Route 19 Pokémon
- Patrat - Common, Tall Grass, All Seasons
- Purrloin - Common, Tall Grass, All Seasons
You have a starter; you have a mission; you have Poké Balls. Now you need a team, some experience, and more advice from Bianca. Follow her out onto Route 19 to get started on all three. The woman in the gate between Aspertia City and the route will give you a Potion on your way out.
Bianca will reminisce briefly about her training days, then get into a practice battle to show you how catching Pokémon works. It's pretty simple: You walk into the tall grass, you get into fights, you weaken your enemy Pokémon until its health is in the red, and you throw a Poké Ball. If you get lucky you'll catch the Pokémon and put it on your team. If you're less lucky and your Poké Balls keep getting rebuffed you can put the critter to sleep or paralyze it to make the catch easier. Once she's done lecturing you Bianca will take off, and you'll be set to head into the wilderness.
Consult the Route 19 Pokémon list above. It shows the Pokémon available on this route, and the pickings are slim: Patrat and Purrloin. Patrats aren't that great in the long run, though Purrloin can be handy against two of the Elite Four in the end game. Both are decent early in the game. Catch what you want and beat up the rest to gain some experience and build up your starter's level.
From the entrance you'll see a patch of grass to your right. Head east to find some people in the tall grass with some tips, and to the east of the boy in the cap is a Potion in the grass. Keep trekking through the area and you'll be met by a man with wild hair who jumps from a ledge. This is Alder, former champion of Unova, and he judges you a worthy trainer... though inexperienced. He urges you to follow him to nearby Floccesy Town.
Return Trip
Later in the game you'll be able to return to Route 19 with Surf under your belt. Once you can you'll find more of interest on this introductory route, across the pond in the north:
- To the west along the water is a Water Stone. You'll need this for evolving certain types of Pokémon.
- To the east, up the stairs, and on the left is a Nest Ball, used for catching Pokémon. To the south, in the same spot Alder was standing when you first met him, you'll find an Expert Belt. Use your Dowsing Machine if you can't find it.