Eight Gym Leaders, eight Badges, and an order that changes depending on your version: in Platinum, Fantina moves from fifth place to third. Here is every Sinnoh Gym with the Leader’s team in your version, the recommended level and the best way to win.
Each Badge raises the level up to which traded Pokémon will obey you, and lets you use an HM outside of battle. Each Gym Leader also gives you a TM, often very useful later on.
Teams are displayed according to the version selected at the top of the page. The other Trainers in each Gym are detailed in the matching step of the walkthrough.
- 1
RoarkOreburgh CityCoal BadgeRock - 2
GardeniaEterna CityForest BadgeGrass - 3
MayleneVeilstone CityCobble BadgeFighting - 4
Crasher WakePastoria CityFen BadgeWater - 5
FantinaHearthome CityRelic BadgeGhost - 6
ByronCanalave CityMine BadgeSteel - 7
CandiceSnowpoint CityIcicle BadgeIce - 8
VolknerSunyshore CityBeacon BadgeElectric
- 1RoarkOreburgh CityCoal BadgeRock
- 2GardeniaEterna CityForest BadgeGrass
- 3FantinaHearthome CityRelic BadgeGhost
- 4MayleneVeilstone CityCobble BadgeFighting
- 5Crasher WakePastoria CityFen BadgeWater
- 6ByronCanalave CityMine BadgeSteel
- 7CandiceSnowpoint CityIcicle BadgeIce
- 8VolknerSunyshore CityBeacon BadgeElectric
The order follows your version: in Platinum, Fantina becomes the third Gym Leader, before Maylene and Crasher Wake.
| Badge | HM outside battle | TM given |
|---|---|---|
| Coal (Roark) | Rock Smash | TM76 Stealth Rock |
| Forest (Gardenia) | Cut | TM86 Grass Knot |
| Cobble (Maylene) | Fly | TM60 Drain Punch |
| Fen (Crasher Wake) | Defog (D/P), Surf (Pt) | TM55 Brine |
| Relic (Fantina) | Surf (D/P), Defog (Pt) | TM65 Shadow Claw |
| Mine (Byron) | Strength | TM91 Flash Cannon |
| Icicle (Candice) | Rock Climb | TM72 Avalanche |
| Beacon (Volkner) | Waterfall | TM57 Charge Beam |
🪨Roark, Oreburgh City (Rock)
Roark
📍 Oreburgh GymRock
- Rock Throw
- Stealth Rock
Ability: Rock Head
- Rock Throw
- Stealth Rock
- Screech
Ability: Rock Head
- Headbutt
- Pursuit
- Leer
Ability: Mold Breaker
Turtwig and Piplup win easily with Vine Whip or Bubble. Chimchar needs to become Monferno (level 14) to learn Mach Punch.
Cranidos, his ace, has a fearsome Attack: even its Headbutt hurts. Don’t let it strike first.
🌿Gardenia, Eterna City (Grass)
Gardenia
📍 Eterna GymGrass
- Grass Knot
- Leech Seed
- Safeguard
- Growth
Ability: Chlorophyll
- Grass Knot
- Razor Leaf
- Withdraw
- Reflect
Ability: Overgrow
- Grass Knot
- Magical Leaf
- Stun Spore
- Poison Sting
Ability: Natural CureItem: Sitrus Berry
Fire and Flying dominate: Monferno, Staravia or a Burmy. Roserade, her ace, holds a Sitrus Berry, hits with Grass Knot and can paralyze with Stun Spore: hit hard and fast.
🥊Maylene, Veilstone City (Fighting)
Maylene
📍 Veilstone GymFighting
- Drain Punch
- Confusion
- Meditate
- Detect
Ability: Pure Power
- Brick Break
- Rock Tomb
- Foresight
- Leer
Ability: Guts
- Drain Punch
- Metal Claw
- Force Palm
- Bone Rush
Ability: SteadfastItem: Sitrus Berry
Flying and Psychic are your weapons: Staraptor, Kadabra or Alakazam. Lucario, her ace, is also Steel: Flying and Psychic only deal normal damage to it, so go for Fire, Ground or Fighting. Its Drain Punch restores its HP.
🌊Crasher Wake, Pastoria City (Water)
Crasher Wake
📍 Pastoria GymWater
- Brine
- Dragon Rage
- Bite
- Swagger
Ability: Intimidate
- Mud Bomb
- Mud Sport
- Slam
- Tail Whip
Ability: Damp
- Brine
- Ice Fang
- Pursuit
- Swift
Ability: Swift SwimItem: Sitrus Berry
Electric and Grass. Watch out for Quagsire (Water and Ground), which is immune to Electric and only truly hurt by Grass (four times over). In Platinum, his team gains six levels.
👻Fantina, Hearthome City (Ghost)
Fantina
📍 Hearthome GymGhost
- Ominous Wind
- Minimize
- Gust
- Astonish
Ability: Aftermath
- Confuse Ray
- Shadow Claw
- Poison Jab
- Spite
Ability: Levitate
- Confuse Ray
- Psybeam
- Shadow Ball
- Magical Leaf
Ability: LevitateItem: Sitrus Berry
Dark is ideal: Honchkrow, Mightyena or Purugly with Bite. Avoid Normal and Fighting Pokémon, which can’t hit Ghost types. Mismagius, her ace, uses Shadow Ball and spreads confusion with Confuse Ray.
In Platinum, Fantina is the third Gym Leader and her team is around level 25; in Diamond and Pearl, she is the fifth, at around level 35.
⚙️Byron, Canalave City (Steel)
Byron
📍 Canalave GymSteel
- Flash Cannon
- Extrasensory
- Hypnosis
- Confuse Ray
Ability: Levitate
- Ice Fang
- Dragon Breath
- Gyro Ball
- Sandstorm
Ability: Sturdy
- Flash Cannon
- Ancient Power
- Iron Defense
- Rest
Ability: SturdyItem: Chesto Berry
Fire, Fighting and Ground. Bastiodon (Rock and Steel) is four times weak to Fighting and Ground, but resists almost everything else. Beware of Bronzor (Diamond and Pearl): its Ability Levitate can make it immune to Ground.
❄️Candice, Snowpoint City (Ice)
Candice
📍 Snowpoint GymIce
- Ice Shard
- Leer
- Ingrain
- Razor Leaf
Ability: Snow Warning
- Detect
- Force Palm
- Bulk Up
- Ice Punch
Ability: Pure Power
- Avalanche
- Feint Attack
- Taunt
- Slash
Ability: Inner Focus
- Avalanche
- Wood Hammer
- Grass Whistle
- Swagger
Ability: Snow WarningItem: Sitrus Berry
- Avalanche
- Hail
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
Ability: Oblivious
- Avalanche
- Focus Blast
- Wood Hammer
- Water Pulse
Ability: Snow Warning
- Aerial Ace
- Ice Shard
- Feint Attack
- Slash
Ability: Keen Eye
- Shadow Ball
- Blizzard
- Psychic
- Double Team
Ability: Snow CloakItem: Sitrus Berry
Fire, Fighting, Rock and Steel. Abomasnow summons hail with its Ability and is four times weak to Fire. In Platinum, Froslass (Ice and Ghost) brings up the rear: Fire, Rock, Steel or Dark.
⚡Volkner, Sunyshore City (Electric)
Volkner
📍 Sunyshore GymElectric
- Thunder Wave
- Light Screen
- Charge Beam
- Brick Break
Ability: Static
- Shock Wave
- Baton Pass
- Agility
- Nasty Plot
Ability: Technician
- Thunder Wave
- Crunch
- Charge Beam
- Thunder Fang
Ability: RivalryItem: Sitrus Berry
- Octazooka
- Bullet Seed
- Charge Beam
- Aurora Beam
Ability: Sniper
- Thunder Wave
- Quick Attack
- Iron Tail
- Charge Beam
Ability: Volt Absorb
- Focus Blast
- Quick Attack
- Signal Beam
- Charge Beam
Ability: Static
- Thunder Fang
- Fire Fang
- Ice Fang
- Crunch
Ability: Rivalry
- Thunder Punch
- Fire Punch
- Giga Impact
- Quick Attack
Ability: Motor DriveItem: Sitrus Berry
Ground, which is immune to Electric. In Diamond and Pearl, Ambipom and Octillery complicate things; in Platinum, the team is entirely Electric, with Electivire at level 50.
📊Recommended levels, Gym Leader by Gym Leader
🔁Rematches
In Platinum, after the League, the Gym Leaders and the Trainers who accompanied you gather at the Battle Café in the Survival Area, with Pokémon at levels 60 to 65. See step 35.
In Diamond and Pearl, Gym Leaders don’t accept rematches. To face stronger Trainers, head to the Battle Zone after the League.
Next up: the Elite Four and Cynthia.
