Pokémon Crystal: Find and Catch Entei and Raikou

In the original Pokémon Crystal, Entei and Raikou roam Johto at level 40 after you release them in the Burned Tower. Search the grass on their current route. If you use Repel, a first unfainted party member at level 40 lets them through; level 41 blocks them too. Mean Look can stop their ordinary escape, but it does not make the battle safe from Roar.

The awkward part is keeping the search setup and the catching setup separate. A stronger catcher may help in battle, yet putting it first while Repel is active can prevent the encounter entirely. This guide covers the original Game Boy Color Crystal, not Gold, Silver, the remakes or modified ROMs.

Unlock the roamers before looking for a route

Wake the three legendary Pokémon in the basement of the Burned Tower in Ecruteak City. Entei and Raikou then become the two active roamers. Suicune follows a separate Crystal story sequence; chasing the grass routes is not the same task as its later encounter.

There is no permanent Entei or Raikou spawn point to camp on. Their route can change as you move around. Once you have seen the species in the wild, use its Pokédex area display to check where it currently is. Before that first sighting, the area display is not a substitute for finding it.

Search with Repel: level 40 is the useful filter

Repel checks the first party member that has not fainted and blocks wild Pokémon with a lower level. Equal-level encounters are allowed. A level-39 lead therefore still allows level-39 encounters.

What Repel allows against a level-40 target

First unfainted Pokémon	Wild levels blocked	Entei / Raikou
Level 39	Below 39	Allowed
Level 40	Below 40	Allowed
Level 41	Below 41	Blocked

1. Put an unfainted level-40 Pokémon first and activate Repel. Carry replacements so the effect does not expire unnoticed.
2. Work from a convenient Johto city and a nearby grass route, such as the Ecruteak–Route 37 boundary. This is a simple search routine, not a guaranteed fastest route.
3. After changing maps, check the Pokédex again once the species is registered. If it is on your route, try the grass; if not, repeat a manageable boundary loop.
4. Recheck the area after travelling, including after using Fly. Do not assume that the previous location or a fixed loop guarantees the next encounter.

The roaming map table includes Routes 29–39 and 42–46. Look in grass, not while surfing. Even sharing the right route does not mean the very next step must produce the roamer.

Why Mean Look does not solve every escape

Entei and Raikou normally try to flee. Mean Look can block that ordinary escape once it has taken effect. Sleep also stops the normal flee check while the target is asleep. Neither instruction guarantees that your move lands before the Pokémon leaves: turn order and move accuracy still matter.

Roar is a separate move. Its wild-battle effect can end the encounter even after Mean Look. Do not treat trapping as permanent protection. Crystal also has no Pokémon Abilities system, so Pressure is not a reason for these Pokémon to ignore Mean Look or Hypnosis.

Avoid relying on a universal “100 Speed is enough” rule. Your actual catcher, its level and the battle conditions matter. Quick Claw is not a direct increase to the displayed Speed stat.

Weaken them over several encounters

Damage persists; status conditions do not. The next encounter restores the roamer’s saved HP, but not its previous sleep or paralysis. You can therefore make progress by lowering HP even if the Pokémon escapes. Plan to apply sleep again when you meet it.

1. Save before starting the chase, keep healing items and bring enough balls. An ordinary route change does not undo an accidental knockout.
2. Use False Swipe if your catcher knows it. The move leaves at least 1 HP; a weak hit can leave more than 1. Other attacks and damaging status still need care.
3. Once HP is low, decide between trying a ball immediately and attempting sleep or trapping first. An extra setup turn also gives the battle another chance to end.
4. If the encounter ends, search again rather than assuming that the HP work was lost. If you accidentally defeat the target, restore an earlier save instead of expecting a routine respawn.

Choose balls without the Fast Ball misconception

Ultra Balls are a straightforward option to stock for repeated attempts. If you have a Master Ball and choose to spend it on a roamer, that avoids building a multi-turn catching plan.

The original Crystal Fast Ball has a bug: its special check only reaches Magnemite, Grimer and Tangela. It does not give Entei or Raikou the advertised fleeing-Pokémon bonus. Do not spend time crafting it specifically for that advantage. This statement concerns the unmodified original; a ROM hack may change the code.

Need to train your team first? See where to get the Exp. Share. For another Crystal side task, our Fire Stone guide explains the version differences.

Optional video

Some content or features are unavailable because of your cookie settings.

The service “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you have chosen to disable. To view this content or use this feature, enable cookies: open your cookie settings.

Common questions