Summary

  • Some Gym Leaders, like Byron, disappoint with weak Pokemon and poor move choices.
  • Gym puzzles, like the one in Virbank City, can be lackluster and easily overcome.
  • Leaders like Wulfric fail to provide a challenging final battle due to weak teams.

In Pokemon, Gym battles are supposed to be impressive tests that stand between you and those shiny, coveted badges. You have to beat these top trainers to prove yourself—and if you’re 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:doing a Nuzlocke challenge, a tough Gym Leader might jඣust end your adventure. But despite all that hype, some Gym Leaders totally crush your expectations—in the worst way.

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Whether it’s mismatched Pokemon, weak moves, or just plain bad move choices, they💫 somehow make the battle a snoozefest. And don’t even get started on those p🦄ainfully simple Gym puzzles that kill all the fun. Some of these disappointing Gym Leaders quickly fade from memory—while others get stuck in your head for all the wrong reasons. Ready? Let’s dive into the not-so-great!

10 ꦇ 😼 Canalave City Gym | Byron

Pokemon Diamond & Pearl

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Bronzor Lv.36

Steel & Psychic

Levitate

None

Flash C🐷an𓃲non / Extrasensory / Confuse Ray / Hypnosis

Steelix Lv.36

Steel & Ground

Sturdy

None

Gyro Ball / DragonBreath / Ice Fang / Sandstorm

Bastiodon Lv.39

Rock & Steel

Sturdy

Sitrus Berry

Flash Cannon / 🌜Ancient Power / Iron Defense / Rest

Every Gym Leader is expe🌼cted to have an ace Pok♒emon that's strong, annoying, and actually puts up a fight. Byron’s Bastiodon, however, clearly missed the memo. Sure, it’s supposed to be a tank, but somehow Byron turned it into a metal doormat. The real joke? Its moveset is packed with Special Attacks—as if Bastiodon suddenly dreamed of being an Alakazam.

Instead of making it a wall, Byron gave it pool noodles. He could’ve gone with Metal Burst, Toxic, or Protect to at least be annoying. And let’s not forget: this thing takes quadruple damage from both Ground and Fighting types. That’s not a final challenge—that🌞’s a “thank you for the XP” 🗹moment.

9 Virbank City Gym | Roxie 💖

Pokemon Black 2 & White 2

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Koffing Lv.16

Poison

Levitate

None

Assurance / Tackle / Smog

Wirlipede Lv.18

Bug & Poison

Poison Point

None

Venoshock / Protect / Poison Sting / Pursuit

Of course, one of the most iconic features of any Gym is the puzzle inside. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Some are clever and fun—others feel like the developers went on lunch break and never came back. Case in point: Virbank City Gym. If you're looking for a puzzle here, you're already wrong. Roxie can’t hear you over the music, so your “challenge” is just beating up her two ba🗹ndmates before she finally notices you. Ge🌌nius, right?

To be fa🌺ir, her Pokemon aren’t pushovers—both Koffing and Whirlipede have Dark-type moves to counter Psychic-types. And that Venoshock? Br💜utal… if you’re poisoned. But with a few Antidotes in your bag, her whole strategy falls apart faster than her bass solo.

8 ꧃ Azalea Town Gym | Bugsy

Pokemon Heart Gold & Soul Silver

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Scyther Lv.17

Bug & Flying

Technician

Sitrus Berry

Quick Attack / Leer / U-Turn / Focus Energy

Metapod Lv.15

Bug

Shed Skin

None

Tackle

Kakuna Lv.15

Bug & Poison

Shed Skin

None

Poison Sting

No one expects early Gyms to be brutal, but Bugsy somehow manages to feel weaker than Falkner—and that’s saying something. Metapod and Ka♔kuna? Really? W𒁏hy not just give the poor kid six Magikarps and call it a day? The best part? Both of them are at level fifteen. That’s right—they exist solely to faint dramatically.

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Scyther is at least trying, with Technician and Focus E𒀰nergy giving it some bite. Though fun fact: U-Turn doesn’t even benefit from Technician, so... nice try, Bugsy. And by the time you reach him, you’ve probably got a Fl🎀ying-type or, better yet, a Geodude—which means Bugsy’s Gym becomes more of a retirement party.

7 Turrfield Town Gym | M🌼ilo

Pokemon Sword & Shield

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Gossifleur Lv.19

Grass

Regenerator

None

Magical Leaf / Round / Rapid Spin

Gigantamax Eldegoss Lv.20

Grass

Regenerator

None

Magical Leaf / Leafage / Round

When you put it all together, Milo unfortunately doesn’t come off as a very tough Gym Leader. He definitely treats the Gym like a workout studio—buff and proud—but wheꦚn it comes to Pokemon battles, he’s pretty underwhelming. The puzzle idea is cute but super simple: just roll those Wooloo into a designated area. Not 💮exactly brain-teasing, more like “push the sheep around.”

Milo feels like he was designed just to showcase Dynamax, with zero competitive spirit. If his moves weren’t super effecti🌼ve, you’d probably grab that badge butter-smooth, no sweat. His Pokemon lack synergy, and Eldegoss’s Gigantamax form? More like a gentle🌌 breeze than a real threat.

6 Pewter City Gym | Brock ꧒

Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Geodude Lv.12

Rock & Ground

Rock Head

None

Tackle / Defense Curl

Onix Lv.14

Rock & Ground

Rock Head

None

Tackle / Bind / Rock Tomb

Brock may be one of the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:most lovable characters in the anime, but unfortunately, his FireRed & LeafGreen version doesn’t make for a great Gym Leader. First off, his Gym has zero puzzles—just walk straight and face a few trainers, or skip them if you want. Most early Rock-type Gyms are like this; Roxanne and Roark have the same problem. Still, their Pokemon are better tไhan Brock’s.

If you picked Squirtle or Bulbasaur, this battle is basically a joke. Charmander? Just♕ grind a bit or catch a Mankey to make life easier. Geodude only knows Tackle, and Onix’s best move is Rock Tomb. Both Pokemon sharing the same typing makes Brock’s Gym a cakewalk, and honestly, he flunks as a Gym Leader.

5 🥃 Snowbelle City Gym | Wulfric

Pokemon X & Y

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Abomasnow Lv.56

Grass & Ice

Snow Warning

None

Ice Beam / Ice Shard / Energy Ball

Cryogonal Lv.55

Ice

Levitate

None

Ice Beam / Confuse Ray / Flash Cannon / Hail

Avalugg Lv.59

Ice

Ice Body

None

Avalanche / Crunch / Curse / Gyro Ball

You expect final Gym Leaders to be tough, memorable, and maybe even a little traumatic—in a good way. But Wulfric? He’s here to gently shatter those expectations like an icicle in July. For starters, he only has three Pokemon, which is already a red flag. Worse, he somehow picked the least threat𒊎ening ones available.

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Abomasnow can’t even Mega Evolve and has just three moves—with zero answers to Fire-types. Cryogonal? Not exactly a powerhouse, and guess what—also helpless against Fire. 💯Then there’s Avalugg, his ace, which feels like a joke. It’♋s got insane physical defense, sure, but its special defense is so low, a sneeze from Ember might knock it out cold.

4 Cinnabar Island Gym | Blaine ✱

Pokemon Red & Blue

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Growlithe Lv.42

Fire

-

-

Ember / Leer / Take Down / Agility

Ponyta Lv.40

Fire

-

-

Tail Whip / Stomp / Growl / Fire Spin

Rapidash Lv.42

Fire

-

-

Tal Whip / Stomp / Growl / Fire Spin

Arcanine Lv.47

Fire

-

-

Roar / Ember / Fire Blast / Take Down

Despite being Kanto’s seventh Gym Leader, Blaine doesn’t exactly bring the heat. By the time you reach him, you have Surf—and none of his Pokemon have a clue how to deal witꦜh Water-types. In FireRed & LeafGreen, he’s still not terrifying, but at least there’s some move variety.

In Red & Blue, though? He rolls out with a Growlithe, Ponyta, and Rapidash that feel like they escaped fﷺrom a petting zoo. Their best Fire-type moves? Ember and Fire Spin. That’s it. No Flamethrower. No flair. Not even a Magmar like in the anime. Blaine’s team ends up being painfully weak and about as competitive as a melted candle.

3 🎶 💎 Mahogany Town Gym | Pryce

Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Seel Lv.30

Water

Thick Fat

None

Icy Wind / Rest / Snore / Hail

Dewgong Lv.32

Water & Ice

Thick Fat

None

Aurora Beam / Rest / Sleep Talk / Ice Shard

Piloswine Lv. 34

Ice & Ground

Snow Cloak

Sitrus Berry

Blizzard / Ice Fang / Mud Bomb / Hail

For some reason, Ice-type Gym Leaders always seem to underdeliver—especially considering they usually show up late in the game. Pryce is a perfect example of this frosty letdown, right alongside Wulfric. His Seel has zero Water-type moves and misses the chancꦕe to be annoying with a combo like Enc✤ore and Disable.

Dewgong has Aurora Beam but, again, no Water moves—and Ice Shard feels like it showed up to the wrong battle. But the real disappointment is his ace, Piloswine. No Mamoswine? Tragic. Even worse, Piꦏloswine has low Special Attack... yet gets stuck with Mud Bomb and Blizzard. Altogether, Pryce feels less like a challenge and more like a snow day ꦍgone wrong.

2 Ballonlea Town Gym | Opal 𒁃

Pokemon Sword & Shield

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Galarian Weezing Lv.36

Poison & Fairy

Levitate

None

Sludge / Fairy Wind / Tackle

Mawile Lv.36

Steel & Fairy

Intimidate

None

Draining Kiss / Crunch / Iron Defense / Astonish

Togekiss Lv.37

Fairy & Flying

Hustle

None

Air Slash / Draining Kiss / Ancient Power

Gigantamax Alcremie Lv.38

Fairy

Sweet Veil

None

Draining Kiss / Acid Armor / Sweet Kiss

At first glance, Opal’s team looks pretty impressive—until you actually battle her. Bring a Steel or Fire-type Pokemon and you’ll steamroll through this Gym like it’s teatime. Galarian W🔯eez൩ing can’t touch Steel-types, Mawile has great Attack but wastes it on Draining Kiss, and Togekiss… well, who gave it Hustle instead of Serene Grace? That’s like giving a ballerina clown shoes.

Alcremie goes Gigantamax, sure, but two of its moves turn into Max🌠 Guard, which is just sad frosting on a very soft cake. It also can’t handle Steel or Poison-types, so you can eat it alive—literally. Oh, and that quirky quiz? If you get an answer wrong, Opal's Pokemons gets the stat boost. That’s right—s💯he wins trivia night and gets stronger. What kind of rigged bake-off is this?

1 🧸 Mossdeep City Gym | Tate & Liza

Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire

Pokemon

Data

Types

Ability

Held Item

Moveset

Lunatone Lv.42

Rock & Psychic

Levitate

None

Light Screen / Psychic / Hypnosis / Calm Mind

Solrock Lv.42

Rock & Psychic

Levitate

None

Sunny Day / SolarBeam / Psychic / Flamethrower

Moss🍃deep City Gym’s puzzle is nice, but the battle itself is dull, simple, and poorly executed. Having a Double Battle is a cool idea, but Tate and Liza only have two Pokemon total—which is pretty embarrassing for a seventh Gym. At least in Emerald, they bring four.

Still, their Lunatone and Solrock aren’t exactly showstoppers, especially since they lack moves effective against Dark-types. The only impressive thing? They have four Hyper Potions between them—big healers, tiny threat. Honestly, they should’ve saved the Double Battle for an earlier Gym, or given Tate and Liza six Pokemon to crank up the excitement. As it stands, this battle’s more snooze than supe🌜rnova.

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