How to Beat All Gym Leaders in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Your journey to become the Champion in the Sinnoh region in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is long and hard, and you will be battling many other Pokemon Trainers to show that you are worthy of this title.

Before you can even get the chance of confronting the Elite Four, you will have to defeat different Gym Leaders. Here’s everything you need to know to defeat them.

How to Beat All Gym Leaders in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl feature eight different Gym Leaders to take down scattered all over Sinnoh. As the game features a linear progression system, you will fight all eight of them in a precise order. While they are not as challenging as the Elite Four, they will still give you some trouble if you enter their Gyms unprepared and with the wrong Pokemon team. The first few Gym Leaders will also be a little more difficult to take down, depending on the Starter you have picked at the beginning of the adventure.

Roark

Roark is the first Gym Leader you will have to fight in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. You will encounter him in Oreburgh’s rock mine. After talking with him once, he will return to his Gym, ready to fight you.

Roark’s team consists of a Lv.12 Geodude, a Lv.12 Onix and a Lv.14 Cranidos. All three Pokemon belong to the Rock-type, with Geodude and Onyx also being Ground-type, so you will need to bring Water and Grass Pokemon to take them out with ease. If you have picked either Turtwig or Piplup as your starter, you will have a much easier time, as Chimchar needs to evolve to Monferno to get Fighting-type moves that are effective against Roark’s team. Even without it, however, you shouldn’t have too many troubles, as Roark is the first Gym Leader and he is not supposed to be too difficult to take down.

Gardenia

Gardenia is the second Gym Leader you will fight in the game. She can be found in her gym in Eterna City.

Gardenia’s team consists of three Grass-type Pokemon – a Lv.19 Cherubi, a Lv.19 Turtwig and a Lv.22 Roserade, which is a Grass/Poison Pokemon. Fire, Bug, and Flying Pokemon will have an easier time in this fight, and if you have picked Chimchar as your starter, you will have a much easier fight. At this point, however, your Pokemon lineup should be big enough that your Starter shouldn’t impact the difficulty of battles too much.

Maylene

Maylene is the third Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Gym Leader. To fight her and her Pokemon team, you will have to head to the gym in Veilstone City.

Maylene’s team feature three Fighting-type Pokemon – a Lv. 27 Meditite (Fighting/Psychic), a Lv.27 Machoke, and a Lv. 30 Lucario (Fighting/Steel). To deal with these Pokemon effectively, bring Flying and Psychic-type Pokemon. You can also whip out a Fire-type Pokemon for fighting Lucario due to its Steel type, although it is not really required, given a Flying or Psychic-type Pokemon can still do well against it.

Wake

Wake is the fourth Gym Leader you will encounter in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. You can fight him in the Pastoria City Gym.

Wake’s Pokemon team is themed around Water. It includes a Lv.27 Gyarados (Water/Flying), a Lv. 27 Quagsire (Water/Ground), and a Lv. 30 Floatzel. Grass and Electric type Pokemon will have a great advantage during this fight, although you can bring a Rock Type Pokemon out for fighting Gyarados, given that it is also a Flying-type.

Fantina

Fantina is the fourth Gym Leader in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. She is fought inside the Gym in Hearthome City.

Fantina’s team consists of three Ghost-type Pokemon – a Lv. 32 Drifblim (Ghost/Flying), a Lv. 34 Gengar (Ghost/Poison) and a Lv.36 Mismagius. Given that you are dealing with all Ghost Type Pokemon, you will want to bring Ghost and Dark Type Pokemon to this fight. Fight fire with fire, as they say, so bring the most powerful Ghost-type Pokemon in your possession to make short work of Fantrina’s team.

Byron

Byron is the sixth Gym Leader in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. You will find him in the Canalave City Gym.

Despite Canalave City being on the sea, Byron’s Pokemon team is themed around the Steel Type. It includes a Lv. 36 Bronzor (Steel/Pshychic), a Lv. 36 Steelix (Steel/Ground) and a Lv. 39 Bastiodon (Rock/Steel). Ground Type Pokemon are your best choice in this fight, as they can deal with Steel Type effectively. Fighting is also a very good choice, as it can deal nicely with Steelix’ Ground Type and Bastiodon’s Rock Type.

Candice

Candice is the seventh Gym Leader you will fight in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. She can be found in the Snowpoint City Gym.

Given her hometown, it shouldn’t surprise to see her team filled with Ice-type Pokemon – a Lv.38 Snover (Ice/Grass), a Lv. 38 Sneasel (Dark/Ice), and a Lv. 42 Abomasnow (Ice/Grass). Surprisingly enough, Candice also has a Lv.40 Medicham, which doesn’t belong to the Ice type, as it is a Fighting/Psychic Pokemon. As such, bring Fire-type Pokemon to deal with the Ice-type ones, and then whip out a Flying, Ghost, or Fairy Pokemon to take down Medicham.

Volkner

Volkner is the final Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Gym Leader, and the only one standing between you and the Elite Four. He can be fought in the Sunyshore City Gym after speaking with him in the Lighthouse.

Volkner has a rather varied Pokemon team at his disposal. It features a Lv.46 Raichu (Electric), a Lv.47 Ambipom (Normal), a Lv. 48 Octillery (Water) and a Lv. 49 Luxray (Electric). The two Electric Pokemon can be taken down with Ground-type Pokemon and moves, Ambipom with Fighting-type Pokemon and moves, Octillery with Grass and Electric-type Pokemon and moves. With a varied opponent, you do need a varied team after all.

After taking down Volkner, you will finally be able to take on the Elite Four. They are among the best Pokemon Trainers in Sinnoh, so prepare yourself for some of the most epic battles in the entirety of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl!