Focus Band
Requires StrengthMoveStrengthNormalClassPhysicalPower80Accuracy100%PP15Builds enormous power, then slams the foe. (HM04MoveStrengthNormalClassPhysicalPower80Accuracy100%PP15Builds enormous power, then slams the foe.) to push. Usable after earning the Heat Badge from Flannery in Lavaridge Town.
Ice Room (Low Tide)
- Slide to TM07 HailMoveHailIceClassStatusPower—Accuracy—PP10Summons a hailstorm that strikes every turn. near the ledge, then to the Never-Melt Ice on the raised floor of the room.
- Climb back up and leave south to Route 125.
TM07 Hail
Never Melt IcePokemon Encounters
The tide rules Shoal Cave, opening new rooms as it rises and falls, and the catch to make while you explore is Spheal at up to 50 percent, the seal pup that becomes a powerful Walrein. Snorunt hides at 10 percent for a Glalie.
Old Rod2
Good Rod3
Super Rod1Old Rod2Good Rod3Super Rod1
Wailmer
Also found in 29 other locations
ITEMS
Gather four Shoal Salts and four Shoal Shells from the tide cave and the man at the entrance crafts you a Shell Bell that heals as you attack. A Focus Band, a Never-Melt Ice, and TM07 Hail are the other prizes worth braving the tides.
TM07 Hail
Hail creates a hailstorm that lasts for 5 turns and induces these additional effects:.
TM07 Hail
Hail creates a hailstorm that lasts for 5 turns and induces these additional effects:.
Focus Band
A hold item that occasionally prevents fainting.
Rare Candy
Raises the level of a Pokemon by one.
Big Pearl
A lovely large pearl that would sell at a high price.
Ice Heal
Defrosts a frozen Pokemon.
Never Melt Ice
A hold item that raises the power of ICE-type moves.
Shell Bell
A hold item that restores HP upon striking the foe.
Shoal Salt
Salt obtained from deep inside the SHOAL CAVE.
Shoal Shell
A seashell found deep inside the SHOAL CAVE.
Shoal Cave Guide
The tide flips on the game clock every six hours. High tide runs 9am to 3pm and 9pm to 3am, low tide fills the gaps, and rooms open or flood depending on which one it is. The tide locks while you're inside, so step out and back in if you need the other state.
Collect four Shoal Salts at low tide and four Shoal Shells at high tide, then hand all eight to the old man near the entrance and he crafts a Shell Bell, which heals the holder a little whenever it lands a hit. The materials respawn, so he keeps making more.
Shoal Cave is the only spot. Wild Spheal and Snorunt appear nowhere else in Ruby and Sapphire, so this is your stop if you want either. Bring Strength to shove aside the boulders blocking the low-tide rooms.
Flash is optional in most Hoenn caves. A hiker on Granite Cave's first floor hands you HM05, and the Knuckle Badge lets you use it in the field. Only a few dark rooms in Victory Road really call for it, so teach it to a spare Pokemon and skip the wall-bumping.
In long caves like Victory Road they pay off, letting you reach exits and items without constant low-level battles. Keep in mind a Repel only quiets random wild encounters, so it does nothing about the level-45 Groudon or Kyogre standing in the Cave of Origin, and Shoal Cave's rooms still open and close on the tide no matter what you hold.