To win all eight Gym Battles in Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield, prepare for each Gym’s mission, bring varied type coverage, and save a healthy answer for the leader’s Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon. The main version differences are at Stow-on-Side and Circhester: Sword has Bea and Gordie, while Shield has Allister and Melony.
Gym order and version differences
Galar’s eight Gym Badges qualify a challenger for the Champion Cup. The route runs from Turffield through Hulbury, Motostoke, Stow-on-Side, Ballonlea, Circhester and Spikemuth before the final Gym in Hammerlocke.
| Gym stop | Pokémon Sword | Pokémon Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Stow-on-Side (Gym 4) | Bea, Fighting; Gigantamax Machamp | Allister, Ghost; Gigantamax Gengar |
| Circhester (Gym 6) | Gordie, Rock; Gigantamax Coalossal | Melony, Ice; Gigantamax Lapras |
The other six Gyms have the same leaders in both versions. The opponents below are listed in battle order, with their levels, mission, and a practical way to approach the fight.
How to prepare for the Gym Battles
- Use more than one type of attack. A leader’s specialty is a useful starting point, not a guarantee that every Pokémon on the team shares that type. Raihan’s roster, for example, includes Rock, Ground and Steel Pokémon as well as Dragon types.
- Switch for both offense and defense. Use super-effective attacks where possible, but also move a Pokémon out if it is vulnerable to the opponent’s attacks. Dual typings can change the matchup: Nessa’s Drednaw is Water/Rock, for instance.
- Keep a plan for the final Pokémon. Each Gym Leader except Piers uses a Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon. Keep a suitable counter healthy enough to face that last threat; the available team information does not establish a fixed turn-by-turn strategy.
- Expect the levels to rise. Milo’s team is level 19–20 and Raihan’s is level 46–48. Badge-related capture-level limits rise from 25 after Milo to 100 after Raihan.
1. Turffield Gym: Milo
Mission
Herd 20 Wooloo into three pens. Gym Trainers and Yamper can disrupt the route, so steer the flock toward the pens rather than trying to rush past the obstacles.
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Battle and counter plan
Milo uses Gossifleur (level 19) and Eldegoss (level 20), and Dynamaxes Eldegoss. Fire, Flying, Bug, Ice and Poison attacks are all effective directions against Grass types. Choose a Pokémon that can use one of those attacks without being left exposed to the moves Milo’s team actually carries.
2. Hulbury Gym: Nessa
Mission
Work through the water-pillar maze by operating switches and battling the Gym Trainers along the route. Use the switches to open a path through the changing barriers.
Battle and counter plan
Nessa’s team is Goldeen (level 22), Arrokuda (level 23) and Drednaw (level 24); she Dynamaxes Drednaw. Electric and Grass attacks are natural counters to Water, but Drednaw’s Rock typing makes the matchup different from a pure Water opponent. Grass can be powerful here, but avoid leaving a fragile Grass-type in front of Drednaw if its coverage puts that Pokémon at risk.
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3. Motostoke Gym: Kabu
Mission
Earn five points in the Gym challenge: defeating a wild Pokémon is worth one point, while catching one is worth three. Another Trainer competes with you in a Multi Battle, so decide whether a quick defeat or a catch is the better route to the target.
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Kabu uses Ninetales and Arcanine (both level 25), followed by Centiskorch (level 27), which he Gigantamaxes. Water, Ground and Rock attacks are useful against Fire types. Water or Rock pressure is especially relevant to Centiskorch’s Bug/Fire typing; keep your chosen attacker healthy for that final battle.
4. Stow-on-Side Gym: Bea in Sword or Allister in Shield
Mission
Use the control stick and the ride’s gloves to steer down the Gym’s slope. Adjust your direction as you approach obstacles instead of waiting until the last moment.
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Battle and counter plan
In Sword, Bea’s Fighting-type team is Hitmontop, Pangoro, Sirfetch’d and Machamp (levels 34–36). She Gigantamaxes Machamp. Flying, Psychic and Fairy attacks can help against Fighting, but Pangoro’s additional Dark typing makes it a dangerous target for a Psychic attacker.
In Shield, Allister’s Ghost-type team is Yamask, Mimikyu, Cursola and Gengar (levels 34–36). He Gigantamaxes Gengar. Dark attacks are broadly useful against Ghost. A Normal-type can avoid Ghost attacks, but Mimikyu’s Fairy typing and the team’s other coverage mean it is not a universal answer.
5. Ballonlea Gym: Opal
Mission
Battle the Gym Trainers and answer Opal’s questions. Correct answers boost your stats; incorrect answers lower them. The mission answers listed for the challenge are Poison or Steel for Fairy’s weaknesses, Annette for the previous Trainer, and omelets for breakfast.
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Battle and counter plan
Opal’s team is Weezing, Mawile, Togekiss and Alcremie (levels 36–38). She Gigantamaxes Alcremie and continues asking questions during battle; the listed answers are “The Wizard” for her nickname, purple for her favorite color, and 16 for her age. Poison and Steel attacks exploit Fairy’s weakness, but cover for the dual typings: Mawile is Steel/Fairy and Togekiss is Fairy/Flying.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Circhester Gym: Gordie in Sword or Melony in Shield
Mission
Cross a tile course using the controller’s vibration to locate unstable tiles. Later sections add a sandstorm that reduces visibility, so use the vibration cues to choose a safe route.
Battle and counter plan
In Sword, Gordie uses Barbaracle, Shuckle, Stonjourner and Coalossal (levels 40–42), and Gigantamaxes Coalossal. Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground and Steel attacks can work against Rock. Coalossal is Rock/Fire, making Water and Ground especially threatening.
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In Shield, Melony uses Frosmoth, Darmanitan, Eiscue and Lapras (levels 40–42), and Gigantamaxes Lapras. Fire, Fighting, Rock and Steel attacks are useful against Ice. Keep a response ready for Lapras’s Water attacks and Freeze-Dry coverage rather than treating it as a straightforward Ice matchup.
7. Spikemuth Gym: Piers
Mission
Follow the route through town and defeat the Team Yell Grunts. Mr. Mime barriers prevent you from skipping the required fights, so continue along the available route after each battle.
Battle and counter plan
Piers uses Scrafty, Malamar, Skuntank and Obstagoon (levels 44–46). He is the exception to the Gym Leaders’ Dynamax pattern and does not Dynamax his team. Fighting, Bug and Fairy attacks are useful against Dark types. Do not assume Psychic is a safe option: Dark types are immune to Psychic attacks.
8. Hammerlocke Gym: Raihan
Mission
Win four Gym Trainer Double Battles, each focused on a weather setting. In Double Battles, consider which opponents a move affects and target your attacks carefully.
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Battle and counter plan
Raihan’s team is Gigalith, Flygon, Sandaconda and Duraludon (levels 46–48). His Gym is Dragon-focused, but his team centers on sandstorm and includes Rock, Ground and Steel types. He Gigantamaxes Duraludon.
Dragon, Ice and Fairy attacks can help against Dragon Pokémon, but match your attacks to each opponent rather than relying on one Dragon counter for the whole team. Ground and Water pressure can help against Rock/Ground components; Duraludon’s Steel typing changes that matchup, so use coverage that takes its typing into account.
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