- Pokemon Renaissance Pokemon locations center on Blue Coast Town, its ruins, and Route 1 in Chapter 1.
- Regional forms replace standard starters: Ice/Grass Bulbasaur, Ground Charmander, Steel Squirtle.
- Ruins and grass areas hide rare encounters like Marie, Oddwig, and a guarded Amrost.
- Night-only spawns appear in the ruins area, so book a room at the Pokemon Center to change time.
- Dusk Balls from the Robin side quest greatly improve catches in dark ruins and at night.
Chapter 1 Location Overview
Every confirmed Pokemon Renaissance Pokemon location in Chapter 1 sits inside the opening region around Blue Coast Town, stretching west through Route 1 to Clifton Sea. The game rewards exploration over straight-line progression: the developer describes the design philosophy as focusing on exploration and collection, with many optional map areas where special Pokemon hide.
Video Highlights:
- Starter selection at Professor Blackthorn's lab with three Odorus regional forms
- First wild encounters at the Blue Coast Ruins (Marie, Oddwig, Genie)
- Route 1 catches: Burby, Furial, squirrel-like species, and more
- Night-time encounter mechanics tied to Pokemon Center lodging
Clear the starting town's side quests before Route 1. The XP, items, and extra catches from Blue Coast Town and the ruins make you significantly over-leveled for early trainers.
Starter Pokemon Locations and Regional Forms
Your first Pokemon Renaissance Pokemon location is Professor Blackthorn's seaside laboratory. All three starters are Odorus regional forms, meaning their typing differs sharply from the Kanto originals.
| Starter | Odorus Typing | Key Strength | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | Ice/Grass | Special moves, Powder Snow early | Found in northern forests; strong early pick |
| Charmander | Ground | Physical power, Electric immunity | Immune to Electric-type moves |
| Squirtle | Steel | Defensive metal shell | Bullet Punch gives priority attacks |
The rival Thomas receives one of the remaining two, so your choice determines his team. Ice/Grass Bulbasaur struggles against Steel Squirtle's Bullet Punch in the rival battle on Route 1, but its Powder Snow freezes proved decisive in extended fights.
Ice/Grass is doubly weak to Fire. Watch for Fire-type Shinx encounters near the farm at night and switch out immediately.
Blue Coast Town and Ruins Encounters
The ruins west of Blue Coast Town are the richest early Pokemon Renaissance Pokemon location cluster. Encounters here begin almost immediately after receiving your starter.
| Location | Pokemon Found | Encounter Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Coast Ruins (grass) | Marie, Oddwig, Genie | First wild encounters; Marie is catchable early |
| Ruins interior | Red Handedit | Mentioned by NPCs; appears deeper inside |
| Farm area (day) | Marip herd, Flafy | Marip tied to Bruno's side quest |
| Farm area (night) | Fire-type Shinx | Appears during the Medi questline |
| Ruins depths | Amrost (quest-only) | Mother Marip guarding the stolen herd; not catchable |
Marie
- Easy catch at low levels
- Needed for the lighthouse boy's dying wish quest
- Cute grass-type companion
Oddwig
- Grass-type wild spawn
- Easily handled by Ice/Grass starter
- Common in ruins grass
Genie
- Frequently encountered
- Low XP at level 2-3
- Used by hide-and-seek trainer Lisa
The large green-furred Amrost guarding the missing Marip is Bruno's old companion. Do not attempt to fight it; return to the farm to complete the questline instead.
Route 1 Pokemon Locations
Route 1 connects Blue Coast Town to Clifton Sea and holds the widest variety of Chapter 1 catches.
| Pokemon | Where on Route 1 | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Burby | Grass patches near the eastern entrance | First Route 1 encounter, low level |
| Furial | Scattered grass | Cute, worth adding to the team |
| Squirrel species | Northern grass sections | Rare; the walk-through player never found one |
| Genie | Multiple patches | Very common, low XP |
| Trainer Pokemon (Burble, Genie, Ursaring line) | Six trainer battles | Pavl's Burble fight requires all six trainers beaten first |
Heal and Stock Up
Buy Poke Balls and Repels in Blue Coast Town before departing. Sell unneeded items like the early Rare Candy if short on cash.
Sweep the Grass Patches
Work the northern grass first for the rare squirrel spawn, then loop south toward the beach.
Beat All Six Trainers
Pavl only battles you after every trainer on the route is defeated. Watch for the fisherman near the shell beach.
Trigger the Rival Battle
Thomas ambushes you at the Route 1 exit with the Steel Squirtle counter to an Ice/Grass starter.
Photograph the Three Landmarks
Grab the shell beach, lighthouse, and bridge photos for Paul Vincent's quest before entering Serpentine Cave.
Use Repels when backtracking through Route 1 after clearing it. You keep full encounter rates on new grass while skipping repeat spawns.
Side Quest Encounter Locations
Several Pokemon Renaissance Pokemon locations only open through optional quests, reinforcing the game's exploration-first design.
Quest-Unlocked Catches and Rewards:
- Catch Marie in ruins grass for the lighthouse guard's son
- Complete the Medi night quest for three Dusk Balls
- Solve the Orberry theft for a berry batch reward
- Win Lisa's hide-and-seek for a Rare Candy and Full Heal
- Deliver all three photos to Paul Vincent for compensation
Book a room at the Blue Coast Town Pokemon Center to advance to nighttime. Nurse Joy leaves at night, but Fedison heals your team instead, and night-only characters like Medi appear.
FAQ
Q: Where is the first Pokemon Renaissance Pokemon location for wild catches?
The Blue Coast Ruins west of the starting town. Marie, Oddwig, and Genie appear in the grass there before you even reach Route 1, letting you build a small team before your first rival battle.
Q: Can you catch the Amrost in the ruins?
No. The Amrost is Bruno's long-lost companion guarding the stolen Marip herd. The encounter ends the farm side quest; it is not a catchable Pokemon Renaissance Pokemon location.
Q: How do night encounters work in Pokemon Renaissance?
Book a room at the Pokemon Center to skip to nighttime. Certain characters and encounters, like Medi near the farm, only appear after dark, and Dusk Balls earned from Robin's quest improve catch rates in those conditions.
Q: Are the starters found in the wild?
Professor Blackthorn mentions Bulbasaur's Odorus form is usually found in northern forests, suggesting regional starter forms exist in the wild. Chapter 1 does not include those northern areas, so the lab remains the only confirmed source.