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Union Cave Crystal · Johto landmark

Map of Union Cave in Pokémon Crystal
1F (in-game map)

Union Cave runs beneath the hills between Route 32 and Route 33, the road from Violet City to Azalea Town. Side passages on B1F lead to sealed-off parts of the Ruins of Alph, and Crystal’s Friday Lapras swims in the lake on the flooded B2F.

Wild Pokémon
18
Items
8
Trainers
12
Needs
Surf, Strength

Connects to: Route 32 · Route 33 · Ruins of Alph

Where Union Cave is on the Johto mapUnion Cave on the Johto map

Gift and special Pokémon

Lapras Lv. 20 · One-off encounter

Appears in the B2F lake every Friday.

Wild Pokémon

1F

Walking in the cave encounter rate 6%
PokémonTypeLv.MorningDayNight
RattataNormal4–610%10%40%
SandshrewGround630%30%–
GeodudeRockGround630%30%30%
ZubatPoisonFlying5–725%25%5%
WooperWaterGround5––20%
OnixRockGround65%5%5%
Surfing encounter rate 2%
PokémonTypeLv.Chance
WooperWaterGround1560%
QuagsireWaterGround15–2040%
Fishing
RodPokémonLv.Morning & dayNight
Old RodMagikarp1085%85%
Goldeen1015%15%
Good RodGoldeen2065%65%
Magikarp2035%35%
Super RodGoldeen4070%70%
Magikarp4020%20%
Seaking4010%10%

B1F

Walking in the cave encounter rate 6%
PokémonTypeLv.MorningDayNight
ZubatPoisonFlying6–850%50%30%
GeodudeRockGround830%30%30%
WooperWaterGround8––20%
RattataNormal6–810%10%10%
OnixRockGround810%10%10%
Surfing encounter rate 2%
PokémonTypeLv.Chance
WooperWaterGround1560%
QuagsireWaterGround15–2040%
Fishing
RodPokémonLv.Morning & dayNight
Old RodMagikarp1085%85%
Goldeen1015%15%
Good RodGoldeen2065%65%
Magikarp2035%35%
Super RodGoldeen4070%70%
Magikarp4020%20%
Seaking4010%10%

B2F

Walking in the cave encounter rate 4%
PokémonTypeLv.MorningDayNight
ZubatPoisonFlying2250%50%30%
GolbatPoisonFlying2230%30%30%
QuagsireWaterGround22––20%
RaticateNormal2110%10%10%
GeodudeRockGround205%5%5%
OnixRockGround235%5%5%
Surfing encounter rate 4%
PokémonTypeLv.Chance
TentacoolWaterPoison1560%
QuagsireWaterGround2030%
TentacruelWaterPoison2010%
Fishing
RodPokémonLv.Morning & dayNight
Old RodMagikarp1085%85%
Krabby1015%15%
Good RodKrabby2055%55%
Magikarp2035%35%
Staryu20–10%
Corsola2010%–
Super RodKrabby4060%60%
Staryu40–30%
Corsola4030%–
Kingler4010%10%

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.

Trainers

TrainerPokémonPrizeWhere
HikerDanielOnixOnix 11₽881F
PokéManiacLarrySlowpokeSlowpoke 10₽1501F
HikerRussellGeodudeGeodude 4GeodudeGeodude 6GeodudeGeodude 8₽641F
FirebreatherRayVulpixVulpix 9₽1081F
FirebreatherBillKoffingKoffing 6KoffingKoffing 6₽721F
HikerPhillipGeodudeGeodude 23GeodudeGeodude 23GravelerGraveler 23₽184B1F
HikerLeonardGeodudeGeodude 23MachopMachop 25₽200B1F
PokéManiacAndrewMarowakMarowak 24MarowakMarowak 24₽360B1F
PokéManiacCalvinKangaskhanKangaskhan 26₽390B1F
Cooltrainer♂NickCharmanderCharmander 26SquirtleSquirtle 26BulbasaurBulbasaur 26₽312B2F
Cooltrainer♀GwenEeveeEevee 26FlareonFlareon 22VaporeonVaporeon 22JolteonJolteon 22₽264B2F
Cooltrainer♀EmmaPoliwhirlPoliwhirl 28₽336B2F

Prize money is the trainer class’s base payout times the level of the trainer’s last Pokémon. Trainers with phone rematches call you when they want another battle; their teams grow as you progress.

Items

ItemHowWhere
Great BallItem ball1F
X AttackItem ball1F
PotionItem ball1F
AwakeningItem ball1F
TM39 SwiftItem ballB1F
X DefendItem ballB1F
ElixerItem ballB2F
Hyper PotionItem ballB2F

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

Tips

  • Every Friday a Lv20 Lapras waits in the B2F lake; if it faints or you catch it, another appears the following Friday.
  • Fishing on B2F gives Corsola by day and Staryu at night (10% with the Good Rod, 30% with the Super Rod).
  • Wooper appears only at night on 1F and B1F (20%), while Sandshrew is a 1F morning and day find (30%).
  • TM39 Swift lies on B1F, and an Elixer and a Hyper Potion wait on B2F.
  • A Strength boulder sits on B1F, so return with HM04 to reach every corner.

Walkthrough: Part 3: Route 32 to Azalea Town and Bugsy

More maps

Union Cave: B1F
B1F
Union Cave: B2F
B2F

FAQ

When does Lapras appear in Union Cave in Pokémon Crystal?

On Fridays only, in the lake on B2F; it is Lv20 and reappears every Friday, even after you have caught one.

Where is TM39 Swift in Pokémon Crystal?

On the floor of Union Cave B1F.

Where can you fish up Corsola in Pokémon Crystal?

In Union Cave B2F during the day: 10% with the Good Rod and 30% with the Super Rod.

What Pokémon can you catch in Union Cave in Pokémon Crystal?

18 species: Rattata, Sandshrew, Geodude, Zubat, Wooper, Onix, Quagsire, Magikarp, Goldeen, Seaking, Golbat, Raticate, Tentacool, Tentacruel, Krabby, Staryu, Corsola, Kingler.

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.