Guides & Resourcesin Pokémon SoulGold
Source-backed guides and reference tables for Pokémon SoulGold, from route planning and encounters to moves, items, trainers, and game mechanics.
Use these guides to plan a run, check what the game actually does, and find the details that are easy to miss while playing. Each guide links back to the relevant Pokédex, locations, trainer data, and tools where that helps.
Start Here
Setup, version differences, and orientation for new or returning players.
Getting Started
Start a Soulgold run: base ROM and current version, the nine starters, the settings that change every battle, and the first-hour checklist.
FAQ
Straight answers for Soulgold: versions and saves, difficulty and settings, starters and encounters, mechanics, progression, money, and postgame.
Differences From Vanilla
What Soulgold changes from Pokémon Emerald: species and stat counts, Johto in Emerald's engine, innates, megas, grottos, and the postgame facilities.
Core Mechanics
Rules systems like types, IVs/EVs, natures, abilities, breeding, and shinies.
Type Chart
Soulgold's attacking and defending type effectiveness, including how postgame innates can add a type to a Pokémon.
Nuzlocke
Soulgold ships no built-in Nuzlocke mode. Here is a self-imposed ruleset that fits the hack, plus the level caps and boss fights that decide a run.
Egg Groups
Which Soulgold Pokémon can breed together, checked against the hack's own breeding compatibility data.
Shiny Odds
Soulgold lets you set the shiny rate: 1/256, 1/512 or 1/1024 from the options menu, with in-game trades rolling twelve times those odds, a Shiny Charm for two extra rolls, and a four-point Shiny Genome at the Battle Cafe.
Walkthrough & Battles
Gym leaders, rivals, route bosses, Elite Four, rematches, and special battles.
Gym Leaders
Every Soulgold Gym Leader team, level, moveset and held item, from Falkner's opening badge to Clair, plus the Kanto Leaders registered for the postgame.
Walkthrough & Progression Guide
The Soulgold progression order: eight Johto badges with their teams, the unlocks between them, and the full soft level-cap table through the postgame.
Rivals
Every Soulgold rival encounter with the team each starter choice produces, from the first Cherrygrove battle to the postgame.
Trainer Battles & Boss Preparation
Prepare for Soulgold's Gym Leaders, rivals, Elite Four and rematches with the levels, teams and locations the game's own trainer data carries.
Elite Four
The Soulgold Elite Four and Champion in order, with levels and full teams, plus how the Title Defense champion works.
Rematches
Who can be re-battled in Soulgold, when the rematches unlock, and where each Gym Leader rematch happens in the postgame.
Items, TMs & Services
TMs/HMs, tutors, evolution items, key items, Pickup, and useful NPC services.
Pokémon & Collecting
Gift Pokémon, trades, legendaries, Kimono Girls, Hidden Grottoes, and Wonder Trade.
Battle Facilities & Postgame
Battle Tower, Battle Factory, and New Game+ preparation.
Want to contribute a guide? I'm always looking for people who know more than me about specific topics. If you've got expertise to share, reach out via the feedback form or contact page. I'll credit you for your work and we can get it added to the site!
You'll find practical explanations, reference tables, and examples meant to help you understand your options and make decisions that fit how you want to play.