Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire: Elite Four & Strategies to beat them (2024)

Our guide to the Gym Leaders of including their Pokémon, their movesets and levels and the best counters.

Type: Dark
Prize: $4900
Suggested Pokemon: Machamp/Machoke, Hariyama, Ninetales

Mightyena @ None Level 46 Ability: Intimidate - Crunch - Sand-attack - Take Down - Roar

Cacturne @ None Level 46 Ability: Sand Veil - Faint Attack - Needle Arm - Cotton Spore - Leech Seed

Shiftry @ None Level 48 Ability: Chlorophyll - Fake Out - Extrasensory - Double Team - Swagger

Sharpedo @ None Level 48 Ability: Rough Skin - Crunch - Surf - Slash - Swagger

Absol @ Sitrus Berry Level 49 Ability: Pressure - Snatch - Swords Dance - Slash - Aerial Ace

Hariyama won't have many problems here and can successfully take everyone of Sidney's Pokemon out, but will run into trouble with Absol's Aerial Ace and Shiftry's Extrasensory, so bring along Ninetales to torch the Grass/Dark-types and save energy on Hariyama for Absol. You'll need him later. Of course, it doesn't really matter if you brought Revives with you.

Type: Ghost
Prize: $5100
Suggested Pokemon: Sharpedo

Dusclops @ None Level 48 Ability: Pressure - Curse - Confuse Ray - Shadow Punch - Future Sight

Banette @ None Level 49 Ability: Insomnia - Spite - Will-o-Wisp - Shadow Ball - Faint Attack

Banette @ None Level 49 Ability: Insomnia - Skill Swap - Toxic - Psychic - Shadow Ball

Sableye (F) @ None Level 50 Ability: Keen Eye - Attract - Faint Attack - Shadow Ball - Psychic

Dusclops @ Sitrus Berry Level 51 Ability: Pressure - Earthquake - Confuse Ray - Shadow Ball - Ice Beam

Phoebe's team can be taken down by a strong and fast Dark-type, Sharpedo being the best candidate. Since Banette are frail and Dusclops can't take Super effective hits, you'll really only have to worry about Sableye, and she won't be much of a problem, considering she's pretty frail too. Crunch everyone and move onto the next room.

Type: Ice
Prize: $5300
Suggested Pokemon: Hariyama, Ninetales

Glalie @ None Level 50 Ability: Inner Focus - Crunch - Hail - Light Screen - Ice Beam

Glalie @ None Level 52 Ability: Inner Focus - Shadow Ball - Hail - Crunch - Ice Beam

Sealeo @ None Level 50 Ability: Thick Fat - Surf - Hail - Body Slam - Ice Ball

Sealeo (F) @ None Level 52 Ability: Thick Fat - Dive - Hail - Attract - Blizzard

Walrein @ None Level 53 Ability: Thick Fat - Blizzard - Sheer Cold - Body Slam - Surf

Hariyama won't have many troubles here, considering none of Glacia's Pokemon know Psychic- or Flying-type moves. Ninetales can be used to stall on those Glalies and save up PP.

Type: Dragon
Prize: $5500
Suggested Pokemon: Walrein

Shelgon @ None Level 52 Ability: Rock Head - Dragon Claw - Crunch - Protect - Rock Tomb

Altaria @ None Level 54 Ability: Natural Cure - Dragon Breath - Take Down - Dragon Dance - Refresh

Flygon @ None Level 53 Ability: Levitate - Dragonbreath - Crunch - Sand-attack - Flamethrower

Flygon @ None Level 53 Ability: Levitate - Dig - Fly - Dragonbreath - Sandstorm

Salamence @ Sitrus Berry Level 55 Ability: Intimidate - Dragon Claw - Fly - Crunch - Flamethrower

Drake's pretty challenging, so save before you face him. Walrein is bulky and can take a lot of hit and considering none of his Pokemon have super-effective attacks against it (except Shelgon's Rock Tomb), you shouldn't have that much of a problem with his team. Use Hail and Blizzard, but also use Ice Beam to save PP, unless you have Ethers or Elixirs.

Type: Steel and Rock
Prize: $11600
Suggested Pokemon: Sharpedo, Hariyama, Ninetales

Skarmory @ None Level 57 Ability: Keen Eye - Spikes - Toxic - Steel Wing - Aerial Ace

Cradily @ None Level 56 Ability: Suction Cups - Confuse Ray - Sludge Bomb - Giga Drain - Ancientpower

Claydol @ None Level 55 Ability: Levitate - Earthquake - Ancientpower - Reflect - Light Screen

Armaldo @ None Level 56 Ability: Battle Armor - Water Pulse - Slash - Aerial Ace - Ancientpower

Aggron @ None Level 56 Ability: Sturdy - Earthquake - Thunder - Solarbeam - Dragon Claw

Metagross @ None Level 58 Ability: Clear Body - Earthquake - Psychic - Meteor Mash - Hyper Beam

Steven is actually pretty easy (he's incredible easy if you have a Blaziken), but requires tactic. Aggron, Claydol and Armaldo can be taken out by both Sharpedo or Hariyama. Ninetales can take out Skarmory but may have trouble with Metagross, so use Overheat to blast Metagross away for good. Cradily can be taken out by Hariyama.