Route 18: Vallee Etriot Pokémon
- Durant - Rare, Tall Grass / Flowers / Rustling Bush
- Durant (Horde) - Uncommon
- Geodude (Horde) - Common
- Graveler - Rare, Tall Grass / Flowers / Rock Smash
- Gurdurr - Common, Tall Grass / Flowers
- Heatmor - Rare, Tall Grass / Flowers / Rustling Bush
- Heatmor (Horde) - Rare
- Lairon - Rare, Tall Grass / Flowers - Pokémon X only
- Pupitar - Rare, Tall Grass / Flowers- Pokémon Y only
- Sandslash - Rare, Tall Grass / Flowers
- Shuckle - Rare, Rock Smash
- Torkoal - Uncommon, Tall Grass / Flowers
The gate to Route 18 is on the east side of Anistar City, down the street from the Pokémon Center. The entrance still looks like it is blocked by workers, but you can slip right through them. Check the bush beside the Route sign for a Poké Ball, then head south. The path splits, though it's easy to miss. Continue south and you'll hop over a ledge to find a Hyper Potion. Take a right and loop back north to hit a trainer.
Youngster Jayden
- Scolipede, level 48
- Pinsir, level 48
To the east is a bridge. Before you step onto the bridge ahead you'll find a Cuttable tree. Past it is a Wacan Berry tree and a grinding rail that will take you to a PP Up. Hop over ledges and head south, beneath the bridge, and climb the nearby stairs. You'll see a house ahead, as well as a trainer. (If you can't use Cut you'll wind up here just by crossing the bridge, in which case you'll run into an additional trainer.)
Hiker Orestes
- Stunfisk, level 50
Battle Girl Justine
- Mienshao, level 52
Mienshao is best approached with a speedy Flying-type so it can't zip off-screen with Bounce. Mienshao is quite frail, so most attacks should OHKO it.
Enter the house. If you talk to the guy you'll face a rather bizarre and innovative new form of combat: The Inverse Battle. You can battle him once per day. Check the side of the house for a hidden Ether.
Psychic Inver
This is a weird battle. Moves that are normally super effective won't be effective at all, and vice versa. If in doubt, simply use a move that's the same type as the Pokémon you're battling. Be sure to deploy Pokémon that would normally be weak to these guys!
- Three Random Pokémon, level 55
This is a weird battle. Moves that are normally super effective won't be effective at all, and vice versa. If in doubt, simply use a move that's the same type as the Pokémon you're battling. Be sure to deploy Pokémon that would normally be weak to these guys!
Check the east side of the cliffs near the house. You'll find mine cart tracks to walk that lead south. Sitting in the open, south of a mine shaft, is a Max Ether. At the south end of the cart tracks is a Sky Trainer battle. There are two mine shafts along the way that you can enter, though we'll get to those once we finish up with Route 18.
Sky Trainer Jeremy
- Ninjask, level 46
- Drifblim, level 47
- Flygon, level 50
Kill Ninjask immediately. If you don't, it will Baton Pass its Speed Boost ability results onto other Pokémon, and you don't want that speed to latch onto the already-swift Flygon. It can use Stone Edge, and will rock your Flying-types horribly. Drifblim is okay backup, but it's a lesser concern.
Head back to the house in the north and go down the stairs. Follow the path south to the flower fields to find a trainer waiting. The flower field next to her contains a hidden Honey.
Lass Sara
- Granbull, level 48
- Dedenne, level 48
Rock Smash the boulder to the right of Sara. Head north and slip under the mine cart tracks to find another boulder you can destroy. Ahead is a trainer, and beside him an X-Defense. Check the rocks on the right side of the tracks leading south for a hidden Super Potion.
Black Belt Yanis
- Sawk, level 49
- Pangoro, level 50
You now have a choice. You can head south to Couriway Town, your next destination, or you can enter one of the two tunnels leading into Terminus Cave. We'll deal with Terminus Cave before looking around Couriway Town. Trek to Couriway Town if you need to heal, then backtrack to Route 18 and pop inside Terminus Cave.
Terminus Cave Pokémon
- Ariados - Common, Ceiling Drop
- Aron (Horde) - Rare - Pokémon X only
- Durant - Common, Walking
- Durant (Horde) - Common
- Geodude (Horde) - Uncommon
- Graveler - Uncommon, Walking / Rock Smash
- Lairon - Uncommon, Walking - Pokémon X only
- Larvitar (Horde) - Rare - Pokémon Y only
- Noibat - Rare, Ceiling Drop
- Pupitar - Uncommon, Walking - Pokémon Y only
- Sandslash - Uncommon, Walking
- Shuckle - Rare, Rock Smash
Head back outside and enter the mineshaft on your left, beside the house. Follow the path east. (This is a good place for Rock Smashing boulders, if you're big on that.) Now you're inside Terminus Cave proper. Head through the cave until you find some stairs.
Terminus Cave - 2F
This area is tricky. If you take the wrong path you'll have to go through again to reach everything. It's not a bad idea to pull out your Dowsing Machine and walking around. Start by heading south and going up the ramp to your right. You'll find a rock to Rock Smash, beyond which is a thin bridge that leads to a Star Piece.
Backtrack and follow the path west and south. After two ramps you'll hop down beside a small rock, sitting on your left. You'll find a Dusk Ball attached to the rock. Go up the ramps to the left of the Dusk Ball and you'll find a bridge. Just before the bridge you'll see a breakable boulder, and beside that is a stalagmite. Check the stalagmite for a Hyper Potion. Cross the bridge and you'll meet a trainer.
Worker Narek
Two moves: Earthquake and Self-Destruct. Both are brutal. Wipe these guys out early with Water- or Grass-type moves.
- Graveler, level 46
- Graveler, level 47
- Golem, level 48
Two moves: Earthquake and Self-Destruct. Both are brutal. Wipe these guys out early with Water- or Grass-type moves.
There's a split in the path ahead. Go south to find a Heat Rock behind a rock that you'll need to Rock Smash. Backtrack to the bridge and you'll find a trainer prancing back and forth across it.
Hiker Aaron
- Rhydon, level 50
Rhydon is brutal opponent with Earthquake, but it's slow. Use Water- or Grass-type moves to wipe it out immediately.
Once you cross the bridge and go down the next ramp you'll be beneath the bridge, and the path will split. Hop down the ramp to the south. To your left is an Escape Rope. To your right is a trainer, as well as a path back to the bridge that you crossed earlier.
Hiker Bergin
- Boldore, level 48 P
- Steelix, level 48 P
Backtrack to the ramp under the bridge and go north instead. There's a trainer here, across from some stairs.
Worker Dimitri
- Octillery, level 50
Head north, past the stairs. There's a breakable boulder ahead. Bust through, then check the ground at the end of the narrow alley to find a hidden Moon Stone. There are three ramp jumps on the left that will take you back to the beginning of Terminus Cave if your team is struggling, but if not you should avoid these at all costs.
Head back to the stairs and descend.
Terminus Cave - 3F
You're almost at the end. North of you is a patrolling trainer.
- Throh, level 49
- Conkeldurr, level 50
North of Andrea and on your left is a boulder. Smash through and weave through the passages to the west. Against the western wall and down a ramp is a Dusk Stone. Along the way you'll see a cluster of rocks, just beyond the narrow path. In the rock directly across from the thin passage is an Iron. These snaking paths ultimately lead you back to the same place, near Andrea.
Head north of Andrea. A trainer's waiting. Follow the path north of him to find an X Attack.
Black Belt Gunnar
Nothing too bad, though bear in mind that Sawk has Sturdy. It will get one hit in, unless you have a move that hits twice or more in one turn.
- Toxicroak, level 49
- Sawk, level 50
Nothing too bad, though bear in mind that Sawk has Sturdy. It will get one hit in, unless you have a move that hits twice or more in one turn.
Trek east of Gunnar. Another trainer awaits.
Black Belt Ricardo
Earthquake?! Harsh. Wipe Hariyama out in one hit with a strong special attack if you can. He's painful. Psychic will do nicely.
- Hariyama, level 52
Earthquake?! Harsh. Wipe Hariyama out in one hit with a strong special attack if you can. He's painful. Psychic will do nicely.
The path splits three ways here. Start by ascending the ramp along the northbound path, past Ricardo. A trainer's up here, and you'll need Rock Smash to reach her. Slide down the ramp to the right of her to find an Elixir to the north.
Battle Girl Hailey
- Medicham, level 48
- Hawlucha, level 51
Hop across some ramps and head east to find the earlier split. Continue east to find a Full Heal, then head back to the intersection where you fought the Black Belt. Head south at the split. Once you reach a spiraling path, make your way down into it, towards the mine cart. You'll need Rock Smash to get all the way down. Nearby is TM30 Shadow Ball, and hidden up the ramp from the TM is a Max Potion.
Return to the outer paths and go south. Two Pokémon Rangers will step up to battle you. Check the stalagmite behind them for a Dire Hit.
Rangers Fern & Lee
- Nidoking, level 51
- Nidoqueen, level 51
Head south to the next split. To the west is an Iron Plate. East leads upstairs, where a trainer is waiting.
Worker Yusif
- Probopass, level 50
Probopass is a defensive powerhouse, and can do some surprise damage with Zap Cannon. Water- and Fighting-type moves are best.
Go up the next ramp and skirt the edge of it to the east to reach a ledge. Grab a Max Repel from the stalagmite on the edge of the ledge, then hop south to find a Reaper Cloth. Go back up the ramps. A guy in the northwest is blocking the final set of stairs in Terminus Cave, and unless you've defeated the Champion you can't get past him. Come back here once you've beaten the game.
That's all for Terminus Cave for the moment. Use an Escape Rope to get out of here.
Return Trip
Come back here after defeating the Champion as the guy suggests. In the cave beyond where he was standing you'll find a divided path. Down and to the right of the intersection is a Lustrous Orb. Down and to the left is an Adamant Orb. Up and to the left is a Griseous Orb. Up and to the right is, hidden in the middle of the grassy spot, a Big Nugget. And directly north...
... well, directly north is the almighty Zygarde, a Dragon- and Ground-type legendary Pokémon. At level 70 and possessing some horrid attacks (uh oh, Earthquake), Zygarde is no easy catch. The only sure way to grab it is to use a Master Ball. Otherwise you'll have to slowly whittle down its HP to the red, then start chucking either Ultra Balls or Dusk Balls and hope one of them sticks. Status ailments such as sleep or paralysis will help speed the capture along, and are highly recommended. Be sure you save before you get into this fight, as it's quite common to spend an hour or more fighting Zygarde without actually catching it.