Pokémon Crystal Polkadot Bow: Location + Uses

You can get a Polkadot Bow by trading Jigglypuff from Pokémon Red, Blue, or Yellow into Pokémon Crystal through the Time Capsule.

Once the Pokémon enters your party, you’ll find the item in Jigglypuff’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 the Polkadot Bow

Any Jigglypuff traded into Pokémon Crystal from a first-generation game (Red, Blue, Yellow) through the Time Capsule arrives with a Polkadot Bow.

Once you can access the Time Capsule, connect your Pokémon Crystal game to a Pokémon R/B/Y game where you have a Jigglypuff 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 stairs to the second floor to find the Time Capsule.

It’s on the rightmost end of the room.

You’ll act like this is a regular trade in Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow. 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 Jigglypuff 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 Jigglypuff you just received should be holding a Polkadot Bow.

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

Polkadot Bow Uses

The Polkadot Bow is a held item that increases the Power of Normal-type moves by 10%. It works exactly like the regular Pink Bow.

A ton of powerful Normal-type Pokémon inhabit Johto and Kanto, including Ursaring, Blissey, and Snorlax. All of them are prime candidates to hold a Polkadot Bow.

Pokémon that know powerful Normal-type moves like Hyper Beam, Rollout, or Tri Attack can all benefit from Polkadot Bow, even if they don’t get the same-type attack bonus (STAB).

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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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