Phase 1 section
Pokemon Red and Blue Pallet Town and Oak's Lab Walkthrough
Boulder Badge Pallet Town and Oak's Lab section for the Pokemon Red and Blue walkthrough with wild Pokemon, trainers, items, hidden items, coordinates, and boss strategy.
Name yourself and the Rival, choose Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle, beat the lab Rival, deliver Oak's Parcel, and collect the Pokedex. This page is a standalone section for Phase 1: Boulder Badge, with source-backed Red/Blue encounter, trainer, item, hidden item, and boss data.
Source maps
Pallet Town, Red's House 1F, Red's House 2F, Blue's House, Oak's Lab, and Viridian Mart.
Wild rows8 Trainers0 Items4
Route plan
Leave Pallet north only after Oak stops you, pick a starter in the lab, finish the Rival fight, then make the Pallet -> Viridian -> Pallet errand loop.
Starter Choice
All three Red/Blue starters are viable, but they create very different early-game curves. Bulbasaur is the smoothest through the first two Gyms, Squirtle is steady and simple, and Charmander asks for the most early support before becoming an excellent Fire attacker.
| Pokemon | Best early matchups | Pros | Cons | Team-building note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bulbasaur | Brock and Misty are both favorable. | Razor Leaf is excellent in Gen I, Leech Seed and status give it control, and it handles many Water/Rock routes naturally. | Erika mirrors Grass, later Psychic/Ice/Flying pressure can be rough, and Poison typing adds Ground/Psychic weaknesses. | Choose Bulbasaur if you want the lowest-friction first half and do not mind building Fire/Flying/Psychic backup later. |
 Charmander | Erika and many Bug/Grass targets are favorable once Charmander has evolved and learned stronger Fire moves. | Charizard gives strong Fire/Flying offense, and Charmander's line is rewarding once it has coverage and levels. | Brock is the hardest starter matchup, Misty is dangerous, and Rock/Ground/Water checks need dedicated teammates. | Choose Charmander if you want the most demanding early route. Catch Pikachu or Grass support before Misty and plan Brock carefully. |
 Squirtle | Brock is favorable, Blaine is favorable, and many Rock/Ground route trainers are simple. | Reliable bulk, early Bubble/Water Gun, and straightforward matchups make Squirtle easy to pilot. | Misty is a mirror, Erika is unfriendly, and it can feel less explosive than Bulbasaur or Charmander without good TMs. | Choose Squirtle for a stable main-story anchor. Add Electric/Flying/Psychic partners for Grass and Water mirrors. |
Quick pick: Bulbasaur is easiest early, Squirtle is the most stable all-purpose pick, and Charmander is the high-maintenance route with a strong payoff.
Wild Pokemon
| Area / subarea | Version | Method | Pokemon | Level | Odds | Condition / requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pallet Town | Both | Old Rod |  Magikarp | 5 | 100% | Any fishable water tile. |
| Pallet Town | Both | Good Rod |  Goldeen | 10 | 50% | Any fishable water tile after getting Good Rod. |
| Pallet Town | Both | Good Rod |  Poliwag | 10 | 50% | Any fishable water tile after getting Good Rod. |
| Pallet Town | Both | Super Rod |  Tentacool | 15 | 50.0% | Super Rod group 1. |
| Pallet Town | Both | Super Rod | Poliwag | 15 | 50.0% | Super Rod group 1. |
| Oak's Lab | Both | Starter gift | Bulbasaur | 5 | Choice | Choose from Professor Oak's left starter ball. |
| Oak's Lab | Both | Starter gift | Charmander | 5 | Choice | Choose from Professor Oak's middle starter ball. |
| Oak's Lab | Both | Starter gift | Squirtle | 5 | Choice | Choose from Professor Oak's right starter ball. |
Trainers
No regular trainers are sourced for this section.
Items And Hidden Items
| Item | Type | Area / direction | Coordinate | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town Map | Gift | After receiving the Pokedex, talk to Daisy in Blue's house. | - | After receiving the Pokedex, talk to Daisy in Blue's house. |
| Oak's Parcel | Key item | Receive it from the Viridian Mart clerk before the Pokedex errand. | - | Receive it from the Viridian Mart clerk before the Pokedex errand. |
| Pokedex | Key item | Return Oak's Parcel to Professor Oak. | - | Return Oak's Parcel to Professor Oak. |
| 5 Poke Balls | Gift | Professor Oak gives these after the Pokedex event. | - | Professor Oak gives these after the Pokedex event. |
Boss Strategy
| Boss / branch | Team | Reward | Danger notes | Practical counters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 RivalOak's Lab Rival if you chose Charmander | $175 | The first fight is short, but a critical hit can punish careless Leer/Tail Whip turns. | Plan around the rival's Squirtle line. Keep status, a fresh switch, and a direct answer to Pidgey/Pidgeotto before committing your starter. | |
| RivalOak's Lab Rival if you chose Squirtle | $175 | The first fight is short, but a critical hit can punish careless Leer/Tail Whip turns. | Plan around the rival's Bulbasaur line. Keep status, a fresh switch, and a direct answer to Pidgey/Pidgeotto before committing your starter. | |
| RivalOak's Lab Rival if you chose Bulbasaur | $175 | The first fight is short, but a critical hit can punish careless Leer/Tail Whip turns. | Plan around the rival's Charmander line. Keep status, a fresh switch, and a direct answer to Pidgey/Pidgeotto before committing your starter. |
Completion Checklist
- Choose one starter and note the Rival's starter branch.
- Deliver Oak's Parcel.
- Collect the Pokedex, Town Map, and 5 Poke Balls.
- Verify the wild table's version splits before leaving if you are filling the Pokedex.
- Use the item rows as a visible-item and hidden-item sweep before moving to the next section.
Sources
pret/pokered: wild encounters, trainer parties, trainer money, map object events, hidden event items, rods, trades, and prize Pokemon.- Encounter odds aggregate the Gen I ten-slot rates: 51/256, 51/256, 39/256, 25/256, 25/256, 25/256, 13/256, 13/256, 11/256, and 3/256.
- Red/Blue has no day/night encounter column; tables use Version, Method, and Condition instead.