Where To Get Water Stones in Pokémon Platinum (All Methods)

Water Stone Acquisition Methods
#	Method	Repeatable?
1	Solaceon Ruins—On a rock in one of the cave’s dead ends (hidden)	No
2	Route 213—Inside a Poké Ball in the shallow water in the southeastern section of the ocean (requires Surf)	No
3	Route 230—On the eastern side of the island in the middle of the ocean (requires Surf, Rock Smash, and the National Pokédex) (hidden)	No
4	The Underground—Potential treasure found in the mining minigame	Yes

The easiest way to get a Water Stone is to pick up the one that’s hidden in the Solaceon Ruins. You can can get this Water Stone early in the game and it requires no HMs either.

Alternatively, you can get Water Stones even earlier if you find one in the Underground. However this is an unreliable method and can take a lot of time and patience before you get even one stone this way. That said, the Underground is the only repeatable way to get unlimited Water Stones in Platinum.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acquiring Water Stones
Water Stone Details and Uses
- Poliwrath
- Cloyster
- Starmie
- Vaporeon
- Ludicolo

Acquiring Water Stones

Method 1: Solaceon Ruins (Step-by-Step)

You’ll find an easy Water Stone early in the game inside the Solaceon Ruins.

These complex ruins are located to the east of Solaceon Town, which you’ll have access to after defeating Gym Leader Fantina in Hearthome City.

To reach the Solaceon Ruins, start by heading north from Solaceon Town’s Pokémon Center.

Moving north through Solaceon Town.

Just before you reach Solaceon Town’s northern entrance, turn right into the gap in the woods.

Turning eastward into the woods.

Travel as far east as you can and then turn southward to hop down the ledges furthest to the east.

Hopping down the easternmost ledges.

After dropping down the third ledge, turn eastward and head north to enter the Solaceon Ruins.

Entering the Solaceon Ruins.

The Solaceon Ruins make up a sort of maze, with several staircases on every floor, most leading to dead ends.

If you climb the staircases in a particular order, you will wind up in a small chamber that contains a Water Stone.

Here’s the exact staircases to take in order that’ll get you to the Water Stone:

1. Top Right
2. Bottom Left
3. Bottom Left

So from the entrance of the Solaceon Ruins, start by taking the top-right staircase in the opening chamber.

Taking the northeastern staircase on 1F.

Then go down the bottom-left staircase.

Taking the southwestern staircase on B1F.

Now head straight across to the next bottom-left staircase and take it down.

Taking the next staircase to the southwest.

You’ll find yourself in a tiny chamber with a boulder in the middle of it. There is a Water Stone hidden on the boulder that can be detected using the Dowsing Machine Pokétch app (although the Dowsing Machine isn’t necessary to get the stone).

Approaching the boulder in the middle of the chamber.

Just face the boulder and press A to add a Water Stone to your Bag.

Obtaining the hidden Water Stone in the Solaceon Ruins.

Method 2: Route 213 (Step-by-Step)

Once your Pokémon can use Surf outside of battle, you’ll have access to another Water Stone on Route 213.

To reach it, start by Flying to Pastoria City and then head east from the Pokémon Center.

Heading east from Pastoria City’s Pokémon Center.

Continue east until you reach the gate to Route 213 and pass through it.

Exiting Pastoria City via the northeastern gate.

Continue east after emerging on the other side.

Continuing east on Route 213.

When the path curves to the south, follow it onto the beach.

Heading south toward the coast.

Once you hit the ocean, use Surf and move eastward across the water.

Using Surf at the ocean and heading east.

Then eventually you’ll want to head south between a small break in the rocks, then continue moving eastward on the other side.

Slipping between the rocks and continuing eastward.

Continue your eastward journey as you pass the Swimmer trainer.

Passing the Swimmer while heading east.

Eventually you’ll come to some shallow water with a Sailor NPC standing to the south.

Step onto the shallow water, move through the gap going up, and use Surf again to get back in the deeper ocean.

You’ll want to head for the Swimmer NPCs to the east that are also in the water.

Slipping through the gap on the shallow water.

Turn up to move between the two Swimmers, who are guarding a Poké Ball item on a tiny patch of shallow water behind them.

Turning north to approach the Water Stone.

Pick this Poké Ball up to obtain another Water Stone.

Obtaining the Water Stone on Route 213.

Method 3: Route 230 (Step-by-Step)

The final Water Stone that can be found in the overworld is on an island on Route 230.

You won’t have access to this Route until the post-game, after you’ve received the National Pokédex upgrade from Professor Oak.

You will also need Pokémon in your party that can use these two HMs:

Surf
Rock Smash

When you’re prepared to search for this Water Stone, start by Flying to the Battle Zone’s Fight Area and heading east from the Pokémon Center.

Heading east from the Fight Area’s Pokémon Center.

Leave the Fight Area via the eastern entrance and continue heading eastward.

Entering the forest to the east of the Fight Area.

Use Surf to enter the ocean on Route 230.

Using Surf on the ocean to the east.

Travel across the ocean going east until you reach a large island just past two Swimmers.

Passing the Swimmer trainers and heading for the island.

Turn north to set foot on the island, then head up a set of stairs.

Disembarking onto the island.

Venture out to the middle of the grassy field and turn right.

In the northeastern corner is a breakable rock blocking a hidden item in the wall.

Turning right to approach the breakable rock.

Use Rock Smash to break the rock. Then face the wall behind the rock you just broke and Press A to find another Water Stone.

Obtaining the Water Stone on Route 230.

Method 4: The Underground (Repeatable)

You can get Water Stones much sooner if you commit to searching in the Underground.

However, this is a highly unreliable method and can take several hours of playing the mining minigame to produce results. But if you need a stone earlier in the game, this is the way to go.

Tip: This is also the only repeatable way to obtain more Water Stones beyond the overworld stones you can find.

To start searching for Water Stones this way, dig down to the Underground by using the Explorer Kit, which you will receive from the Underground Man in Eterna City.

Using the Explorer Kit from the Key Items list.

When you have control of your character, head for one of the glittering areas shown on the map.

Glittering areas showing the existence of treasures.

Tap the touch screen to sense hidden treasures lodged inside bulging walls. These spots will sparkle when your sensor passes over them.

Tapping the touch screen to find bulging walls.

Walk up to one of these spots and Press A.

Inspecting the sparkling point.

Digging into bulging walls will begin a minigame.

Alternate between your hammer and your pickaxe to dig as many treasures out of the wall as possible before the wall comes crashing down from the repeated banging.

The hammer breaks more rocks and dirt per hit, but causes the minigame to end quicker.
The pickaxe is weaker, but more precise and less damaging to the wall.

Starting the mining minigame.

Every time you mine a new spot in the Underground, there is only a 20% chance that a non-sphere item will be hidden beneath the rocks and dirt.

There are close to 50 different non-sphere item types that can be uncovered this way.

So because the odds of finding a Water Stone in a single minigame are pretty low, you can expect to spend a while searching for one.

Uncovering a Water Stone in the Sinnoh Underground.

Tip: Remember to send your items aboveground by selecting them in the Treasures sub-menu.

Opening the Treasures menu to send found items back up.

Water Stone Details and Uses

The in-game description of the Water Stone.

In Pokémon Platinum, the Water Stone is used to evolve five Pokémon species:

Water Stone Evolutions
Species	Evolutionary Form
Poliwhirl	Poliwrath
Shellder	Cloyster
Staryu	Starmie
Eevee	Vaporeon
Lombre	Ludicolo

To use a Water Stone, simply select “Use” from the Bag and choose the Pokémon you want to evolve.

Using a Water Stone to evolve a Pokémon.

Poliwrath

You can use a Water Stone on Poliwhirl to have it evolve into Poliwrath.

The newly-evolved Poliwrath.

Poliwrath is one of two possible evolutions of Poliwhirl, the other being Politoed (via the King’s Rock).

Poliwrath and Politoed have similar stats overall, although Poliwrath has stronger Attack and Defense stats than Politoed.

The usefulness of either of them will depend on your team’s specific needs (and/or which one you think looks more interesting).

Special mention should go to both Pokémon’s typing.

While Politoed is a pure Water-type Pokémon, Poliwrath is a Water/Fighting dual type (and the only Fighting-type in Platinum besides Lucario that can learn Psychic).

Keep this in mind when factoring type coverage into your decision in evolution.

Cloyster

You can use a Water Stone on Shellder to have it evolve into Cloyster.

The newly-evolved Cloyster.

Cloyster is a fascinating Pokémon, even if its stats are woefully unbalanced.

For starters, it has one of the highest base Defense stats in the series – a mind-boggling 180.

It also has above-average Attack and Special Attack stats and a nice Water/Ice typing.

One of Cloyster’s biggest strengths (if used correctly) is its Ability Skill Link, which guarantees any multi-strike moves Cloyster uses—like Pin Missile, Rock Blast, and Icicle Spear—will always hit for the full 5 turns.

The STAB-boosted Icicle Spear in particular is a must-have.

These benefits are undercut by Cloyster’s terrible HP and Special Defense stats, making all but the weakest special moves a threat to its existence.

The best use for Cloyster would be to train it up in Attack, Special Attack, and Speed, and let it pummel the enemy with multi-strike moves for as long as you can get away with—which to be honest probably won’t be very long.

Note: Starting in Generation V, Cloyster will be one of only a handful of Pokémon with access to the move Shell Smash. That makes it much more viable in battle.

Starmie

You can use a Water Stone on Staryu to make it evolve into Starmie.

The newly-evolved Starmie.

Starmie has an excellent base Speed stat and can be an extremely potent Special Attacker with the right training.

Its low HP and medium defenses make it too frail to take a ton of hits. But having it learn Recovery can help mitigate this.

Starmie is also a classic user of Rapid Spin. It’s a move that inflicts damage, frees Starmie from binding moves and Leech Seed, and rids Starmie’s side of the field of entry hazards.

Starmie’s Ability Natural Cure allows it to shed all status effects simply by switching out of battle, and its Water/Psychic typing and large movepool make it more adaptable than many other Water Pokémon.

Vaporeon

You can use a Water Stone on Eevee to make it evolve into its Water-type form, Vaporeon.

The newly-evolved Vaporeon.

Vaporeon has a shockingly high base HP stat of 130, plus a high Special Attack that allows it to deliver a vicious Surf/Hydro Pump or Ice Beam.

It suffers from very slow Speed and Defense, which can negate the benefits of Vaporeon’s high HP if it isn’t used strategically.

It also doesn’t have access to Rest like a lot of other slow bulky Pokémon, so it must rely on Wish to heal.

The upside to this is that Vaporeon makes for a good Pokémon to pass Wish’s healing effects onto a switched-in teammate.

Vaporeon’s Water Absorb Ability—which not only immunizes Vaporeon to Water attacks, but also heals Vaporeon for a quarter of its max HP when hit by one—also makes it perfect for switching in to take a Water attack from an opponent.

Ludicolo

You can use a Water Stone on Lombre to make it evolve into Ludicolo.

The newly-evolved Ludicolo.

Ludicolo has average-to-good stats across the board, with no real standout strengths or weaknesses in that regard.

Two things make Ludicolo a surprising asset in battle.

One is its typing: as the only Water/Grass dual-type in the series (besides its previous forms, Lotad and Lombre), Ludicolo is able to shed the typical Water weaknesses to Electric and Grass, as well as the primary Grass weakness to Fire. Having access to STAB-boosted Giga Drain, Hydro Pump, and Ice Beam makes it a huge threat to a wide range of Pokémon.

Two: Ludicolo’s Swift Swim Ability, which doubles its Speed stat during rainy weather.

With Rain Dance, Swift Swim, and an array of potent STAB moves, Ludicolo becomes an unlikely speed-killer menace against a long list of opponents.

BACK TO THE MAIN GAME Pokémon Platinum Full Strategy Guide

Guide Navigation

Pokémon Platinum
- Where To Get Water Stones in Pokémon Platinum (All Methods)

Chris Haygood

270 articles

Chris is an American freelance writer and lifelong gamer. RPGs have been his genre of choice ever since he got Pokémon Blue in 1867, but if he finds a good rhythm game, he will prioritize playing it over both eating and breathing.

View Writer's Posts →