How to beat all gym leaders in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Each gym leader has a type specialty that you can easily defeat.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl has some truly challenging battles when it comes to Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and finally the reigning Champion. You’ll need to take advantage of each Pokémon’s strengths and weaknesses to come out on top. To help you strategize, here’s a list of each gym leader or Elite Four member’s Pokémon, along with suggestions for the best team to defeat them.
Be the very best
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
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Fight gym leaders and the Elite Four
There are eight gym leaders and the Elite Four to defeat in the Sinnoh region, including the reigning Champion, Cynthia. Take them all down by leveling up the best Pokémon team you can create.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl all gym leaders & Elite Four
Roark
Gardenia
Maylene
Crasher Wake
Fantina
Byron
Candice
Volkner
Aaron
Bertha
Flint
Lucian
Champion Cynthia
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl All Gym leaders and how to beat them
As with all Pokémon games, there are a grand total of eight Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl gym leaders, and each one tends to gravitate around a specific type of Pokémon. Here are the Pokémon they’ll throw out, along with tips for beating them.
Roark – Oreburgh City
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Geodude
Rock
12
Ground, Ice, Water, Fighting, Steel, Grass
Onix
Rock
12
Fighting, Steel, Ice, Ground, Grass, Water
Cranidos
Rock
14
Fighting, Steel, Ground, Grass, Water
I highly recommend your party be between Level 10 and Level 14 during this fight. Piplup and Turtwig can make quick work of any opponent here with their respective Water or Grass attacks. If you get Chimchar up to Level 14 and evolved into Monferno before fighting Roark, this monkey will learn a Fighting move that will also be deadly to the gym leader’s team.
Roark Rematch
You can come back later and fight Roark again. Here are the Pokémon he’ll use at that time.
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Tyranitar
Rock/Dark
68
Aerodactyl
Rock/Flying
66
Armaldo
Rock/Bug
70
Probopass
Rock /Bug
68
Relicanth
Water/Rock
64
Rampardos
Rock
72
Gardenia – Eterna City
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Cherubi
Grass
19
Ice, Fire, Bug, Flying, Poison
Turtwig
Grass
19
Ice, Fire, Flying, Bug, Poison
Roserade
Grass/Poison
22
Ice, Fire, Psychic, Flying
You’re going to want your Pokémon to be between Level 15 and Level 18 to make quick work of this team. To make things go more smoothly, I recommend having Zubat or Drifloon in your party so you can use their Poison and Flying attacks.
Maylene – Veilstone City
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Meditite
Psychic/Fighting
27
Ghost, Flying, Fairy
Machoke
Fighting
27
Psychic, Flying, Fairy
Lucario
Fighting/Steel
30
Fighting, Fire, Ground
When you get here, things will go better if your Pokémon are between Level 20 and Level 23 (or higher). Additionally, having Staravia or Machop on your side will make beating this team a whole lot easier as long as you use their Flying and Fighting attacks.
Crasher Wake – Pastoria City
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Gyarados
Water/Flying
27
Electric, Rock
Quagsire
Water/Ground
27
Grass
Floatzel
Water
30
Grass, Electric
Try to get your team members between at least Level 20 and Level 23 for an easier battle. Roselia, Roserade, and Luxray can be really helpful during this battle due to the effectiveness of Grass and Electric attacks.
Fantina – Hearthome City
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Drifblim
Ghost/Flying
32
Ghost, Ice, Dark, Electic, Rock
Gengar
Ghost/Poison
34
Ghost, Dark, Psychic
Mismagius
Ghost
36
Ghost, Dark
You’ll want your team to be between Level 25 and Level 27 (or higher) before going into this battle. Golbat or Crobat will be especially helpful here with their Dark attacks.
Byron – Canalave City
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Bronzor
Psychic/Steel
36
Dark, Ground, Ghost, Fire
Steelix
Steel/Ground
36
Ground, Fighting, Water, Fire
Bastiodon
Steel/Rock
39
Fighting, Ground, Water
Get your team between Level 28 and Level 32 at least to make quick work of this team. Monferno, Infernape, Gastrodon, and Rapidash will be especially helpful during this fight with their respective Fire and Ground attacks.
Candice – Snowpoint City
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Snover
Ice/Grass
38
Fighting, Steel, Fire, Flying, Poison, Bug
Sneasel
Ice/Dark
38
Fighting, Bug, Fire, Steel, Fairy, Rock
Medicham
Psychic/Fighting
40
Ghost, Flying, Fairy
Abamasnow
Ice/Grass
42
Fighting, Flying, Steel, Fire, Poison, Bug
Get your team between Level 32 and Level 35 to make Candice easier for you. The battle will quickly be won if you have Lucario as your Fighting type, Staraptor as your Flying type, and a powerful Fire-type like Infernape, Rapidash or Houndoom.
Volkner Sunyshore City
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Raichu
Electric
46
Ground
Ambipom
Normal
47
Fighting
Octillery
Water
47
Grass, Electric
Luxray
Electric
49
Ground
Volkner has the most variety of any Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl gym leader. Make sure your team is at least between Level 38 and Level 43 for this fight. You’ll want a decent Fighting-type like Lucario or Machoke for that Ambipom fight. Octillery can be taken down Turtwig, Roserade, Luxray, or Raichu thanks to their Grass and Electric attacks. The rest can get taken down with a strong Ground-type like Gastrodon, Rhyhorn, Rhyperior, or Hippowdon.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl How to beat the Elite Four & the Champion
Now you’ve traveled around Sinnoh and taught those gym leaders who was boss, but you’re not at the top next. You’ll need to defeat Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s Elite Four and the reigning Champion to beat the game and prove you’re the very best. You won’t be able to heal between battles, so stock up on plenty of healing items before initiating this string of battles. Your opponents will use Full Heals and other healing items, so prepare yourself for a long battle. To make things easier, have at least 10 of each of these, if possible:
Max Potions
Full Restores
Max Elixirs
Max Revive
Sacred Ash
The best team for beating the Elite Four
The best team is a varied one that’s catered specifically to defeating each opponent’s Pokémon types. Make sure your team is at least between Level 55 and Level 60 before starting the first battle.
Several different Pokémon can help you beat them, but in my opinion, the ideal team is Infernape, Gyarados, Luxray, Gengar, Staraptor, and Garchomp. This group gives you Fire, Fighting, Water, Flying, Electric, Dark, Ground, and Dragon attacks to really mess up your opponents quickly. Lucarioor another powerful Fighting type can also be a good option here.
Elite Four Aaron
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Dustox
Bug/Poison
53
Flying, Psychic, Fire, Rock
Heracross
Bug/Fighting
54
Psychic, Flying, Fire, Fairy
Vespiquen
Bug/Flying
53
Flying, Ice, Fire, Electric
Beautifly
Bug/Flying
53
Flying, Fire, Ice, Electric
Drapion
Poison/Dark
57
Ground
Make sure you have a decent Fighting and Fire Pokémon on your team to make quick work of this battle. If you chose Infernape, he’ll be your superstar here. Otherwise, make sure to have a good Flying type like Staraptor and perhaps an Electric type like Luxray.
Elite Four Bertha
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Quagsire
Water/Ground
55
Grass
Hippowdon
Ground
59
Ice, Grass, Water
Sudowoodo
Rock
56
Grass, Fighting, Water, Ground, Steel
Whiscash
Water/Ground
55
Grass
Golem
Rock/Ground
56
Ground, Fighting, Steel, Grass, Water, Ice
If you have a Torterra or an Empoleon, it will make quick work out of these guys. Otherwise, a good Water type like Gyarados and Floatzel will hit hard along with a good Grass type like Roserade.
Elite Four Flint
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Rapidash
Fire
58
Ground, Water, Rock
Infernape
Fire/Fighting
61
Ground, Water, Flying, Psychic
Steelix
Steel/Ground
57
Ground, Fighting, Water, Fire
Lopunny
Normal
57
Fighting
Drifblim
Ghost/Flying
58
Ghost, Ice, Dark, Electic, Rock
Once again, Empoleon‘s Water attacks are a great choice for this fight if you have it. If you don’t, a Gyarados will be good here. You’ll also want to use Ground attacks provided by a powerful Pokémon like Garchomp or Mamoswine.
Elite Four Lucian
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Mr. Mime
Psychic/Fairy
59
Poison, Steel, Ghost
Girafarig
Psychic/Normal
59
Dark, Bug
Medicham
Psychic/Fighting
60
Ghost, Flying, Fairy
Alazakam
Psychic
60
Dark, Ghost, Bug
Bronzong
Psychic/Steel
63
Ground, Dark, Fire, Ghost
You’ll want a Dark, Fighting, or Ghost type for this battle. I suggest bringing Gengar; just be aware that his weakness is Ghost, so don’t put him in halfway through a fight. You can make these battles easier by making Gengar put them to sleep via Hypnosis and then wailing on them with Ghost-type attacks.
Champion Cynthia
Name
Type
Level
Weaknesses
Spiritomb
Ghost/Dark
61
(None) Fairy
Garchomp
Ground/Dragon
66
Ice, Fairy, Dragon
Gastrodon
Water/Ground
60
Grass
Milotic
Water
63
Grass, Electric
Roserade
Grass/Poison
60
Ice, Fire, Psychic, Flying
Lucario
Fighting/Steel
63
Fighting, Fire, Ground
Cynthia has a very good mix of Pokémon types, making her the most challenging opponent, indeed. The Fairy-type category didn’t exist when the original Diamond and Pearl released. If you can bring one into this fight, it will be the only weakness that Spiritomb has.
Infernape and Torterra are the best evolutions from any starters during this battle as Fire and Grass are repeat weaknesses. You’ll also want Staraptor or Gryarados‘s Flying attacks, Gengar‘s Psychic attacks, and Garchomp‘s Dragon attacks will be strong against Cynthia’s Garchomp. Luxray will make quick work of Milotic with its Electric attacks. Remember to keep the type system in mind and have plenty of heals to keep yourself afloat.
The best there ever was
Woo! You’ve done it! Paying attention to Pokémon’s weaknesses and ensuring your team is leveled up sufficiently goes a long way, huh? Congrats, Champ!
