Pokémon Red and Blue: Route 22 II

Following Route 22 to the west will take you to the Pokémon League HQ Front Gate, through which you cannot pass with getting your first gym badge, but there are some Pokémon available for capture here.

Spearow and Fearow - Recommended
Spearow is a Flying-type as aggressive as its anime debut. It has a strong Attack stat and high Speed. Its Defense is not poor either. It evolves into the long-beaked Fearow at level 20. Even if you don't plan to use a Spearow, I recommend catching one for an exclusive in-game trade later, which is helpful for completing your Pokédex.

Spearow, unlike Pidgey, learns Drill Peck. As I explained in the Pidgey review, Drill Peck is the most powerful and efficient Flying move in the game. Also, as an attacker, it makes even better use of Hyper Beam and Double-Edge than Pidgey does. Personally, there is another Flying-type that I recommend more than Spearow, but it is a very good choice.

Nidoran♀, Nidorina and Nidoqueen - Acceptable

Nidoran♀ is a defensive Poison-type. She can be hard to raise if you catch her now, but she evolves early and easily. She evolves into Nidorina at level 16, and again into Nidoqueen with the use of a Moon Stone. She gains a Ground subtype as a Nidoqueen, and, with it, an immunity to Electricity. Her Defense is her highest stat, but none of her stats are bad.
The moves she learns by leveling up are poor, but she can use a variety of TMs including Toxic. Her diversity is completed when she evolves into Nidoqueen and gains the all-powerful Earthquake.She is fairly outdone by her counterpart Nidoking, who learns better moves by level up and has higher attacking stats.

Nidoran♂, Nidorino and Nidoking - Recommended

Nidoran♂ is an offensive Poison-type. As he evolves, he is another Pokémon fully capable of beating the game all by himself. He evolves into Nidorino at level 16, and again into Nidoking with the use of a Moon Stone. Like his counterpart, he gains a Ground subtype as a Nidoking.

At level 8, he learns Horn Attack, which, with 65 base power, is a lesser, but earlier Hyper Fang. As a Nidorino, at level 50, he learns Horn Drill, which has a dismal 30% accuracy and only works if the opposing Pokémon is slower than he is, but if it hits, is will knock out the opponent's Pokémon in a single hit. Please note that when you evolve most Pokémon by evolution stone, they do not learn any more moves by level up.

Nidoking has great Attack and good Special, but is weak to competitive staples Earthquake, Blizzard and Psychic. On the other hand, he can use all of those moves and more, including Surf, Thunder, Body Slam and Rock Slide.

Red Version players can save time by catching two Nidoran♂s and trading one of them for a Nidoran♀ later in the game. The trade is available in Blue Version as well, but Nidoran♀ is more common anyway.

When you're done, go back to Viridian City and head north onto Route 2.

Advance to Route 2

Pokémon Red and Blue: Route 22

Welcome to the brief Route 22. There are more wild Pokémon to find here; however, the levels and percentages are different depending on which version you are playing. Red Version numbers are marked in red, and Blue Version numbers are marked in, you guessed it, blue.

	Rattata	Normal	L2-4		45%
	Spearow	Normal/Flying	L3-5		10%
	Nidoran♀	Poison	L3-4	L2-4	5%	40%
	Nidoran♂	Poison	L2-4	L3-4	40%	5%

I recommend you battle these Pokémon and raise your starter up to level 12 or so, but not higher than level 15. There is a special prize in it for you if you do. While you are doing this, do not go on the brick road to the north. After you finish grinding and heal at the Pokémon Center in Viridian City, get on the brick road to the north, SAVE YOUR GAME and walk west. You meet your rival and he challenges you to a battle.

Rival Blue		Route 22		2 Pokémon		P280
		Pidgey		Normal/Flying		L9
Gust	Normal	Sand-Attack	Normal
If you chose Bulbasaur...
		Charmander		Fire		L8
Scratch	Normal	Growl	Normal
If you chose Charmander...
		Squirtle		Water		L8
Tackle	Normal	Tail Whip	Normal	Bubble	Water
If you chose Squirtle...
		Bulbasaur		Grass/Poison		L8
Tackle	Normal	Growl	Normal	Leech Seed	Grass

If you chose Charmander, it learned a move called Ember at level 9. If you chose Squirtle, it learned a move called Bubble at level 8. You can use either of these moves to defeat his Pidgey with relative ease. If you chose Bulbasaur, this part will be a little tougher, because his Pidgey resists Vine Whip (which Bulbasaur learns at level 13) and Tackle earns you no same-type attack bonus. However, at level 7, Bulbasaur learned a move called Leech Seed, which you can use on his Pidgey to sap its health every turn, regardless of accuracy.

If you chose Squirtle, Pidgey successfully uses Sand-Attack AND you saved before this battle, you might consider using A + B + Start + Select to try again, because your Tackle is now much less likely to hit, it will be weakened by his Bulbasaur's Growl, and he may use Leech Seed to have a net gain of HP each turn even if you DO hit.

If you chose Bulbasaur, defeating his Charmander is easy as well, because it has not learned Ember yet, so use Leech Seed on it and Tackle it to victory. If you chose Charmander or Squirtle, use Scratch or Tackle repeatedly and use a Potion if your health gets low. If you chose Squirtle, your Tail Whip (which lowers Bulbasaur's defense) is likely to be negated by his Bulbasaur's Growl (which lowers your attack).

To collect your prize for doing this, head back to Pallet Town again. Otherwise, head north from Viridian City onto Route 2.

Return to Pallet Town

Advance to Route 2