how do i wake up snorlax in soulsilver

How to Wake Up Snorlax in Pokémon SoulSilver: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

1. The Slumbering Giant: Understanding Snorlax’s Role
2. The Prerequisite: Obtaining the Poké Flute
3. Locating the Sleeping Obstacles: Route 12 and Route 16
4. The Awakening: Using the Poké Flute and the Ensuing Battle
5. Strategic Capture: Tips for Adding Snorlax to Your Team
6. Beyond the Slumber: Snorlax’s Value in Your Journey

The journey through the Johto region in Pokémon SoulSilver is filled with diverse challenges and rare encounters. Among the most memorable and rewarding obstacles is the presence of two immense, sleeping Pokémon blocking critical paths. These are Snorlax, the Sleeping Pokémon, and knowing how to wake them up is a pivotal moment in the game. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough on the methods, prerequisites, and strategies for rousing these slumbering giants and adding their formidable power to your team.

The Slumbering Giant: Understanding Snorlax’s Role

Snorlax is not merely a random encounter; it is a deliberate and iconic roadblock within the game’s design. In Pokémon SoulSilver, two Snorlax are found sleeping in the middle of vital roadways: one on Route 12, leading to the east and the Safari Zone, and another on Route 16, which provides access to the Cycling Road and the western reaches of Kanto later in the game. Their deep sleep prevents progression, creating a puzzle that players must solve. Beyond being obstacles, Snorlax are highly sought-after Pokémon due to their exceptional stats. With tremendous HP and Attack, coupled with a versatile movepool, a captured Snorlax can become a cornerstone of a player’s team, capable of walling opponents and dealing significant damage. Thus, waking up Snorlax transitions from a simple task to a strategic imperative for any trainer aiming to complete the Pokédex and build a competitive team.

The Prerequisite: Obtaining the Poké Flute

The sole key to waking a Snorlax is the Poké Flute. This unique Key Item plays a melodious tune that penetrates even the deepest of sleeps. However, acquiring it is not straightforward and forms a mini-quest in itself. The path to the Poké Flute begins in Goldenrod City. After obtaining the Radio Card from the director of the Goldenrod Radio Tower, you must tune your Pokégear radio to the correct channel. The specific channel needed is the Poké Flute Channel, which is unlocked by helping the radio tower staff thwart the plans of Team Rocket. Upon defeating the Team Rocket executives and restoring peace to the tower, you will receive the expansion card for your radio. By tuning into the Poké Flute Channel, your Pokégear gains the permanent ability to play the Poké Flute tune at will. This item is non-consumable and can be used infinitely, which is essential as you will need it for both sleeping Snorlax.

Locating the Sleeping Obstacles: Route 12 and Route 16

With the Poké Flute in hand, the next step is to find the sleeping Snorlax. The first Snorlax is located on Route 12, south of Lavender Town. This route is a coastal pathway, and the Snorlax is found sleeping directly on the road, blocking the entrance to Rock Tunnel from the south and cutting off access to Route 13. The second Snorlax resides on Route 16, a route north of Celadon City in the Kanto region. This Snorlax blocks the path to the Cycling Road, which is a faster route to Fuchsia City. It is advisable to approach these locations only after your team is adequately leveled, as the battle following the awakening is challenging. The game allows you to wake and attempt to catch either Snorlax in any order once you have the Poké Flute, providing a degree of freedom in your gameplay.

The Awakening: Using the Poké Flute and the Ensuing Battle

Approach the dormant Snorlax and open your menu. Select the Pokégear, choose the radio, and switch it to the Poké Flute Channel. A short tune will play, and Snorlax will immediately stir, waking up with a start. It is important to note that the Snorlax will not automatically attack; instead, it will become a standard wild Pokémon encounter. Be prepared, as the battle commences right after the awakening cutscene. Each Snorlax is at level 50, making them significantly stronger than most wild Pokémon encountered at that stage of the game. They possess a moveset that typically includes powerful attacks like Body Slam, which can paralyze, and Rest, which they famously use to heal and return to sleep. Their ability, Immunity, prevents them from being poisoned, a common tactic for whittling down tough Pokémon. Therefore, coming equipped with a strong strategy is crucial for both surviving the battle and successfully capturing it.

Strategic Capture: Tips for Adding Snorlax to Your Team

Capturing a level 50 Snorlax requires careful planning. Due to its high HP, simply whittling it down with attacks can be risky, as you might knock it out accidentally. Inflicting a status condition is highly effective. Sleep or paralysis are optimal choices, as they increase catch rates and hinder Snorlax’s movements. Pokémon that can learn False Swipe, a move that leaves the target with at least 1 HP, are invaluable for this encounter. Weakening Snorlax to the red zone of its health while it is asleep or paralyzed dramatically improves your odds. Come stocked with a large quantity of Ultra Balls or Dusk Balls if battling at night or in a cave-like area such as the route leading to Rock Tunnel. Timer Balls also become increasingly effective the longer the battle drags on. Be patient and persistent; it may take several attempts to secure the capture. Remember, you only get one chance per Snorlax—if you defeat it or run, it will not reappear.

Beyond the Slumber: Snorlax’s Value in Your Journey

Successfully capturing a Snorlax is a major achievement that pays dividends throughout the rest of your adventure. As a teammate, Snorlax excels as a physical tank and attacker. Its movepool allows for diverse builds; it can learn powerful Normal-type moves like Return and Giga Impact, but also coverage moves such as Earthquake, Rock Slide, and Fire Punch via TMs, allowing it to handle a variety of opponents. Its bulk allows it to set up moves like Curse, boosting its already formidable Attack and Defense at the cost of Speed, turning it into an unstoppable force. Furthermore, capturing both Snorlax is necessary for completing the Johto Pokédex, as they are static encounters that do not appear elsewhere. Waking up and capturing Snorlax is more than just clearing a path; it is about claiming a legendary-level Pokémon that can dominate battles, assist in capturing other difficult Pokémon, and solidify your status as a top Pokémon trainer in both Johto and Kanto.

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