Phenomenon

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
  ButterfreeW Route 12   BeedrillB Route 12
  Clefable Giant Chasm (crater forest)   Ninetales Abundant Shrine
  Wigglytuff Route 14   Crobat Route 13, Giant Chasm (entrance)
  Sunflora Route 12   Tyranitar Route 15
  Metagross Giant Chasm (crater forest)   Vespiquen Route 12
  MismagiusW Abundant Shrine   HonchkrowB Abundant Shrine
  Tangrowth Route 13, Giant Chasm (entrance)   Gliscor Routes 11, 15
  Mamoswine Giant Chasm (crater forest)   Stoutland Route 10, Cold Storage, P2 Laboratory
  Pansage Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)   Pansear Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)
  Panpour Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)   Musharna Dreamyard
  Unfezant Routes 6, 7, 12, Dragonspiral Tower, Lostlorn Forest   Unfezant Routes 6, 7, 12, Dragonspiral Tower, Lostlorn Forest
  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 Route 6, Lostlorn Forest
  SawkW Routes 10, 15, 18, Pinwheel Forest (outside)   ThrohB Routes 10, 15, 18, Pinwheel Forest (outside)
  LilligantW Abundant Shrine, Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)   WhimsicottB Abundant Shrine, Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)
  ReuniclusW Route 9   GothitelleB Route 9
  Cinccino Routes 5, 9, 16, Cold Storage   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 Giant Chasm   Ninetales Abundant Shrine
  Wigglytuff Routes 1, 2, Dreamyard   Crobat Dreamyard
  Azumarill Routes 6, 11, 22, Abundant Shrine, Village Bridge   Dunsparce Routes 1, 2, 6, 12, 18, 20, Dreamyard, Floccesy Ranch, Nature Preserve, Victory Road (grove, cave entrance), Village Bridge
  Tyranitar Route 15   Shiftry Nature Preserve
  Slaking Pinwheel Forest (inside)   DelcattyW2 Castelia City
  Castform Route 6   Metagross Giant Chasm (crater forest)
  Roserade Route 12, Lostlorn Forest, Victory Road (grove)   Vespiquen Route 12, Lostlorn Forest
  LopunnyB2 Castelia City   Magnezone P2 Laboratory
  Lickilicky Route 2   Tangrowth Route 13, Giant Chasm (entrance)
  Yanmega Route 3, Pinwheel Forest (outside)   Gliscor Routes 11, 15, 23
  Mamoswine Giant Chasm (crater forest)   Patrat Route 19
  Stoutland Routes 1, 2, 3, P2 Laboratory   Pansage Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)
  Pansear Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)   Panpour Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside)
  Musharna Dreamyard   Unfezant Routes 3, 6, 7, 12, Dragonspiral Tower, Victory Road (cave entrance)
  Unfezant Routes 3, 6, 7, 12, Dragonspiral Tower, Victory Road (cave entrance)   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 Pinwheel Forest (outside)   ThrohB2 Routes 15, 18, 23, Pinwheel Forest (outside)
  SawkW2 Routes 15, 18, 23, Pinwheel Forest (outside)   Leavanny Routes 6, 12, Lostlorn Forest
  Scolipede Pinwheel Forest (inside)   WhimsicottB2 Abundant Shrine, Castelia City, Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside), Victory Road (grove)
  LilligantW2 Abundant Shrine, Castelia City, Lostlorn Forest, Pinwheel Forest (inside), Victory Road (grove)   Cinccino Routes 5, 9, 16
  GothitelleB2 Route 9   ReuniclusW2 Route 9
  Vanilluxe Dragonspiral Tower, Giant Chasm (entrance)   Emolga Routes 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, Abundant Shrine, Dragonspiral Tower, Lostlorn Forest, Village Bridge
  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 Relic Passage
Twist Mountain
Victory Road
Clay Tunnel
Underground Ruins
  Steelix Twist Mountain
Clay Tunnel
Underground Ruins
  Drilbur Chargestone Cave
Mistralton Cave
Wellspring Cave Relic Passage
  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
  Fire Gem   Steel Gem
  Water Gem   Normal Gem
  Electric Gem   Everstone
  Grass Gem   Sun Stone
  Ice Gem   Moon Stone
  Fighting Gem   Fire Stone
  Poison Gem   Water Stone
  Ground Gem   Thunderstone
  Flying Gem   Leaf Stone
  Psychic Gem   Shiny Stone
  Bug Gem   Dusk Stone
  Rock Gem   Dawn Stone
  Ghost Gem   Hard Stone
  Dragon Gem   Oval Stone
  Dark Gem
B2W2:
Relic Passage, Reversal Mountain
  Red Shard   Blue Shard
  Yellow Shard   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   Swanna
  Health Wing   Muscle Wing
  Resist Wing   Genius Wing
  Clever Wing   Swift Wing
  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   Slowbro
  Seel   Dewgong
  Staryu   Starmie
  Lapras   Slowking
  Corsola   Mantine
  Wailmer   Wailord
  Sealeo   Walrein
  Buizel   Floatzel
  BasculinW   BasculinB
  Jellicent   Jellicent
  Alomomola   Seismitoad
  Stunfisk
Possible encounters
(Fishing)
  Poliwhirl   Poliwrath
  Shellder   Cloyster
  Kingler   Seadra
  Goldeen   Seaking
  Dratini   Dragonair
  Dragonite   Chinchou
  Lanturn   Politoed
  Qwilfish   Octillery
  Kingdra   Carvanha
  Sharpedo   Barboach
  Whiscash   Feebas
  Milotic   HuntailB
  GorebyssW   Relicanth
  Luvdisc   Lumineon
  BasculinW   BasculinB
  Stunfisk

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

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

Related articles

In other languages

Language Title
  German Phänomene
  Italian Fenomeno


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