Juan (Sootopolis Gym): Team, Levels & How to Beat Him

Juan’s first Gym battle: team, levels and moves

Scroll horizontally to see every column.

Juan leads with Luvdisc. The remaining table lists his roster, rather than promising a fixed switch order. His highest level is 46, and he can also use two Hyper Potions from his trainer inventory. The Chesto Berry is Kingdra’s held item, separate from those healing items.

Bring separate answers for Whiscash and Kingdra

Use Grass damage against Whiscash. Its Water/Ground typing makes Grass attacks deal 4× damage and makes Electric attacks do no damage. Avoid leaving an Electric Pokémon in front of Earthquake. Grass attacks are special in Emerald, so Amnesia can reduce their effectiveness if Whiscash gets time to use it.

Electric attacks are super effective against Luvdisc, Sealeo and Crawdaunt. A Grass attacker also handles Luvdisc and Crawdaunt, but Sealeo’s Aurora Beam can punish Grass Pokémon. Sealeo is weak to Fighting, so a trained Fighting attacker can cover that matchup without taking an Ice weakness.

Kingdra is only weak to Dragon in Generation III. Grass and Electric attacks hit it neutrally; Ice also hits neutrally because Water resists Ice. There is no Fairy type in Emerald. A Dragon attacker is an option, but check its Ice weakness before exposing it to Ice Beam.

Stop Double Team from turning Kingdra into a long fight

Kingdra can raise its evasion with Double Team and restore its HP with Rest. Its Chesto Berry wakes it immediately after its first Rest; once that berry is consumed, later uses of Rest leave it asleep. Do not assume that bringing its HP low once will finish the battle.

Shock Wave ignores accuracy and evasion changes. Wattson gives TM34 after the Mauville Gym, so check whether you still have the single-use TM or a Pokémon already knows the move. Shock Wave has 60 power and 20 PP. It is neutral against Kingdra, so use it as a reliable fallback and keep healing and PP supplies available. It still cannot hit Whiscash’s Ground immunity.

A Water Pokémon resists both of Kingdra’s damaging moves, Water Pulse and Ice Beam, which can make it a useful defensive switch. Confirm that it has a meaningful attack or support plan: resisting damage alone does not overcome repeated Rest.

Preparation and battle order

1. Heal before entering and check your Grass attacker’s PP for Whiscash. As an ordinary-play recommendation, bring your main battlers near Kingdra’s level 46.
2. Bring status recovery for paralysis, freezing and confusion. Luvdisc can use both Attract and Sweet Kiss, and every member has Water Pulse.
3. Use Electric damage on the pure Water targets, switch to Grass for Whiscash, and save your reliable Kingdra answer for the end.
4. When Kingdra consumes its Chesto Berry, watch for a later Rest. Its sleep turns give you a chance to recover or attack, though Juan’s Hyper Potions can still extend the fight.

This plan assumes normal story battles, where Bag items are available. Challenge rules such as no items, level caps or permadeath require a separate plan.

Where Juan fits in Emerald and what you earn

Juan is the eighth Gym Leader in Sootopolis City. The Gym becomes available after the Groudon/Kyogre crisis is resolved with Rayquaza. The Ice-floor puzzle requires crossing every ice tile once; stepping on a cracked tile again drops you to the lower floor.

Victory gives the Rain Badge and TM03 Water Pulse. The badge allows Waterfall outside battle, opening the ascent to Ever Grande City and the route to Victory Road. Wallace is the Emerald Champion; this team is Juan’s initial Gym team, not Wallace’s Ruby/Sapphire team or Juan’s later Double Battle rematches.