Phenomenon

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Reason: B2W2

Phenomena are a game mechanic introduced in Generation V. It is a different means of encountering wild Pokémon, and in some cases items. There are four types of phenomenon: rustling grass, dust clouds, flying Pokémon's shadows, and rippling water. Some Pokémon can only be obtained via this method. Phenomena will only appear after the player has the first Badge.

Phenomena will continue to exist if the player moves off-screen and away from the phenomenon (without leaving the area or room entirely), accesses their game menus, or hatches an Egg. They do not vanish until they are entered, unless the player enters an unrelated battle, picks up a visible item, interacts with an NPC, or exits the area or room entirely. They will also vanish if an NPC steps on it. Only one phenomenon will be in the area at any given time. Saving before entering a phenomenon will not preserve the phenomenon upon reset.

Phenomena are distinguished in-game by audio and visual effects; in most cases, they are named for the visual effect shown on-screen when each phenomenon occurs. The audio of a phenomenon reflects the distance between it and the player: if the player is close, the sound will be louder, and if the player is farther away (such as if the phenomenon is off-screen), the sound will be fainter but will also never stop.

Rustling grass

Rustling grass outside Pinwheel Forest

Rustling grass is a phenomenon that only occurs in tall grass. Rustling grass allows the encounter of a wild Pokémon. Audino can be found in any patch of rustling grass. Various other Pokémon, such as the elemental monkeys in Pinwheel Forest and Lostlorn Forest or evolved forms of Pokémon found in non-rustling grass, can be found in rustling grass, but usually at a lower encounter rate than Audino. This phenomenon does not occur in dark grass, but it does in long grass.

Pokémon

Pokémon Black and White

Possible encounters
Butterfree ButterfreeW Beedrill BeedrillB
Clefable Clefable Ninetales Ninetales
Wigglytuff Wigglytuff Crobat Crobat
Sunflora Sunflora Tyranitar Tyranitar
Metagross Metagross Vespiquen Vespiquen
Mismagius MismagiusW Honchkrow HonchkrowB
Tangrowth Tangrowth Gliscor Gliscor
Mamoswine Mamoswine Stoutland Stoutland
Pansage Pansage Pansear Pansear
Panpour Panpour Musharna Musharna
Unfezant Unfezant Unfezant Unfezant
Audino Audino Leavanny Leavanny
Sawk SawkW Throh ThrohB
Lilligant LilligantW Whimsicott WhimsicottB
Reuniclus ReuniclusW Gothitelle GothitelleB
Cinccino Cinccino| Emolga Emolga

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Possible encounters
Clefable Clefable Ninetales Ninetales
Wigglytuff Wigglytuff Crobat Crobat
Azumarill Azumarill Dunsparce Dunsparce
Tyranitar Tyranitar Shiftry Shiftry
Slaking Slaking Delcatty DelcattyW2
Castform Castform Metagross Metagross
Roserade Roserade Vespiquen Vespiquen
Lopunny LopunnyB2 Magnezone Magnezone
Lickilicky Lickilicky Tangrowth Tangrowth
Yanmega Yanmega Gliscor Gliscor
Mamoswine Mamoswine Patrat Patrat
Stoutland Stoutland Pansage Pansage
Pansear Pansear Panpour Panpour
Musharna Musharna Unfezant Unfezant
Unfezant Unfezant Audino Audino
Seismitoad Seismitoad Throh ThrohB2
Sawk Sawk Leavanny Leavanny
Scolipede Scolipede Whimsicott WhimsicottB2
Lilligant LilligantW2 Cinccino Cinccino
Gothitelle GothitelleB2 Reuniclus ReuniclusW2
Vanilluxe Vanilluxe Emolga Emolga
Klinklang Klinklang

Dust cloud

File:Dust cloud.png
A dust cloud in Chargestone Cave

Dust clouds are a phenomenon that only occur in caves. It may reveal held items, evolutionary stones, or wild Onix, Steelix, Drilbur and Excadrill.

Pokémon Black and White

Possible encounters
Fire Gem Normal Gem
Water Gem Everstone
Electric Gem Moon Stone
Grass Gem Sun Stone
Ice Gem Fire Stone
Fighting Gem Water Stone
Poison Gem File:Bag Thunderstone Sprite.png Thunderstone
Ground Gem Leaf Stone
Flying Gem Shiny Stone
Psychic Gem Dusk Stone
Bug Gem Dawn Stone
Rock Gem Hard Stone
Ghost Gem Oval Stone
Dragon Gem Drilbur Drilbur
Dark Gem Excadrill Excadrill
Steel Gem

Pokémon Black and White 2

Possible encounters
Fire Gem Red Shard
Water Gem Blue Shard
Electric Gem Yellow Shard
Grass Gem Green Shard
Ice Gem Fire Stone
Fighting Gem File:Bag Thunderstone Sprite.png Thunderstone
Poison Gem Leaf Stone
Ground Gem Moon Stone
Flying Gem Sun Stone
Psychic Gem Shiny Stone
Bug Gem Dusk Stone
Rock Gem Dawn Stone
Ghost Gem Everstone
Dragon Gem Oval Stone
Dark Gem Onix Onix
Steel Gem Steelix Steelix
Normal Gem Drilbur Drilbur
Excadrill Excadrill

Flying Pokémon's shadow

A shadow on the Driftveil Drawbridge

Flying Pokémon's shadows are a phenomenon that only occur on the Driftveil Drawbridge and Marvelous Bridge. They may reveal wings or wild Ducklett and Swanna.

Pokémon Black, White, Black 2, and White 2

Possible encounters
Ducklett Ducklett Swanna Swanna
Health Wing Muscle Wing
Resist Wing Genius Wing
Clever Wing Swift Wing
Pretty Wing

Rippling water

File:Rippling water.png
Rippling water on Route 11

Rippling water is a phenomenon that only occurs on water tiles. Rippling water allows the encounter of a wild Pokémon when Surfed on or fished in. While Basculin's Red-Striped form is usually only found in Black, and its Blue-Striped form is usually only found in White, the Basculin form that does not appear under normal circumstances in that game can be found in rippling water.

Pokémon

Pokémon Black and White

Possible encounters
(Surfing)
Slowpoke Slowpoke Slowbro Slowbro
Seel Seel Dewgong Dewgong
Staryu Staryu Starmie Starmie
Lapras Lapras Slowking Slowking
Corsola Corsola Mantine Mantine
Wailmer Wailmer Wailord Wailord
Sealeo Sealeo Walrein Walrein
Buizel Buizel Floatzel Floatzel
Basculin BasculinW Basculin BasculinB
Jellicent Jellicent Jellicent Jellicent
Alomomola Alomomola Seismitoad Seismitoad
Stunfisk Stunfisk
Possible encounters
(Fishing)
Poliwhirl Poliwhirl Poliwrath Poliwrath
Shellder Shellder Cloyster Cloyster
Kingler Kingler Seadra Seadra
Goldeen Goldeen Seaking Seaking
Dratini Dratini Dragonair Dragonair
Dragonite Dragonite Chinchou Chinchou
Lanturn Lanturn Politoed Politoed
Qwilfish Qwilfish Octillery Octillery
Kingdra Kingdra Carvanha Carvanha
Sharpedo Sharpedo Barboach Barboach
Whiscash Whiscash Feebas Feebas
Milotic Milotic Huntail HuntailB
Gorebyss GorebyssW Relicanth Relicanth
Luvdisc Luvdisc Lumineon Lumineon
Basculin BasculinW Basculin BasculinB
Stunfisk Stunfisk

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Possible encounters
(Surfing)
Seel Seel Dewgong Dewgong
Grimer Grimer Muk Muk
Staryu Staryu Starmie Starmie
Lapras Lapras Marill Marill
Azumarill Azumarill Corsola Corsola
Mantine Mantine Wailmer Wailmer
Wailord Wailord Corphish Corphish
Crawdaunt Crawdaunt Sealeo Sealeo
Walrein Walrein Buizel Buizel
Floatzel Floatzel Palpitoad Palpitoad
Seismitoad Seismitoad Basculin BasculinW2
Basculin BasculinB2 Jellicent Jellicent
Jellicent Jellicent Alomomola Alomomola
Stunfisk Stunfisk
Possible encounters
(Fishing)
Poliwhirl Poliwhirl Poliwrath Poliwrath
Grimer Grimer Muk Muk
Shellder Shellder Cloyster Cloyster
Krabby Krabby Kingler Kingler
Horsea Horsea Seadra Seadra
Goldeen Goldeen Seaking Seaking
Magikarp Magikarp Gyarados Gyarados
Dratini Dratini Dragonair Dragonair
Dragonite Dragonite Chinchou Chinchou
Lanturn Lanturn Politoed Politoed
Qwilfish Qwilfish Remoraid Remoraid
Octillery Octillery Kingdra Kingdra
Carvanha Carvanha Sharpedo Sharpedo
Barboach Barboach Whiscash Whiscash
Feebas Feebas Milotic Milotic
Huntail HuntailB2 Gorebyss GorebyssW2
Relicanth Relicanth Luvdisc Luvdisc
Lumineon Lumineon Basculin BasculinW2
Basculin BasculinB2 Stunfisk Stunfisk


This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.