Main Walkthrough

Route 21: Dernière Way Pokémon
  • Altaria - Uncommon, Flowers
  • Floatzel - Common (Red Flowers) / Uncommon (Surfing) / Rare (Purple Flowers)
  • Lombre - Common, Surfing
  • Scyther - Rare, Flowers
  • Scyther (Horde) - Rare
  • Spinda - Uncommon, Flowers
  • Spinda (Horde) - Common
  • Swablu (Horde) - Uncommon
  • Ursaring - Common (Purple Flowers) / Rare (Red Flowers)
Route 21 Fishing
  • Basculin - Common (Good Rod, Super Rod)
  • Dragonair - Rare (Super Rod)
  • Dratini - Rare (Good Rod)
  • Poliwag - Common (Old Rod)
  • Poliwhirl - Common (Good Rod, Super Rod)
You've done it. You have eight, count 'em eight, badges. Now all you need to do is make your way to Route 22, bypass all those weak trainers you fought earlier in the game, and begin your trek down Victory Road. You can Fly to Santalune City and be on Victory Road in mere minutes.

... or you could be a real trainer, and take on Route 21 first. Unlike Route 22, it's chock-full of challenging trainers, and a worthy test of your prowess before you enter Victory Road. And, yes, Route 21 is entirely optional, but your Pokémon should be as strong as possible before you try to tackle the Pokémon League.


You can reach Route 21 via the east end of Snowbelle City. Cross the bridge to the west. Once across, hop into the water running under the bridge and Surf north. At the end of the water you'll find an Insect Plate. Head back to the main path and you'll soon run into a trainer.

Ace Trainer Mirielle
  • Sableye, level 55
  • Crustle, level 56
Reward: $5,600 P



Carry on up the path. To the right side of the road, by the flowers, is a rock. Check it for a Guard Spec. Also here is a boulder to push with Strength. Lug it right until it lines up with the northern path, then push it one further square to the right. This will allow you to get below the boulder. Push it back to the left so it's in line with the northern path, then push it north and into the hole. Beyond is a trainer.

Veteran Louis
  • Hippowdon, level 55
  • Aurorus, level 57
Reward: 7,980 P

What an annoying pair. Hippowdon's Sand Stream will set a sandstorm into motion automatically, chipping away at the health of any Pokémon that's not Rock-, Ground-, or Steel-type. Worse, Hippowdon will use Yawn to put your Pokémon to sleep and then use Earthquake and Protect to damage and stall, respectively. Use a Water-type attack as soon as the battle begins to wipe it out. Aurorus will continue to stall with Protect, and can hit you with Thunderbolt, but it's not nearly as tough thanks to a four-times vulnerability to Fighting-type moves.


Near Louis is a shack. A man inside will teach any of your Dragon-type Pokémon Draco Meteor, a powerful attack move. Outside the shack is a flower field on your left. There's a patch of bare grass in the middle of the flowers. Check the bare patch on the left side for a hidden Pearl String. Hop into the water to the left of the flowers and you'll find a Repeat Ball on the other side. Beyond a Cuttable tree you'll find a Figy Berry tree, as well.

Return to the main path. There are more trainers waiting for you.

Ace Duo Elina & Sean
  • Wailord, level 57
  • Vileplume, level 57
Reward: 11,400 P


Continue west. The path ends at the entrance to Victory Road - though if you look south of the gate, you'll see a dirt ramp leading to another area. A patrolling trainer awaits on your left. 

Ace Trainer Evan
  • Chandelure, level 58
Reward: 5,800 P

Though it's running solo, Chandelure can be a pain. It has some strong attacks, and Confuse Ray is always annoying. Surf is good for bringing it down in one hit, assuming you also get STAB damage.


Head west. Cut through the tree ahead to gain access to three boulders to push around with Strength. Push the left boulder ahead as far west as you can go. You'll find a hidden PP Up in a rock near its final resting place. Then push the boulder it was beside to the west and down into the hole. This will let you get at another boulder, which you can push south so it's lined up with the hole to your right.

Loop back to the beginning and head west, following the upper path. Beyond a Cuttable tree is a trainer, and behind her is an Elixir. 

Veteran Trisha
  • Tyrantrum, level 59
Reward: 8,260 P


Push the boulder you moved previously to the right and into the hole. Hop into the water to the right and Surf over to the tree on the next path, a short ways to the northeast. Cut it down. You can also continue Surfing to the east to find a Rare Candy.

Return to the paths. There should be a loose boulder to the right of Trisha. Push it to the right, then push the next boulder beyond to the right as well. All this will allow you to move the last boulder in the area north and east to fill in the final hole. Beyond is TM22 Solar Beam.

All done. Hop down the ledge near the TM and make your way to Victory Road. There's one last trainer to face before you can access the Road itself, as he's guarding the way in.

Ace Trainer Robbie
  • Carbink, level 56
  • Raichu, level 56
  • Kingdra, level 57
Reward: 5,700 P

You have a decent challenge on your hands, here. Carbink isn't special, but Raichu can deal some decent damage and Kingdra doesn't have many weaknesses to exploit. A Ground-type move will bring down Carbink and Raichu, while Fairy- or Dragon-type moves will bring down Kingdra.


That's that. You now have access to Victory Road. Return to Santalune City or Snowbelle City to heal up, then prepare for one of the most harrowing experiences of your Pokémon career.