Every Gym Leader's Best Pokémon in Red & Blue (2024)

While the Gym Leaders of Kanto may not always get to utilize the true potential of their Pokémon, no one can deny that they have some truly remarkable partners at their side. From Brock throwing out Onix all the way at the start to Giovanni decimating players with his use of Rhydon, each Gym Leader has a host of Pokémon that complement the gym's type, but they all possess one final Pokémon that players will have to overcome to get their badge.

Each of these Pokémon presents its own individual challenge, but some of them are easier to deal with than others. Some even have gimmicks that make them much more difficult to conquer. Even for what is considered a kids' game series, the Gym Leaders in the Kanto region don't mess around when it comes to a fight, thanks in large part to the strength of their Pokemon.

8 Onix Is Literally Rock Solid

• Onix is a rock/ground-type Pokémon
• Onix has a high defensive stat, but weak special defense stat

Though Onix does not possess any Rock or Ground-type moves when players first encounter Brock's final Pokémon, it still packs a special kind of punch. Onix is a highly defensive opponent. This means that if players want to try and use a physical attacker rather than a Pokémon who uses special attacks, then they will have a difficult time bringing Onix down.

There are few Pokémon players can capture in the wild that can effectively combat an Onix, which makes this feat even more difficult. A player's best chance of overcoming this final challenge is to have either a Bulbasaur or a Squirtle on their team. In the event that this doesn't happen, they will need to have a large roster of Pokémon on their team to slowly wear Onix down until it is defeated.

7 Starmie Has an Incredibly Rare Type Combination

• Starmie is a Water/Psychic-type Pokémon
• Starmie does not possess any Psychic moves as Misty's final Pokémon

Starmie is Misty's final Pokémon and arguably one of the most impressive water types in the game. This is due to the fact that Starmie is also a dual-type Pokémon, possessing the rare Psychic-type. While this doesn't impact how it battles when competing against Misty, it does mean that it has other weaknesses that can be exploited.

Players will have a hard time finding Pokémon that can properly counter water types this early in the game, and with Starmie being so strong this can seem daunting. However, by having this additional type, Starmie is actually exposed to a number of weaknesses such as Bug or Ghost-type Pokémon. While ghost types are impossible to find at this stage of the game, there are lots of Bug-type Pokémon to catch and use against Starmie.

6 Raichu Is Fast and Powerful

• Raichu is an Electric-type Pokémon
• It is fast and has access to one of the most powerful Electric-type moves in the game

Lt. Surge's final Pokémon is also the final evolution of Pikachu. Raichu is Surge's strongest Pokémon and this is reflected in its known moves. Raichu can use Thundershock, Growl, and Thunderbolt. While this doesn't sound very versatile, Thunderbolt is easily one of the strongest Electric-type moves in the entire franchise. Unless players have a Ground-type on their team by this point, they will find themselves taking a lot of damage very quickly.

Raichu's biggest advantage, aside from its focus on special attacks, is that it is also very fast. This means most Pokémon a player brings into battle will be outrun by the little mouse Pokémon, so prepare to take damage before Raichu is defeated. The best chance against Raichu is that it is not very strong against physical attacks, meaning any blow that connects with it will do more damage than a special attack.

5 Vileplume Represents the True Power of Grass-Type Pokémon

• Vileplume is a Grass/Poison-type Pokémon
• It has multiple moves to poison or make an enemy fall asleep
• It can also damage another Pokémon while recovering its own health

Vileplume has power and a variety of moves to hinder the player at every opportunity. Gym Leader Erika's final Pokémon is the embodiment of everything that makes Grass-type Pokémon so dangerous. Vileplume has its choice of poisoning or making its opponents go to sleep with the various powder attacks at its disposal. Beyond that, it can also restore its own health and drain an enemy's at the same time with its use of Mega Drain.

This does not mean efforts to stop it are hopeless. Vileplume may be very defensive, but it is also slow. The proper type matchup against it will slowly wear it down. For example, taking a fast Fire-type Pokémon against it will burn away its defenses, and its Grass-type moves will have less of an effect against the player's Pokémon.

4 Weezing Can Finish What Koga's Other Pokémon Started

• Weezing is a Poison-type Pokémon
• Weezing has multiple opportunities to poison its enemy, wearing down an already weakened foe

One thing players need to know is that Weezing is the definition of poison damage over time. Utilized by the Poison Gym Leader, Koga, Weezing is the final Pokémon players will have to beat if they want the Soul Badge. Part of what makes Weezing so dangerous is that three of its four moves have a chance to poison a player's Pokémon. Considering that by this point a good number of the challenger's team will likely have been poisoned already, this could present a threat.

Weezing's two offensive Poison-type moves, Smog and Sludge, both have a forty percent chance to poison a player's Pokémon. The status-inflicting move Toxic guarantees severe poisoning if it connects, which will be even worse than the average poisoning. Finally, as a last ditch effort, Weezing can use the move Self-Destruct, though since it would be the final Pokémon on Koga's team, this is likely an act of spite if used.

3 Alakazam Is the Master of Special Attacks

• Alakazam is a Psychic-type Pokémon
• It has ways to cover its own weaknesses
• It is also a powerful special attacker, making its damaging moves especially dangerous

A monster of a special attacker, Alakazam is the Psychic Gym Leader Sabrina's final Pokémon. By far one of the most dangerous Pokémon in the game, Alakazam's claim to fame is how fast and powerful its attacks are. Few things outrun it, and even if they do they are likely to be hit by either a Psybeam or Psywave attack, which will do a great deal of damage, as not many Pokémon in these games can resist Psychic-type attacks.

Adding to the danger is its ability to use Reflect and Recover. The first move can weaken the damage done by physical attacks; an especially insidious trick considering that Alakazam's lack of physical defense is one of its few weaknesses. Recover is exactly what it sounds like, restoring much of Alakazam's health after sustaining damage. As with any Pokémon though, Alakazam does possess some weaknesses. It is vulnerable to Ghost and Bug-type attacks, so if a player acquires one and brings it to the battle they stand a better chance of winning.

2 Arcanine Is Powerful But Vulnerable

• Arcanine is a Fire-type Pokémon
• It has two powerful attacks, but there is a risk with both

Arcanine is one of the most dangerous Fire-type Pokémon in the game. It is fast and capable of learning a variety of moves. In Gym Leader Baline's case, Arcanine has two moves in particular that players need to watch out for: Take Down and Fire Blast. Both are the more powerful versions of Normal and Fire-type moves respectively. Fortunately, Take Down causes recoil damage to afflict Arcanine and Fire Blast, due to its increased power, also possesses an increased chance to miss. That being said, no one should underestimate how damaging these moves could be if they connect.

Arcanine does have some key weaknesses though. The best Pokémon to use against it would be Rock-types, which the player should encounter plenty of by this stage of the game. It would resist both its Normal and Fire-type moves. That being said, Water or Ground-type Pokémon are also excellent choices to bring into battle against Arcanine.

1 Rhydon Can Take Down Opponents in One Shot

• Rhydon is a Rock/Ground-type Pokémon
• Its move, Horn Drill, can take down other Pokémon in one shot

Rhydon is the final Pokémon ever used by Giovanni in the game. Despite it being a Ground and Rock-type Pokémon, the real threat Rhydon presents is in its use of the move Horn Drill. This move is unique because it does exactly the amount of damage needed to knock a player's Pokémon out every time. The caveat is that this move's accuracy is abysmal, only thirty percent, meaning the likelihood that it connects is very slim, but not impossible.

A player's best bet against this final challenge is to utilize Water or Grass-type Pokémon, particularly ones that are faster than Rhydon. It is still monstrously strong, even without the risk of Horn Drill. Exploiting Rhydon's type weaknesses, which include Water, Grass, Ground, and Fighting-types is the surefire way to overcome this dangerous Pokémon before moving on to challenge the Elite Four.

Pokemon

Expanding across a multitude of media, including TCGs, video games, manga, live-action movies and anime, the Pokémon franchise is set in a shared world of humans and creatures with a wide variety of special abilities.

Created by

Satoshi Tajiri

First Film

Pokemon: The First Movie

Latest Film

Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle

First TV Show

Pokémon (1997)

Latest TV Show

Pokémon Horizons (2023)

First Episode Air Date

April 1, 1997

Video Game(s)

Pokémon GO , Pokemon X and Y , Pokémon Legends: Arceus , Pokémon Scarlet and Violet , Pokémon Sword and Shield , Pokémon Diamond & Pearl , Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl , Pokemon Red and Blue , Detective Pikachu , Detective Pikachu Returns , Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! , Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!