Honestly, Wayward Cave is a massive headache. If you’re playing Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, you probably found the main entrance under the cycling road on Route 206 and thought, "Okay, cool, a dark cave." You went in, got annoyed by the Flash requirement, maybe helped that NPC Mira get out, and then left thinking you were done.
You weren't.
Most people completely miss the best part of the Wayward Cave Brilliant Diamond experience because the actual "good" entrance is literally hidden behind a pillar. It's invisible. If you don't have a guide or a lot of patience for hugging walls, you will never find it. This is where the Gible live. It's also where you find the Earthquake TM, which is arguably the most important move in the game if you want to beat Cynthia without crying.
The Secret Entrance Everyone Misses
Route 206 is a bit of a maze of trees and bridge supports. To find the secret "under-the-bridge" entrance, you have to go under the Cycling Road from the north side. Cut down the small trees, walk south under the bridge, and then start hugging the left side of the bridge pillars.
There is a specific spot where the bridge hides a cave mouth. You can't see the hole. Your character just suddenly disappears into the rock face. It feels like a glitch, but it's intentional game design from the original 2006 DS titles that ILCA faithfully (and perhaps cruelly) kept in the remake.
Once you’re inside this hidden section, the vibe changes. You aren't just here to wandering around. You’re here for the Garchomp line.
Why Gible is the Only Reason to Be Here
Gible is the pseudo-legendary of Sinnoh. It eventually evolves into Garchomp, a Ground/Dragon beast that dominates the competitive meta and makes the Elite Four significantly easier. In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Wayward Cave is the only place to catch a wild Gible.
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But there is a catch. You need Strength.
If you haven't defeated Gym Leader Byron in Canalave City yet, you can enter the secret cave, but you can't get to the Gible spawns. There are large boulders blocking the path immediately. It’s one of those classic Pokémon "come back later" moments that makes you want to throw your Switch. Once you have the ability to move those rocks, the lower level of the cave opens up.
The spawn rate for Gible isn't even that bad—usually around 15%—but the cave layout is a nightmare. It’s full of bike jumps.
Mastering the Bike Jumps
Wayward Cave is basically a platforming puzzle disguised as a dungeon. You have to switch between the two speeds of your bike constantly.
- Fast Gear (Fourth Gear): This is for clearing the long jumps. If you don't have enough momentum, you’ll just fall into the pits or hit the ledge and stop.
- Slow Gear (Third Gear): This is for precision. There are tight turns between jumps where the fast gear will just send you flying off the path into a wall.
It's clunky. The grid-based movement of the original games felt a bit more precise for this, whereas the 360-degree movement in Brilliant Diamond makes it easy to accidentally clip a corner and lose all your speed. If you’re struggling with the jumps to reach the Earthquake TM, try using the D-pad instead of the joystick. It helps keep your lines straight.
The Mira Escort Mission
Now, if we’re talking about the main entrance—the one you can actually see—that’s a whole different story. This is where you meet Mira. She’s one of the five "stat trainers" in Sinnoh who join you for a double-battle segment.
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She has a Kadabra. It’s actually pretty useful because it hits hard, but the AI is... questionable. She will heal your Pokémon after every single battle, which makes this a prime spot for grinding levels or EV training for Special Attack. Since every wild encounter becomes a double battle while she's with you, you're getting double the experience points.
Just don't lead with a Pokémon that uses Earthquake or Surf, or you'll knock out her Kadabra and she’ll just stand there looking disappointed while you do all the work.
Rare Loot You Need to Grab
Aside from the monsters, the items in Wayward Cave Brilliant Diamond are top-tier.
- TM26 Earthquake: Found in the very back of the hidden basement. Do not leave without this. You only get one "free" one here, and buying more at the Battle Tower is a grind.
- Grip Claw: Useful if you like using moves like Bind or Fire Spin, though most players ignore it.
- Rare Candy: Tucked away in a corner of the basement. Always worth the detour.
- Max Ether: Hidden on a rock near the end of the jumping puzzle.
Most players overlook the hidden items. Use the Dowsing Machine app on your Pokétch constantly. The cave is littered with Stardust and Poke Balls that aren't visible to the naked eye.
Dealing with the Flash Mechanic
Is it 2006? No. But you still need Flash.
In Brilliant Diamond, Flash isn't an HM you have to teach a Pokémon anymore, which is a blessing. It’s a TM move that sits in your Pokétch. If you don't use it, the screen is pitch black except for a tiny circle around your character. Technically, you can navigate without it if you've memorized the map, but for the rest of us, just pop the light.
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You get the Flash TM in the Oreburgh Gate (the basement level), or you can buy it at the Veilstone Department Store. If you forgot it, don't bother going into the main entrance. You’ll just bump into walls and get frustrated.
Common Misconceptions About Wayward Cave
A lot of people think you can find Gible as soon as you reach Route 206. You can't. Even if you find the secret entrance, the Strength requirement is a hard gate.
Another mistake? People think the "hidden" entrance is a different cave entirely. It’s actually just a different floor of the same map. If you look at the map on your screen, it all registers as Wayward Cave.
Also, don't bother looking for Gible in the room with Mira. I spent three hours there when I was a kid because I didn't know about the secret door. Gible only spawns in the basement (B1F), and the only way to reach B1F is through the hidden entrance under the bridge.
Actionable Steps for Your Trek
If you're heading there now, follow this sequence to save yourself time:
- Fly to Eterna City: It's the closest point. Head south to the Cycling Road.
- Bring a Pokémon with False Swipe: Gible has a low catch rate for a basic Pokémon. You don't want to accidentally crit it into oblivion.
- Check your Bag for Escape Ropes: The bike puzzles are one-way in many spots. Walking out is a chore. Just rope out once you have your dragon and your TM.
- Update your Pokétch: Make sure you have the Strength and Flash hidden moves registered.
- Enter the hidden cave: Look for the pillar at the top of Route 206, under the bridge, second one from the left. Just walk up into the shadow.
Wayward Cave is one of the few places in the Sinnoh remakes that actually rewards exploration with something meaningful. It's not just another Zubat-filled hole in the ground; it's the birthplace of your future team captain. Grab a Dusk Ball, put on a Repel so the Geodudes leave you alone, and go get that Gible.
The Earthquake TM in the basement is located at the far left of the room after a series of bike jumps. If you miss the jump, you have to loop all the way back around, so take it slow on the corners and hit the ramps with full speed. Once you have the TM and Gible, you have officially cleared the most valuable content in Wayward Cave. There’s no need to return unless you're hunting for a shiny Bronzor or want to help Mira for the completionist's sake.