Pokemon Sapphire Classic: +Attack Notes [Mar 2026]

Pokemon Sapphire Classic
+Attack Notes
[Updated 5 Mar 2026]

Attack Benchmarks
- 7IV for 25-30 MS roll at L18 on Grovyle (else need L19):
	> +Attack: 13->14 at L6, then watch for 25/26 at L13 (26 is 7IV)
- Level-ups (plus):
	> 13 -> 14 at L6 = 0-9IV
	> 13 -> 14 -> 15 at L7 = 0-2IV (need L19 for Grovyle)
	> 13 -> 14 -> 16 at L7 = 3-9IV
	> 13 -> 14 -> 16 -> 25 at L13 = 3-6IV (need L19 for Grovyle)
	> 13 -> 14 -> 26 at L13 = 7-9IV

	> 13 -> 15 at L6 = 10-19IV
	> 13 -> 15 -> 16 at L7 = 10-17IV
	> 13 -> 15 -> 17 at L7 = 18-19IV

	> 14 -> 15 at L6 = 20-26IV
	> 14 -> 15 -> 18 at L8 = 20-22IV
	> 14 -> 15 -> 19 at L8 = 23-26IV
	> 14 -> 16 at L6 = 27-31IV
	> 14 -> 16 -> 23 at L10 = 27-29IV
	> 14 -> 16 -> 24 at L10 = 30-31IV

Special Attack Benchmarks
- 17IV~ gets the Geodude OHKO (0-16IV~ has a 50% range, which is 11 spatk at L6)
- 8IV~ gets the better non-Torrent Nosepass roll (11-14, while 0-7IV~ gets 10-12)
- 24IV~ gets the better Torrent Nosepass roll (17-20, while 0-23IV~ gets 15-18)
- Level-ups (neutral):
	> 10 -> 12 at L6 = 17-19IV
	> 11 -> 14 at L7 = 29-31IV

Speed Benchmarks
- Reset any +0 on the first three levelups
- 0-7IV~ (too slow to X Speed even on Shawn): 11 at L8 (reset for 12)
- 20IV~/13IV+ outspeeds Nosepass; 13-19IV~/5-12IV+ ties (17 speed)
	> On neutral speed, if 9 at L5, you immediately know that you either tie or are outsped by Nosepass
	> You only find out if you tie IN the fight; watch for 17 upon leveling on Geodude
	> As such, low speed (9 at L5) should always heal to full before Roxanne
- 29-31IV~ (Wattson X Speed strats)
- Archie 1's Golbat:
	> 9IV~/0IV+ outspeeds (33 speed at L25)
	> You could consider resetting 8IV~ (+0 -> 12 at L9), as otherwise you risk a tie, for which you probably die if you lose
- Archie 1's Sharpedo:
	> 17-20IV~/5-8IV+ ties (35 speed); be wary of this and make sure you are out of Crunch range before killing Golbat, especially if outsped
	> If you got a Zig money item, you could use Carbos to fix this, but otherwise you would rather sell Carbos

- Level-ups (neutral, 9 speed at L5):
	> 9 -> 10 at L6 = 4-19IV
	> 9 -> 10 -> 11 at L7 = 6-19IV
	> 9 -> ... -> 12 at L8 = 8-19IV
	> 9 -> ... -> 13 at L9 = 9-19IV (+0 -> 12 = 8IV)
	> 9 -> ... -> 14 at L10 = 10-19IV (+0 -> 13 = 9IV)
	> 9 -> ... -> 15 at L11 = 11-19IV (+0 -> 14 = 10IV)
	> 9 -> ... -> 16 at L12 = 12-19IV (+0 -> 15 = 11IV)
	> 9 -> ... -> 17 at L13 = 13-19IV (+0 -> 16 = 12IV)
	> L14 gives no more information; 17 -> 18 = 13-19IV
	> 9 -> ... -> 19 at L15 = 14-19IV (+0 -> 18 = 13IV)
	> L16 gives no more information
	> In general, 14-19IV is probably enough info to go on, and specific stats can be checked for (e.g., 34 or 35 on Sharpedo)

------------------------------------------------------------

LITTLEROOT
- Get the PC Potion
- Take 13/10/9 atk/spatk/spe
- Treecko: Tackle spam
- Calvin: Tackle spam
- Catch a Zigzagoon if you see one

PETALBURG 1
- Buy 4 Potions/2 Repels
- Enter/exit center before Wally
- Catch a flyer/Zigzagoon if you see one
- Grab beach Potion (especially if bad defense)
- Menu:
	> Heal
	> Repel
	> Check Zig
- Grunt: Tackle spam
- Grab the Ether
- Get Bullet Seed

RUSTBORO
- Check Zig whenever you heal in the gym
- Josh: Spam Mud-Slap, healing as necessary, then WG
- Tommy: WGx3
- Roxanne:
	> Geodude: WG (0-16IV~ has a 50% range, so just spam WG through heals if you miss it)
	> Nosepass: Spam WG; consider Growl to help survive and get into Torrent

ROUTE 116
- You need to kill at least 1 encounter and fight either Jose or Joey on this route to get L16 before Dewford (bare minimum with good stats)
- With worse stats:
	> If you need L19 for Grovyle (0-6IV attack), you need +400xp here
	> If you need/want L26 for Sharpedo, you need +559xp here
- Jose (323xp): WG spam
- Joey (289xp): WG spam
- If getting the extra exp for Sharpedo, you could fight both Jose AND Joey and cut the encounter
- Prefer Jose over Joey if you are in Low Kick range

RUSTBORO
- Sell TM09 and TM39
- You can consider skipping X Attack on CTB with high attack:
	> 25-28IV: 75% +0 MS OHKO vs. Roselia
	> 29-31IV: 13/16 +0 MS OHKO vs. Roselia
	> You could always buy the 4th X Attack and then just skip it if you wanted/needed to YOLO, then buy 1 fewer later
- Buy 3 Super Potions/2 X Speeds/3-4 X Attacks/6 Repels
- Take Briney to Dewford

DEWFORD
- Get Stardust (unless early money item or high attack(?))
- Granite Cave menu:
	> Heal to full
	> Use a Repel
	> Check Zig
- Repel through the cave and talk to Steven, then Escape Rope out
- Brawly: X Attack, adapt
	> Up to 22IV, rolls after 1 BU are similar to mid/high neutral attack; 23IV gets a slightly higher roll vs. +0 def
	> MS spam if BUx2
	> If S-toss/KC->BU, M-slap once before the final MS (or Torrent WG) on Machop to avoid heal range
	> Be conscious of Torrent HP and WG accordingly
	> 29-31IV has a higher change to knock Makuhita into heal range, so watch out (doublecheck heal range; 25% or 30%?)
- Briney boat to Slateport

SLATEPORT/ROUTE 110
- Get Soft Sand
- Talk to Dock, then take the Museum
- Grunt 1: MS
- Grunt 2: Tacklex2 (WG in Torrent), MS
- Get Thief on the way out
- Pre-rival menu:
	> Repel
	> Equip Soft Sand (check Zig)
	> Take Zig item if you saw one
- Get the Full Heal
- Rival 2:
	> Numel: X Attack x2, X Speed, Super Potion, WG
	> Grovyle: MSx2
	> Wailmer: MS(+M-slap)
	> Wailmer range: 0-2IV = 50%; 3-7IV = 9/16; 8-13IV = 12/16; 14-18IV = 15/16; guaranteed from 19IV
	> Could get L20 for Wailmer, but it would require both Jose AND Joey, as well as 2 encounters; not really worth it
- Check Zig in the Edwin menu manip

MAUVILLE
- Get HM06
- Get Mach Bike
- Menu:
	> Use a Potion if you have one (check Zig)
	> Ether MS
	> Teach Rock Smash to Marshtomp or Zig
	> Register and use Mach Bike
- Wally: MS
- Take the gym
- Vivian: WG+MS (check the range, may want to MSx2 with really bad stats)
- You have 1 X Speed for either Shawn or Wattson:
	> If 30IV~/17IV+ speed (or 29IV~/16IV+ with Joey+1 speed encounter), X Speed on Wattson, else X Speed on Shawn
- Shawn: (X Speed) MSx3
- Heal to full before Wattson if you would have < 41 HP after level-up on Magnemite and you used X Speed on Shawn (check Zig)
- Wattson:
	> (X Speed) MSx3
	> If no X Speed, you really just have to hope for no SS or SS miss

ROUTE 111
- Menu:
	> Use a Potion if you have one
	> Use a Repel
	> You want to survive 2 WA/WG from Wingull, but you may have to Super Potion in the fight if you don't have a Potion
	> Even if you are dead to WA/WG, don't heal to full before CTB; instead, heal turn 1 before setup (and pray no Growl)
- CTB:
	> Tackle+X Attack+Tackle (healing as necessary), MS, M-slap/WG
	> If you crit Tackle and OHKO Wingull, you have to YOLO for MS crit
	> Depending on your attack IV and your desired YOLO at this point, you can skip X Attack
	> 25-28IV: 75% +0 MS OHKO vs. Roselia
	> 29-31IV: 13/16 +0 MS OHKO vs. Roselia

FALLARBOR/ROUTE 114
- Get the Nugget
- Sell Stardust (or pickup money item), Nugget, TM47, TM46, TM08
- Buy depending on attack:
	> Super Potion, Super Repel, X Specials, X Speed, X Attack, X Defend, Guard Spec.
	> 0-1IV: 4/11/11/1/9/1/2
	> 2-19IV: 3/11/11/2/11/1/2
	> 20-31IV: 5/11/11/1/8/1/2
	> In theory, you could also always do the standard neutral shopping (3/11/11/2/11/1/2) and you would just have extra X Attacks to burn on Flannery with 0-1IV (2 extra) or 20-31IV (3 extra), but the extra Supers are nice too
- Catch Swablu if you don't have a flyer yet; otherwise, Super Repel (or Super Repel after you catch Swablu)
- Get Carbos
- Use your last regular Repel to pass R116
- Take R116 and get Strength
- In the menu manip:
	> Use a Super Repel
	> Teach Strength over Water Gun
	> Check Zig

MT. CHIMNEY
- If you are 14-19IV~ speed, watch your speed when you reach L25 (either off Mightyena, or just before); 35 ties Sharpedo, 36 outspeeds
- Strength/MS through grunts
- Before Archie:
	> Swap Marshtomp into slot 2 (lead Swablu if you have it)
	> Check Zig
- Archie:
	> If you have two slaves (Zig+flyer), make sure to sack the first slave, then Guard Spec. on the second one (both have to be fainted for poison deathwarp)
	> Guard Spec. (bring in Marshtomp)
	> Mightyena: X Attack, X Speed, Strengthx2 (or Strength+MS)
	> Golbat: Strength, X Attack, Strength
	> Sharpedo: MS
	> If Sharpedo outspeeds or you're tied, consider healing before you finish off the Golbat

LAVARIDGE
- If you are trying to set up for desert candy skip (e.g., if you got a pickup candy in the past couple checks), you can do early Herb Shop, else wait until after Flannery
- If you are out of healing items and you need to heal before Flannery, do early Herb Shop anyway
- Herb Shop (early): Sell Carbos, buy 4/5/4
- Menu before Flannery:
	> Swap Marshtomp to slot 1 (check Zig)
	> Heal to near full
	> If you aren't skipping desert candy, use a Super Repel
- Flannery:
	> X Attackx4, hoping for Smog poison
	> Throw balls once you are at +4 until you are poisoned
	> Once poisoned, Strength, Strength, MS
	> Make note of your HP; you need 34HP to make it to desert candy, so heal if necessary
- Herb Shop (late): Sell Carbos, buy 7/6/6
- Get desert candy, then bike around until you white out

PETALBURG
- Room order: R, L, R
- Mary: MS, MS, Strength
- Heal to full before Linoone (check Zig)
- Lori: MS, MS, Strength, Strength
	> Outspeed Linoone after 1 MS from 22IV (39 speed), tie with 19-21IV (38 speed) (assuming Joey OR 1 speed encounter)
	> Higher attack can usually MS+Strengthx3, but especially if you don't outspeed after the first MS, it's advised to MS twice
- Heal to full and use the desert candy before Zangoose (check Zig)
	> If you got a candy pickup and want to do Swampert for Winona, forego candy here
	> Do this only on at least 11IV~ def (any +def IV works too)
	> Any attack should work (18-23IV has a 90% 2HKO range on Slaking 1 at +5, but this is also improved with Mud-Slap)
- Berke: MS, MS(+Strength/M-slap); MS+M-Slap/Strength+MS if L28
- If you still have M-slap (i.e. if you caught Zigzagoon), consider using it turn 1 on Norman
- Heal to full before Norman (check Zig)


R2/CTB/NORMAN
- 0-1IV: L19 R2, +1 CTB, +3/+0 Norman
- 2-6IV: L19 R2, +1 CTB, +6/+1 Norman
- 7-19IV: L18 R2, +1 CTB, +6/+1 Norman
- 20-24IV: L18 R2, +1 CTB, +2/+0 Norman
- 25-31IV: L18 R2, +0 CTB, +2/+0 Norman