Items
To progress through pokemon games you will need to use various types of items. Almost all items will tell you what they’re used for in the description so I will not give a full list of items.
Healing Items
Healing items are needed to progress through the game on your adventure. They can be used inside and outside of battle. There are common things that restor HP like potions, revive fainted pokemon like revive, and heal status effects like antidote for poison status. You can find these all over and buy them in the store. Each item should have a description of what it does. Remember to stock up inbetween towns or before GYM Battles. Some of the healing items may be bitter. If they are then it will make your pokemon dislike you more than using other items and making them like you.
Pokeballs
A necessary tool in capturing pokemon is the pokeball. You can buy many of these all over in pokemarts. Some pokeballs catch pokemon easier than others. These pokeballs are usually in later town and pokemarts. The best pokeball out of them all is the Master Ball. There is only one per game and will always catch a pokemon no matter what! Some Pokeballs catch certain pokemon or under certain circumstances. In Heart Gold and Soul Silver many hard to come by pokeballs make their return with apricot trees. You can find Apricots all over and take them to the ball maker Kurt in Azalea town. The pokeballs are as follows:
Pokeball
An Average Pokeball
Great Ball
Has a higher catch rate than the pokeball by 50% (1.5X)
Ultra Ball
Has a higher catch rate than the great ball by 100% (2x)
Master Ball
Will catch any pokemon no matter what
Dive Ball
A pokeball that catches pokemon 3.5x better from the sea
Dusk Ball
A pokeball that catches pokemon 3.5x better at night or in dark places
Fast Ball
A pokeball that catches fast pokemon easier. If the pokemon’s speed stat is above 100 then the capture rate is 4x. Made with White Apricorns.
Friend Ball
A pokeball that makes the pokemon you caught like you better than normally caught pokemon. Made with Green Apricorns.
Heal Ball
A pokeball that fully heals the pokemon you just caught
Heavy Ball
A pokeball that catches heavier pokemon easer. If the pokemon weighs less than 451.1 lbs than the ball capture rate is weak. 451.2-677.3 lbs makes the ball capture rate average. 677.4-903 lbs makes the ball capture rate above average. 903.1 lbs makes the ball capture the best. Made with Black Apricorns.
Level Ball
A pokeball that catches a pokemon at a lower level than the pokemon in battle easier. If the pokemon you’re catching is the same level or higher than the pokemon you have out then the ball is the same as a pokeball. If the level is lower than your pokemon’s but less than double then the ball is 2x better. If the level is lower than your pokemon’s by double but less than four times then the ball is 4x better. If the level is four times lower than your pokemon then the ball is 8x better. Made with Red Apricorns.
Love Ball
A pokeball that catches a pokemon of the opposite gender and same species of the pokemon in battle easier. If the conditions are filled the ball is 8x better than a pokeball. Made with Pink Apricorns.
Lure Ball
A pokeball that catches pokemon from fishing 3x easier. Made with Blu Apricorns.
Luxury Ball
A pokeball that makes caught pokemon become friendly faster
Moon Ball
A pokeball that catches pokemon who evolve from a moonstone 4x easier. Made with Yellow Apricorns.
Nest Ball
A pokeball that catches pokemon at lower levels easier. Lv 1-19 catches 3x easier, lv 20-29 catches 2x easier, and 30 and above is normal
Net Ball
A pokeball that catches water and bug type pokemon 3x easier.
Park Ball
A pokeball used for Pal Park
Premier Ball
A semi rare pokeball that just looks different. You can get it in some games by buying 10 regular pokeballs
Quick Ball
A pokeball that catches pokemon 4x easier at the start of battle.
Repeat Ball
A pokeball that catches pokemon 3x easier if you already caught the same species
Safari Ball
A pokeball only used in the Safari Zone. Has a 1.5x catch rate compared to a pokeball.
Sport Ball
A pokeball only used in the bug catching contest. Has a 1.5x catch rate compared to a pokeball.
Timer Ball
A pokeball that catches easier after more turns. 11-20 turns makes it 2x better. 21-30 turns makes it 3x better. 31+ turns makes it 4x better.
Hold Items
In pokemon games your pokemon have the ability to hold many types of items. Man made items such as potions and ethers will not work with pokemon because they don’t know how to use it. They can still hold them which allows you to transfer items along with pokemon when trading. Natural items like berries can be attached to a pokemon and used by the pokemon in battle. There are some man made items that pokemon can use that are only used as hold items. They usually boost certain stats or affect battle one way or another such as quick claw allowing your pokemon to attack first in battle every now and then. A few other hold items can be used to breed pokemon specially. For more info on breeding pokemon go to the breeding section of the guide.
Rare/Evolutionary Items
In pokemon games there are some very rare items and some items that are needed to evolve pokemon. Rare items are usually those that help your pokemon quite a bit such as vitamins or Rare Candy. The Vitamins make your pokemon stronger by raising it’s EVs and Rare Candy raises your pokemon’s level by one for each candy. Other items are so rare that they are only given in Nintendo Wi Fi events that give you special pokemon or legendary pokemon.
Some pokemon can only evolve into certain forms using certain items. The original evolutionary items were stones. The Thunder Stone, Moon Stone, Water Stone, and Leaf Stone were used on various pokemon to make them evolve instantly. Now there are more items that have to be held or used at certain times or places in order to evolve into other forms. Some items have to be held and then have the pokemon traded in order for them to evolve. Many of the hold items have regular uses outside of evolution. Once you use the item to evolve a pokemon it will disappear and you can’t use it until you find or buy another.
Key Items
Key Items are special items you only get one of and can use over and over in the game. They are set in the special key items section of your bag and usually serve some important function in the game such as key cards. Or they are special items such as a bicycle to travel everywhere.