Where Do You Get the Macho Brace? (Pokémon FRLG)

by ReOcelot

Macho Brace
#	Location	Repeatable?
1	Viridian City Gym—Hidden item on the ground on the exact spot where Giovanni was standing.	No

To get the Macho Brace in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, you have to use the Item Finder while standing in the exact place that Giovanni was standing in. This only works after you defeat Giovanni for the Earth Badge in the Viridian City Gym.

After defeating Giovanni, you must talk to him so that he will leave the Gym. Afterwards, you will be able to stand in his spot and use the Item Finder to get your Macho Brace.

There is only one Macho Brace in FRLG, and this is the only way to get it (other than trading from other games).

Prerequisites

Since the Macho Brace is used for EV training, it’s no surprise that you can’t get a hold of it until later in the game. The Macho Brace is literally found at Giovanni’s feet, so the prerequisites are going to be related to defeating Giovanni (and every other Gym Leader).

Specifically the prerequisites are:

Be able to defeat Giovanni or have defeated Giovanni
Have caught 30 unique Pokémon species
Obtained the Item Finder from Oak’s Aide on Route 11

Once Giovanni is down and you have the Item Finder, you can get the Macho Brace.

How To Get The Macho Brace

Step 1: The Item Finder

The Item Finder is in the building far to the east of Vermilion City, between Route 11 and Route 12.

One of Oak’s Aides is waiting for you upstairs. They’ll check if you’ve caught 30 Pokémon and if so, they’ll hand you the Item Finder, free of charge!

Getting the Item Finder from Professor Oak’s Aide

Step 2: Getting the Macho Brace

I’m going to give you a quick TL;DR of how to get the Macho Brace, and then add some details below.

Go to Giovanni’s Gym in Viridian City
Walk to Giovanni in the back of the Gym (or where he used to be if he is gone)
Talk to Giovanni if he is there
After Giovanni leaves (or if he was gone) walk into the exact spot he was standing
Use the Item Finder

If you need some more details or if anything was confusing about the directions above, then you can keep reading below for more info (with some helpful screenshots!)

Once you have the Item Finder, simply head to Giovanni’s Gym in Viridian City. Do note you’ll need to have defeated all the other Gym Leaders first.

Outside of Giovanni’s Gym in Viridian City

Defeat Giovanni, and then talk to him afterward.

If you’ve already defeated Giovanni but haven’t talked to him, he will still be standing in his Gym, so go ahead and talk to him.

Talking to Giovanni after defeating him in his Gym

Giovanni will officially disband Team Rocket and then he will vacate the area. Afterward, you’ll need to walk into the exact spot that Giovanni was standing in.

If you defeated Giovanni a long time ago and he’s missing, that means that you’ve already talked to him. You can still go ahead and stand in the spot that he was standing in.

Standing in the exact spot Giovanni was in at his Gym

When you’re standing in Giovanni’s spot, open up the Key Items pocket in your Bag and use the Item Finder.

Using the Item Finder to find the Macho Brace

The Item Finder will go off and start shaking wildly.

When this happens, simply press A to skip through the Dialog.

Item Finder shaking while finding the Macho Brace

After the dialog you’ll put the Macho Brace in your Bag, and you can give it to whichever Pokémon you want to start EV training.

Finding the Macho Brace with the Item Finder

Note: There is only one Macho Brace in the game. So if you want to EV train multiple Pokémon, you’ll have to move the item back and forth between them.

What Does The Macho Brace Do?

The Macho Brace’s Description in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

The Macho Brace is an item used specifically for EV training. When a Pokémon is holding the Macho Brace, it will receive double the EV points when it defeats a Pokémon. However, the Pokémon holding the Macho Brace will also have its Speed stat cut in half.

This held item is a must-have for players that want to EV train, because getting double the EVs really speeds up the process and makes the grind a little more bearable.

EV Training Summarized

If you’re unsure what EV training is, we created a full detailed guide on how it works in FRLG, plus the best spots on where to EV train for specific stats.

But here’s a brief summary:

Every Pokémon gives “Effort Value” points when they’re defeated, which will boost a specific stat (Attack, Special Attack, Defense, etc.)

Pokémon can only learn so many EVs, so if you’re EV training you have to be careful about which Pokémon the Pokémon you’re training defeats. The Macho Brace will simply double the amount of EV points obtained from defeating Pokémon, at the cost of half your Pokémon’s Speed stat – only while that Pokémon is holding the Macho Brace.

BACK TO THE MAIN GAME Pokémon FRLG Full Strategy Guide

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ReOcelot

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A jack of all trades when it comes to gaming. I can sit down for hours in a casual playthrough of Pokémon, or I can spend months trying to hit Diamond in League of Legends. I love and appreciate everything about games, and love sharing that passion with my readers.

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