Gym Leader, Elite Four & Champion Teams

Prepping for Gym Battles, the Elite Four and the Champion

Every major battle in a Pokemon game is a type puzzle. Gym Leaders specialize in a single type, so a Pokemon that resists their attacks and hits back super-effectively can carry a whole gym on its own. The Elite Four and Champion are tougher because they run full, varied teams, which means you need broader coverage rather than one perfect counter.

How the recommended counters work

For each battle we look at every team member's defensive typing and score all eighteen attacking types by how many of those Pokemon they hit for super-effective damage. The types shown with the highest hit counts are the moves worth bringing. A counter that reads "hits 4/6" will be super-effective against four of the six Pokemon on that team, so packing one or two of these across your party usually covers the whole fight.

Levels, moves and rematches

Each tile lists the level and known moves for that battle, so you can match your own team's level curve and watch for surprise coverage moves. Some trainers appear in multiple battles within a game, such as gym rematches or post-game fights. Those are grouped under one card and labeled by location so you can plan for every encounter.