Smoke Balls in Pokémon Crystal

Smoke Ball Locations
#	Location	Repeatable?
1	Goldenrod Underground, 2nd Basement (B2F). Look for it in the southwestern corner of the switch maze.	No
2	Blackthorn City. Trade a female Dragonair for a Dodrio. The Dodrio is holding it when it enters your party.	No

You’ll find a Smoke Ball in a couple different places:

The second basement (B2F) of the Goldenrod Underground is one location. This area becomes accessible by obtaining the Basement Key. The Smoke Ball is in the bottom left corner of the room, accessible by pressing the wall buttons in the following order: left, right, middle, right, left.

You can get another Smoke Ball by trading a female Dragonair for a Dodrio in Blackthorn City. The Dodrio is holding the item when it enters your party.

Getting Smoke Balls

Method #1: Goldenrod Underground, B2F

Goldenrod City on the Johto map.

Starting at Goldenrod City’s Pokémon Center, head north.

Going north from the Pokémon Center in Goldenrod City.

Keep going north until you cross the train tracks, turn left, and enter the second building.

Approaching the north Underground Entrance from the main street.

Inside, you’ll find some stairs heading down into the Goldenrod Underground.

Underground Entrance.

Descend the stairs and go south, then turn east at the earliest opportunity.

The door to the second basement (B2F) is at the end of this narrow passage.

Note: You’ll need to use the Basement Key to access this area for the first time.

Location of the B2F entrance in the Goldenrod Underground.

You’ll soon find yourself in a room with three switches on the northern wall. From left to right, they’re Switch 3, Switch 2, and Switch 1.

Switches in the Goldenrod Underground, B2F.

You need to press the switches in a particular order to open the way to the Smoke Ball. The order is 1, 3, 2, 1, 3 (right, left, middle, right, left).

Once you’ve opened the way, go through the gate below the middle switch (2).

Entering the gate maze in the Goldenrod Underground, B2F.

This path leads directly to the southwestern corner of the room, where Smoke Ball is located.

Approaching the Smoke Ball in the Goldenrod Underground, B2F.

Method #2: Trade Dragonair for Dodrio at Blackthorn City

Blackthorn City on the Johto map.

There’s a girl in Blackthorn City who’ll trade you a Dodrio for a female Dragonair. The Dodrio, nicknamed Doris, is holding a Smoke Ball when you get it.

You can find the Dodrio’s trainer in the small house northeast of the Pokémon Center.

Approaching the home of Doris’s trainer in Blackthorn City.

This green-clad trainer wants a female Dragonair♀ specifically in exchange for her Dodrio.

Inside the home of Doris the Dodrio’s trainer.

You have a 10% chance of pulling a Dragonair each time you fish with the Super Rod in the Dragon’s Den or Route 45.

Tip: Alternatively, catch a Dratini♀ by Surfing or fishing with a Good Rod in the Dragon’s Den and level it up to 30 so it evolves into Dragonair.

Places where you can hook a Dragonair with the Super Rod in Johto.

You can take the Smoke Ball from Doris the Dodrio’s held item slot once it’s in your party.

Taking the Smoke Ball from Doris the Dodrio.

Smoke Ball Uses

The Smoke Ball is a held item that allows the holder to escape from any wild encounter.

Note: It won’t work if your Pokémon is affected by Mean Look or Spider Web.

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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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