Metal Powder in Pokémon Crystal

You can only get Metal Powder by trading Ditto from Pokémon Red, Blue, or Yellow into Pokémon Crystal through the Time Capsule. Once it enters your party, you’ll find the item in Ditto’s held item slot.

The Time Capsule is unlocked after visiting Ecruteak City’s Pokémon Center for the first time and waiting one in-game day.

Getting Metal Powder

Any Ditto traded into Pokémon Crystal from a first-generation game (Red, Blue, Yellow) through the Time Capsule arrives holding Metal Powder.

The first step is to meet Bill at Ecruteak City’s Pokémon Center, then wait a day. This will unlock the Time Capsule.

You might have already done this by now.

Once you can access the Time Capsule, connect your Pokémon Crystal game to a Pokémon R/B/Y game where you have a Ditto in your party.

Here’s how that works, depending on what platform you’re playing on:

• Game Boy / GBC: Connect both handhelds with a Nintendo Game Link Cable.
• Game Boy Advance: Connect both handhelds with a GBA Link Cable.
• 3DS: Virtual Console versions of Pokémon R/B/Y and Pokémon G/S/C can link up over the 3DS’s local wireless connection.

Note: Some emulator software allows you to do this as well. Well-known GBC/GBA emulator mGBA offers a built-in multiplayer option that makes it easy.

Then, go into any Pokémon Center in Crystal and climb the second floor (2F) stairs to find the Time Capsule.

It’s on the rightmost end of the room.

In Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow, you’ll act as if this is a regular trade. The NPC who handles trades is on the right side of the Pokémon Center.

Talk to the Time Capsule/Trade NPC simultaneously in both games.

Save your game when prompted, then choose “Yes” when asked if you want to trade across time.

Note: Make sure you don’t have any Gen 2 Pokémon, Moves, or Items in your Pokémon Crystal party before trying to trade, or you’ll be turned away.

Once you’re inside the trading room, face the table in the middle of the room and press A (in both games) to start the trade.

Then, choose the Pokémon you’ll trade in both games and watch the cutscene.

Note: Remember that you can’t transfer Pokémon without receiving one in return. If you’re trading multiple Pokémon from R/B/Y, bring enough Pokémon to send back from Crystal.

Make sure you send a Ditto from your R/B/Y game.

It doesn’t matter what you send back from Pokémon Crystal.

Once the trade is complete, leave the Time Capsule and check your Pokémon party. The Ditto you just received should be holding Metal Powder.

Note: This method can be repeated, but you’ll need a different Ditto each time. Sending the same Ditto back and forth between both games won’t produce more Metal Powder.

Metal Powder Uses

Metal Powder is a held item that increases Ditto’s Defense and Special Defense stats by 50%.

This item works even after Ditto uses Transform to copy its opponent’s appearance, type moves, and stats.

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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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