The last four Gyms of the Gym Leader Castle are the toughest before the Elite Four: Fuchsia City (Koga), Saffron City (Sabrina), Cinnabar Island (Blaine) and Viridian City (Giovanni). The rules are the ones from the first page: all Pokémon are allowed, opponents are level 50 or at the level of your highest-level Pokémon, and you can change teams at the foot of each tower. The tables below give each Trainer’s team in Rounds 1 and 2.
Fuchsia City Gym: Koga (Soul Badge)
Koga’s Gym mixes Poison and Bug: Venomoth, Muk, Weezing, Venonat, Nidorina and Nidorino make up the Gym Leader’s team in Round 1. In Round 1, Bug hits 19 of the Gym’s 24 Pokémon for double damage, and Psychic hits 14. In Round 2, there are two newcomers: Hypno with Counter, and above all Parasect with Spore, a very accurate sleep move. The Tamer, the Juggler and the Biker change order: the Juggler moves up to the front.
Saffron City is the Gym of Psychic and Ghost Pokémon. Sabrina plays Alakazam, Kadabra, Mr. Mime, Hypno, Exeggutor and Jynx in Round 1. Hypno knows Hypnosis and Dream Eater, a combo that punishes a sleeping Pokémon, and Jynx knows Lovely Kiss. In Round 2, Sabrina replaces Kadabra and Jynx with Snorlax and Wigglytuff, and Exeggutor knows Explosion. Among the disciples, the Channeler lines up Gastly, Haunter and Gengar; the Rocker lines up Dragonair, Primeape, Dewgong, Mankey, Machop and either a Rhyhorn or a Rhydon (sources disagree).
Exeggutor.Snorlax.Wigglytuff.
Round 1
Rank
Trainer
Team (level 50 or higher, see the rules)
Watch out for
Disciple 1
Rocker
Dragonair, Primeape, Dewgong, Mankey, Machop, and an uncertain sixth Pokémon (Rhydon or Rhyhorn depending on the sources)
Alakazam, Snorlax, Mr. Mime, Hypno, Exeggutor, Wigglytuff
Explosion or Self-Destruct: Exeggutor; Sleep: Hypno
Cinnabar Island Gym: Blaine (Volcano Badge)
Blaine leads a fire team, but without going overboard: Charizard, Arcanine, Rapidash, Magmar, Clefable and Kangaskhan in Round 1. Rapidash knows Horn Drill there, an instant-KO move. Charizard knows Earthquake and Fly, a move that hits Grass, Fighting and Bug types, and Kangaskhan has Surf. In Round 2, Blaine adds Tangela and Parasect, two Pokémon that know Stun Spore, and Chansey.
Giovanni closes the circuit with Persian, Dugtrio, Nidoqueen, Nidoking, Rhydon and Tauros in Round 1. Rhydon knows Fissure, a move that misses most of the time. In Round 2, he swaps Dugtrio and Rhydon for Gengar (Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Explosion) and Moltres. In Round 1, Ice hits 11 of the Gym’s 24 Pokémon, Fighting 9 and Electric 9.
Sleep is the common threat of this second half: Sleep Powder, Hypnosis, Spore, Dream Eater. Only one Pokémon on your team can be asleep at a time, but one is enough to lose a decisive turn. Keep Rest handy, or a Pokémon ready to be sacrificed.
Explosions multiply in Round 2 (Erika’s and Sabrina’s Exeggutor, Giovanni’s Gengar). Avoid leaving a low-HP Pokémon in front of an opponent that knows Explosion.
Rotate your teams: a Bug- or Psychic-based team for Fuchsia City, Ground and Rock for Saffron City, Ice and Fighting for Viridian City.
Finishing the Viridian City Gym opens the entrance to the Elite Four: see Elite Four and Rival.
