Horde Encounters & Fishing — Pokemon X and Y Guide

Horde Encounters & Fishing

Pokémon X and Y introduce exciting new ways to encounter Pokémon and acquire items: Horde Encounters and an expanded Fishing mechanic. Mastering these will significantly boost your team's power and your item collection.

Horde Encounters: Facing the Swarm

Horde Encounters are special wild battles where you face five Pokémon simultaneously. These can be challenging but offer excellent opportunities for experience points, EV training, and finding rare Pokémon or even Shiny Pokémon more efficiently.

Triggering a Horde Encounter

• Tall Grass: While walking through tall grass, there's a chance to trigger a Horde Encounter instead of a single Pokémon battle.
• Caves: Similar to tall grass, certain caves will also have Horde Encounters.
• Sweet Scent/Honey: The most reliable way to force a Horde Encounter is by using the move Sweet Scent (learned by Pokémon like Oddish, Combee, or Illumise) or by using the item Honey. These items and moves will guarantee a Horde Encounter in areas where they are possible.

Strategies for Horde Battles

• Area-of-Effect (AoE) Moves: Moves that hit multiple opponents are invaluable. Consider Pokémon with moves like Surf, Discharge, Dazzling Gleam, Earthquake (be careful with allies!), or Blizzard. These can quickly clear out the weaker members of a horde.
• Status Conditions: Inflicting status conditions like Sleep or Paralysis on multiple targets can help manage the incoming damage, especially if you're trying to catch a specific Pokémon from the horde.
• EV Training: Hordes are fantastic for EV training. For example, if you want to train Attack EVs, find a horde of Pokémon that give Attack EVs (like Bellsprout in Route 6). Defeat all five for a massive boost! Equipping a Pokémon with a Macho Brace or using Power Items will further amplify the EV gains.
• Shiny Hunting: Due to the increased number of Pokémon encountered per battle, Horde Encounters significantly raise your chances of finding a Shiny Pokémon. Keep an eye out for any color variations!
• Item Farming: Some Pokémon in hordes hold specific items. Using a Pokémon with the ability Frisk or the move Thief can help you identify and steal these items efficiently.

Fishing: Cast Your Line for Water Pokémon

Fishing allows you to encounter various Water-type Pokémon and is essential for completing your Pokédex. You'll need a Fishing Rod to get started.

Acquiring Fishing Rods

• Old Rod: Obtainable from a Fisherman in the Aquarium in Cyllage City. This rod catches lower-level Pokémon.
• Good Rod: Found in a house on Route 16. Speak to the Fisherman inside. This rod catches mid-level Pokémon.
• Super Rod: Located in a house on Route 16, after you've obtained the Good Rod. Speak to the Fisherman again. This rod catches higher-level Pokémon, including some rare ones.

How to Fish

1. Stand next to a body of water (ocean, lake, river, or even puddles in caves).
2. Open your Bag and select one of your Fishing Rods from the "Key Items" section.
3. A "!" icon will appear above your head when a Pokémon bites. Press the 'A' button immediately to reel it in and start a battle. If you're too slow, the Pokémon will get away.

Fishing Strategies & Tips

• Location Matters: Different bodies of water and even different spots within the same body of water can yield different Pokémon. Experiment!
• Chain Fishing: A popular method for Shiny hunting. Continuously fish without moving, failing to reel in, or running from battles. The longer your chain, the higher the chance of a Shiny Pokémon appearing.
• Suction Cups/Sticky Hold: Having a Pokémon with the ability Suction Cups (e.g., Octillery) or Sticky Hold (e.g., Gulpin) at the front of your party significantly increases your chances of getting a bite while fishing. This is crucial for Chain Fishing.
• Repels: Using a Repel while fishing will prevent encounters with Pokémon that are a lower level than your lead Pokémon, allowing you to focus on higher-level catches if desired.