Money Making

Summary

Income Boosters

Before starting, activate a booster to maximize your earnings. They do not stack, pick the best one.

Pokemon League (Elite Four)

Rebattle the Elite Four in each region. One of the most profitable methods in the game and also awards Battle Points.

• Optimal team (Typhlosion + Blastoise). The E4 has an 18h cooldown per region.
• Awards Battle Points in addition to money, usable at the Battle Frontier.
• Requirements: complete the storyline of each region.

Trainer Reruns

After beating a trainer, they become available for rematch after 6h (and 5 other trainers defeated). Rich trainers pay the most.

• Target "Rich Boy" and "Lady" trainers who give the most money. Use the same Typhlosion Eruption to sweep fast.
• Cooldown: 6h after the fight + 5 other trainers defeated to unlock the rematch.
• Late-game trainers (later routes) pay more.
• ~350k+ in 1h30 of running, or ~1M/day doing 3 runs.

Ho-Oh Rebattle

Ho-Oh is a weekly boss at Bell Tower (Ecruteak City, Johto). Drops Rainbow Quills, Legendary Lures, and rarely Sacred Ash.

• Requires a very specific team (Altaria tank, Poliwrath, Chandelure). Weekly cooldown. Use multiple characters for more runs.
• Location: Bell Tower, north of Ecruteak City (Johto).
• Drops: Rainbow Quills, Legendary Lures, Sacred Ash (rare).
• Maximum profit with multiple characters who completed Johto.

Pay Day + Pickup

Use a Meowth with Pay Day and the Pickup ability to passively generate money while battling wild Pokemon.

Recommended team

Meowth Lv.100: Pay Day, Thief. Ability: Pickup. No held item. Adamant nature (+Atk).

Pay Day earns 10x the wild Pokemon's level. Pickup gives a random item after each battle (~10% chance).

Best spots

Amulet Coin Farming (Meowth)

Farm wild Meowth to steal their Amulet Coins with Thief. Use Sweet Scent to trigger hordes.

Recommended team : Banette Lv.100 (Frisk + Thief), Weavile Lv.100 (Pickpocket). Support: Smeargle (Sweet Scent).

Location : Kindle Road, One Island (Kanto). Accessible via the ferry in Vermilion City.

~7 Amulet Coins/hour. Each coin sells for ~8-12k on GTL.

• Banette uses Frisk to detect Amulet Coin, then Thief to steal them.
• Weavile with Pickpocket automatically steals items on contact.
• Use Sweet Scent to trigger Meowth hordes.
• Remove the item from your Pokemon after each steal to keep farming.

Berry Farming

Plant berries and sell them on the GTL. Leppa berries are the most profitable as they are essential for PvP and runs.

• Plant an optimal ratio of Cheri/Rawst/Pecha/Leppa (1:1:1.85:2.5). Leppa takes 20h to grow. Water regularly (not too dry, not flooded).
• Plots available at Mistralton (Unova) and across Hoenn. Use the Wailmer Pail (Hoenn) or Sprayduck (Unova).
• With 6 characters at Mistralton: ~870k/day.
• Leppa Berry are the most demanded on GTL as they restore PP in battle.
• Warning: too dry (0 droplets) or flooded (5 droplets) reduces yield.

Ditto Farming

Catch Ditto with good IVs and sell them on the GTL. Highly demanded for breeding.

• Catch with Breloom (False Swipe + Spore) in Hoenn. 1x31 IV Dittos sell well. Use Pay Day during capture for bonus cash.
• 1x31 IV Dittos sell for ~5-15k depending on the stat.
• 2x31+ Dittos are worth much more.
• Use Pay Day during capture for extra income.

Fossil Farming

Break rocks with Rock Smash in certain caves. Wild Geodude and Graveler sometimes carry fossils.

Recommended team : Banette Lv.100 (Frisk + Thief), Dragonite (Rock Smash, Surf, Fly), Sandshrew (Dig).

Location : Ravaged Path (Sinnoh), Route 114 (Hoenn), Kindle Road (Kanto). Rocks respawn after a full cycle.

• Use Frisk to check if Geodude/Graveler holds a fossil before fighting.
• Check GTL prices before selling your fossils.

Alpha Pokemon Catching

Alpha Pokemon are special encounters with high stats. They sell well on GTL, especially those with hidden abilities.

Recommended team : Spinda Lv.100 (Contrary + Skill Swap), Smeargle Lv.100 (False Swipe + Spore). Use Timer Balls.

Requirements : Requires completing all 5 regions.

• Alphas boost their stats on each catch attempt. Use Skill Swap with Contrary to reverse this effect.
• Profit heavily depends on the IVs and species caught.
• Pokemon with Alpha-exclusive hidden abilities are very profitable.

Flame Orb Farming

Wild Heatmor can hold Flame Orbs, which are highly demanded in PvP. Use Frisk + Thief to steal them.

• Team: Banette Nv.100 (Frisk + Thief) to detect and steal Flame Orb.
• Location: areas where Heatmor spawn (Unova).
• Flame Orb are highly demanded in PvP (Guts, Quick Feet abilities).

GTL Flipping

Buy low, sell high on the Global Trade Link. Requires capital and market knowledge.

• Watch for undervalued Pokemon (good IVs, good nature). PvP-viable, shiny and hidden ability Pokemon are most profitable. Study price history before buying.
• Requirements: at least 4 badges to access the GTL.
• High risk: you can lose money if the market drops.
• Watch new listings and buy undervalued Pokemon quickly.
• Profitable categories: PvP Pokemon (good IVs/Nature), Shiny, hidden abilities.

Breeding for Profit

Create competitive Pokemon (5x31 IVs, good nature) and sell them. Production cost ~935k for a 5x31, selling price much higher.

• Production cost of a 5x31: ~935k (starting from 1x31 Pokemon at ~5k each).
• Competitive Pokemon with good nature + IVs + ability sell well above cost.
• Target popular PvP species to maximize demand.
• Check the breeding guide for the cost calculator.