With so many Pokémon gym leaders across Game Freak's smash-hit monster-taming series, it can be hard to make a list of favorites. Still, we're not ones to back down from a challenge here at Pocket Tactics, as we know from beating all the leaders in battle, so we've brought all our most beloved trainers together in one place. Has your pick made the list? Let's find out.
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Here are our favorite Pokémon gym leaders:
Brock
While Brock isn't exactly the toughest battle in this long history of Pokémon gym leaders, he is the first, so he deserves a spot on this list for that alone. With his trusty Onix and Geodude, you can run into trouble if you take on Brock with just a Charmander in your party, but if you picked Bulbasaur or Squirtle instead, you should wipe him away in no time. Apologies, Brock.
Misty
I can't mention Brock and leave out Misty, Ash's second companion and the host of Cerulean City's gym challenge. Misty is so nonplussed by the prospect of battling you that she doesn't even stop paddling to pay attention to the battle, leaving her trusty Starmie to frustrate you into submission with its torrent of supersonic attacks. Sure, like Brock, Misty isn't much of a challenge, but that doesn't make her any less important in the history of the series.
Lt. Surge
We're including Lt. Surge on this list not just for the man himself, though his battling prowess is very impressive, but also for his infamous gym's design. It's the first properly irritating puzzle of the Pokémon series, wildly frustrating anyone who's just getting into the flow of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow by offering a challenge that is just too easy to mess up. Even when replaying those original games, I often spend more time figuring out a way to this gym leader than actually battling him, especially if I've just come from Diglett's Cave with a fresh Dugtrio in my team.
Blaine
Blaine makes the list of our Pokémon gym leaders because of his interesting change between the first and second games. In the short time between the two generations, Blaine's gym burns to the ground in a volcanic eruption, forcing the fire-type user to take up a new office in the Seafoam Island caves. A new home doesn't mean a dousing for Blaine's team, though, with the challenge souped up in Gold and Silver compared to the original bout.
Giovanni
We can't move on to the second generation of Pokémon gym leaders without mentioning Giovanni. While the battle might not be the toughest, especially if you've got a water or grass type in your party, there's something about returning to the Viridian Gym after seeing off the seven other leaders and finally stepping through the door that feels so fulfilling. He's the final challenge before you take on the Elite Four, serving almost as an epilogue to the Team Rocket story, and it's great to see him fall one final time before you take to Victory Road.
Whitney
We love Whitney, but we also kind of hate Whitney. That's a shared experience of anyone who played Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal growing up, and while she's only the third gym leader battle, she's one of the toughest in the series. This is mainly due to her Miltank, which uses Rollout to devastating effect. Even if you're over-leveled, there's little chance of stopping the massive damage from the rolling cow until it misses, and if you're unlucky, that might take a while. This makes Whitney's gym challenge even more memorable, as when you finally beat her, it feels like an achievement.
Morty
After defeating Whitney, you might think that Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal would give you a break, but the next gym leader challenge is just as tough. Yes, I'm talking about Morty, who uses moves such as Spite and Curse to frustrate you to no end, especially if you're not packing a Pokémon that can exploit ghost Pokémon weaknesses. Morty is scary enough in a regular run, but in a Nuzlocke challenge, it can be a run-ender, with his pair of Haunters and powerful Gengar reaping havoc on your party.
Clair
The first dragon-taming gym leader, Clair, is a personal favorite on this long list of Pokémon gym leaders, with her killer Kingdra offering Johto's last big challenge before you face the Elite Four. Sure, she doesn't quite match Lance in terms of dragon strength, but we get a little insight into her story before facing off in battle, and there's an interesting story behind how Clair became the leader of Blackthorn Gym. She's also a big reason why we'd love to see a Pokémon Let's Go game set in Johto.
Norman
Norman is noteworthy for two reasons. First, he's your dad, so that makes for the first and only gym leader battle against your own flesh and blood, though your in-game old man isn't so keen on giving you an easy time. The second reason we love Norman is that he's brazen enough to make Slaking, a Pokémon that does nothing half the time, his star player, providing all of us with a spare turn to use some much-needed max potions. To make this battle even more special, I like to play Father and Son by Cat Stevens and imagine Norman with a tear in his eye as I leave his gym with a badge in hand.
Tate and Liza
It's the first double trouble entry on our list, Tate and Liza. The co-leaders of Mossdeep City's gym are a force to be reckoned with in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, with their combination of Solrock and Lunatone proving tricky for any trainer who doesn't turn up prepared. Their gym is also one of the best GBA-era designs, with a labyrinth of puzzles keeping you from the final battle in a similar manner to Giovanni's gym from the first generation of Pokémon games.
Crasher Wake
Crasher Wake is Pastoria City's gym leader, and if you couldn't tell from his picture, he's also something of a wrestler. With his trusty team of Floatzel, Gyarados, and Quagsire, the battle against Crasher Wake is no picnic, but it's made easier by the fact that your opponent is so eager and spurs you on before the bout. If that wasn't enough to get him on this list, Crasher Wake also uses his winnings from his battles to improve the lives of the people of Pastoria City, and we love a charitable guy.
Fantina
Yes, Morty might already be a part of this list, but there's just something about Pokémon gym leaders who use ghost types, and we love Fantina just as much. Not only is she stylish, but her gym battle from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl is one of the most memorable of the fourth generation, providing quite a challenge if you're not equipped with dark types to take down her team. She also uses her style and grace to win plenty of Pokémon contests, with majestic ghouls taking home the prize time and time again.
Elesa
Pokémon Black and White's Elesa is the owner of what I'd say is the most fun-filled gym in the history of the series, with a veritable rollercoaster ride necessary to get you to the gym leader. Once you arrive, the battle isn't particularly difficult, but Elesa's Emolga can pull some surprises out of its cute little cheeks, making for a battle where you can't take anything for granted.
Clay
This rootin' tootin' gym leader might not provide the toughest battle, but we love Clay's cowboy design. He's the only canonically Texan character in the world of Pokémon, but don't think too hard about what that means for Pokégeography. Pokémon is properly in Clay's blood, which we know from the appearances of his ancestor, Lian, in Pokémon Legends: Arceus and his daughter, Lacey, in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: The Indigo Disk.
Olympia
Our list of Pokémon gym leaders is full of fashionistas, but few are quite as iconic as Olympia. She even has a cape! Dress sense aside, Olympia offers one of the more challenging battles in Pokémon X & Y, with all three of her party picks capable of powering up with Calm Mind. If you don't bring along a team that can expose the psychic Pokémon's weaknesses, you won't get much of a chance to admire Olympia before she sends you packing to the nearest Pokémon Center.
Piers
Galar's gym leaders were a bit of a forgettable lot, except for Piers, that is. This punk rocker is truly anti-establishment, to the point that he's not even willing to Dynamax his dark-type Pokémon. That doesn't mean he doesn't offer a challenging battle, though, with his team of Scrafty, Malamar, Skuntank, and Obstagoon frustrating countless trainers on their journey to becoming Galar's new champion. Keep on rockin', Piers.
Larry
Oh, Larry. Despite his purposefully bland nature, we can't deny that this salaryman is our favorite of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet gym leaders. You also can't deny his battling prowess, with Larry being one of the few gym leaders from across the series to also appear as a member of the Elite Four. The ninth generation of Pokémon might not be full of unforgettable characters, but Larry is one of the few we hope to see more of in the future.
Grusha
Grusha is the very definition of a cool dude. This ice-type specialist offers the biggest challenge of the gym leaders in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, with his Altaria capable of turning the game on its head if you don't come prepared with a steel-type to beat it down. Admittedly, we're also a big fan of Grusha's snowboarder chic, which, combined with his tough team, earns him a spot on this list.
Those are our favorite Pokémon gym leaders. For more tips and tricks to catching 'em all, check out our Pokémon Go event, Pokémon Go raids, and Pokémon Go Community Day guides, as well as our complete Pokedex. Or, if you're more into making money than catching monsters, see our free Monopoly Go dice guide.