How to get to Fortree Gym in Pokémon Emerald? You reach the Fortree Gym by navigating through the dense jungle of Route 119, then crossing the serene Fortree City itself. This guide will detail every step to ensure your journey to Fortree Gym Emerald easy path is smooth and efficient.
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Preparing for Your Journey to Fortree City
Before embarking on your quest to access Fortree Gym, it’s wise to do some preparation. Fortree City is home to the fifth Gym Leader in the Hoenn region, Winona, who specializes in Flying-type Pokémon. Having a solid team with Pokémon that can resist or counter Flying-type attacks is crucial for winning Fortree Gym. Ground, Rock, and Electric-type Pokémon are your best friends here.
Essential Pokémon for the Path Ahead
Several Pokémon you can catch before reaching Fortree City can be incredibly useful:
- Grovyle/Treecko Line: If you chose Treecko, your Grovyle will be a solid attacker. Its Grass typing offers an advantage against Water and Ground types you might encounter on the way, and its speed is beneficial.
- Breloom/Shroomish Line: Shroomish can be found in Petalburg Woods. Its Fighting and Grass typing can be surprisingly effective against some of the wild Pokémon and trainers on your route. Its Spore ability can also be a lifesaver.
- Manectric/Electrike Line: Electrike can be found on Route 110 and 118. Manectric’s Electric typing is excellent for dealing with any Water-type Pokémon that might try to hinder your progress and is a powerful counter to Winona’s Flying types.
- Swampert/Marshtomp/Mudkip Line: If you chose Mudkip, your Water/Ground type is a fantastic all-rounder, immune to Electric attacks and strong against Rock and Fire types.
- Roserade/Roselia/Budew Line: Budew can be found in Petalburg Woods. Roselia’s Grass and Poison typing gives it an advantage against Ground, Rock, and Water Pokémon, and its Special Attack can be high.
Items to Pack
Ensure your bag is stocked with the following:
- Potions: For healing your Pokémon.
- Antidotes: In case you run into many Poison-type wild Pokémon.
- Escape Rope: Useful if you get stuck in a cave, though not strictly necessary for this route.
- Repels: To manage wild Pokémon encounters, especially if you’re focused on reaching your destination quickly.
Navigating to Fortree Gym: The Route Breakdown
The primary path to reaching Fortree Gym involves traversing several routes, each with its unique challenges and opportunities.
Route 118: The Bridge and Beyond
Your journey to Fortree City truly begins after you defeat Wattson in Mauville City and obtain the Bicycle. You’ll need to head west from Mauville City onto Route 118.
- Key Features: Route 118 is characterized by a long bridge, the Cycling Road, and a patch of tall grass. You’ll encounter trainers along the way who will test your team.
- Trainers to Watch Out For:
- Fisherman Mitchell: With a Goldeen and a Magikarp.
- Guitarist Ashley: With a Volbeat.
- Hiker Preston: With a Geodude and a Makuhita.
- Wild Pokémon: Route 118 has Pokémon like Electrike, Volbeat, Numel, and Magikarp.
Route 119: The Verdant Jungle
This is the most significant stretch of your journey to finding Fortree Gym. Route 119 is a large, lush route filled with dense grass, trees, and trainers. This is where the true challenge of navigating to Fortree Gym lies.
- Key Features:
- Tall Grass: The majority of this route is covered in tall grass, teeming with wild Pokémon.
- Water: Parts of the route have water, requiring Surf if you want to explore every nook and cranny.
- The Weather Institute: Located in the middle of Route 119, this building plays a role in the story and can be a point of interest.
- Hidden Items: Keep an eye out for hidden items using the Dowsing MCHN.
- Trainers to Watch Out For:
- Youngster Timmy: With a Zigzagoon.
- Bug Catcher Cole: With a Wurmple and a Venonat.
- Lass Tasha: With a Lotad and a Marill.
- Bug Catcher Kent: With a Surskit and a Breloom.
- Youngster Joey: With a Rattata (a callback to Red).
- Bird Keeper Perry: With a Swablu and a Taillow.
- Ace Trainer: Several Ace Trainers will appear, possessing stronger Pokémon.
- Wild Pokémon: Expect to encounter Pokémon like Oddish, Gloom, Kecleon, Shroomish, Slakoth, and occasionally Wingull.
The Weather Institute Objective
Upon reaching the Weather Institute, you’ll find that Team Aqua (in Emerald) has taken it over. You’ll need to defeat the Aqua Grunt inside to retrieve the Castform that was stolen. Returning the Castform to the scientist inside will earn you a useful item, often a valuable TM. This encounter is a key part of the story progression and often unlocks new areas or events.
Route 110 & 117: The Path to Verdanturf
While not directly on the path to Fortree, you’ll likely have passed through Routes 110 and 117 earlier in your journey. Route 110 connects Mauville City to the south and features the Cycling Road. Route 117 is known for the Pokémon Day Care. Understanding the layout of these routes can help you backtrack if needed.
Arriving in Fortree City
Once you’ve pushed through the dense foliage of Route 119, you’ll finally arrive in Fortree City. This city is distinct for its treehouse-like structures and serene atmosphere. The Fortree City Gym is a central point of interest, but it’s important to explore the city first.
Exploring Fortree City
Fortree City offers several points of interest:
- The Pokémon Center and Mart: Standard facilities for healing and restocking.
- The House with the Swablu: A resident has a Swablu that is blocking their house. You’ll need to deal with it to access the house, which often contains a valuable item or a helpful hint.
- The House with the Bird Keeper: This individual offers advice and sometimes trades Pokémon.
- The Dive Spot: If you’ve obtained the Dive HM, there’s a dive spot offshore, which can lead to underwater treasures and Pokémon. However, this is not directly related to accessing Fortree Gym.
The Fortree Gym Entrance
The Fortree Gym entrance is nestled within the city. It’s a unique structure, built among the trees, reflecting the city’s theme. Unlike many other Gyms, the Fortree Gym puzzle isn’t about pushing blocks or matching patterns; it’s about navigating a series of switch-activated doors.
The Gym Puzzle Explained
The puzzle within the Fortree Gym involves stepping on switches to open doors and progress through the Gym. Each switch you step on will activate or deactivate certain doors.
- Initial Layout: You start in a room with several trainers and a central area with a switch.
- The Switches: There are switches scattered throughout the Gym. Stepping on a switch changes which doors are open and which are closed.
- The Goal: Your goal is to strategically step on the switches in the correct sequence to open the path to the Gym Leader, Winona.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Fortree Gym Puzzle
Here’s a common and effective path to solve the Fortree Gym puzzle:
- Starting Room: Enter the Gym. You’ll see several trainers. The key is the central platform.
- Step on the First Switch: Activate the switch in the starting area. This will open some doors and close others.
- Navigate to the Next Switch: Make your way through the now-open doors. You’ll likely encounter a trainer or two. Your objective is to reach the next switch.
- Second Switch: Activate the second switch. This will alter the door configurations again.
- Third Switch: Continue navigating, aiming for the third switch. This part might require backtracking or taking a slightly different path depending on which doors are open.
- Final Switch: Activate the final switch. This should open the path directly to Winona’s battle chamber.
Table: Common Switch Activation Sequence (Example)
| Action | Doors Opened | Doors Closed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step on Switch 1 | Middle doors | Side doors | This is typically the starting switch. |
| Step on Switch 2 | Doors leading further | Previously opened doors | You might need to defeat a trainer. |
| Step on Switch 3 | Path to Winona’s chamber | Other passages | This is the final step. |
Note: The exact configuration can vary slightly in player experiences or specific game versions. It’s always best to experiment if unsure.
Winning Against Winona, The Fortree Gym Leader
Once you’ve navigated the puzzle and are ready to challenge Winona Fortree Gym, be prepared for a tough fight if your team isn’t well-prepared.
Winona’s Pokémon Team
Winona specializes in Flying-type Pokémon. Her team in Pokémon Emerald typically consists of:
- Pelipper: Water/Flying type.
- Swablu: Normal/Flying type (later evolves into Altaria).
- Tropius: Grass/Flying type.
- Skarmory: Steel/Flying type.
- Altaria: Dragon/Flying type.
Fortree Gym Strategy: Countering Flying Types
To effectively win the Fortree Gym battle, focus on Pokémon that exploit Flying-type weaknesses.
- Electric-type Attacks: Excellent against Pelipper and Swablu/Altaria.
- Rock-type Attacks: Highly effective against Skarmory and Pelipper.
- Ice-type Attacks: Devastating against Tropius and Altaria.
- Fire-type Attacks: Can be useful against Tropius.
- Resistant Pokémon: Ground-type Pokémon are immune to Flying-type attacks, making them excellent for switching in to absorb hits. Rock-types also resist Flying.
Recommended Pokémon for the Fight
- Manectric/Electrike: Its Electric-type attacks will quickly dispatch Pelipper and Swablu.
- Graveler/Geodude/Nosepass/Aggron: Their Rock-type attacks are crucial against Skarmory and Pelipper.
- Walrein/Sealeo/Lapras: If you have access to Ice-type moves, these Pokémon can deal massive damage to Altaria and Tropius.
- Gardevoir/Ralts: While Gardevoir is Psychic/Fairy (in later gens, but Psychic in Emerald), it can learn some Ice Beam via TM, which is a great coverage move against Flying types. Its decent special attack can also hurt.
Table: Winona’s Pokémon and Recommended Counters
| Winona’s Pokémon | Type | Weaknesses | Recommended Moves/Pokémon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelipper | Water/Flying | Electric (x2), Rock (x2) | Thunderbolt, Spark, Rock Slide, Stone Edge |
| Swablu | Normal/Flying | Electric (x2), Ice (x2), Rock (x2) | Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Rock Slide |
| Tropius | Grass/Flying | Ice (x2), Fire (x2), Flying (x2), Poison (x2), Bug (x2) | Ice Beam, Flamethrower, Flying attacks (though risky) |
| Skarmory | Steel/Flying | Electric (x2), Fire (x2) | Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Fire Punch |
| Altaria | Dragon/Flying | Ice (x4), Rock (x2) | Ice Beam, Blizzard, Rock Slide |
Note: “x2” denotes a 2x damage multiplier due to weakness.
Post-Battle Rewards
After defeating Winona, you will receive the Feather Badge and TM40 Aerial Ace. The Feather Badge allows you to use the HM Fly outside of battle and increases the Special Attack of your Pokémon. Aerial Ace is a Flying-type move that never misses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Do I need specific HMs to get to Fortree Gym?
No, you do not need any specific HMs to reach Fortree City. The journey primarily involves walking through routes. However, to fully explore the areas around Fortree City and potentially find helpful items or shortcuts, having Surf and possibly Cut might be beneficial for earlier parts of the journey leading up to Route 119.
Q2: What’s the best way to navigate Route 119?
Route 119 is a dense jungle. Using Repels can help you avoid unnecessary battles if you’re in a hurry. If you get lost, try to orient yourself by the river and the Weather Institute, which is a landmark in the middle of the route.
Q3: Can I skip trainers on the way to Fortree Gym?
Yes, you can skip trainers if you use Repels or if your Pokémon are at a much higher level. However, battling trainers is a good way to gain experience and level up your team, which will be beneficial for the Gym battle.
Q4: What level should my Pokémon be to beat Winona?
Generally, having your Pokémon around level 25-30 should be sufficient to challenge Winona. Having a strong Electric or Rock-type Pokémon in your party can make the battle significantly easier.
Q5: Is there a shortcut to Fortree Gym?
While there aren’t direct shortcuts that bypass entire routes, efficiently navigating Route 118 and Route 119 by knowing the general path and using Repels can make the journey feel quicker. The Gym puzzle itself is the main obstacle once you arrive in Fortree City.