How to Quickly Get EXP Share in Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green

While the EXP Share would become a staple item in later Pokémon generations, its iteration in Fire Red and Leaf Green is a little different. In Generation 6 (Pokémon X and Y), EXP Share is introduced as an item that passively spreads experience earned from Pokémon battles to the player’s entire party.

In Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, the item gave 50% of earned experience to the active party member, while the other 50% was split among the remaining Pokémon. In every game from Red, Blue, and Yellow to Pokémon X and Y, the item splits the earned margins between monsters that actively took part in the battle, with the remaining 50% being given to the party member holding the item. This is the case for Fire Red and Leaf Green, as they are part of Generation 3, even if they are a remake of the Generation 1 games.

EXP Share Requirements

In order to use the EXP Share, the player has to have caught 50 unique Pokémon species before talking to the character that gives you the item. The player should have at least four gym badges by the time they are capable of earning the EXP Share. The gatehouse containing the character who gives you the key item is on the far western end of Route 15.

Reaching the Required Number of Pokémon

The gatehouse serves as the threshold to Fuchsia City, which houses the Safari Zone, where players get a chance to hunt for rare Pokémon, as well as the move HM-03 Surf, which is required for traversing water in the second half of the game. There is the Pokémon Zoo, which is a purely cosmetic experience watching creatures in their 32-bit glory. Players will also find the Fuchsia City Gym, where they can challenge the gym leader Koga, who specializes in poison-type Pokémon.

Before all of that, the player has to focus on catching critters to reach the 50 required species. If a player is struggling, the Safari Zone offers the chance to catch 22 different species (21 in Fire Red), including rare Pokémon like Tauros, Chansey, and Dratini. The Fire Red version of the game is missing Scyther, which is exclusive to Leaf Green’s roster.

EXP Share Location

The EXP Share item can be earned by reaching the the building that separates Route 15 and Fuchsia City. Please note that this will be the gatehouse on the western side of Route 15, the gatehouse on the eastern side leads to Route 14. If you enter the upstairs area of the gatehouse, you will find a scientist sitting at a table. This is one of Professor Oak’s aides, and he will give you the EXP Share if you meet the above requirements.

Once you have received the EXP Share, open the bag and navigate to the “Items” section. You can give the item to a Pokémon to hold, and from then on, that Pokémon will receive 50% of all experience points earned in a battle. The rest of the experience will be split among active participants of the battle that do not faint.