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Section IV.
Gym Leaders
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Gym Leader I: Roxanne
Leader's Pokemon type: Rock, Ground
Reccomended types: Water, Grass, Fighting
Reccomended Level: 14
Types you shouldn't use: Flying, Fire, Bug, Normal
Difficulty with reccomended types: ** (out of five stars)
Difficulty without reccomended types: **** (also out of five stars)

When you win: You recieve the Stone Badge, which raises your Pokemon's attack,
and you are now allowed to use HM01: Cut. You also are awarded TM39, which is
Rock Tomb, a great attack early on in the game.
-----------------------

-----------------------
Roxanne's Pokemon:
-----------------------
1. Geodude
Level: 12
Type: Rock/Ground
Attacks: Tackle, Defense Curl, Rock Throw, Rock Tomb

2. Geodude
Level: 12
Type: Rock/Ground
Attacks: Tackle, Defense Curl, Rock Throw, Rock Tomb

3. Nosepass
Level: 15
Type: Rock
Attacks: Block, Harden, Tackle, Rock Tomb
------------------------

Information: Those who played the Red and Blue versions know about Brock, the
very first gym leader in those games. If you chose Squirtle or Bulbasaur, the
battle would be simple. Even his powerful Onix couldn't stand against a well
trained Squirtle or Bulbasaur at at least level 11. It's basically the same
story here. Roxanne's favor in Rock Pokemon gives you either a very easy win,
or a potentially difficult battle.

Quick Advice: Unless you're in a hurry, NEVER skip the battles with the Gym
Leader's trainers. They provide excellent experience and will give you an idea
of how well you will do against the leader.

Strategy: If you picked up Mudkip or Treeko, you should level them up to

about level 10. By then Mudkip will gain the ability water Gun, and Treeko
will have learned Absorb at level 6. Sending them on a full frontal assult on
Roxanne's Pokemon will assure victory, but just be sure to save some potions
for the battle. Some people, however, don't like packing all the experience in
to their starter, so even if you chose the water or grass starting Pokemon,
you may want to pick up a Shroomish or Lotad and train them. Their evolutions
become quite powerful in time. If you picked my personal favorite starter,
Torchic, things aren't as bad as you might think. Nintendo decided to be nice
and allow you to catch a water type Pokemon right away in the game, which
goes by the name of Wingull, so either way this battle can become quite easy.
Same goes for Lotad and Shroomish. However, Torchic may miss out on some great
experience, which is bad. What I like to do is train Torchic for a while, yeah
it's a bit boring, to level 15 or 16 (which will make him evolve), and then
take on the Gym Leader, which will make things pretty simple. If you don't
have the patience for such a thing, send out your Torchic on the two Youngster
s before the leader, and take them down, healing after every battle, and
carefully take on Roxanne with your Shroomish, Lotad, or Wingull, but be sure
to train them or they will bet beat down by Nosepass's Rock Tomb attack. On
another note, if you do decide to evolve your Torchic into Combusken, it will
learn Double Kick, which will obliterate Roxanne's Pokemon. Every one of
Roxanne's Pokemon has a powerful rock move, so quick-hitting and caution is
the key to victory.

-----------------------
Gym Leader II: Brawly
Leader's Pokemon type: Fighting
Reccomended types: Flying, Psychic
Reccomended Level: 17
Types you shouldn't use: Normal, Rock
Difficulty with reccomended types: * (out of five stars)
Difficulty without reccomended types: *** (also out of five stars)

When you win: You get the Knuckle Badge, which makes traded Pokemon up to
level 30 obey you, and you are now able to use HM05: flash outside of battle.
You also get TM08, which is Bulk Up, which is a good attack for fighters that
raises both their attack and defense.
-----------------------

-----------------------
Brawly's Pokemon:
-----------------------
1. Machop
Level: 16
Type: Fighting
Attacks: Karate Chop, Low Kick, Seismic Toss, Bulk Up

2. Meditite
Level: 16
Type: Fighting/Psychic
Attacks: Focus Punch, Reflect, Light Screen, Bulk Up

3. Makuhita
Level: 19
Type: Fighting
Attacks: Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, Reversal, Bulk Up
------------------------

Information: Fighting types are about as physical as you can get. With outrage
ous attack power and excellent speed, they take down unsuspecting opponents in
a flash. Few Pokemon have the defense to withstand a fighting type of a
higher level, but quite simply, if you train against his trainers and do well,
Brawly will be easy. The gym is covered in darkness, and you can only bring
light in by defeating the trainers, but even when you know where the Leader is
hiding, make sure to battle every trainer to guarentee tons of experience and
money.

Strategy: If you picked up a Taillow and raised it to at least level 15,

you're in luck. Taillow's flying attacks will take down Machop and Makuhita
without too much effort. Brawly's Pokemon simply cannot stand up to Taillow's
Wing Attack. Ralts is an excellent bet too, but Ralts is very rare, and tough
to train, not to mention it can't attack for a few levels. What could be done
is you can catch one on Route 102 (it will take some time to find), and put it
out into battle and bring it back right away to get half the experience.
Ralts learns Confusion at level 6, so it can train itself once you get it
there. Fighting Pokemon have abominable Special Defense, so a couple powerful
Confusion attacks will bring Brawly's Pokemon down. Granite cave exists just
outside Dewford, and if you get lucky you can catch an Abra, which grow
extremely fast and can learn a multitude of attacks. Once evolved into
Kadabra at level 16, Brawly won't stand a chance. The most straightfoward
strategy is to just level your starter to a good number (around 17 at least to
assure that it evolves) and pound Brawly into the dirt with special attacks
from your starter.

-----------------------
Gym Leader III: Wattson
Leader's Pokemon type: Electric, Steel
Reccomended types: Fire, Ground, Fighting
Reccomended Level: 20
Types you shouldn't use: Water, Psychic
Difficulty with reccomended types: * (out of five stars)
Difficulty without reccomended types: ***** (also out of five stars)

When you win: You recieve the Dynamo Badge, which raises your Pokemon's speed,
and you are now allowed to use HM06: Rock Smash outside of battle. You also
are awarded TM 34, which is Shock Wave, an attack that never misses.
-----------------------

-----------------------
Wattson's Pokemon:
-----------------------
1. Voltorb
Level: 20
Type: Electric
Attacks: Rollout, Spark, Selfdestruct, Shock Wave

2. Electrike
Level: 20
Type: Electric
Attacks: Shock Attack, Quick Attack, Leer, Howl

3. Magneton
Level: 22
Type: Electric/Steel
Attacks: Supersonic, Shock Wave, Thunder Wave, Sonicboom

4. Manectric
Level: 24
Type: Electric
Attacks: Quick Attack, Shock Wave, Thunder Wave, Howl
------------------------

Information: Electric and Steel is a dealy combination and the dual types and
the previously mild Magnamite and its evolution Magneton have become insanely
deadly. At this point in the game, 20 hit points is still quite a bit, and the
Sonicboom attacks Wattson's Pokemon use are still deadly, especially for
Pokemon with low HP like Kababra. You can use the added steel type to your
advantage by throwing in a fire type as well to take care of Magneton.

Strategy: Without a Ground or Fire or Fighting type this battle becomes hard.
Very hard. Well, if you started off with Torchic it will no doubt be a
Combusken now, though unfortunately it probably only has Ember still. If you
picked up an Aron or Geodude in Granite cave and you raised it you should be
in good shape. If you chose Mudkip you are most likely, believe in or not,
in excellent shape. By now you should have evolved him into Marshtomp who
has a resistance to Electric attacks! Treeko isn't directly weak against the
electric types, in fact electricity is weak against grass types, but grass
moves are weak against steel, which creates a problem when facing Magneton.
Wattson's Voltorb, knows Rollout, a deadly rock attack that becomes nearly
impossible to beat when it gets fully powered so knock it out fast. Voltorb
also knows Sonicboom so watch out for that. As always, stock yourself with
tons of Potions and Super Potions, but with a ground Pokemon like Marshtomp
or Aron you will have no problems, even if they are low levels, but again I
caution you about Sonicboom, at this stage it is very powerful still.

-----------------------
Gym Leader IV: Flannery
Leader's Pokemon type: Fire
Reccomended types: Water, Ground, Rock
Reccomended Level: 24
Types you shouldn't use: Grass, Bug, Steel
Difficulty with reccomended types: * (out of five stars)
Difficulty without reccomended types: **** (also out of five stars)

When you win: Flannery gives you the Heat Badge, Pokemon listen to you up to
level 50, and you can use HM04: Strength outside of battle. TM50 is granted to
you, and is called Overheat, one of the strongest moves in the game, but it
greatly reduces your Pokemon's Special Attack every time you use it.
-----------------------

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Flannery's Pokemon:
-----------------------
1. Numel
Level: 24
Type: Fire/Ground
Attacks: Overheat, Take Down, Magnitude, Sunny Day

2. Camerupt
Level: 26
Type: Fire
Attacks: Overheat, Take down, Sunny Day, Attract

3. Slugma
Level: 24
Type: Fire
Attacks: Overheat, Smog, Light Screen, Sunny Day

4. Torkoal
Level: 29
Type: Fire
Attacks: Overheat, Sunny Day, Body Slam, Attract
------------------------

Information: After a long break between the third and fourth gym leaders, it's
time to fight once again. Flannery controls fire types, but that is to your
advantage if you have a water, ground, or rock type. If you are arrogant
enough to send out a bug, grass, or steel type, Flannery will wipe them away
without any effort at all.

Strategy: Flannery's Pokemon are all slow, and that is the key to victory.
She loves to use Overheat, a move I wouldn't reccomend using all that much
once you win (of course you're going to win!) and it does a nifty amount of
damage, and every single one of her Pokemon know the move. Combined with
Sunny Day, Overheat will most likely destroy any of your Pokemon, so be aware
of that. If you began with Mudkip, toss him out and use Water Gun (heck even
Mud-Slap would work) to take down her flaming Pokemon. If you still have that
Geodude, it would do well in this gym. Under no circumstances should you ever
take out Treeko or any grass types. Same goes for any steel or bug Pokemon. I
assure you they will get fried instantly. One extremely key point about this
battle is try to avoid using male Pokemon when fighting Torkoal. It has the
Attract ability, and I promise you it's a real pain to deal with. When under
the influence of Attract, there is a 50% chance you will be unable to attack,
which leaves you open for an attack like Overheat. Nasty combination. If
you've spent time fighting the lackeys in this gym, you'll find that many of
them use the same Pokemon and if you can handle them, Flannery should be
alright. Like I keep saying, never skip out on fighting them, as they are a
really good indicator of how you are going to do, plus they are a great source
of experience.

-----------------------
Gym Leader V: Norman
Leader's Pokemon type: Normal
Reccomended types: Fighting
Reccomended Level: 29
Types you shouldn't use: None
Difficulty with reccomended types: *** (out of five stars)
Difficulty without reccomended types: ***** (also out of five stars)

When you win: You get the Balance Badge, which increases the Defense of your
Pokemon. you can now use HM03: Surf, outside of battle. Your TM is TM42,
called Facade, a strong attack that doubles in power if you are poisoned,
paralyzed, or burned. Not bad, eh?
-----------------------

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Norman's Pokemon:
-----------------------
1. Spinda
Level: 27
Type: Normal
Attacks: Teeter Dance, Facade, Psybeam, Encore

2. Vigoroth
Level: 27
Type: Normal
Attacks: Slash, Facade, Encore, Faint Attack

3. Linoone
Level: 29
Type: Normal
Attacks: Slash, Belly Drum, Facade, Headbutt

4. Slaking
Level: 31
Type: Normal
Attacks: Counter, Facade, Yawn, Faint Attack
------------------------

Information: So you finally fight your dad. Now I know that when you first
came to this gym in the beginning of the game, you wanted to fight him. It's
probably a good thing you didn't....this guy is strong. Slaking, if used right
is a tank that will scare the pants off you. It has stats close to the
legendary Pokemon. Yikes....Fortunately, it can attack only once every two,
which saves your hide. Norman's gym decided it wanted to be weird, and you get
to enter rooms that have focus on a particular trait. Never be like them. You
need balance on a team, so it's ironic that in the gym where you get the
balance badge, most of the trainers focus on one stat. Every trainer starts
off with an item (like X Attack) which gives you a free hit. Use this to your
advantage, and fight as many trainers as possible, healing after each one.
You will need the experience believe me.

Strategy: Oddly enough, Norman begins the battle with a Spinda. Spinda has
Teeter Dance, an annyoing as heck move that will confuse your Pokemon.
Dispose of this lightweight as fast as possible. A strong fighting type
Pokemon is definately needed here, and if you don't have one, seriously
consider getting one. It will come in handy for the Elite Four as well.
Spinda also has Psybeam, which is bad for Fighters, but it won't damage an
experienced Fighting Pokemon very much. Vigoroth is pretty easy to handle as
well. It has Facade, so don't poison, paralyze, or burn it, or else it will
double in power. Linoone uses Belly Drum to max out its attack, but it cuts
its HP in half, and a strong attack will finish it off. Problem solved. The
level 31 Slaking is a beast. If you don't have complete confidence in your
Fighter, be very careful. Low Kick does great against Slaking's heavy weight,
but if Slaking uses Counter, it will likely kill you if you didn't finish him
off. Slaking only attacks once every other turn, so use the extra time to your
advantage.

-----------------------
Gym Leader VI: Winona
Leader's Pokemon type: Flying
Reccomended types: Electric, Ice, Rock
Reccomended Level: 30
Types you shouldn't use: Grass, Fighting, Bug, Psychic, Ground
Difficulty with reccomended types: * (out of five stars)
Difficulty without reccomended types: *** (also out of five stars)

When you win: The interesting Gym Leader grants you the Feather Badge, which
makes traded Pokemon obey you until level 70, and you can now use HM02: Fly
outside of battle. TM40 (Aerial Ace) is given to you, which is an attack that
never misses.
-----------------------

-----------------------
Winona's Pokemon:
-----------------------
1. Swablu
Level: 29
Type: Normal/Flying
Attacks: Perish Song, Mirror Move, Safeguard, Aerial Ace

2. Tropius
Level: 29
Type: Grass/Flying
Attacks: Sunny Day, Mirror Move, Solarbeam, Synthesis

3. Pelipper
Level: 30
Type: Water/Flying
Attacks: Water Gun, Supersonic, Protect, Aerial Ace

4. Skarmory
Level: 31
Type: Flying/Steel
Attacks: Sand-Attack, Steel Wing, Fury Attack, Aerial Ace

5. Altaria
Level: 33
Type: Dragon/Flying
Attacks: Earthquake, Dragon Dance, Dragonbreath, Aerial Ace
------------------------

Information: Winona is a bird master, and the first gym leader specializing
in Flying types since the first gym leader of Pokemon Gold/Silver. The
structure of the gym is different, and you must rotate the trainers and step
on warp pads to get through the gym. After a few doors the puzzle gets a
little tricky but it takes a couple minutes at most to get through the doors.

Strategy: With a flying gym leader the first thought that should pop into
anyone's head is electricity. Unfortunately it isn't quite that simple here,
but if you have an electric type it will easily dispose of Swablu, Skarmary,
and Pelipper. An ice type here would be a godsend, and should be used to take
out Tropius and Altaria. Altaria's attacks are pretty powerful, especially
with Earthquake, which Electric type's fear. Another powerful, but possibly
risky strategy is to use Rollout, if you have it, and build power. Once strong
enough it should take out basically all of Winona's Pokemon easily. Use your
head, and this battle should an easier battle, and although it's obvious
advice, I'll say it anyway...NEVER use a fighting type in this gym.

-----------------------
Gym Leader VII: Liza and Tate
Leader's Pokemon type: Psychic/Rock
Reccomended types: Water, Grass, Dark
Reccomended Level: 36
Types you shouldn't use: Fire, Fighting, Bug, Normal
Difficulty with reccomended types: **** (out of five stars)
Difficulty without reccomended types: ***** (also out of five stars)
When you win: The twins will grant you the Mind Badge (they're really
creative with the badge names are they?), which raises your Pokemon's Special
Attack and Special Defense. You can use HM08: Dive outside of battle now.
Your TM is Calm Mind (TM04), a good move for phychic Pokemon.
-----------------------

-----------------------
Liza and Tate's Pokemon:
-----------------------
1. Claydol
Level: 41
Type: Ground/Psychic
Attacks: Earthquake, Psychic, Ancientpower, Light Screen

2. Xatu
Level: 41
Type: Psychic/Flying
Attacks: Psychic, Sunny Day, Confuse Ray, Calm Mind

3. Lunatone
Level: 42
Type: Psychic/Rock
Attacks: Light Screen, Psychic, Hypnosis, Calm Mind

4. Solrock
Level: 42
Type: Psychic/Rock
Attacks: Sunny Day, Solarbeam, Psychic, Flamethrower
------------------------

Information: My favorite Gym Leaders, simply because of the 2 vs. 2 duel, are
called Liza and Tate. They think they specialize in Psychic types, but their
Pokemon are rock dual-types and rock is very simple to overcome. Nevertheless
this battle is fun, but getting to the leaders is not fun at all. You are
forced to navigate yourself through arrows and sliding floors with switches
to reverse the arrows. Fight as many trainers as you can, as I always say, to
get good experience. If your starter hasn't evolved yet, or your highest level
hasn't reached 36 make sure to train to get there, or when the last gym
leader, Juan, comes about, you will run into major trouble.

Strategy: Oh man. These two have been revamped big time since Ruby and
Sapphire. Remember when it was only Lunaton and Solrock? Yeah, not anymore.
This is a battle that is truly worthy of the title "second-to-last" gym
leader. Xatu and Claydol get sent out first, and each have some nasty attacks.
Though rare, a Dark type would help you out immensely in this battle, and it
would make it seem not so hard. Claydol has Earthquake, which will do a ton
of damage to even higher leveled Pokemon. Xatu has Confuse Ray which can make
things difficult, but switching out Pokemon is the remedy to that. Once you
take care of one or both of them, Lunaton and Solrock pop out. Thanks to
their rock types, grass and water types have the advantage here. If Xatu used
Sunny Day, use that to your advantage if you have Solarbeam and use it.
Solrock may also use it, but it too has Solarbeam and will cause massive
damage to water types, and if you have Swampert Solarbeam will do quadruple
damage to it. Not good. If necessary you can fight this classic RPG style,
and have one Pokemon heal with items and use the other as a tank or sweeper.
This battle is tough and if you breezed through it great job, but if you
didn't don't be discouraged and keep trying, hopefully with a better strategy.
-----------------------
Gym Leader VI: Juan
Leader's Pokemon type: Water
Reccomended types: Electric, Grass, Fighting
Reccomended Level: 44-45
Types you shouldn't use: Ground, Water, Rock, Fire, Dragon
Difficulty with reccomended types: **** (out of five stars)
Difficulty without reccomended types: ***** (also out of five stars)

When you win: Juan gives up the Rain Badge which makes Pokemon of all
levels obey your command, and allows you to use HM07: Waterfall outside of
battle. You get TM03, Water Pulse, as a prize. This attack has average power
but may confuse the opponent.
-----------------------

-----------------------
Juan's Pokemon:
-----------------------
1. Luvdisc
Level: 41
Type: Water
Attacks: Water Pulse, Attract, Sweet Kiss, Flail

2. Whiscash
Level: 41
Type: Ground/Water
Attacks: Rain Dance, Amnesia, Water Pulse, Earthquake

3. Sealeo
Level: 43
Type: Ice/Water
Attacks: Encore, Aurora Beam, Body Slam, Water Pulse

4. Crawdaunt
Level: 43
Type: Water/Dark
Attacks: Water Pulse, Crabhammer, Taunt, Leer
------------------------

Information: Well we're finally on the final gym leader (yay), but Juan
thinks he's funny and decides to make the path to him covered with thin ice.
Step on a tile more than once and you fall and are forced to fight a trainer.
My reccomendation: fall purposely and fight all the trainers. After you do,
go heal at the Center and follow these instructions to get to the leader:

Ice Floor 1: This is one pretty easy. Once you step on the first tile, go
right, up, left, left, up, right, and up to get off the first set.

Ice Floor 2: I actually had fun with this one. One you enter the room full of
ice head left, left, left, up, up, right, right, down, right, right, right,
down, right, up, up, up, left, left, left, up.

Ice Floor 3: This one is a doozy. Once you step onto the first platform head
right, right, up, right, right, down, right, up, upp, up, left, left, down,
left, up, left, down, down, left, left, down, left, up, left, down, left, up,
left, up, up, right, down, right, up, right, down, right, up, right, up.

Phew....Well anyway Juan is ready for you. Hopefully you picked up Rayquaza.
Lemme tell you, during the Elite Four he is probably your strongest ally.
Well now onto the leader Juan.

Strategy: This is the final gym, so it won't be easy (you weren't thinking
that were you?), so even though Juan's type is as simplistic as "water" it
will be a daunting task to defeat him. He has very high levels, and if you
have any trouble at all with him, the Elite Four will make short work of your
team. In other words, this battle is a good indication of how well you'll do
once you get to the Elite Four. Juan's first Pokemon is Luvdisc, a sad excuse
for a Pokemon that can easily be defeated, but do it with a Pokemon other
than your main power Pokemon. Why? Well Luvdisc has some nasty status inducing
spells that are easily cured when switching out. Trash this loser and lets
move on to Whiscash. With the same dual-type as Swampert, Whiscash has no
weaknesses except for grass which does 4x damage. Dispose of it quickly
before it gets out Earthquake or Rain Dance. Sealeo's only real weakness is
fighing and so you should use some strong attacks against it, and same goes
for Crawdaunt, which has two water attacks, but Crawdaunt's Special Attack is
so bad that it won't do much. A strong fighting attack will take care of it.
If a Pokemon managed to use Rain Dance and you have a Pokemon with Thunder,
use it to your advantage against Luvdisc, Sealeo, and Crawdaunt. Finally
there's Kingdra. Kingdra's only weakness are Dragon attacks, none of which
are very powerful, so use your Pokemon that isn't weak against Ice or Water
to finish it off. This battle, like the previous gym battle, is tough and
don't be afraid to use as many potions as needed and make sure to stock up on
a lot of them to begin with. On a final note, if you caught the Level 70
Rayquaza, you can use it if needed but I wouldn't reccomend it because your
other Pokemon need experience, and it's kind of cheap, but like I said, if
you need Rayquaza don't be afraid to use him.