Skip to content

Badge Progression / Level Caps

A Battle cap is the maximum level to aim for in the upcoming major battle or split. Roark’s battle cap is 15. The Next cap applies after winning that battle and earning its badge: defeating Roark advances the display to 24 for Gardenia.

Getting an HM and authorizing its field use are separate steps. You also need a party Pokémon that knows the move and the right field conditions. The routes and systems below often require subsequent story events as well as the badge.

Badge permissions, cap progression and the major story gates described here are shared across Easy, Normal and Challenge. Use Wild Encounters for difficulty-specific preparation; this roadmap does not assign Nuzlocke catches or rules.

Gym / major battle Battle cap Next cap Badge Field move
Roark 15 24 Coal Badge Rock Smash
Gardenia 24 29 Forest Badge Cut
Fantina 29 35 Relic Badge Defog
Maylene 35 41 Cobble Badge Fly
Wake 41 45 Fen Badge Surf
Byron 45 48 Mine Badge Strength
Candice 48 54 Icicle Badge Rock Climb
Volkner 54 64 Beacon Badge Waterfall
Pokémon League 64 No cap after Hall of Fame - -

How the cap works

These caps are advisory, not enforced level limits. Check CAP in the normal pause menu for the current applicable cap.

  • Pokémon keep gaining EXP at or above the displayed cap and can level past it. EXP is not blocked, reduced, discarded or banked.
  • Rare Candies can also raise a Pokémon above the displayed cap.
  • Day Care growth is not restricted by the cap.

If you want to stay within the displayed limits, manage your team’s levels yourself.

The displayed cap stays at 64 through Route 223, Victory Road, the pre-League Rival, the Elite Four and Cynthia. Individual League victories do not raise it.

Once your League victory is recorded through the Hall of Fame sequence, the pause menu shows CAP --: no progression cap is displayed.

Coal Badge - Roark

Battle cap: 15. HM06 comes from the Oreburgh Gate Hiker before Roark. See HMs for acquisition and field-use details.

What the badge gives you

  • Rock Smash field authorization.
  • The displayed cap advances to 24.

Where to go next

Return through Jubilife, then follow Ravaged Path to Floaroma. Complete the Floaroma and Valley Windworks story, then continue along Route 205 through Eterna Forest to Eterna. These are subsequent story steps, not rewards granted by the badge.

Worth checking out

Forest Badge - Gardenia

Battle cap: 24. Cynthia gives you HM01 in Eterna before Gardenia. See HMs for acquisition and field-use details.

What the badge gives you

  • Cut field authorization.
  • The displayed cap advances to 29.

Where to go next

Continue through the Galactic Eterna Building with Cut and rescue Rad Rickshaw for access to the Bicycle from his shop, then head south through Cycling Road, Route 207 and southern Mt. Coronet toward Hearthome. The Bicycle comes from the rescue sequence, not directly from the Forest Badge.

Worth checking out

Relic Badge - Fantina

Battle cap: 29. Pick up HM05 later in Solaceon Ruins. See HMs for acquisition and field-use details.

What the badge gives you

  • Defog field authorization.
  • The displayed cap advances to 35.

Where to go next

Fantina’s victory removes Hearthome’s Route 209 blockade. Continue through Route 209 and its Rival battle to Solaceon, Route 210 South, Route 215 and Veilstone. Defog does not open this route chain or remove the Route 210 Psyduck.

Worth checking out

  • Explore Lost Tower and Solaceon Ruins; Defog clears fog and enables the Lost Tower summit rewards. Check the Day Care and News Press in Solaceon.
  • Defeat Palmer during normal Route 215 progression before Veilstone to receive Portable Box. Use Important Item Locations to plan Veilstone’s preparation resources before Maylene.

Cobble Badge - Maylene

Battle cap: 35. Collect HM02 in the warehouse front room after helping Dawn or Lucas. See HMs for acquisition and field-use details.

What the badge gives you

  • Fly field authorization.
  • The displayed cap advances to 41.

Where to go next

Help your partner defeat the Galactic Grunts, visit the warehouse front room and pick up HM02. Continue toward Pastoria through the already accessible southern route chain. Fly makes return travel easier; it does not open a new land route.

Worth checking out

  • Use Fly to return to eligible previously visited towns for Underground mining, fossil revival, shops and evolution resources. See Important Item Locations.

Fen Badge - Wake

Battle cap: 41. Wake authorizes Surf but does not give HM03. The Celestic elder supplies it later. See HMs for acquisition and field-use details.

What the badge gives you

  • Surf field authorization.
  • The displayed cap advances to 45.

Where to go next

Follow the post-Gym Galactic story through Route 210 and Celestic Town. After completing the Celestic events, the elder gives you Surf, allowing you to cross Route 218 toward Canalave. This journey needs both Surf and the Celestic story clearance, not just the Fen Badge.

Worth checking out

  • Visit Iron Island before Byron. Riley gives HM04 outside the cave; complete the local progression for Riley’s Riolu Egg.
  • See Important Item Locations for Iron Island’s Protector and Shiny Stone, plus supported Surf backtracking resources such as Dawn Stone and Electirizer.

Mine Badge - Byron

Battle cap: 45. HM04 is available from Riley on Iron Island before Byron. See HMs for acquisition and field-use details.

What the badge gives you

  • Strength field authorization.
  • The displayed cap advances to 48.

Where to go next

After the Canalave Library and lake events, Strength lets you continue north through Mt. Coronet toward Routes 216 and 217 and Snowpoint. Lake Acuity’s raised entrance still needs Rock Climb.

Worth checking out

  • Revisit earlier Strength obstacles, or review the northern encounter areas for team preparation.
  • Collect HM08 Rock Climb on Route 217 before Candice. Iron Island was already accessible before this Gym; see the HM reference for acquisition details.

Icicle Badge - Candice

Battle cap: 48. Pick up HM08 on Route 217 before Candice. See HMs for acquisition and field-use details.

What the badge gives you

  • Rock Climb field authorization.
  • The displayed cap advances to 54.

Where to go next

Visit Lake Acuity, then follow the Galactic HQ story and its key sequence. Continue through upper Mt. Coronet, Spear Pillar and the Distortion World. Return to Rowan afterward to clear the road through Route 222 to Sunyshore. The Icicle Badge alone does not open Sunyshore.

Worth checking out

  • Check late Rock Climb backtracking and evolution resources, including Reaper Cloth, Dubious Disc and Razor Claw.
  • Consult Static Encounters for lake and other encounter opportunities once their later story conditions are met.

Beacon Badge - Volkner

Battle cap: 54. Jasmine gives HM07 during the post-Gym beach departure scene. See HMs for acquisition and field-use details.

What the badge gives you

  • Waterfall field authorization.
  • The displayed cap advances to 64.

Where to go next

Meet Jasmine, then travel along Route 223 through the Waterfall bottleneck toward Victory Road, the pre-League Rival and the Pokémon League. The displayed cap stays at 64 through Route 223, Victory Road, the Rival, the Elite Four and Cynthia. After Hall of Fame completion, no progression cap is displayed.

Worth checking out