Dewford Town & Granite Cave

1. Explore Dewford Town

When Mr. Briney drops you off at the pier, chat with the fisherman standing on the south beach to pick up the Old Rod. Head inside the building right above the gym to receive a Silk Scarf from the boy inside, and heal up at the Pokémon Center since there is no local Poké Mart. You can also visit Dewford Hall, where a boy outside lets you set a trendy phrase, and a man with glasses near the doorway gives you TM36 (Sludge Bomb) after you earn the Balance Badge later in your adventure.

Tip: You can use your new Old Rod to pull wild Pokémon between levels 5 and 10 right from the waters around town.

2. Conquer the Dewford Gym

Step into Dewford Gym to take on the local Fighting-type specialists in pitch-black conditions where defeating each opponent widens your circle of light. Battle Girl Laura, Black Belt Takao, the pair Battle Girl Lilith & Sailor Brenden, Black Belt Cristian, and Battle Girl Jocelyn all field Level 13 Pokémon throughout the maze. At the back, face Gym Leader Brawly and overcome his Machop, Meditite, and Sitrus Berry-bearing ace Makuhita to secure the Knuckle Badge, TM08 (Bulk Up), 1,900 Poké-dollars, and a Match Call registration.

Tip: Sableye caught inside Granite Cave completely walls Brawly's team because its Ghost/Dark typing is totally immune to their Fighting-type moves.

3. Comb the Route 106 Shoreline

Head north out of Dewford Town onto the coastal sands of Route 106 leading toward Granite Cave. Scour the far left corner of the northern beach to find a visible Poké Ball. Before heading inside the cavern, inspect the rock northeast of Fisherman Elliot to uncover a hidden Stardust, and search the sand just east of Fisherman Ned for a hidden Heart Scale.

4. Enter Granite Cave and Descend

Walk inside Granite Cave 1F and speak to the Hiker standing right next to the entrance to receive HM05 (Flash), which your new Knuckle Badge allows you to illuminate dark floors with. Follow the western corridor to grab an Escape Rope from the floor before taking the ladder down. On the dark B1F floor, head northeast past the muddy slope to snatch a Poké Ball in a dead-end southern passage, noting the steep mud slopes that you must return later with a Mach Bike from Mauville City to scale for a Rare Candy and smashable rocks hiding wild Nosepass.

Tip: Wild encounters throughout Granite Cave range from Level 6 to Level 12.

5. Meet Steven in the Inner Cavern

Descend the southeastern ladder to B2F, navigate southwest across the elevated platforms, and check the solitary rock on the raised middle platform to find a hidden Everstone. Loop around to the northeastern ladder, climb it to return to 1F, and enter the illuminated rear dead-end room where Steven Stone is studying the walls. Deliver Mr. Stone's Devon Letter to him to receive TM47 (Steel Wing) and his Match Call entry, then backtrack to town so Mr. Briney can sail you from the pier toward Slateport City along Route 109.

The short version

What matters

• Delivering the Devon Letter to Steven Stone in Granite Cave to unlock onward passage to Slateport City and obtain TM47 (Steel Wing).
• Defeating Gym Leader Brawly to claim the Knuckle Badge, TM08 (Bulk Up), and the ability to use HM05 (Flash) in the field.
• Collecting HM05 (Flash) from the Hiker at the cave entrance and the Old Rod from the pier fisherman.

Common mistakes

• Relying on pure physical offense or status moves against Brawly, which allows his squad to build massive Attack via Bulk Up, Meditite's Reflect, and Guts boosts.
• Forgetting that Dewford Town lacks a Poké Mart, leaving you stranded without supplies if you run out of healing items before the gym.