Blackthorn City Crystal · Johto town

Map of Blackthorn City in Pokémon Crystal — Blackthorn City (in-game map)

Blackthorn City is a mountain city of dragon tamers, reached through the Ice Path from Route 44 and leading south to Route 45. Clair’s Dragon-type Gym stands in front of the Dragon’s Den, and in Crystal she withholds the Rising Badge until you pass the elder’s test at the Dragon Shrine.

Wild Pokémon: 2
Items: 2
Trainers: 6
Needs: Surf, Strength
Gym: Clair · Dragon

Connects to: Route 45 · Route 44 · Ice Path · Dragon’s Den

Where Blackthorn City is on the Johto map Blackthorn City on the Johto map

Clair’s Gym Johto badge 8 of 8

Type: Dragon
Badge: Rising Badge
Reward: TM24 DragonBreath
Lets you use: Waterfall outside battle
Prize: ₽1,000

Dragonair Lv. 37Dragon

Kingdra Lv. 40WaterDragon

Moves and held items.

Gym trainers

Trainer	Pokémon	Prize
Cooltrainer♂Mike	Dragonair 37	₽444
Cooltrainer♂Paul	Dratini 34 Dratini 34 Dratini 34	₽408
Cooltrainer♀Lola	Dratini 34 Dragonair 36	₽432
Cooltrainer♂Cody	Horsea 34 Seadra 36	₽432
Cooltrainer♀Fran	Seadra 37	₽444

Wild Pokémon

Surfing encounter rate 4%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Magikarp	Water	5–15	100%

Fishing
Rod	Pokémon	Lv.	Morning & day	Night
Old Rod	Magikarp	10	85%	85%
Old Rod	Poliwag	10	15%	15%
Good Rod	Poliwag	20	65%	65%
Good Rod	Magikarp	20	35%	35%
Super Rod	Poliwag	40	80%	80%
Super Rod	Magikarp	40	20%	20%

Chances are the game’s encounter slots for each time of day: morning 4:00–9:59, day 10:00–17:59, night 18:00–3:59 (grass and caves 30/30/20/10/5/4/1, surfing 60/30/10). Where to find every Pokémon · Crystal vs Gold & Silver.

Items

Item	How	Where
TM24 DragonBreath	Gift Clair gives it to you in her Gym if you haven’t already received it in the Dragon’s Den after earning the Rising Badge.	Gym 1F
Spell Tag	Gift Santos of Saturday gives it to you on a Saturday.	Blackthorn City

Hidden items can be found with the Itemfinder from Ecruteak City.

Shops

Poké Mart

Great Ball ₽600Ultra Ball ₽1,200Hyper Potion ₽700Max Potion ₽1,200Full Heal ₽4,000Revive ₽700Max Repel ₽200X DefendX Attack ₽350

In-game trades

You give	You get	Where
Dragonair	Dodrio “Doris”, OT Emy, holding Smoke Ball	Emy’s house She wants a female Dragonair.

Tips

Clair leads with three Lv37 Dragonair and a Lv40 Kingdra; Ice moves are the best answer to the Dragonair, while Kingdra is weak only to Dragon-type attacks.
The Gym floor is surrounded by lava: push the boulders on the upper floor into the holes with Strength to form a path to Clair.
After beating Clair, Surf across the pond behind the Gym into the Dragon’s Den; she awards the Rising Badge at the Dragon Shrine, then gives you TM24 DragonBreath back at the Gym.
Santos appears on Saturdays and gives you a Spell Tag.
Emy trades Doris, a Dodrio holding a Smoke Ball, for a female Dragonair.
The Move Deleter here can erase unwanted moves, including HMs.

Walkthrough: Part 11: Ice Path, Blackthorn City and Clair

More maps

Blackthorn City: Blackthorn Gym 1F — Blackthorn Gym 1F

Blackthorn City: Blackthorn Gym 2F — Blackthorn Gym 2F

FAQ

How do you get the Rising Badge in Pokémon Crystal?

Beat Clair, then enter the Dragon’s Den behind her Gym and answer the elder’s questions at the Dragon Shrine; Clair hands over the Rising Badge there.

Do you need Strength for the Blackthorn Gym in Pokémon Crystal?

Yes. You must push boulders into the holes on the upper floor so they form bridges across the lava to Clair.

Where is Santos in Pokémon Crystal?

In Blackthorn City on Saturdays; the first time you meet him he gives you a Spell Tag.

What Pokémon can you catch in Blackthorn City in Pokémon Crystal?

2 species: Magikarp, Poliwag.

Sources & picture credits

Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against the game’s own scripts and Bulbapedia. Wild Pokémon and encounter chances for all three times of day, fishing, Headbutt and Rock Smash tables, items, trainers, gifts, trades and shops come from the pret/pokecrystal decompilation (pret/pokecrystal 3bc8daa417). Maps, sprites and the Johto and Kanto Pokégear maps are drawn by retrogameindex from the game’s own graphics in that decompilation (listed on the image gallery). Pokémon © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.