Highlights

  • Some Gym Leaders in the Pokemon games are easily defeated due to their weak teams or type disadvantages.

The ultimate goal in the Pokemon games is to battle the Gym Leaders and earn a badge, this lets gamers take on the Elite Four and then the Champion, completing the game. But throughout the Pokemon franchise's long history, there have been some Gym Leaders that don't pose much of a challenge.

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Whether that is because said Gym Leader has useless Pokemon, weak moves, or is just simply not good enough for that section of the game. Some Gym Leaders such as Whitney from Gold & Silver cause a big problem when it comes to their battles, but the badge holders in this list should be easily dealt with.

Blaine

Generation 1

Gym Leader Blaine In Pokemon Let's Go Eevee
  • Located on Cinnabar Island
  • 7th Gym Leader
  • Fire-Type Specialist

The seventh Gym Leader of Kanto, Blaine is a Fire-Type specialist with his ace Pokemon Arcanine the main threat for anyone trying to take him on in battle. However, Fire is a type that has a lot of weaknesses, Rock, Ground, and Water all do well to extinguish the flames.

At this stage in the game, players should have a decent Water-type that could easily sweep Blaine's Gym, especially given the fact that Cinnabar Island requires the HM Surf to get to it and Surf itself is a great Water move to use in this Gym.

Blaine's Red & Blue Team:

Pokemon

Level

Type

Moves

Growlithe

42

Fire

Ember/Leer/Take Down/ Agility

Ponyta

40

Fire

Tail Whip/Stomp/Growl/Fire Spin

Rapidash

42

Fire

Tail Whip/Stomp/Growl/Fire Spin

Arcanine

47

Fire

Roar/Ember/Fire Blast/Take Down

Chuck

Generation 2

Gym Leader Chuck In The Pokemon Anime
  • Located in Cianwood City
  • 5th Gym Leader
  • Fighting-Type Specialist

The Fighting-Type Gym Leader has two Pokemon at his disposal, considering he is the fifth boss of the Johto region this seems like a bit of an easy task. The second generation brought fans new Fighting types Heracross, Tyrogue, and Hitmontop, but Chuck uses none of those.

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Instead, the shirtless man opts for Primeape and Poliwrath from the previous generation. In Gold, Silver & Crystal, a Flying or Psychic type can easily dispatch Chuck's squad as it has no counters to these types. Although this was fixed in future versions of his teams, the task is still an easy one for this stage in the game.

Chuck's Gold, Silver & Crystal Team:

Pokemon

Level

Type

Moves

Primeape

27

Fighting

Leer/Rage/Karate Chop/Fury Swipes

Poliwrath

30

Water/Fighting

Hypnosis/Mind Reader/Surf/Dynamic Punch

Flannery

Generation 3

Gym Leader Flannery In Pokemon OmegaRuby AlphaSapphire
  • Located in Lavaridge Town
  • 4th Gym Leader
  • Fire-Type Specialist

Another Fire-type trainer enters this list, Flannery of Lavaridge Town is the fourth task of the Hoenn region and rewards players with the Heat Badge. Her team comprises two Slugma and a Torkoal, in Ruby & Sapphire, the latter is a defensive threat and has the move Attract which may cause some problems, but if the player Pokemon is the same gender it renders this move ineffective.

With two unevolved Pokemon, this Gym could be a sweep as there are no counters to Rock, Ground, or Water at all in her roster. In Pokemon Emerald, her team gets a well-needed upgrade, in comes Numel for one of the Slugma and Camerupt also makes her number of Pokemon four. But these camels have a 4x weakness to Water, this will not end well for her.

Flannery's Ruby & Sapphire Team:

Pokemon

Level

Type

Ability

Moves

Slugma

26

Fire

Magma Armor

Overheat/Smog/Light Screen/Sunny Day

Slugma

26

Fire

Magma Armor

Flamethrower/Rock Slide/Light Screen/Sunny Day

Torkoal

28

Fire

White Smoke

Overheat/Body Slam/Flail/Attract

Volkner

Generation 4

Gym Leader Volkner In The Pokemon Anime
  • Located in Sunyshore City
  • 8th Gym Leader
  • Electric-Type Specialist

The last Gym Leader of each game should be the hardest, but for Volkner from the Sinnoh region, this is not the case. Shockingly, Volkner only has two Electric-Type Pokemon in his four Pokemon team, Luxray, and Raichu, each of which can be easily demolished by a Ground type such as Gastrodon.

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Octillery, the Water-type, and Ambipom the Normal-type are the other members of his team in Diamond & Pearl, for some reason, but in Platinum, they are swapped out for the Electric Pokemon Jolteon and Electivire. This not only fits his Gym type better, but it also makes his team a harder task. But as far as this list is concerned, the damage is already done.

Volkner's Diamond & Pearl Team:

Pokemon

Level

Type

Ability

Moves

Held Item

Raichu

46

Electric

Static

Charge Beam/Brick Break/Light Screen/Thunder Wave

None

Ambipom

47

Normal

Technician

Shock Wave/Nasty Plot/Agility/Baton Pass

None

Octillery

47

Water

Sniper

Charge Beam/Octazooka/Aurora Beam/Bullet Seed

None

Luxray

49

Electric

Rivalry

Charge Beam/Thunder Wave/Thunder Fang/Crunch

Sitrus Berry

Burgh

Generation 5

Gym Leader Burgh In The Pokemon Anime
  • Located in Castelia City
  • 3rd Gym Leader
  • Bug-Type Specialist

Bug-type is never a great type to use in the game. With three weaknesses, it is simple to craft a strategy to beat any user of the creepy crawlies. Burn them to a crisp, stomp on them with a rock, or send in birds to eat them. It really isn't wise to have one of the best trainers in the region by a Bug-type expert.

If gamers chose Tepig in Black & White then this will truly be a breeze but having a Tranquill at this point will be enough for those who chose the Grass or Water starter. Burgh's ace Leavanny has a 4x weakness to both Flying and Fire. Its Protect move won't keep it safe for long.

Burgh's Black & White Team:

Pokemon

Level

Type

Ability

Moves

Whirlipede

21

Bug/Poison

Swarm

Screech/Pursuit/Poison Tail/Struggle Bug

Dwebble

21

Bug/Rock

Shell Armor

Sand-Attack/Faint Attack/Smack Down/Struggle Bug

Leavanny

23

Bug/Grass

Swarm

Protect/String Shot/Razor Leaf/Struggle Bug

Wulfric

Generation 6

Gym Leader Wulfric In The Pokemon Anime
  • Located in Snowbelle City
  • 8th Gym Leader
  • Ice-Type Specialist

Kalos has a host of different Gym Leaders in this France-inspired region and the last and supposedly the hardest one of them is the Ice-user Wulfric. With just three Pokemon in the final battle before the Elite Four, the trainer's party of six Pokemon will make light work of this boss battle.

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Abomasnow is his lead Pokemon and it's 4x weak to Fire, Cryogonal, and Avalugg are weak to four different types, and only the Rock-type is countered with some Steel moves on those Pokemon. As the final Gym in the region, the player should have a well-balanced team at this stage. This three Pokemon team with two pure Ice types is a walk in the park.

Wulfric's X & Y Team:

Pokemon

Level

Type

Ability

Moves

Abomasnow

56

Grass/Ice

Snow Warning

Ice Beam/Ice Shard/Energy Ball

Dwebble

55

Ice

Levitate

Ice Beam/Confuse Ray/Flash Cannon/Hail

Leavanny

59

Ice

Ice Body

Avalanche/Crunch/Curse/Gyro Ball

Olivia

Generation 7

Olivia In The Pokemon Anime
  • Located on Akala Island
  • Akala's kahuna
  • Rock-Type Specialist

Generation 7 switched things up in the franchise, not having Gym Leaders in Alola but instead, gamers would undergo trials and defeat Totem Pokemon. However, there are Island Kahuna's instead which are decent replacements.

With that being said, Olivia is no question, the worst, the Rock-type has five weaknesses, this is why the type is normally reserved for the first Gym of each region. Her Grand Trial Battle is a breeze with three Pokemon, and her ace, Lycanroc has just two moves. It really is a shame that the newer games make battles such as this one easy.​​​​​​​

Olivia's Sun & Moon Team (Grand Trial Battle):

Pokemon

Level

Type

Ability

Moves

Held Item

Nosepass

26

Rock

Sturdy

Rock Slide/Spark/Thunder Wave

None

Boldore

26

Rock

Sturdy

Rock Blast/Mud-Slap/Headbutt

None

Lycanroc

27

Rock

Vital Spirit

Bite/Rock Throw

Rockium Z

Raihan

Generation 8

Gym Leader Raihan In Pokemon Sword & Shield
  • Located on Hammerlocke
  • 8th Gym Leader
  • Dragon-Type Specialist

The Dragon-type has some powerful users, Lance of the Kanto Elite Four, and Clair of the Johto Gym Leaders, before Generation 6, it only had two weaknesses and still, it is regarded as the most powerful type. So when it comes to Generation 8, it is a surprise that Raihan, the final Gym Leader is the worst in Galar.

In the battle with the Hammerlock leader, it is switched up to become a double battle, which only makes the battle easier as two Pokemon can team up on one to finish it off with ease. Raihan also has just two Dragons on his roster, one of which is 4x weak to Ice-type. His other Pokemon is Gigalith the Rock-type with five weaknesses, none of which are really countered against, and Sandaconda who is a Ground-type. As far as final battles go this one is a disappointment.​​​​​​​

Raihan's Sword & Shield Team:

Pokemon

Level

Type

Ability

Moves

Gigalith

46

Rock

Sand Stream

Stealth Rock/Sand Tomb/Rock Blast/Body Press

Flygon

47

Ground/Dragon

Levitate

Thunder Punch/Breaking Swipe/Cruch/Steel Wing

Sandaconda

46

Ground

Sand Spit

Protect/Glare/Fire Fang/Earth Power

Duraludon

48

Steel/Dragon

Heavy Metal

Breaking Swipe/Body Press/Stone Edge/Iron Head

Larry

Generation 9

Gym Leader Larry In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
  • Located in Medali
  • 5th Gym Leader
  • Normal-Type Specialist

The latest Generation took fans to the land of Paldea, a region inspired by the sunny European country of Spain, and out of the most recent crop of Gym Leaders, Larry is the worst.

Normal typing is very underwhelming across the games, it is strong against nothing but weak to Fighting, so using a decent punching Pokemon will make this battle easy. Normal moves are ineffective to the Ghost-type so using one of those would render most of Larry's moves useless. He is the fifth Gym Leader in the region and only has three Pokemon in his party and his ace. Staraptor has just two moves.

Larry's Scarlet & Violet Team:

Pokemon

Level

Type

Ability

Moves

Komala

35

Normal

Comatose

Yawn/Sucker Punch/Slam

Dudunsparce

35

Normal

Serene Grace

Hyper Drill/Drill Run/Glare

Staraptor

36

Normal/Flying (Normal Tera Type)

Intimidate

Facade/Aerial Ace

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