How to Get Bricks in Pokémon Pokopia — Torchic & Squishy Clay Guide

TL;DR

• Bricks are made by giving Squishy Clay to any Pokémon with the Burn Specialty — Torchic is the first one you’ll meet in Bleak Beach, but Charmander (available earlier) also works
• You get 2 Bricks per Squishy Clay, and you can hand over up to 10 Clay at once (20 Bricks per batch) — but the very first time you ask Torchic, it only accepts 1 Clay to show you how it works
• Squishy Clay is gathered by breaking Clay blocks with Rock Smash or Rollout — found in Bleak Beach and in the cave in Withered Wasteland where you meet Onix. Note: Clay blocks in Withered Wasteland only yield Squishy Clay after completing the “Yawn Up a Storm” quest
• To unlock Torchic, build the “Chirp-Chirp Meal” habitat in Bleak Beach: 1x Wooden Birdhouse, 1x Plated Food, and 1x Wooden Table
• The habitat items may already be partially set up behind the Pokémon Center — just move the Plate onto the Table and add a berry
• Torchic takes a couple of minutes to bake — use the wait time to collect more Clay or progress other quests. There is no daily limit on how many times you can request Brick production
• You can also leave Squishy Clay in a Community Box — nearby Burn Specialty Pokémon will process it passively without needing to be asked
• Bricks are first needed to restore the Bleak Beach Pokémon Center (20 Bricks) and build the Pikachu Fountain (10 Bricks), plus to craft a Planter for Meowth — plan to gather at least 15 Squishy Clay before you start
• As a Fire-type Pokémon, Torchic can also heat up a smelter to turn ore into ingots

How to Get Bricks in Pokémon Pokopia

To get Bricks in Pokémon Pokopia, you need to bring Squishy Clay to a Pokémon with the Burn Specialty and ask them to bake it. Torchic is the first Burn Specialty Pokémon you’ll encounter in Bleak Beach — the game’s third area — but Charmander, which is available from earlier in the game, also works. Unlike Ore, Squishy Clay does not go in the Smelting Furnace — it needs a Burn Specialty Pokémon to process it. The only catch is that you need to befriend Torchic first by setting up a habitat, but once that’s done you’ll have a reliable Brick supply for the rest of the game. There is no daily limit on Brick production — you can run as many batches as you have Clay for.

Step 1 — Unlock Torchic by Building the “Chirp-Chirp Meal” Habitat

Torchic will become available to you naturally during Meowth’s questline in Bleak Beach. After completing several of Meowth’s requests, they’ll eventually ask you to craft a Planter for them. Making a Planter requires Bricks, which means you need Torchic — so setting up the habitat is your first priority.

To unlock Torchic, build the “Chirp-Chirp Meal” habitat by placing the following three items together in the same area:

Tip: Behind the Pokémon Center in Bleak Beach, you’ll find the Birdhouse and Table already in place. The Plate just needs to be moved onto the Table, and then you can drop any common berry (like a Leppa Berry) on top. You may not need to craft anything from scratch.

Once all three items are placed within the same area, the Wooden Birdhouse will begin to rattle and shake. Interact with it to meet Torchic for the first time! After introductions, speak to Torchic again and let them know you need some Bricks.

Important: The very first time you give Torchic Squishy Clay, it only accepts 1 piece — this is a tutorial interaction to show you how the process works. From the second request onwards, you can hand over up to 10 at a time for 20 Bricks per batch.

For tips on crafting furniture and gathering the Lumber you’ll need for the Wooden Birdhouse and Table, take a look at our guide to getting Lumber in Pokémon Pokopia.

Step 2 — Collect Squishy Clay in Bleak Beach

With Torchic now befriended, you need to gather Squishy Clay — the raw material that gets baked into Bricks. Clay blocks are plentiful in Bleak Beach and appear as slightly darker terrain blocks with bright and dark grey running through them, along with lots of smaller stones embedded in them — distinct from standard cliff rock. Here’s where to find them and how to farm them efficiently:

Breaking Clay blocks:

• Use Rock Smash or Rollout to break Clay blocks scattered across Bleak Beach’s shoreline and cave areas — you’ll find Clay blocks almost everywhere once you arrive in Bleak Beach
• An earlier source of Clay is the cave north of Withered Wasteland, where you first meet Onix. However, Clay blocks there only yield Squishy Clay after you complete the “Yawn Up a Storm” quest and raise the humidity in Withered Wasteland — before that quest, they drop regular clay, not Squishy Clay
• Check your bag before heading out — you may already be carrying Squishy Clay from earlier exploration

Passive Clay farming via Litter Specialty Pokémon:

• Pokémon with the Litter Specialty — including Paldean Wooper, Clodsire (found in Bleak Beach’s swamp area), and Trapinch (found in Sparkling Skylands) — will drop Squishy Clay in their habitats over time
• Setting up habitats for these Pokémon gives you a passive Clay income without needing to mine — especially useful for large building projects
• You can also leave Squishy Clay in a Community Box near your Burn Specialty Pokémon — they will process it into Bricks passively without you having to ask each time

Best bulk farming method — Dream Island:

• Once you’ve unlocked Dream Islands, use the Pikachu Doll to visit the Pikachu Dream Island
• This beach/ocean biome island has a large layer of Clay blocks on the lower cliff sections — use Rock Smash or Rollout to farm large quantities quickly
• This is the most reliable method for players who need Bricks in bulk for large building projects

For more on unlocking and using Dream Islands, see our Pokémon Pokopia Dream Islands guide.

Step 3 — Give Squishy Clay to Torchic to Make Bricks

Once you have Squishy Clay in hand, head back to Torchic and follow these steps to request your Bricks:

1. Interact with Torchic and select “Look at this!”
2. Select Squishy Clay from your inventory
3. Choose “Make me some Bricks!” (or “Turn it into Bricks”) from the dialogue prompt
4. Choose how much Clay to hand over — up to 10 Squishy Clay per batch for 20 Bricks (after the first tutorial interaction)

Torchic will get to work immediately, but the process takes a couple of minutes in real time. You’ll know Torchic is done when they run towards you. Rather than standing around waiting, use that window productively:

• Set up another habitat to attract new Pokémon
• Head out to collect more Squishy Clay for a second batch
• Check on any other ongoing Pokémon requests or crafting jobs

When Torchic is done, return to collect your freshly baked Bricks. Your first priority should be using them to craft the Planter for Meowth — but after that, Bricks are yours to use however you like. Any time you need more, simply bring Torchic another batch of Squishy Clay and repeat the process. Remember there is no daily limit on production.

Other Burn Specialty Pokémon That Can Make Bricks

Torchic isn’t the only option. Any Pokémon with the Burn Specialty can turn Squishy Clay into Bricks using the same dialogue process. This is helpful if you haven’t unlocked Torchic yet or want to run multiple batches simultaneously. Confirmed Burn Specialty Pokémon include:

• Charmander — available from early in the game, before Bleak Beach
• Torchic — first Burn Specialist in Bleak Beach
• Charmeleon, Charizard — Charmander’s evolutions, same Burn Specialty
• Vulpix, Growlithe, Arcanine
• Flareon, Scorbunny
• Torkoal, Magmar

Having multiple Burn Specialty Pokémon is the fastest way to produce large quantities of Bricks — each one can handle a 10-Clay batch at once, so two Pokémon means 40 Bricks in the same time window.

What Are Bricks Used For in Pokémon Pokopia?

Bricks are a versatile crafting material with several uses in Pokopia. Here are the main things you’ll need them for:

Restoring the Bleak Beach Pokémon Center — The first major Brick requirement is the Pokémon Center in Bleak Beach, which needs 20 Bricks (plus 10 Twine, 10 Sea Glass Fragments, and 5 Iron Ore). Torchic can produce exactly this amount in a single batch from 10 Squishy Clay — after the first tutorial interaction.

Building the Pikachu Fountain — Between the Pokémon Center and Smeargle’s artist hideout in Bleak Beach, there’s a Pikachu Fountain that requires 10 Bricks. Combined with the Pokémon Center, you’ll need at least 30 Bricks (15 Squishy Clay) just for these two early projects — so gather at least that much before starting.

Crafting the Planter for Meowth — This is your first required use of Bricks, triggered by Meowth’s questline and the reason Torchic is introduced in the first place.

Decorative items, building blocks, and habitats — Bricks are used in a range of craftable structures including Brick Walls, Brick Flooring, Stone Fireplaces, and various building blocks for house construction. You can also dye Brick blocks once you have them. Notably, the Stone Fireplace is a key ingredient for the Fireplace Nap Spot Habitat — making Bricks indirectly essential for attracting certain Pokémon through their habitats.

Pokémon requests — Some Pokémon will occasionally request items that require Bricks to craft as you progress through the game.

Since Torchic (or any Burn Specialty Pokémon) is the only way to produce Bricks, maintaining a good stockpile of Squishy Clay is the best strategy for keeping your supply consistent.

Tips for Getting Bricks Efficiently

• Collect at least 15 Squishy Clay before you start — you need 30 Bricks minimum for the Pokémon Center (20) and Pikachu Fountain (10). That’s 15 Clay across two batches, with none left over for the Planter.
• Expect the first interaction to only take 1 Clay — don’t be surprised when Torchic only accepts one piece the first time. This is a tutorial step. All subsequent batches allow up to 10.
• Use multiple Burn Specialty Pokémon simultaneously — give Clay to Charmander and Torchic at the same time to double your output per session
• Use the Community Box shortcut — deposit Squishy Clay in a Community Box near your Burn Pokémon and they’ll process it passively, no dialogue required
• Farm the Pikachu Dream Island for bulk Clay once Dream Islands are unlocked — the cliff sections are packed with Clay blocks ideal for large-scale farming
• Set up habitats for Paldean Wooper or Clodsire near Bleak Beach’s swamp area for a passive Clay supply that trickles in while you play
• Set up a dedicated Torchic station near your Workbench — since Torchic needs time to bake, having everything nearby makes the process feel seamless
• Place your Workbench near Storage Boxes so Bricks are easy to access; for a full breakdown of storage options, see our guide to increasing storage in Pokémon Pokopia

While you’re building out your world and working through Pokémon requests, there are plenty of other systems worth mastering. Our Dream Islands guide is a great next stop — islands are the best source of bulk materials including Clay. And if you want to personalise Ditto while you play, check out the full Pokopia hairstyles list or our guide on how to change your appearance. For Switch 1 players hoping to join in, our Pokopia GameShare guide explains exactly how to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions