How To Get Spell Tags in Pokémon ORAS

Finding a Spell Tag in Mt Pyre
All Spell Tag Locations
# Method Repeatable?
1 Held item from Wild Pokemon (5% chance):

  • Shuppet – Route 121, Route 123, Mt. Pyre
  • Duskull – Mt. Pyre
  • Cofagrigus – Mirage Cave
Yes

Spell Tags can only be obtained as held items stolen from wild Shuppet, Duskull, or Cofagrigus. Each of these Pokémon only has a 5% chance of holding a Spell Tag, but you can use your DexNav to improve your odds.

You can also farm an unlimited number of Spell Tags this way.

The Spell Tag is a held item that boosts the power of Ghost-type moves by the Pokémon holding it.

Stealing Spell Tags

Using Thief on a wild Duskull / Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Using Thief on a wild Duskull

Spell Tags can only be found on wild Shuppet, Duskull, or Cofagrigus.

  • Shuppet can be encountered anywhere on Route 121, Route 123, or Mt. Pyre’s interior and exterior.
  • Duskull can only be found in Mt. Pyre’s interior building.
  • Cofagrigus can be spotted on certain Mirage Caves, which can be accessed using the Eon Flute.

So if you head inside Mt. Pyre’s interior you’ll only find Duskull and Shuppet, making it a great farming location for a Spell Tag.

But when you encounter any of these wild Pokémon, there’s a 5% chance they will be holding a Spell Tag. To take the item you can use a Pokémon that knows TM46 Thief.

But if you want more details on how to optimally farm held items from wild Pokémon then we have a separate guide with details on building a custom item farming team.

Here are more details on the encounter rates for Mt. Pyre’s interior on all floors:

Mt. Pyre (Interior) – Wild Pokémon

Inside Mt. Pyre / Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Inside Mt. Pyre
Pokemon (Walking) Chance Levels
Shuppet 70% 28-31
Duskull 30% 28-31

Since Cofagrigus can be found in multiple Mirage Caves, check if any of the Mirage Caves shown in the image below are available.

Additionally, refer to the table detailing their respective locations and encounter rates for each possible location:

Mirage Caves – Wild Pokémon

Mirage Caves on the Hoenn map / Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Mirage Caves on the Hoenn map
Mirage Cave Locations Chance Levels
North of Route 124 40% 36-38
South of Route 131 30% 36-38

Using the DexNav

The DexNav’s Detector Mode / Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
The DexNav’s Detector Mode

To increase the chances of finding a Spell Tag, you can use your DexNav’s Detector Mode.

Here’s how:

After catching a specific species of Pokémon, you can use the DexNav to track more of the same species in the wild. The DexNav’s search level increases with each encounter with this Pokémon, regardless of whether you catch it or not. As this level rises, the likelihood of encountering Pokémon carrying items also increases.

How Spell Tags Work

In-game details for Spell Tag / Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
In-game details for Spell Tag

The Spell Tag is a held item that boosts the power of Ghost-type moves used by the holder by 20%.

When it comes to coverage moves, Ghost-types may not be the most popular type out there.

That’s why the Spell Tag isn’t commonly used in competitive battles.

However, it’s not a bad held item – especially when using Ghost-type STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) moves like Shadow Ball or Shadow Sneak.

Unlike the Life Orb or Choice items (which boost the power of all moves but come with drawbacks), the Spell Tag specifically enhances Ghost-type moves without any downsides.

And there’s also an often-overlooked advantage of using a Spell Tag:

Your opponent won’t know what item you’re actually holding, unless they have the ability Frisk. This adds a layer of unpredictability, which can lead opponents to underestimate the damage you could deal with your Ghost-type moves.

StormSwampert

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Though he spends most of his time playing a wide variety of games, Pokémon has always been his favorite. When he’s not playing games or writing guides, you can find him watching anime and collecting trading cards.

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