Pokémon Red and Blue: Cerulean City Gym

The gym is laid out as a pool with a walkway for you to get across. The first gym trainer approaches you from the water. He is a Swimmer who uses a Horsea and a Shellder, at level 16. Shellder is very defensive and knows Withdraw, which can make it more so.

After defeating him, head north, toward the gym leader, you will be approached by another trainer. She is a Jr. Trainer♀, who uses a single Goldeen at level 19. It knows the Flying-type move Peck, along with Tail Whip and Supersonic.

After defeating her, talk to Misty.

Leader Misty		Cerulean City Gym		2 Pokémon		P2079
		Staryu		Water		L18
Tackle	Normal	Water Gun	Water
		Starmie		Water/Psychic		L21
Tackle	Normal	Water Gun	Water	Harden	Normal	BubbleBeam	Water

Staryu is an easy defeat at the hands of Bulbasaur, Pikachu or Rattata. Misty's strategy is to use an X Defend to boost Starmie's Defense, while it destroys you with BubbleBeam, which has a chance to confuse even if it doesn't knock out your Pokémon. Hit it with a Leer to cancel this out, then destroy it with Vine Whip, ThunderShock, Hyper Fang or Mega Punch.

Upon defeat, Misty will award you with the CascadeBadge. She will also give you TM11 which contains BubbleBeam. There is only one in the game, so use it only on your very best Water-type.

When you're done, exit the gym and head north onto Route 24. If you already traversed the northern routes, then go through the house in the northeast part of town toward Route 5.

Advance to Route 24

Advance to Route 5

Pokémon Red and Blue: Pewter City Gym

Welcome to the first of the eight gyms of the Indigo League, Pewter City Gym.

You can avoid the gym trainer by walking on either side of him; however, experience is always valuable to collect. He is a Jr. Trainer♂ who uses a Diglett and a Sandshrew at level 11. They are impervious to Pikachu's Electric attacks and their Normal-type attacks can do a lot of damage.

After defeating the gym trainer, step forward and face Brock.

Leader Brock		Pewter City Gym		2 Pokémon		P1386
		Geodude		Rock/Ground		L12
Tackle	Normal	Defense Curl	Normal
		Onix		Rock/Ground		L14
Tackle	Normal	Screech	Normal	Bide	Normal	Bind	Normal

If you have access to Bulbasaur's Vine Whip, Squirtle's Bubble or Butterfree's Confusion, then this is an easy battle. Even so, beware of Onix's Bide, which will deal double the damage it received over two turns. This can take out one of your Pokémon if you're not paying attention.

If you don't have any of these moves, then spam your most powerful attack and heal when you are low on health.

Upon defeat, Brock will award you with the BoulderBadge. He will also give you TM34, which contains Bide. Don't be hasty about using this on one of your Pokémon, because you only get one TM34 in the entire game.

When you're done celebrating, exit the gym and head east onto Route 3.

Advance to Route 3

Pokémon Red and Blue: Viridian Forest

Welcome to Viridian Forest, technically the first dungeon of the game. To avoid confusion, the items of this area are lettered, and the trainers are numbered. You enter the forest from the south. If you examine the bottom left side of the tree marked A, you will find a free Antidote. You may encounter these wild Pokémon as you enter the grass on your way to point B.

	Caterpie	Bug	L3	L3-5	5%	45%
	Metapod	Bug	L4	L4-6	5%	40%
	Weedle	Bug/Poison	L3-5	L3	45%	5%
	Kakuna	Bug/Poison	L4-6	L4	40%	5%
	Pikachu	Electric	L3-5		5%

Caterpie, Metapod and Butterfree - Not Recommended

Caterpie is a pure Bug-type. It specializes in HP and Speed; however all of its stats are poor. It experiences a jump in Defense when it evolves into Metapod at the extremely convenient level of 7. Its specialization shifts to the Special stat when it evolves into Butterfree starting at level 10; however, with this comes a 4x weakness to Rock-type moves.

Butterfree is not a good Pokémon. The only advantage it has in this game is that it learns a couple Psychic moves by leveling up. However, its stats are poor and its Bug and Flying-type moves are worse.

The only reason to catch a Caterpie is because it is by far the easiest way to score three points in the Pokédex. Please note: If you catch a Metapod, the only move it will know is Harden, which raises its Defense. In order for it to be able to fend for itself, you must catch a Caterpie, which will know Tackle.

Butterfree is a waste of your one Psychic TM, and almost all enemy Pokémon can take it out in one or two hits. The only advantage to having one is that it learns the dismally inaccurate sleeping move Sleep Powder, and the similar paralysis move Stun Spore.

Weedle, Kakuna and Beedrill - Not Recommended

Weedle is very similar to Caterpie. Its double-edged advantage is that it carries a Poison subtype, which does not change. This gives it a weakness to the almighty Psychic type, but an advantage against the very common Bug and Grass-types. It evolves into the defensive Kakuna at level 7, and into the physical Beedrill at level 10.

Beedrill isn't a good Pokémon either, but it gains Twineedle, the only decent Bug-type move in the game, at the early level of 20.

Like Caterpie, Weedle is an easy three points in the Pokédex, but a Kakuna caught as such will only know Harden.

Beedrill is an acceptable finisher alongside a good team of five, but if you don't care about the Pokédex, don't go for it.

Pikachu and Raichu - Recommended

Say hello to the mascot of the Pokémon series. Pikachu's base Speed is 90, which is good for an unevolved Pokémon. When it evolves into Raichu with the use of a ThunderStone (mid-game) its evolved stats aren't great. Its Speed stat increases to 100 and its Attack and Special become 90. It learns the powerful Thunder by level up, and gains the practical Thunderbolt by TM.
If you're lucky enough to have a Nintendo 64, a copy of Pokémon Stadium and a Super Game Boy, a play-through of Stadium will allow you to trade a Pikachu into your game that knows the essential move Surf. This will allow Pikachu to defeat Rock and Ground-types which otherwise wall it.

Competitively, Raichu's only saving grace is Surf, but in a single player adventure, Pikachu is a great Pokémon to have.

After making the long trek to point B, you are rewarded with a Poké Ball. Collecting this earlier would prevent you from being able to get the five free Poké Balls from Professor Oak.

Trainer 1 can be avoided by sneaking through the grass in front of him, but he's good for some experience. He is a Bug Catcher who uses a Weedle and a Caterpie, both at level 6. If you've done the recommended training, this should be an easy fight, but beware! Weedle's Poison Sting may poison you. In this case, either use the Antidote you found in the tree or make your way back the Pokémon Center quickly, as the poisoned Pokémon's HP will deplete every few steps.

Trainer 2 is a Bug Catcher who uses a Weedle, a Kakuna, then another Weedle, at level 7. Poison is likely here, but an Antidote can be found, conveniently, at point C.

Follow the winding trail to point D for a free Potion.

Position yourself so that you and trainer 3 are looking at the same spot. Examine it to find yet another free Potion. Trainer 3 is the only Bug Catcher you are required to battle. He uses a single level 9 Weedle.

Head north and exit the forest onto the northwest section of Route 2.

Advance to Route 2