Charcoal in Pokémon Crystal

All Charcoal Locations
#	Location	Repeatable?
1	Azalea Town’s PokéMart. Sold for 9,800 PokéDollars.	Yes
2	Ruins of Alph (Union Cave side). Look for it in a hidden room in the top-left puzzle chamber. Catching Ho-Oh is required.	No

Charcoal is available for purchase at Azalea Town’s PokéMart. It costs 9,800 PokéDollars.

Alternatively, you can find a piece of Charcoal in the hidden room of the top-left puzzle chamber at the Ruins of Alph, accessible from the Union Cave. You’ll need Ho-Oh as your party leader to open the hidden room.

Getting Charcoal

Location #1: Azalea Town’s PokéMart

Azalea Town on the Johto region map.

Azalea Town’s PokéMart is a few steps northeast of the Pokémon Center.

Going from the Pokémon Center to the PokéMart in Azalea Town.

Talk to the clerk behind the counter to see the PokéMart’s wares.

Azalea Town PokéMart.

You can buy a Charcoal for 9,800 PokéDollars.

Tip: Some of the best ways to make money in Pokémon Crystal include selling valuable items and fighting strong trainers like the Elite Four. The Amulet Coin helps a ton.

Charcoal at the Azalea Town PokéMart.

You’re not limited to just one, either. You can buy as much Charcoal as you wish if you have the money.

Location #2: Puzzle Chamber at Ruins of Alph (Union Cave side)

Union Cave in the Johto region map.

Union Cave has entrances on Routes 32 and 33, but it’s easier to reach the puzzle chamber from the southern entrance (Route 33).

This entrance is located east of Azalea Town.

Entering Union Cave from the Azalea Town side (Route 33).

Once inside, follow the only available road north, then west.

Union Cave (near the southern exit).

Keep going westward until you hit a wall, then go up the nearby stairs onto a rock platform. You’ll find a ladder leading down to the basement further north.

Climb down the ladder.

Approaching the ladder leading to the Union Cave Basement.

Descend the nearby stairs and turn up towards an underground lake.

Use Surf to enter the water and move a few steps up.

Entering the water in the Union Cave Basement.

Turn right and follow the water. More dry land awaits after the next left turn. Exit the water and keep moving.

Exiting the water in the Union Cave Basement.

Follow this road until you come across a fork. Go up.

Heading north at the fork in the Union Cave Basement’s northwestern area.

The exit is just a few paces further left.

Exiting the Union Cave on the way to the puzzle chamber.

You’ll come out in a formerly inaccessible area of the Ruins of Alph. Enter the cave on the left to access the puzzle chamber.

Approaching the top-left puzzle chamber (Ruins of Alph).

To open the hidden room, you must make Ho-Oh your Party Leader inside the puzzle chamber.

Tip: You’ll be able to catch Ho-Oh at the Tin Tower after getting the Rainbow Wing.

Ho-Oh in the party menu.

When done correctly, a passage will open on the northern wall, leading to the hidden room.

Entering the hidden room in a puzzle chamber (Ruins of Alph).

Pick up the top-right item to get Charcoal.

Charcoal in the hidden room of the top-left puzzle chamber (Ruins of Alph).

Charcoal Uses

Charcoal is a held item that increases the Power of Fire-type moves by 10%.

It’s a must-have for powerful Fire-type Pokémon like Arcanine, Typhlosion, or the legendary Ho-Oh.

Pair it with any high-damage Fire-type move for the best results. Options include Fire Blast, Flamethrower, and Ho-Oh’s signature Sacred Fire.

BACK TO THE MAIN GAME Pokémon Crystal Full Strategy Guide

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Nelson Chitty

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Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.

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