Meowth

Overview

Meowth is a Normal-type Pokemon and the 84th entry (#084) in the Pokopia Pokedex. It has the Trade specialty, allowing it to exchange items with Ditto at a cash register. Meowth is one of the first Pokemon the player meets upon arriving at Bleak Beach, the second story area in Pokemon Pokopia. It serves as a central NPC throughout the Bleak Beach storyline, issuing a series of requests that drive the area's progression and introduce key gameplay mechanics.

Meowth's house in Bleak Beach has been damaged by flooding, and its initial requests revolve around restoring its home. As the player completes these tasks, Meowth's storyline interweaves with the broader "Brighten Things Up" Important Request, introducing the player to other Bleak Beach residents like Piplup, Torchic, and eventually Peakychu.

Location and Encounter

Meowth is already present in Bleak Beach when the player first arrives. Unlike most Pokemon that need to be attracted through habitats, Meowth is a pre-placed NPC with its own house in the area. After crossing the bridge into Bleak Beach with Professor Tangrowth, the player encounters Meowth near the flooded remains of the area's residential zone. Meowth greets the player and shows them its house, which has water flowing into it through gaps in the nearby walls.

Meowth's Requests

Meowth gives the player a sequence of requests throughout the Bleak Beach storyline. Completing these requests advances the area's story progression, contributes to raising the Environment Level, and introduces new Pokemon and crafting recipes. The requests must be completed in order.

Request 1: Stop the Flooding

Meowth's first request is to fix the flooding in its home. Water is flowing into Meowth's house through gaps in the brick walls behind it. The player must place blocks in the gaps to seal the openings and stop the water. The blocks needed are standard building blocks crafted at a Workbench. Once the gaps are sealed and the water stops, the Resting Spot habitat unlocks in Bleak Beach.

Request 2: Mushroom Lamps

After the player has met at least two additional Pokemon in Bleak Beach, speaking to Meowth triggers a new request. Meowth wants two Mushroom Lamps to decorate its house. Mushroom Lamps are crafted at the Workbench using Glowing Mushrooms, which can be found growing inside the nearby caves. Collect the Glowing Mushrooms, craft two Mushroom Lamps, and place them inside Meowth's house to complete this request.

Request 3: Meet Piplup

Meowth's next request involves creating a Hydrated Yellow Tall Grass habitat near the water. This habitat is required to attract Piplup to the area. Once Piplup arrives, it shows the player an important ability: Water-type Pokemon can clear muck by spraying bubbles with Water Gun, washing away the muddy patches that block paths and building areas in Bleak Beach. After Piplup clears the mud near Meowth's house, speak to Meowth again to complete this request.

Request 4: Planter with Flowers

Meowth wants "something to put flowers in" to further decorate its house. This request has multiple steps:

1. Build a Chirp-chirp Meal habitat to attract Torchic to Bleak Beach.

2. Give Torchic some Squishy Clay (obtained from clay blocks using Rock Smash).

3. Torchic uses the Squishy Clay to make Bricks.

4. Craft a Planter at the Workbench using the Bricks.

5. Place the Planter in Meowth's house and plant flowers in it (either by growing them from seeds or planting directly with the Rototiller).

This multi-step request introduces the player to the concept of Pokemon crafting chains, where one Pokemon's specialty output becomes another recipe's input.

Request 5: Light the Streetlights

Later in the Bleak Beach storyline, Meowth receives a request to light up three streetlights in the area. This task requires an Electric-type Pokemon with the ability to generate electricity, such as Pawmi or Pawmo. The streetlights are part of the broader electricity restoration effort in Bleak Beach, connecting to the area's central theme of restoring power and light to the darkened region.

Role in the Brighten Things Up Storyline

Meowth's individual requests feed into the larger "Brighten Things Up" Important Request, which is the main storyline of Bleak Beach. This questline involves restoring electricity to the entire area, ultimately generating enough power to wake Mosslax and attract Raikou. Meowth serves as the narrative guide who introduces the player to key concepts:

Meowth is also the Pokemon who spots Peakychu for the first time. During the storyline, Meowth notices someone lying on the ground in another part of Bleak Beach, which triggers Peakychu's appearance in the game world. This moment is a key narrative beat because Peakychu's exclusive Illuminate specialty is essential for the final steps of the Brighten Things Up quest.

Trade Specialty

Meowth's Trade specialty allows it to function as a shopkeeper. When a cash register is placed in a habitat or house, Meowth can operate it and trade items with Ditto. The Trade specialty is shared with several other Pokemon in Pokopia, including Hoothoot, Noctowl, Murkrow, Honchkrow, Alakazam, and Gardevoir. Having a Trade-specialty Pokemon in each region ensures the player always has access to item exchanges without traveling back to a central shop.

Persian

Persian (#085) is Meowth's evolved form in the Pokopia Pokedex. As with all Pokemon in Pokopia, Meowth does not evolve into Persian. Instead, Persian is a separate species that must be attracted through its own habitat. Both Meowth and Persian can coexist in the same area and even live in the same house.

Summary