Phase 1 Hoenn route manual
Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Stone Badge Guide
Stone Badge Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire Stone Badge guide: Littleroot, starter choice, Route 102, Petalburg Woods, Rustboro City, and Roxanne counters.
Phase 1 Stone Badge Littleroot Town to Rustboro City Gym, starter choice, Route 102, Petalburg Woods, and Roxanne. 01 / 10 
Catch checklist
Obtainable Pokemon
New Pokemon you can realistically add during this phase of the original Ruby/Sapphire route.
#0252 Treecko grass Ruby & Sapphire Route 101 Starter gift from Professor Birch 
#0255 Torchic fire Ruby & Sapphire Route 101 Starter gift from Professor Birch 
#0258 Mudkip water Ruby & Sapphire Route 101 Starter gift from Professor Birch 
#0263 Zigzagoon normal Ruby & Sapphire Routes 101, 102, 103, 104, Petalburg Woods Grass encounter 
#0265 Wurmple bug Ruby & Sapphire Routes 101, 102, 104, Petalburg Woods Grass encounter 
#0261 Poochyena dark Ruby & Sapphire Routes 101, 102, 103 Grass encounter 
#0278 Wingull water Ruby & Sapphire Route 103 / Route 104 Grass encounter 
#0276 Taillow normal Ruby & Sapphire Route 104 / Petalburg Woods Grass encounter 
#0280 Ralts psychic Ruby & Sapphire Route 102 Rare grass encounter 
#0283 Surskit bugwater Ruby & Sapphire Route 102 Rare grass encounter 
#0273 Seedot grass Ruby only Route 102 Grass encounter 
#0270 Lotad watergrass Sapphire only Route 102 Grass encounter 
#0285 Shroomish grass Ruby & Sapphire Petalburg Woods Grass encounter 
#0287 Slakoth normal Ruby & Sapphire Petalburg Woods Rare grass encounter 
#0266 Silcoon bug Ruby & Sapphire Petalburg Woods Grass encounter 
#0268 Cascoon bug Ruby & Sapphire Petalburg Woods Grass encounter Littleroot Town to Rustboro City Gym. This phase covers your starter, the first rival battle, early catches, Petalburg Woods, the Devon researcher event, Rustboro prep, and Roxanne.
Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire optimal walkthrough
Littleroot Town -> Rustboro City Gym (Roxanne).
Route Map
The first phase is short, but it decides your early tempo. Get a real Roxanne answer before Rustboro if you chose Torchic.
Starter Choice
Treecko is the cleanest first-badge starter. Absorb hits Roxanne’s Geodude and Nosepass super effectively, and Treecko outspeeds most early-game threats. The tradeoff is the middle of Hoenn: Brawly, Winona, Glacia, and Steven all ask Treecko teams to bring help.
Wild Pokemon
Starter Gifts - Route 101
Professor Birch gives you one starter at level 5. The other two are not obtainable in a normal Ruby/Sapphire save.
Torchic is the hardest starter for Phase 1 if you stay a Torchic. The important trick is to evolve it into Combusken before Roxanne so it learns Double Kick. Once it has Fighting coverage, the Gym becomes manageable, and Combusken keeps paying off into Norman, Sidney, Glacia, and Steven.
Mudkip is the best overall pick for a practical playthrough. Water Gun handles Roxanne, Marshtomp handles Wattson after evolving, and the line stays useful through Champion Steven. Hoenn’s back half has a lot of water, so Mudkip teams should add Electric or Grass coverage later.
Littleroot Town
Set the clock in your bedroom, take the Potion from the PC if you want the extra safety, then head downstairs and leave town. You cannot buy Poke Balls yet, so early wild battles are only for experience.
Wild Pokemon
Route 101
| Pokemon | Versions | Method & Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wurmple
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Grass 45% | Early evolution line with version-independent availability. |
|
Zigzagoon
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Grass 45% | Pickup utility makes it one of the best early catches. |
|
Poochyena
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Grass 10% | Early Dark coverage, but its stats stay modest. |
Professor Birch is being chased on Route 101. Choose Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip from the bag and win the forced battle. Afterward, Birch sends you north to find his child, Brendan or May, on Route 103.
Oldale Town And Route 103
Oldale Town is your first healing stop. Talk to the Poke Mart employee near the entrance for a free Potion, then continue north to Route 103.
Wild Pokemon
Route 103
| Pokemon | Versions | Method & Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Zigzagoon
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Route 103 grass 60% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Poochyena
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Route 103 grass 30% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Wingull
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Route 103 grass 10% | Useful Water/Flying option before Roxanne if you want coverage. |
The first rival fight is simple but not free if you skipped every wild battle. Your rival uses the starter with the type advantage against yours at Lv. 5. Use your Potion if you drop into crit range.
After the battle, return to Littleroot. Birch gives you the Pokedex, your rival gives you Poke Balls, and your mother gives you the Running Shoes as you leave town. From this point forward, catching begins.
Route 102
Route 102 is the first real team-building route. Zigzagoon is the best practical catch because Pickup can generate extra items while it sits in the party, and it becomes an excellent HM helper later. Ralts is rare but worth the patience if you want Psychic coverage. Ruby players can find Seedot, while Sapphire players can find Lotad.
Wild Pokemon
Route 102
| Pokemon | Versions | Method & Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wurmple
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Grass 30% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Zigzagoon
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Grass 30% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Seedot
|
Ruby only | Grass 20% | Ruby's early Grass version exclusive. |
|
Lotad
|
Sapphire only | Grass 20% | Sapphire's early Water/Grass version exclusive. |
|
Poochyena
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Grass 15% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Ralts
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Grass 4% | Rare, fragile, and worth considering for Psychic utility. |
|
Surskit
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Grass 1% | Extremely rare early Bug/Water encounter. |
Do not overtrain one Pokemon here. The early game rewards having three or four usable party members more than one overleveled starter. If you plan to use Torchic, push it toward Lv. 16 before Roxanne so Combusken can use Double Kick.
Petalburg City
Norman introduces himself as your father and explains that you are not ready to battle him yet. Wally arrives and the game walks you through his Ralts catching tutorial. After Wally leaves, the route west opens.
Petalburg City is also a good reset point. Heal, buy extra Poke Balls and Potions, then leave through the west exit to Route 104.
Route 104 And Petalburg Woods
Route 104 has trainer battles and a few pickups before and after the forest. You will loop back later with Cut and Surf, so do not worry about every blocked item yet.
Wild Pokemon
Route 104
| Pokemon | Versions | Method & Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Zigzagoon
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Route 104 grass 50% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Wurmple
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Route 104 grass 30% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Taillow
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Route 104 grass 10% | Great long-term Normal/Flying attacker. |
|
Wingull
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Route 104 grass 10% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
Wild Pokemon
Petalburg Woods
| Pokemon | Versions | Method & Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Zigzagoon
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Forest grass 30% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Wurmple
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Forest grass 25% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Shroomish
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Forest grass 15% | Excellent early Grass catch and future Fighting coverage. |
|
Silcoon
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Forest grass 10% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Cascoon
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Forest grass 10% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
|
Slakoth
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Forest grass 5% | Rare catch with huge later stats, but Truant matters. |
|
Taillow
|
Ruby & Sapphire | Forest grass 5% | Available in the listed area during this phase. |
Petalburg Woods is the main pre-Roxanne prep zone. Shroomish is the prize catch because it gives Grass coverage immediately and eventually becomes Breloom. Slakoth is interesting but slower and more awkward for a first clear. Wurmple can evolve quickly into Beautifly or Dustox if you want a cheap early team member.
Halfway through the forest, a Devon researcher gets cornered by your version’s villain team. Ruby uses Team Magma, Sapphire uses Team Aqua. The grunt’s Poochyena is not difficult, but it is your first story trainer with stronger-than-route presentation. Beat it to receive a Great Ball.
Exit north, clear the remaining trainers on Route 104, pick up berries near the Pretty Petal Flower Shop, and enter Rustboro City.
Rustboro City
Rustboro has a Trainer’s School, a Pokemon Center, a Mart, and the Cutter’s House. Get HM01 Cut from the Cutter’s House before leaving the city. You cannot use Cut outside battle until Roxanne is beaten, but grabbing it now prevents backtracking.
If you chose Torchic and have not evolved yet, train on nearby routes before entering the Gym. Roxanne is much harder when your only strong attacker is weak to Rock.
Team Recommendations
| Role | Best picks before Roxanne | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Main Roxanne answer | Treecko, Mudkip, Combusken, Shroomish, Lotad | Rock types fold to Grass, Water, or Fighting pressure |
| Utility | Zigzagoon | Pickup, Cut later, item support |
| Speed | Taillow, Ralts | Helps with route trainers and Brawly prep |
| Early backup | Wurmple line, Poochyena | Fine filler if catches are limited |
Must-Grab Items (Phase 1 Master List)
| Item | Location | Why You Want It |
|---|---|---|
| Potion | Player’s PC or Oldale Mart employee | Early safety before the rival fight |
| Pokedex | Professor Birch’s Lab | Unlocks normal progression |
| Poke Balls | Rival after the Route 103 battle | Starts catching |
| Running Shoes | Mom outside Littleroot | Speeds the whole run up |
| Great Ball | Petalburg Woods Devon event | Better catch odds before Rustboro |
| HM01 Cut | Cutter’s House in Rustboro | Required for optional item cleanup after Roxanne |
| Quick Claw | Rustboro Trainer’s School | Nice early hold item for slow Pokemon |
Gym Strategy - Roxanne, The Rock Leader
Roxanne uses Geodude Lv. 14 and Nosepass Lv. 15. Her reward is the Stone Badge and TM39 Rock Tomb. The Stone Badge lets you use Cut outside battle.
Gym Leader
Roxanne, Rustboro Gym
Nosepass is the wall. Bring Grass, Water, or Combusken's Double Kick and avoid letting Rock Tomb slow your whole plan down.
Treecko and Mudkip should attack directly with Absorb or Water Gun. Combusken uses Double Kick. Shroomish and Lotad can support if your starter matchup is poor. Nosepass is the actual wall because it is bulkier than Geodude and Rock Tomb lowers Speed, so avoid slowly trading with fragile neutral attackers.
If you are playing a Nuzlocke, do not bring Taillow or Wurmple as your plan A. They are useful soon, but Roxanne is where Rock attacks do exactly what Rock attacks are supposed to do.
Version Note Summary
Ruby and Sapphire are almost identical in Phase 1. The useful difference is Route 102: Ruby can find Seedot, while Sapphire can find Lotad. Lotad is immediately better into Roxanne, but Seedot can still be useful if you are patient.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Choose your starter and beat the Route 103 rival fight.
- Return to Littleroot for the Pokedex, Poke Balls, and Running Shoes.
- Catch at least two Route 102 or Petalburg Woods teammates before Rustboro.
- Get HM01 Cut from the Cutter's House in Rustboro.
- Train your Roxanne answer to around Lv. 13-15.
- Defeat Roxanne and receive the Stone Badge.
Dex quick links
