Overview
The Withered Wasteland is the starting region in Pokemon Pokopia. It features dried-out grassy fields and caves, and serves as the tutorial area where players learn the core mechanics of befriending Pokemon, building habitats, crafting items, and restoring the environment. The area is based on the ruins of a former Kanto settlement, and players must complete two Important Requests, rebuild the Pokemon Center, and raise the Environment Level to progress. Finishing the Withered Wasteland storyline unlocks access to both Bleak Beach and Rocky Ridges.
How to Unlock
Withered Wasteland is available from the very start of the game. After customizing your character (Ditto's human form), you are placed directly in this region and meet Professor Tangrowth, who guides you through the initial tutorials.
Story Progression
Phase 1: Befriend the Kanto Starters
After character customization, talk to Professor Tangrowth and collect the Pokedex from a nearby wheelbarrow.
Follow Tangrowth to a cliff overlook. Encounter and befriend Squirtle, learning the Water Gun move.
Use Water Gun to unlock the Tall Grass and Pretty Flower Bed habitats. Inspect the tall grass to find and befriend Bulbasaur.
Complete the "Water dry grass!" request by reviving 10 patches of dry tall grass with Water Gun.
Learn the Leafage move from Bulbasaur. Use it to create a Tall Grass habitat for Squirtle.
Collect a Leppa Berry from a revived tree and share it with Squirtle or Bulbasaur.
Receive a Log Chair from Tangrowth and craft a Campfire at the workbench.
Create a Tree-Shaded Tall Grass habitat to unlock Charmander. Guide Charmander to light the Campfire.
Phase 2: Build Your First Home
Follow Tangrowth to the destroyed Pokemon Center. Complete challenges by finding Pokemon and gathering materials.
Create a Boulder-Shaded Tall Grass habitat to befriend Timburr.
Water 5 trees and collect 10 Sturdy Sticks. Learn the Straw Bed recipe from Bulbasaur (2 Leaves).
Purchase a Leaf Den Kit from the Shop using Life Coins. Gather 3 Sturdy Sticks and 3 Leaves, then have Timburr and another Pokemon help build it.
Place 3 furniture items inside the Leaf Den. Place a Ditto Flag on the house to claim ownership.
Phase 3: Rebuild the Pokemon Center
Raise the Environment Level to 3 by building habitats and increasing Pokemon comfort levels.
Purchase the Pokemon Center Rebuilding Kit from the Shop for 1,000 Life Coins.
Gather materials: 20 Lumber, 20 Stones, 10 Leaves, and 10 Vine Ropes.
Create a Tree-Shaded Tall Grass habitat to befriend Scyther. Trade Small Logs to Scyther for Lumber (2 logs per 10 Lumber). Learn the Cut move from Scyther.
Assemble the required Pokemon and materials to begin construction. Wait for it to complete (or adjust the system clock to speed things up).
Phase 4: Unlock Rock Smash and Find Slowpoke
Build an Exercise Resting Spot habitat (punching bag and bench) to befriend Hitmonchan. Give 2 Stones to Hitmonchan to learn Rock Smash.
Head west from the Pokemon Center and destroy a rock blockade with Rock Smash. Discover Drifloon at the beach, which unlocks the Dream Islands feature.
Continue north past more destructible rocks to find Onix. Collect smooth rocks in a cave for Onix's habitat.
Return to Tangrowth and break a wall to access a new area. Inspect the abandoned building to unlock the "Do the...Team Initiation Challenge" request.
Create a Seaside Tall Grass habitat on the beach to befriend Slowpoke. Complete Slowpoke's "Make it rain!" request by using Water Gun and placing Wooden Steps to guide him to the Pokemon Center.
Phase 5: Yawn Up a Storm! (Important Request)
This is the main Important Request of the Withered Wasteland. The goal is to get Slowpoke's yawn to reach 100 points by raising the area's humidity, which triggers rainfall and frees Onix.
Talk to Bulbasaur for the Field of Flowers habitat hint. Purchase a Horsea Fountain from the Shop.
Use Rock Smash on the shiny rock northwest of the Pokemon Center. Place the fountain in the revealed water area. Break more rocks to expand the water and activate a second fountain.
Place 4 grass patches near the water body to create a Hydrated Tall Grass habitat. Have Squirtle move in.
Build a Rain Dance Site habitat using 2 Castform Weather Charms (found in a wheelbarrow), a Wooden Plate, and a Leppa Berry.
Start the Rain Dance party with Squirtle to push humidity toward 100. Once Slowpoke's yawn reaches 100 points, head south to the beach.
Connect the missing bridge and talk to Kyogre to trigger rainfall. Free Onix using multiple applications of Rock Smash.
Return to Tangrowth to complete the request.
Phase 6: Finish the Pokemon Center
After completing "Yawn Up a Storm!", gather Onix and at least 7 other Pokemon along with the final materials (20 Lumber, 20 Stones, 10 Leaves, 10 Vine Ropes) to finish the Pokemon Center rebuild. A cutscene plays upon completion.
Pokemon Available
The Withered Wasteland has 18 exclusive Pokemon. Below are the key species and their habitats:
Pokemon | Type | Habitat |
|---|---|---|
Grass/Poison | Tall Grass, Bench with Greenery | |
Fire | Tree-Shaded Tall Grass | |
Water | Tall Grass, Hydrated Tall Grass | |
Normal/Flying | Elevated Tall Grass, Pretty Flower Bed | |
Water/Psychic | Seaside Tall Grass | |
Rock/Ground | Smooth Tall Grass | |
Fighting | Exercise Resting Spot | |
Bug/Flying | Tree-Shaded Tall Grass | |
Water | Ocean Fishing Spot | |
Fighting | Boulder-Shaded Tall Grass | |
Bug/Flying | Pretty Flower Bed | |
Bug/Flying | Field of Flowers | |
Ghost/Flying | Warm Updrafts, Plush Furniture | |
Ground | Fresh Veggie Field | |
Poison | Tantalizing Dining Set | |
Grass | Professor's Treasure Trove | |
Water | Appears after questline completion | |
Psychic | Requires Teleport specialty |
Moves Unlocked
Several key Ditto Transformations are learned in this region:
Move | Taught By | Use |
|---|---|---|
Spray water to revive grass, fill pools, and clean areas | ||
Place grass and grow plants for habitats | ||
Break rocks and destructible walls | ||
Cut trees and chains to clear paths |
All Requests
Important Requests
Request | Objective | Reward |
|---|---|---|
Rebuild the Pokemon Center | Purchase kit (1,000 Life Coins), gather 20 Lumber, 20 Stones, 10 Leaves, 10 Vine Ropes | Functional Pokemon Center |
Yawn Up a Storm! | Raise humidity to 100 points with fountains and Rain Dance to trigger rain | Story progression, befriend Kyogre |
Do the...Team Initiation Challenge | Gather vegetables | Story progression |
General Requests
Request | Description |
|---|---|
Water Dry Grass | Use Water Gun to revive 10 patches of dry tall grass |
Leppa Berries, Please | Pick up a Leppa Berry and give it to Squirtle or Bulbasaur |
Follow Bulbasaur | Follow Bulbasaur through the area |
Light the Campfire | Use Follow Me to guide Charmander to light the campfire |
A Bed for a Buddy | Craft a Straw Bed using 2 Leaves |
Build a Leaf Den | Purchase a Leaf Den kit from the PC Shop and build it |
Help Me Make a Home | Build a habitat and invite the requesting Pokemon to live there |
Help Me Make a Home (Magikarp) | Build an Ocean Fishing Spot and invite Magikarp |
Find Slowpoke | Locate Slowpoke and bring him to Professor Tangrowth |
To the Other Side of the Wall | Use Rock Smash to break through the stone wall |
Check What's Up There | Climb the hill and report back to Hitmonchan |
Place the Ditto Flag | Place a Ditto Flag on a house to claim it |
Investigate the Cave | Investigate the cave by the beach |
Fresh Carrots, Please | Give 1 Fresh Carrot to Gulpin |
Grow Some Beans | Grow 3 bean pods for Hitmonchan |
Honey, Please | Give 3 jars of Honey to Vespiquen |
Raise the Comfort Level | Raise Bulbasaur's comfort level |
Raise the Environment Level to Three | Build enough habitats to reach Environment Level 3 |
Collectibles
Ancient Artifacts
Artifact | Location |
|---|---|
Armor Fossil | Found near caves in the northern area |
Shield Fossil (Head) | Hidden in the western cliffs |
Shield Fossil (Body) | Near the abandoned building area |
Shield Fossil (Tail) | Beach cave, requires Rock Smash |
Human Records
There are 15+ Human Records scattered throughout the Withered Wasteland. Notable finds include:
Record | Notes |
|---|---|
Kenan's Diary | Near the starting area |
Professor's Diary #1 and #2 | Found at separate locations near the Pokemon Center |
Road Closure Announcement | Newspaper near a ruined house |
Greetings! (Emote) | Northwest of Pokemon Center near dried-up river |
Point Here (Emote) | East of Pokemon Center beside fenced picnic area; requires breaking a wall |
Someone's Journal #1 | Near the abandoned building |
Photo #1 | Hidden near a cliff overlook |
Habitat Building Opportunities
Building habitats is essential to raising the Environment Level and attracting new Pokemon. Key habitats to prioritize in this area:
Habitat | Requirements | Pokemon Attracted |
|---|---|---|
Tall Grass | 4 Tall Grass | Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Oddish, Geodude |
Tree-Shaded Tall Grass | 4 Tall Grass + 1 Large Tree | Charmander, Scyther, Bellsprout |
Boulder-Shaded Tall Grass | 4 Tall Grass + 1 Boulder | Timburr |
Hydrated Tall Grass | 4 Tall Grass + 2 Water | Squirtle, Water-types |
Seaside Tall Grass | 4 Tall Grass + 2 Ocean Water | Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking |
Pretty Flower Bed | 4 Flowers | Pidgey, Combee |
Field of Flowers | Large flower area | Vespiquen |
Exercise Resting Spot | Punching Bag + Bench | Hitmonchan |
Rain Dance Site | 2 Castform Charms + Wooden Plate + Leppa Berry | Castform |
Fresh Veggie Field | Farming plots | Drilbur |
Ocean Fishing Spot | Fishing equipment near ocean | Magikarp |
Tips for 100% Completion
Complete all 27+ requests, including every general request from individual Pokemon. Talk to every Pokemon with a speech bubble to find new requests.
Collect all 4 Ancient Artifacts (Armor Fossil and 3 Shield Fossil pieces). Some require Rock Smash to access.
Find all 15+ Human Records. Check near benches, ruined houses, beds, and cliffs. Some are behind breakable walls.
Build every available habitat type to maximize the Environment Level. Aim for Level 5 before moving on.
Gather excess Lumber and Stones before leaving. You will need large quantities in later regions.
Use Honey on completed habitats to force instant Pokemon spawns instead of waiting.
The Rain Dance Site habitat is the trickiest to build. Make sure you have both Castform Weather Charms from the wheelbarrow before starting.
After befriending Kyogre and completing the storyline, you reach Super Trainer Rank, which unlocks access to Bleak Beach and Rocky Ridges.