What are Gyms?
Pokémon Gyms are located all over Paldea, where trainers earn gym badges. The Gyms reflect what type of Pokémon the Gym Leader masters at.
You must finish a random Gym test by going to the front desk. Then, you face the Gym Leader in a Pokémon battle, and you must defeat their Pokémon to earn the Gym badges. You don’t battle other trainers in the Gym anymore.
The Gym leader masters 3 Pokémon of the same type. They will Terastilize their last Pokémon in the Pokémon battle. Be prepared to Terastilize your last Pokémon.
For example, in a Water Gym you will face a Gym Leader who uses 3-4 Water-Type Pokémon. You’ll earn the Water Gym’s badge if successful.
During the Gym Leader battle, your Pokémon will earn experience points and may learn new moves or even evolve. After the battle, you earn prize money and a TM. Your level scaling of catching Pokémon increases too.
Earning Gym Badges is part of your journey to becoming a champion and part of the Victory Road main quest, especially if you want to be "the very best like no one ever was".
Why is it important to do them in the right order?
Technically, you can do the gyms in any order. There is a recommended order based on the starter Pokémon you choose. Depending on your starter, some gyms may be easier than others.
Fuecoco can tackle most gyms because it’s a Fire-Type, but it may struggle against the Water gym, Cascarrafa. Fuecoco, as Skeledirge, can rapidly defeat the Ice Gym, Glaseado. Fuecoco’s weaknesses are Ground, Rock, and Water.
Sprigatito will struggle the most because it's a Grass-Type. I will be most useful against the Water Gym, Cascarrafa, as Water-Types are weak to Grass-Types. Sprigatito is weak to Bug, Fire, Flying, Poison and Ice-Type Pokémon.
Quaxly has decent coverage since it’s a Water-Type. It’s weaknesses are Grass, Electric, and Psychic-Types. It could defeat most gyms. However, it may struggle against the Grass Gym, Artazon, and the Electric Gym, Levincia. Quaxly, as a Quaquaval, will be weak against the Psychic Gym, Alfornada.
Here’s the best gym order based on their difficulty:
Cortondo Gym (Bug-type, Level 15 Pokémon)
The Cortondo Gym is the easiest gym to do.
You’ll face Gym Leader Katy, and her list of Pokémon are Bug-Types.
- Nymble, Bug, Level 14
- Tarountula, Bug, Level 14
- Teddiursa, Normal, Level 15
Before facing Gym Leader Katy, you must pass the Olive Oil Challenge. It’s a wacky challenge. The goal is to get the olive into the basket. Avoid the trainers blocking your way. It’s a super-easy challenge to complete.
Her Pokémon are weak to Fire, Flying, and Rock-Type Pokémon. Allow one of your Pokémon to learn flying moves like Wing Attack to 1-hit all her Pokémon. You can also use any Fire and Rock type move, such as Ember and Rock Tomb.
Advice
Bring Level 15 Pokémon.
Bring Fire, Flying, Rock-Type Pokémon to 1-hit all of Gym Leader Katy’s Pokémon.
Rewards:
- 2,700
- TM021 Pounce
- Catching Level 25 Pokémon will become easier, and they’ll listen to your commands.
Artazon Gym (Grass-type, Level 17)
2’nd easiest gym, You’ll face Gym Leader Brassius.
His list of Pokémon are Grass-Types:
- Petilil, Grass, Level 16
- Smoliv, Grass and Normal, Level 16
- Sudowoodo, Rock, Level 17
His Pokémon are extremely weak to Fire and Poison.
The Gym test here is Sunflora-Hide-and-Seek. Go to the Sunflora farm. The person there will tell you to gather 10 Sunflora to pass the test. There are lots of Sunflora, so explorel around Artazon City and catch them. They’ll follow you as you catch more.
Advice
Bring Level 17 Pokémon.
Bring Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison-Type Pokémon.
Early Pokémon, like Flechtling, can easily beat the Artazon gym using its Fire-Type attacks, especially when it’s evolved into a Fletchinder. Use moves like Flame Charge to get critical hits. Terastilize and use Acrobatics against Sudowoodo. You can use Fuecoco and try to teach it more powerful Fire-type moves to ace this gym.
Rewards:
- $3,060
- TM020 Trailblaze.
- Catching Level 30 Pokémon will become easier, and they’ll listen to your commands.
Levincia Gym (Electric-type, Level 24)
3’rd easiest gym, you’ll face Gym Leader Iono.
Her list of Pokémon are Electric-Type:
- Wattrel, Electric and Flying, Level 23
- Bellibolt, Electric, Level 23
- Luxio, Electric, Level 23
- Mismagius, Ghost, Level 24
Her Pokémon are inferior to Ground or Rock types.
The Gym test is to star in one of her streams. The game is about finding Director Clavell hiding in the photo.
This test is easy, as Director Clavell is terrible at blending in. Just remember the shirt he’s wearing before you start the test.
Another part of the test is to battle 2 trainers.
Advice:
Bring level 24 Pokémon.
Bing Ground, Rock, Fire, Dark, and Electric Type Pokémon. Catch Pokémon that can learn the moves Bulldoze, Earthquake, or Dig to knock out most of Iono’s Pokémon.
You will need a Pokémon to take out her Mismagius, as she will Terastilize it into an Electric-Type. Mismagius is a Ghost-Type and has the levitate ability. Bust out your Fire or Rock Pokémon to defeat it. Other reccomended Pokémon are Arcanine, Fuecoco, Donphan, Bonsly, Rockruff, and Nacli.
Rewards:
- $4,320
- TM048 Volt Switch
- Catching Level 35 Pokémon will become easier, and they’ll listen to your commands.
Cascarrafa Gym (Water-type, Level 30)
The 4'th gym, the Cascarrafa Gym, is a medium-level Gym battle.
You’ll face Gym Leader Kofu. His list of Pokémon are Water-Type:
- Veluza, Water and Psychic, Level 29,
- Wugtro, Water, Level 29
- Crabominable, Fighting and Ice, Level 30
When you arrive at Cascarrafa's Gym, you will run into a situation that turns into a Gym Test. You must bring Kofu’s wallet back to him. That’s the Gym Test. Deliver it to him at Porto Marinada, near the Pokémon battle arena. You’ll have to face Trainer Hugo to talk to Kofu. After returning Kofu’s wallet, he wants you to make a winning bid at the auction. Bid $45,00 and win. Go to the Casscarafa Gym.
After passing the gym test, you’ll have to battle Nemona before you battle Gym Leader Kofu.
Advice:
Bring level 30 Pokémon.
Bring Electric, Grass, Fairy, Flying, Psychic Pokémon. Pokémon like Scyther, Pawmot, and Pikachu will be useful because they can learn super-effective moves to defeat Veluza and Wugtro. Teach your Pokémon moves such as Trailblaze, Spark, Thunderwave, and Discharge to win.
Crabominable is Kofu’s last Pokémon, and he’ll Terastilize it into a Water-Type. Pawmot is highly effective against it because it can break through Crabominable’s Fighting-Type with electric moves.
Rewards:
- $5,400
- TM022 Chilling Water
- Catching Level 40 Pokémon will become easier, and they’ll listen to your commands.
Medali Gym (Normal-type, Level 36)
The 5’th Gym you should face is the Medali Gym.
You’ll face Gym Leader Larry.
His list of Pokémon are Normal-Type:
- Komala, Normal, Level 35
- Dudunsparce, Normal, Level 35
- Staraptor, Normal and Flying, Level 36
The Gym Battle is easy because Normal-Type Pokémon usually are the most inferior Pokémon out of all the types.
Medali Gym has one of the most annoying gym tests where you do a lot for simply answering a questionnaire. After interacting with the gym, go to the treasure eatery and order a secret recipe to pass the test. Here are the answers to pass when speaking to the waiter:
- Grilled Rice Balls
- Medium Serving
- Extra Crispy, Fire Blast Style
- Lemon
Advice:
Bring any type of Pokémon to face Gym Leader Larry. However, you should bring Fighting-type Pokémon as they have more super-effective moves. Lucario and Medicham are great examples.
Rewards:
- $6,480
- TM025 Facade
- Catching Level 40 Pokémon will become easier, and they’ll listen to your commands.
Montenerva Gym (Ghost-type, Level 45)
The 6’th Gym you should face is the Montenerva Gym.
This is one of the hardest gyms to beat because you participate in double-battling Gym Leader Ryme.
This means you have a team of 2 Pokémon in battle fighting against another pair.
Her list of Pokémon Ghost-Type are:
- Banette, Ghost, Level 41
- Mimikyu, Ghost and Fairy, Level 41
- Houndstone, Ghost, Level 41
- Toxtricity, Poison and Electric, Level 42
The Motenerva Gym test requires you to defeat 3 trainers in double battles. All the trainers will have Ghost-Type Pokeémon. It’s not the easiest Gym Test, as it's intense.
Advice:
Bring Level 45 Pokémon.
Bring Dark, Ghost, Poison, Steel, Fire, and Electric Pokémon. Dark moves like Crunch and Dark Pulse are super effective on Ghost Types. Have Ghost-Types as backups, as moves like Shadow Ball are effective against ghosts.
Other recommended Pokémon are Haunter, Lyranoc, Houndoom, Skeledirge, and Revaroom.Have a Revaroom go against Toxtricity, as Revaroom is immune to poison.
Ryme will Terastilize Toxtricity. Use Dark Moves like Crunch or Flamethrower to knock it out quickly. Have a Pokémon immune to Toxtricity’s electric and poison moves.
Rewards
- $7,560
- TM114 Shadow Ball
- Catching Level 50 Pokémon will become easier, and they’ll listen to your commands.
Alfornada Gym (Psychic-type, Level 50)
The Alfornada Gym should be your 7’th gym. It has one of the most annoying gym tests.
You’ll face Gym Leader Tulip.
Her list of Pokémon are Psychic-Type:
- Farigaf, Normal and Psychic, Level 44
- Gardevoir, Psychic and Fairy, Level 44
- Espathra, Psychic, Level 44
- Florges, Fairy, Level 45
The Gym Test is the Emotional Spectrum Practice taught by Dendra. You copy the emotion by pressing the correct buttons, and then you’ll battle other trainers throughout.
Advice:
Bring Level 50 Pokémon.
Bring Bug, Dark, Ghost, Poison, and Steel Pokémon. Psychic and Fairy-Type Pokémon have a hard time against Dark, Ghost, and Steel Pokémon. Teach your Pokémon moves like Dark Pulse, Shadow Ball, and Flash Canon to wipe out Tulip’s Pokémon easily.
Tulip will Terastilize Florges into a Psychic-Type. Use super effective moves like Shadow Ball, Foul Play, or Dark Pulse to get a critical hit.
Rewards:
- $8,100
- TM120 Psychic
- Catching Level 50 Pokémon will become easier, and they’ll listen to your commands.
Glaseado Gym (Ice-type, Level 50)
The Glaseado gym should be the last gym you should do. You’ll face Gym Leader Grusha.
Her list of Pokémon are Ice-Type:
- Frosmoth, Ice and Bug, Level 47
- Beartic, Ice, Level 47
- Cetitian, Ice, Level 47
- Altaria, Dragon and Flying, Level 47
The Gym Test is a Slope Run. You must reach the finish line as fast as possible under the target time and pass through all the goal lines.
Advice:
Bring Level 50 Pokémon.
Bring lots of strong Fire Type Pokémon. If you had a Fuecoco, it would be Skeledirge in this Gym Battle. Wipe out her entire team with powerful Fire-Type moves like Flamethrower, Heat Wave, Fire Blast, and Overheat.
Pokémon like Talonflame, Arcanine, and Houndoom are perfect examples if you don't have Skeledirge.
Grusha will Terastilize her Altaria to an Ice-Type. Burn it with 110/85 moves such as Fire Blast.
Rewards:
- $8,640
- TM124 Ice Spinner
- Like previous generations, once you beat all 8 Gyms, you can catch all Pokémon and they’ll listen to your commands.
Useful information after beating all 8 gyms:
After beating Glaseado, or your last Gym, Geeta prompts you to attempt the Pokémon League.
So congratulations on achieving all your 8 Gym Badges trainer!
To view all of your Gym Badges, view the Map and hover over the Gyms. There should be a badge icon indicating you defeated the gym.
Thanks for reading!
