Appendix:Ruby and Sapphire walkthrough/Section 1

This is the Bulbapedia walkthrough for Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
These pages follow the original Game Boy Advance iteration, not Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. The guide for those games can be found here.

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Introduction

After the title screen, the resident researcher of the Hoenn region, Professor Birch, appears and introduces new Trainers to the Pokémon world. The professor continues, asking the player to select both a gender and a name, which can be up to seven characters long. With that done, Birch sends the player off to begin their journey!

Home

The game begins in the back of a moving truck, as your family has just moved here from the far-off Johto region. Hop out of the truck to meet Mom and step inside your new home. Head upstairs to check out your room and set the clock. Return to the first floor and Mom excitedly calls you over to the TV; the current program just aired a segment about the Petalburg Gym, where your dad is the new Gym Leader. She then suggests visiting his friend, your new neighbor, Professor Birch. Welcome to Littleroot Town!

Littleroot Town

Littleroot Town

Littleroot is a quaint little town nestled on the lush southern edge of the Hoenn mainland. There are only three buildings here; your home, Professor Birch's home, and the professor's Pokémon Laboratory, where he conducts research on Pokémon distribution, in the south.

Items
Item Location Games Potion Retrievable from the PC in the player's room  R  S

Professor Birch's House

Having just moved to a new town, why not meet your new neighbors? Visit the house next door to meet the professor's wife, then head upstairs to meet his child, May/Brendan. She/He suddenly leaves, remembering that Birch asked for help in catching a Pokémon.

Route 101

Route 101

Choose wisely!

Route 101 is a short path that connects Littleroot Town to Oldale Town in the north. The route features several patches of tall grass, a favorite hiding place of wild Pokémon.

Available Pokémon

Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate Zigzagoon R S E Grass 2-3 45% Wurmple R S E Grass 2-3 45% Poochyena R S E Grass 2-3 10% First partner Pokémon Treecko R S E Gift 5 One Torchic R S E Gift 5 One Mudkip R S E Gift 5 One A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Save the Professor!

When you first reach the area, you find Professor Birch being chased around by a wild Poochyena! His Bag has fallen out of his reach, and he pleads with you for help. Choose one of the three Pokémon from the Poké Balls inside the professor's Bag, and use it to scare off his attacker.

Treecko		Torchic		Mudkip
Grass		Fire		Water
	Grovyle		Combusken		Marshtomp
Grass		Fire	Fighting	Water	Ground
	Sceptile		Blaziken		Swampert
Grass		Fire	Fighting	Water	Ground

• The Grass-type Treecko has the most weaknesses of the trio, with five: Fire-, Bug-, Poison-, Flying-, and Ice-type attacks. It and its evolutions excel in Special Attack and Speed. Its Grass moves are strong against Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokémon.

• The Fire-type Torchic is great when battling Grass-, Bug-, Ice-, and Steel-type Pokémon, but is vulnerable to Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type moves. It and its evolved forms focus on Attack and Special Attack. As it grows, it gains a secondary Fighting type.

• The Water-type Mudkip has an advantage when facing Fire-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokémon, but may struggle against Grass and Electric attacks. It and its evolutions specialize in Attack. As it grows, it gains a secondary Ground type; this protects it from Electric attacks, but leaves it especially vulnerable to Grass moves.

Littleroot Town

Birch's Lab

After scaring off the wild Pokémon, Birch invites you back to the Lab. As thanks for rescuing him, he happily lets you keep the young Pokémon. He then encourages you to visit May/Brendan on Route 103 for tips on how to be a Pokémon Trainer. When your Pokémon needs a rest, head back home and visit with Mom to have her restore it to full health.

Oldale Town

Oldale Town

Oldale Town is the first settlement in the region to feature a Pokémon Center and a Poké Mart. Pokémon Centers are essentially hospitals where creatures can be restored to perfect health. The PC on the counter is always available for Trainers to organize their Pokémon. Poké Marts offer a wide range of items for sale, from Potions to Poké Balls. Route 102 leads off to the west, while Route 103 runs northward.

Items
Item Location Games Potion From the Poké Mart worker near the exit to Route 101  R  S

Free Potions!

Speak to the woman near the southeast house. She works at the local Poké Mart, and shows you the way to the shop. Once there, she gives you a free Potion as part of a promotion her shop is running.

The Sketch Artist

The western exit is currently blocked off by a man who believes that he may have found some extremely rare Pokémon tracks. No one is allowed past until he has made a sketch of his discovery.

Route 103

Route 103

Route 103 serves as a shortcut between Oldale Town and Route 110. Seawater divides the route, restricting travel to the western side for now.

Available Pokémon
Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate Zigzagoon R S E Grass 2-4 60% Poochyena R S E Grass 2-4 30% Wingull R S E Grass 2-4 10% A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Rival Battle 1

The first battle.

Cross through the tall grass to meet up with your rival, who challenges you to a friendly battle after spotting your new Pokémon. The opposing Pokémon will always have a type advantage against your own. Remember to use Potions if the battle isn't going your way!

Player chose Treecko

PKMN Trainer Brendan Route 103 Ruby and Sapphire Reward: $300 Type: Fire Unknown Ability: Blaze Held item: None Torchic♂ Lv.5 Scratch Normal   --       Growl Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --

Player chose Torchic

PKMN Trainer Brendan Route 103 Ruby and Sapphire Reward: $300 Type: Water Unknown Ability: Torrent Held item: None Mudkip♂ Lv.5 Tackle Normal   --       Growl Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --

Player chose Mudkip

PKMN Trainer Brendan Route 103 Ruby and Sapphire Reward: $300 Type: Grass Unknown Ability: Overgrow Held item: None Treecko♂ Lv.5 Pound Normal   --       Leer Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --

After the battle, May/Brendan heads back south to Birch's Lab.

Littleroot Town

Items

Item Location Games Pokédex From Professor Birch, after defeating May/Brendan on Route 103  R  S  Poké Ball ×5 From May/Brendan, after obtaining the Pokédex  R  S  Running Shoes From Mom, after obtaining the Pokédex  R  S  Subsequent visits Amulet Coin From Mom, after defeating Norman in a Gym battle  R  S  S.S. Ticket From Norman, after defeating the Elite Four and Champion for the first time  R  S

Birch's Lab

After the battle, follow May/Brendan back to Professor Birch's Lab. Inside, the professor gives you a handy gadget: the Pokédex! This high-tech encyclopedia instantly records information on any Pokémon you see or catch. In addition, his child gives you five Poké Balls to start you off on your journey. Now that you have received some Poké Balls, they can be purchased at all Poké Marts in the region. Buying ten Poké Balls at once, at any location, also earns you a bonus Premier Ball.

Meet up with Mom

As you go to leave Littleroot, you see Mom standing outside. She is proud that you have your own Pokémon. In preparation for your adventure, she gives you a pair of Running Shoes. By holding down the B Button, these shoes allow you to run twice as fast as the normal walking speed.

Route 102

Route 102

Route 102 connects Oldale Town and Petalburg City. The patches of tall grass are home to several new wild Pokémon species.

Trainers

Trainer Pokémon Youngster Calvin Reward: $80 Zigzagoon♂ Lv.5 No item Bug Catcher Rick Reward: $64 Wurmple♂ Lv.4 No item Wurmple♂ Lv.4 No item Youngster Allen Reward: $48 Poochyena♂ Lv.5 No item Taillow♂ Lv.3 No item Lass Tiana Reward: $64 Zigzagoon♀ Lv.4 No item Zigzagoon♀ Lv.4 No item Rematch Youngster Calvin* Reward: $432 Linoone♂ Lv.27 No item Youngster Calvin* Reward: $480/528 Swellow♂ Lv.28/31 No item Linoone♂ Lv.30/33 No item Youngster Calvin* Reward: $576 Swellow♂ Lv.34 No item Vigoroth♂ Lv.32 No item Linoone♂ Lv.36 No item Trainers with a PokéNav by their names will be registered in the Trainer's Eyes or Match Call function after the first battle, and may have a rematch with the player with higher-level Pokémon.

Available Pokémon

Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate Zigzagoon R S E Grass 3-4 30% Wurmple R S E Grass 3-4 30% Seedot R S E Grass 3-4 20% Lotad R S E Grass 3-4 20% Poochyena R S E Grass 3-4 15% Ralts R S E Grass 4 4% Surskit R S E Grass 3 1% A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Items
Item Location Games Oran Berry ×2 From the soft soil patch  R  S  Pecha Berry ×2 From the soft soil patch  R  S  Potion Southwest part of the route  R  S

Soft Soil

There is a patch of soft soil on the route's north side. On your first visit, two Berry trees can be found growing here. Collect the fruit and the trees disappear, allowing you to plant another Berry to continue the cycle. The amount of time needed for the new tree to fully mature and produce fruit varies based on the kind of Berry. After obtaining a watering can, you may water the young plants at certain times to increase the Berry yield. Berries can have several useful effects, from curing status conditions to restoring health. They can even be turned into candy!

Petalburg City

Petalburg City

Situated between Route 102 to the east and Route 104 to the west, Petalburg City is the first location you reach to feature a Pokémon Gym.

Items
Item Location Games Return trip HM03 (Surf) From Wally's dad, after defeating the Petalburg Gym  R  S  Max Revive Across the northeast pond (requires Surf)  R  S  Ether Across the southwest pond (requires Surf)  R  S  Rare Candy Across the southwest pond (hidden, requires Surf)  R  S

Meet up with Dad

When you visit the Petalburg Gym, you find your father, Norman, standing in the lobby. He is surprised that you've made it this far from home, but is excited for you to become a Pokémon Trainer like him. A sickly boy named Wally soon enters, and explains that he will be staying with relatives in nearby Verdanturf Town in the hopes that the clean air will do him good. But he is afraid of becoming lonely there, and asks for help in catching a Pokémon to take along. Norman asks that you go with him, and loans him his Zigzagoon and a Poké Ball. Wally leads you back to Route 102, where he successfully catches a Ralts.

Back at the Gym, Wally can't thank you enough for helping him catch his very own Pokémon. Your father then gives you some advice: to become a strong Trainer, challenge Gym Leader Roxanne in Rustboro City before moving on to the other Gym Leaders. Though Norman is also a Gym Leader, he will not accept your challenge until you have earned four Badges.

Ruby and Sapphire walkthrough

Route 104, Petalburg Woods, Rustboro City, Route 116, Rusturf Tunnel Part 2 →

This article is part of Project Walkthroughs, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive step-by-step guides on each Pokémon game.