Pokemon Sapphire Classic: High +Speed Notes

Pokemon Sapphire Classic
High +Speed Notes
[Updated 10 Mar 2026]

TO-DO
- Review Fallarbor shopping based on Norman strats

This route is intended for high +speed kips (27-31IV), ideally Naive with good defense. It aims to outspeed TnL naturally (with or without Carbos), which requires delaying desert candy to get L38, making Zangoose much riskier.

Perfect speed (31IV) can outspeed TnL at L37 with Carbos, and 30IV can outspeed at L37 with Carbos, Joey, and 1 speed encounter (or Jose and 2 speed encounters). So in this extreme case, you could do early candy strats as usual and just get Carbos, as long as the shopping works out.

Ideal stats:
- 27IV attack (not strictly required, but gets a better MS roll on Zangoose)
- 27-31IV speed (29-31IV outspeed TnL naturally at L38; 27-28IV require Carbos)
- 20IV~ defense (to survive crit Slash from Zangoose; technically 18IV is the minimum, but it may be easiest to just screen for 11 def at L5)

Other benefits:
- Skip X Speed on Rival 2 at L19
- X Speed on both Shawn AND Wattson
- Outspeed CTB's Wingull

Level-ups:
- Attack:
	> 12 -> 16 at L7 = 18-19IV (only take if other stats are good; need L19 for Grovyle)
	> 13 -> 14 -> 22 at L11 = 20-23IV (need L19 for Grovyle)
	> 13 -> 14 -> 23 at L11 = 24-26IV
	> 13 -> 15 at L6 = 27-31IV
	> 13 -> 15 -> 24 at L10 = 30-31IV (better rolls on Machop)
- Speed:
	> 11 speed at L5 = 20-31IV
	> 17 at L10 = 30-31IV (outspeeds naturally)
	> 16 at L10 -> 19 at L12 = 29IV (outspeeds naturally)
	> 18 at L12 -> 20 at L13 = 28IV (outspeeds with Carbos)
	> 20 at L14 -> 23 at L15 = 27IV (outspeeds with Carbos)

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LITTLEROOT
- Get the PC Potion
- Make note of defense at L5 (11 is ideal; may not want to do this strat with bad defense, but you could always go for it anyway)
- 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
- Jose+Winston strat:
	> If you have Torrent coming out of Roxanne, consider fighting Jose+Winston and skipping the wild encounter
	> This is ideal for when you already caught a flyer as well
	> If you have bad spatk and you won't level out of Torrent, fight Jose on the way back from the tunnel
	> Winston: WG
	> This strat helps with the Fallarbor shopping, which is otherwise too tight to do +6 Norman (also lets you skip Stardust)
- Otherwise, always kill 2 encounters, and fight either Jose or Joey, preferring Joey unless you are in range of Low Kick
- Jose (323xp): WG spam
- Joey (289xp): WG spam

RUSTBORO
- Sell TM09 and TM39
- Buy 3 Super Potions/2 X Speeds/4 X Attacks/6 Repels
- Take Briney to Dewford

DEWFORD
- Get Stardust if 24-31IV 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
	> 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
	> Maku heal range isn't a concern at this attack
	> Be conscious of Torrent HP and WG accordingly
- Machop damage:
	> For neutral attack, 30-31IV get slightly higher rolls (29IV too if you fought Joey); this is 24 attack at L10
- 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, Super Potion, WG
	> Grovyle: MSx2
	> Wailmer: MS(+M-slap)
	> Wailmer range: 18IV = 50%; 19-23IV = 9/16; 24-28IV = 12/16; 29-31IV = 14/16
- 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)
- Shawn: X Speed, MSx3
- Heal to >20 HP before Wattson
- Wattson: X Speed, MSx3

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

FALLARBOR/ROUTE 114
- Get the Nugget
- Sell Stardust (or pickup money item), Nugget, TM47, TM46, TM08
- If you are doing +6 Norman (24-31IV attack and 21+IV~/10+IV+ speed), sell 2 Great Balls OR 1 Great Ball and 1 Poke Ball
- Buy 3 Super Potions, 11 Super Repels, 11 X Specials, 2-3 X Speed, 10-12 X Attacks, 1 X Defend, 2 Guard Spec.
	> 18-23IV attack: 3 X Speed, 10 X Attack
	> 24-31IV attack AND 21+IV~/10+IV+ speed: 2 X Speed, 12 X Attack
- 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