After the tutorial, you’re sent into the wide open-world with very little instruction in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. You’re free to travel in any direction and take on the Gym Leaders in any order. There are eight Gym Leaders total, and even though you technically can fight them in any order, that doesn’t mean you should. Each Gym Leader has a specific level and Pokemon Type, and we’re going to break down the ideal order — basically, you just need to go from the lowest level Gym Leader to the highest level.
There are clues in the Gym Leader descriptions, signaling whether the Gym Leader is extremely tough or for beginners — but that isn’t hard information. That’s a vague clue in translated text messages. If you want to know the proper order with no guessing games, we’ve got the info you need. Each Gym Leader has a specific level range, and if you go against the leader with a matching level or higher, you’ll crush their team of three-to-four Pokemon. If you rush to a Gym Leader that’s way, way tougher than you, you’ll get creamed. If you want to avoid a nasty trainer battle, here’s the exact order to face off against the eight Gym Leaders.
More Pokemon Scarlet & Violet guides:
Beginner’s Guide | Combat Tips | All Version Exclusive Pokemon | All New Pokemon | Which Starter To Pick First | How To Breed Pokemon | How To Unlock Evolution Stones | Pre-Order Bonuses | How To Catch Shiny Pokemon | How To Get A Starter Pikachu | Where To Catch Eevee & All Evolution Methods | Where To Catch Ditto | Better Performance
Gym Leaders | Battle Order
The simplest way to fight the Gym Leaders in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet is to take them on in the order of their level — the game won’t tell you. The only way to see the level of a Gym Leader is to fight them. If you don’t want to waste your time and fight opponents that are way too hard (or too easy) then check out the actual level of each leader.
- #1. Gym Leader Katy: Level 14-15 | Bug-Type
- Location: Cortondo
- #2. Gym Leader Brassius: Level 16-17 | Grass-Type
- Location: Artazon
- #3. Gym Leader Iono: Level 23-24 | Electric-Type
- Location: Levincia
- #4. Gym Leader Kofu: Level 29-30 | Water-Type
- Location: Cascarrafa
- #5. Gym Leader Larry: Level 35-36 | Normal-Type
- Location: Medali
- #6. Gym Leader Ryme: Level 41-42 | Ghost-Type
- Location: Montenevera
- #7. Gym Leader Tulip: Level 44-45 | Fairy-Type
- Location: Alformada
- #8. Gym Leader Grusha: Level 47-48 | Ice-Type
- Location: Glaseado
How Do Gyms Work?: Like previous games, your goal is to complete all gyms and collect the badges. Before you can battle the Gym Leader, you’ll need to complete a special task. These tasks change depending on the location — sometimes you need to round up Pokemon, run around mazes, or complete tests to battle trainers. Every challenge is a little different, and they always culminate in a big battle against the Gym Leader.
Gym Leaders always appear with three-four Pokemon — with the final Pokemon being the best. It helps to be higher level and go into battle with a full party of six Pokemon. You’ll have a clear advantage. The battles don’t get really tricky until you’re up against the Elite Four. Until then, this is the order you should take down each of the Gyms.
Take on the Gym Leaders and you’ll be ready for your final challenge — the Elite Four and the Champion. Between Gym Leaders, you can also battle Team Star leaders in different areas of the region. Don’t skip these fights, or the Legendary Pokemon encounters — all of these tasks will unlock new rewards and travel abilities as you progress.
