Driftveil City (Japanese: ホドモエシティHodomoe City) is a major ocean port city in western Unova. It has strong wind currents popular with sail-boaters. More importantly, its ports are used by freighters and fishing boats that import and export goods such as vegetables in and out of Unova. A large market offering a variety of useful items occupies part of the city. Driftveil is typically subject to precipitation year-round, but remains dry throughout the summer.
In Pokémon Black and White, the Cold Storage is located south of the city, where cargo ships deposit shipping containers to be frozen before its contents are used for commercial use. In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, the Cold Storage no longer exists, and in its place now stands the Pokémon World Tournament. The PWT attracts tourists from across the world, and its success can be reflected by the city's rapid development.
In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, several craters have appeared throughout the city and its associated establishments, indicating an increase in mining activity in the city. One of the craters in particular, Clay Tunnel (named after the city's Gym Leader), connects the city to an underground mining cave that stretches to the nearby Mistralton Cave, Twist Mountain, and Underground Ruins. Another crater, located west of the PWT, leads to Castelia Sewers and the Relic Castle.
In Pokémon Black and White, the houses in Driftveil City all have orange-colored roofs so they look bright at sunset. However, in Black and White 2, this style has changed, and the city now sports very large emerald-colored towers, which are hotels to house the visitors of Driftveil City for the Pokémon World Tournament. Inside are tables and other furniture all covered in emeralds, which could be a result of Clay's mining operation success in Black and White two years ago; however, this is not confirmed.
The city has two possible entrances on foot: from Route 6 to the west and from the Driftveil Drawbridge to the east, which leads to Unova's central peninsula. In Black 2 and White 2, the city can also be accessed by traversing through Clay Tunnel.
A Hiker inside Pinwheel Forest says that trees that are cut down are sent from Driftveil City to the rest of the world.
A City of Billowing Sails (Japanese: 船の帆と 渦巻く水のことShip sails and swirling water.)
Places of interest
Market
Driftveil Market is located on the western side of the city. Herbal medicine and Moomoo Milk can be bought here. In Black and White, after defeating Ghetsis and obtaining the National Pokédex, a former Team Plasma Grunt starts selling incenses here for $9600 each. In Black 2 and White 2, the National Pokédex requirement is removed, and incenses can be bought at any point of the game.
The flowers and vegetables at the market change between Black and White Versions.
Charles, a locally well-known Motorcyclist and self-proclaimed heartbreaker, can be found cruising on the west side of the market, and will ask the player to participate in a Triple BattleWB2/Rotation BattleBW2.
In Black and White, Driftveil City had a small barren beach located east of the Pokémon Center. If the player Surfs directly off the beach, they can find the lighthouse, which has a Water Stone on its shore. The beach and the lighthouse are no longer present in Black 2 and White 2, for unknown reasons.
South of Driftveil City, an establishment can be found here which are associated with the city or Clay himself.
In Black and White, the Cold Storage is located here. The player must explore this area during their initial visit to the city in order to find and apprehend a group of Team Plasma members.
In Black 2 and White 2, the Cold Storage has been demolished and replaced with the PWT. Several kiosks can be found here, housing people such as the Move Deleter and the Move Reminder. The Relic Passage can be accessed here. Directly south of the facility, docks are placed to welcome tourist boats. It is also utilized by the Plasma Frigate.
In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, the Move Tutor is in a house west of the Pokémon Center. He teaches 15 moves for 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 Red Shards. In these games, he is the only Shard Move Tutor to not teach a status move.
In the house northBW/southB2W2 of the Driftveil Market, there is a girl who requests to see a certain random TM or HM move every day. When the player presents a Pokémon that knows the move she asked for, she will reward the player with a Heart Scale. The girl will only request moves from TMs or HMs the player currently owns.
Team Plasma's safehouse
At the northern end of the city, a house is located atop a hill.
In Black 2 and White 2, it acts as a sanctuary for former Team Plasma members. Rood, one of the Seven Sages, will battle the player before allowing them to enter the building. He will also give the player the option to adopt N's Zorua. Anthea and Concordia remain here as well, staying in the new lower section of the house constructed within the two year period between the games.
Demographics
Pokémon Black and White
Driftveil City is a large city with a population of 55.
Pokémon Black 2 and White 2
Driftveil City's population increases with larger population of 70.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
The city reappeared in Everybody's Doing the Underground Shuffle!, where Ash, Goh, and Chloe visited it to investigate rumors about a new Klink evolution, which turned out to have been just a joke made to promote Klink-shaped cookies. Ash, Goh, Chloe, Team Rocket, and their Pokémon ended up getting lost and mixed up in a series of tunnels underneath the city, which turned out to be a Durant nest, before finally escaping and reuniting with their respective friends and Pokémon.
In Deduction Time, Hugh and Rood traveled to white Team Plasma's hideout in Driftveil City after acquiring the memory card needed to operate a machine that neutralizes the Colress Machine's power to control Pokémon. The machine was successfully activated in the next chapter, causing Colress to lose control over Kyurem at the Giant Chasm.
Related cards Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
In response to news that the city's soundtrack was similar to traditional Vietnamese wedding music, Hitomi Satō revealed that it was written with inspiration from the upbeat music in a Thai restaurant.[1]