Pokémon Pokopia: How to Get Phione in Bubbly Basin

Phione is one of the Mythical Pokémon that arrived with the Bubbly Basin expansion for Pokémon Pokopia. Unlike most residents, you cannot simply build its favorite habitat and wait for it to show up. It only appears deep inside a Basin Dream Island, and even then its presence is decided at random.

Quick answer: Visit the Starmie Doll Dream Island (Basin), dive into the underwater cave beneath the central mountain, smash through the stone wall that hides pillars, talk to Phione and pick “Let’s go see everyone!”, then place it in any Basin habitat back home.

Where Phione appears in Pokopia

Phione is tied to the Starmie Doll Dream Island, which sends you to a Basin-themed location. You can also stumble onto Phione by using the Ditto Doll or the Substitute Doll, since both drop you on a randomly picked island. Sticking with the Starmie Doll gives you the best odds of landing in the right kind of place.

Two limits shape how often you can try. You may only visit one Dream Island per day, and the island’s layout is generated randomly each time. Whether Phione is present is part of that randomisation, so you may need several visits before it turns up. Using time travel to advance the day is a valid way to speed up repeat attempts.

Asking Drifloon to go to a Basin Dream Island in Pokémon Pokopia — Ask Drifloon to travel to a Basin Dream Island. Image credit: The Pokémon Company.

Confirm Phione is on the island

Once you arrive, head to the mountain in the middle of the island and dive underwater. Look for the entrance to an underwater cave directly beneath the mountain. You may have to swim around its base, but the opening is easy to spot while submerged.

Driving into an underwater cave in the Basin Dream Island in Pokémon Pokopia — The cave sits directly under the island’s central mountain. Image credit: The Pokémon Company.

Inside, watch for a wall built from stone blocks with an occasional gap. That gap is your tell. Swim up to the hole and peek through. If you can see pillars on the other side, Phione is present, so break through the wall to reach it.

Phione's location in a Basin Dream Island in Pokémon Pokopia — Pillars behind the wall confirm Phione is waiting inside. Image credit: The Pokémon Company.

If you look through the gap and see no pillars, Phione is not on this island. Wait for the next day (or time travel) and try the Starmie Doll again.

Bring Phione back to Pokopia

Before speaking to Phione, grab the Yellow Poké Ball nearby. It holds three Rare Pokémetal, which are worth collecting while you are here.

Approach Phione and start a conversation. Select “Let’s go see everyone!” to have it join you. Phione will now follow you and can return with you to the main world.

When you are offered the option to return to Drifloon, choose “Yes”. This keeps Phione with you and avoids getting separated during the trip home. Once back, talk to Drifloon again and travel to the spot where you placed the Starmie Doll.

Set up a habitat so Phione moves in

Phione keeps following you after you leave the Dream Island, so the last step is giving it a place to live. A simple habitat works fine as a starting point, such as Basin Tall Grass, and you can upgrade it into something nicer later.

Whatever habitat you build, stand near it, talk to Phione, and pick “Wanna move in here?” to settle it properly. That confirmation is how you know Phione is officially moved in.

Asking Phione to move into a habitat in Pokémon Pokopia — Select “Wanna move in here?” to lock in Phione’s new home. Image credit: The Pokémon Company.

You can keep Phione in Bubbly Basin if you want a fully underwater look, but there is a reason to spread your legendary Pokémon across different areas. Their Comfort Level gives a bigger boost to an area’s Environment Level than ordinary Pokémon do, which makes reaching Level 10 in each area much easier.

With Phione settled, you have added another Mythical Pokémon to your island. If the layout you visit ever comes up empty, the routine stays the same: reset the day, load a fresh Starmie Doll island, and check the cave until the pillars appear.