Phenomenon

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Phenomena are a mechanic in the Generation V core series games. Phenomena are a mean of encountering wild Pokémon and, in some cases, items. There are four types of phenomena: rustling grass, dust clouds, flying Pokémon's shadows, and rippling water. Some Pokémon can only be obtained via this method. Phenomena will only appear after the player has the first Badge.

A phenomenon can be randomly triggered whenever the player takes a step in an area. Only one may be active at a time. An active phenomenon will generally continue to exist if the player moves away from it so long as they stay in the same overall location or room. A phenomenon will vanish after it is encountered or if the player picks up a visible item, encounters a wild Pokémon, interacts with an NPC, or exits the area or room entirely; it will also vanish if an NPC steps on it. Using a Repel does not prevent wild Pokémon from being encountered in a phenomenon. An active phenomenon is not saved when the game is saved.

Different phenomena are distinguished in-game by audio and visual effects; in most cases, they are named for the visual effect shown on-screen when each phenomenon occurs. The audio of a phenomenon reflects the distance between it and the player: if the player is close, the sound will be louder, and if the player is farther away (such as if the phenomenon is off-screen), the sound will be fainter but will also never stop.

Rustling grass

Rustling grass outside Pinwheel Forest

Rustling grass is a phenomenon that only occurs in tall grass. Rustling grass allows the encounter of a wild Pokémon. Audino can be found in any patch of rustling grass. Various other Pokémon, such as the elemental monkeys in Pinwheel Forest and Lostlorn Forest, evolved forms of Pokémon found in non-rustling grass, or Pokémon that would otherwise be only available in the opposite version can be found in rustling grass, but are less common than Audino. Rustling grass does not occur in dark grass, but it does in long grass.

Pokémon Black and White

Possible encounters
Butterfree ButterfreeW Route 12 Beedrill BeedrillB Route 12
Clefable Clefable Giant Chasm (crater forest) Ninetales Ninetales Abundant Shrine
Wigglytuff Wigglytuff Route 14 Crobat Crobat Route 13, Giant Chasm (entrance)
Sunflora Sunflora Route 12 Tyranitar Tyranitar Route 15
Metagross Metagross Giant Chasm (crater forest) Vespiquen Vespiquen Route 12
Mismagius MismagiusW Abundant Shrine Honchkrow HonchkrowB Abundant Shrine
Tangrowth Tangrowth Route 13, Giant Chasm (entrance) Gliscor Gliscor Routes 11, 15
Mamoswine Mamoswine Giant Chasm (crater forest) Stoutland Stoutland Route 10, Cold Storage, P2 Laboratory
Pansage Pansage Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside) Pansear Pansear Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)
Panpour Panpour Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside) Musharna Musharna Dreamyard
Unfezant Unfezant Routes 6, 7, 12, Dragonspiral Tower, Lostlorn Forest Unfezant Unfezant Routes 6, 7, 12, Dragonspiral Tower, Lostlorn Forest
Audino Audino Routes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 18, Cold Storage, P2 Laboratory, Dreamyard, Pinwheel Forest, Lostlorn Forest, Dragonspiral Tower, Village Bridge, Giant Chasm and Abundant Shrine Leavanny Leavanny Route 6, Lostlorn Forest
Sawk SawkW Routes 10, 15, 18, Pinwheel Forest (outside) Throh ThrohB Routes 10, 15, 18, Pinwheel Forest (outside)
Lilligant LilligantW Abundant Shrine, Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside) Whimsicott WhimsicottB Abundant Shrine, Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)
Reuniclus ReuniclusW Route 9 Gothitelle GothitelleB Route 9
Cinccino Cinccino Routes 5, 9, 16, Cold Storage Emolga Emolga Routes 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, Abundant Shrine, Dragonspiral Tower, Giant Chasm (entrance), Lostlorn Forest, Village Bridge

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Possible encounters
Clefable Clefable Giant Chasm Ninetales Ninetales Abundant Shrine
Wigglytuff Wigglytuff Routes 1, 2, Dreamyard Crobat Crobat Dreamyard
Azumarill Azumarill Routes 6, 11, 22, Abundant Shrine, Village Bridge Dunsparce Dunsparce Routes 1, 2, 6, 12, 18, 20, Dreamyard, Floccesy Ranch, Nature Preserve, Victory Road (grove, cave entrance), Village Bridge
Tyranitar Tyranitar Route 15 Shiftry Shiftry Nature Preserve
Slaking Slaking Pinwheel Forest (inside) Delcatty DelcattyW2 Castelia City
Castform Castform Route 6 Metagross Metagross Giant Chasm (crater forest)
Roserade Roserade Route 12, Lostlorn Forest, Victory Road (grove) Vespiquen Vespiquen Route 12, Lostlorn Forest
Lopunny LopunnyB2 Castelia City Magnezone Magnezone P2 Laboratory
Lickilicky Lickilicky Route 2 Tangrowth Tangrowth Route 13, Giant Chasm (entrance)
Yanmega Yanmega Route 3, Pinwheel Forest (outside) Gliscor Gliscor Routes 11, 15, 23
Mamoswine Mamoswine Giant Chasm (crater forest) Patrat Patrat Route 19
Stoutland Stoutland Routes 1, 2, 3, P2 Laboratory Pansage Pansage Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)
Pansear Pansear Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside) Panpour Panpour Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)
Musharna Musharna Dreamyard Unfezant Unfezant Routes 3, 6, 7, 12, Dragonspiral Tower, Victory Road (cave entrance)
Unfezant Unfezant Routes 3, 6, 7, 12, Dragonspiral Tower, Victory Road (cave entrance) Audino Audino Routes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23,
Abundant Shrine, Castelia City, Dragonspiral Tower, Dreamyard,
Floccesy Ranch, Giant Chasm, Lostlorn Forest, P2 Laboratory, Pinwheel Forest, Reversal Mountain, Victory Road, Nature Preserve, Village Bridge, Virbank Complex
Seismitoad Seismitoad Pinwheel Forest (outside) Throh ThrohB2 Routes 15, 18, 23, Pinwheel Forest (outside)
Sawk SawkW2 Routes 15, 18, 23, Pinwheel Forest (outside) Leavanny Leavanny Routes 6, 12, Lostlorn Forest
Scolipede Scolipede Pinwheel Forest (inside) Whimsicott WhimsicottB2 Abundant Shrine, Castelia City, Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside), Victory Road (grove)
Lilligant LilligantW2 Abundant Shrine, Castelia City, Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside), Victory Road (grove) Cinccino Cinccino Routes 5, 9, 16
Gothitelle GothitelleB2 Route 9 Reuniclus ReuniclusW2 Route 9
Vanilluxe Vanilluxe Dragonspiral Tower, Giant Chasm (entrance) Emolga Emolga Routes 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, Abundant Shrine, Dragonspiral Tower, Lostlorn Forest, Village Bridge
Klinklang Klinklang P2 Laboratory

Dust cloud

A dust cloud in Chargestone Cave

Dust clouds are a phenomenon that only occur in caves. They may reveal held items, Evolution stones, or wild Drilbur, Excadrill, OnixB2W2, and SteelixB2W2.

All items may be found in any location, but the Pokémon are only found in certain locations.

Pokémon Black, White, Black 2 and White 2

In Black and White, the chance of finding a Pokémon in a dust cloud is 40%. The chance of finding a gem is roughly 50%, while the chance of finding a stone is roughly 10%.

Pokémon

Pokémon Locations
All Generation V games Black
White
Black 2
White 2
Onix Onix Relic Passage
Twist Mountain
Victory Road
Clay Tunnel
Underground Ruins
Steelix Steelix Twist Mountain
Clay Tunnel
Underground Ruins
Drilbur Drilbur Chargestone Cave
Mistralton Cave
Wellspring Cave Relic Passage
Excadrill Excadrill Giant Chasm Challenger's Cave
Victory Road
Reversal Mountain
Wellspring Cave
Twist Mountain
Victory Road
Clay Tunnel
Underground Ruins
Seaside Cave

Items

All other locations
Bag Fire Gem Sprite.png Fire Gem Bag Steel Gem Sprite.png Steel Gem
Bag Water Gem Sprite.png Water Gem Bag Normal Gem Sprite.png Normal Gem
Bag Electric Gem Sprite.png Electric Gem Bag Everstone Sprite.png Everstone
Bag Grass Gem Sprite.png Grass Gem Bag Sun Stone Sprite.png Sun Stone
Bag Ice Gem Sprite.png Ice Gem Bag Moon Stone Sprite.png Moon Stone
Bag Fighting Gem Sprite.png Fighting Gem Bag Fire Stone Sprite.png Fire Stone
Bag Poison Gem Sprite.png Poison Gem Bag Water Stone Sprite.png Water Stone
Bag Ground Gem Sprite.png Ground Gem Bag Thunder Stone Sprite.png Thunderstone
Bag Flying Gem Sprite.png Flying Gem Bag Leaf Stone Sprite.png Leaf Stone
Bag Psychic Gem Sprite.png Psychic Gem Bag Shiny Stone Sprite.png Shiny Stone
Bag Bug Gem Sprite.png Bug Gem Bag Dusk Stone Sprite.png Dusk Stone
Bag Rock Gem Sprite.png Rock Gem Bag Dawn Stone Sprite.png Dawn Stone
Bag Ghost Gem Sprite.png Ghost Gem Bag Hard Stone Sprite.png Hard Stone
Bag Dragon Gem Sprite.png Dragon Gem Bag Oval Stone Sprite.png Oval Stone
Bag Dark Gem Sprite.png Dark Gem
B2W2:
Relic Passage, Reversal Mountain
Bag Red Shard Sprite.png Red Shard Bag Blue Shard Sprite.png Blue Shard
Bag Yellow Shard Sprite.png Yellow Shard Bag Green Shard Sprite.png Green Shard


Flying Pokémon's shadow

A shadow on the Driftveil Drawbridge

Flying Pokémon's shadows are a phenomenon that only occur on the Driftveil Drawbridge and Marvelous Bridge. They may reveal wings or wild Ducklett (on the Driftveil Drawbridge) and Swanna (on the Marvelous Bridge).

Pokémon Black, White, Black 2, and White 2

The chance of encountering a Ducklett or Swanna in a shadow is 20%, while the chance of finding a wing is 80%. If a wing is found, there is a 10% chance it will be a Pretty Wing.

Possible encounters
Ducklett Ducklett Swanna Swanna
Bag Health Wing Sprite.png Health Wing Bag Muscle Wing Sprite.png Muscle Wing
Bag Resist Wing Sprite.png Resist Wing Bag Genius Wing Sprite.png Genius Wing
Bag Clever Wing Sprite.png Clever Wing Bag Swift Wing Sprite.png Swift Wing
Bag Pretty Wing Sprite.png Pretty Wing

Rippling water

Rippling water on Route 11

Rippling water is a phenomenon that only occurs on water tiles. Rippling water allows the encounter of a wild Pokémon when Surfed on or fished in. While Basculin's Red-Striped form is found in Black and Black 2 and its Blue-Striped form found in White and White 2 under normal circumstances, the opposite form can be found in rippling water.

Pokémon Black and White

Possible encounters
(Surfing)
Slowpoke Slowpoke Slowbro Slowbro
Seel Seel Dewgong Dewgong
Staryu Staryu Starmie Starmie
Lapras Lapras Slowking Slowking
Corsola Corsola Mantine Mantine
Wailmer Wailmer Wailord Wailord
Sealeo Sealeo Walrein Walrein
Buizel Buizel Floatzel Floatzel
Basculin BasculinW Basculin BasculinB
Jellicent Jellicent Jellicent Jellicent
Alomomola Alomomola Seismitoad Seismitoad
Stunfisk Stunfisk
Possible encounters
(Fishing)
Poliwhirl Poliwhirl Poliwrath Poliwrath
Shellder Shellder Cloyster Cloyster
Kingler Kingler Seadra Seadra
Goldeen Goldeen Seaking Seaking
Dratini Dratini Dragonair Dragonair
Dragonite Dragonite Chinchou Chinchou
Lanturn Lanturn Politoed Politoed
Qwilfish Qwilfish Octillery Octillery
Kingdra Kingdra Carvanha Carvanha
Sharpedo Sharpedo Barboach Barboach
Whiscash Whiscash Feebas Feebas
Milotic Milotic Huntail HuntailB
Gorebyss GorebyssW Relicanth Relicanth
Luvdisc Luvdisc Lumineon Lumineon
Basculin BasculinW Basculin BasculinB
Stunfisk Stunfisk

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Possible encounters
(Surfing)
Seel Seel Dewgong Dewgong
Grimer Grimer Muk Muk
Staryu Staryu Starmie Starmie
Lapras Lapras Marill Marill
Azumarill Azumarill Corsola Corsola
Mantine Mantine Wailmer Wailmer
Wailord Wailord Corphish Corphish
Crawdaunt Crawdaunt Sealeo Sealeo
Walrein Walrein Buizel Buizel
Floatzel Floatzel Palpitoad Palpitoad
Seismitoad Seismitoad Basculin BasculinW2
Basculin BasculinB2 Jellicent Jellicent
Jellicent Jellicent Alomomola Alomomola
Stunfisk Stunfisk
Possible encounters
(Fishing)
Poliwhirl Poliwhirl Poliwrath Poliwrath
Grimer Grimer Muk Muk
Shellder Shellder Cloyster Cloyster
Krabby Krabby Kingler Kingler
Horsea Horsea Seadra Seadra
Goldeen Goldeen Seaking Seaking
Magikarp Magikarp Gyarados Gyarados
Dratini Dratini Dragonair Dragonair
Dragonite Dragonite Chinchou Chinchou
Lanturn Lanturn Politoed Politoed
Qwilfish Qwilfish Remoraid Remoraid
Octillery Octillery Kingdra Kingdra
Carvanha Carvanha Sharpedo Sharpedo
Barboach Barboach Whiscash Whiscash
Feebas Feebas Milotic Milotic
Huntail HuntailB2 Gorebyss GorebyssW2
Relicanth Relicanth Luvdisc Luvdisc
Lumineon Lumineon Basculin BasculinW2
Basculin BasculinB2 Stunfisk Stunfisk

Related articles

In other languages

Language Title
Germany Flag.png German Phänomene
Italy Flag.png Italian Fenomeno


Project Games logo.png This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.