Pokémon Sword and Shield Gym Leaders

Badge: Grass Badge

Reward: TM10 Magical Leaf

The first Gym Challenge battle. Milo Dynamaxes Eldegoss.

Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison and Bug attacks exploit both Grass types. Prepare your strongest attacker before Eldegoss grows.

Badge: Water Badge

Reward: TM36 Whirlpool

Nessa uses ordinary Dynamax on Drednaw in her Gym battle; her Champion Cup Drednaw uses Gigantamax.

Grass deals four times normal damage to Drednaw. Electric attacks help against the first two opponents, while Grass also covers the ace.

Badge: Fire Badge

Reward: TM38 Will-O-Wisp

Kabu Gigantamaxes Centiskorch. Ninetales and Arcanine can inflict burns with Will-O-Wisp.

Water and Rock attacks cover the team. Rock is especially effective against Centiskorch; a special attacker also avoids the damage penalty from burns.

Badge: Fighting Badge

Reward: TM42 Revenge

Sword only. Bea Gigantamaxes Machamp; Shield players face Allister for the fourth badge.

Flying attacks cover all four opponents. Fairy attacks hit Pangoro particularly hard, but its Bullet Punch can threaten a Fairy switch-in.

Badge: Ghost Badge

Reward: TM77 Hex

Shield only. The Yamask is its Galarian form. Allister Gigantamaxes Gengar.

Dark and Ghost attacks exploit most of the roster. Account for Mimikyu’s Fairy typing and Gengar’s Hypnosis before relying on a single counter.

Badge: Fairy Badge

Reward: TM87 Draining Kiss

Opal uses Galarian Weezing and Gigantamaxes Alcremie. Her battle questions can change your active Pokémon’s stats.

Steel attacks handle three opponents, but Mawile takes neutral damage from them. Use Fire or Ground against Mawile and watch for Togekiss’s Flying attacks.

Badge: Rock Badge

Reward: TM48 Rock Tomb

Sword only. Gordie Gigantamaxes Coalossal; Shield players face Melony for the sixth badge.

Grass attacks punish Barbaracle, while Water or Ground deals four times normal damage to Coalossal. Shuckle’s defenses can make weak attacks inefficient.

Badge: Ice Badge

Reward: TM27 Icy Wind

Shield only. Melony uses Galarian Darmanitan and Gigantamaxes Lapras.

Fire and Rock are excellent against Frosmoth. Keep a separate Electric or Fighting answer for Lapras, and be careful with Water Pokémon against Freeze-Dry.

Badge: Dark Badge

Reward: TM85 Snarl

Dynamax is unavailable in Spikemuth. Piers’s ace is Obstagoon, which remains its ordinary size.

Fairy attacks are strong against Scrafty, and Fighting attacks are especially strong against Obstagoon. Ground covers Skuntank, which has no Fairy weakness.

Badge: Dragon Badge

Reward: TM99 Breaking Swipe

A Double Battle with a sandstorm-focused team. Raihan Gigantamaxes Duraludon. His Champion Cup battle uses singles.

Plan two partners that can work together. Ice attacks are excellent against Flygon, while Ground or Fighting hits Duraludon; a Fairy move alone will not cover the full team.