Bug Catching Contest
| Bug Catching Contest | |
|---|---|
| File:BugCatchingContest.png | |
| Location | National Park (Johto) |
| Frequency | Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday |
| Key Item | Sports Ball |
The Bug Catching Contest is a recurring event held in the National Park, located north of Goldenrod City in the Johto Region.
The contest takes place every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It provides an opportunity for players to fill their Pokédex, catch rare Pokémon, and win valuable items.
Rules & Mechanics
To participate, the player must enter the National Park via the South Entrance. The guard standing in the middle of the station initiates the event.
- Entry: The player is allowed to take only one Pokémon into the park. The rest of the party is left with the guard.
- Resources: The player is given 20 Sports Balls and a time limit of 20 minutes.
- Objective: Catch the best Pokémon possible. While multiple Pokémon can be caught, the player can only hold and submit one Pokémon for judging. If a new Pokémon is caught, the player must choose whether to keep the new one or the old one.
- Game Over: The contest ends immediately if:
- The 20-minute timer runs out.
- The player runs out of Sports Balls.
- The player's Pokémon faints.
- The player quits early (via the menu or by leaving the park).
Scoring
At the end of the contest, the retained Pokémon is judged to determine the winner. Points are awarded based on the following criteria:
- Rarity: Rare species award more points.
- Level: Higher levels result in more points.
- Stats: Superior Individual Values (IVs) or stats yield higher scores.
- HP: Unlike standard capture mechanics, Current HP is a scoring factor. The higher the Pokémon's remaining HP, the more points are awarded.
Rewards
Regardless of placement, the player keeps the Pokémon they submitted for judging.
| Placement | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st Place | Sun Stone |
| 2nd Place | Everstone |
| 3rd Place | Sitrus Berry |
| Participation | Shed Shell |
Encounters
The available Pokémon are the same as the standard National Park encounter table.
While the contest is focused on Bug-types, other species native to the park can occasionally be caught and submitted.
Tips and Strategy
- Save Before Entering: You can only participate once per contest day. It is highly recommended to save your game before talking to the guard. If you do not win the desired prize, you can reset and try again.
- Don't Weaken Targets: Since Current HP is a scored category, do not attack the wild Pokémon. Throw Sports Balls immediately at full health to maximize your score.
- Time Management: The 20-minute timer continues to run during battles. Avoid prolonged encounters to save time.
- Target Pokémon: The most likely winners are usually Scyther, Pinsir, Butterfree, or Beedrill. These are rarer encounters but are usually found within the time limit.
- Non-Bug Winners: The judges do not explicitly penalize non-Bug types. Pokémon such as Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, and Taillow have been known to win the contest occasionally.
