Johto Gyms

Falkner of Violet City

Type: Flying
Prizes: The Zephyr Badge, ¥1560, TM51 Roost, Usability of Rock Smash
Recommended: Rock

Pidgey @ None Level 9 Ability: Keen Eye - Tackle - Sand-attack

Pidgeotto @ None Level 13 Ability: Keen Eye - Tackle - Roost - Gust

Rock is your best bet at beating Falkner, though he is not very difficult to overcome. Due to the inavailability to Ice-types, which are just as efficient against Flying-types as Rock-types, Rock is your best choice. There are two Rock-types near Violet City; Geodude, which can be found in Dark Cave or Onix, which has to be traded with a person in southern Violet City. Go find a Bellsprout and trade it for the Onix in the house at the southeast corner of Violet City. Onix is very sturdy and can use this agaisnt both Pidgey and Pidgeotto. Can't find Bellsprout? A Geodude will also suffice, absorbing Pidgey's Tackle and Pidgeotto's Gust sufficiently.

Bugsy of Azalea Town

Type: Bug
Prizes: The Hive Badge, ¥1800, TM89 U-Turn, Usability of Cut
Recommended: Rock, Flying, Fire

Scyther @ Sitrus Berry Level 17 Ability: Technician - U-Turn - Leer - Quick Attack - Focus Energy

Metapod @ None Level 15 Ability: Shed Skin - Harden

Kakuna @ None Level 15 Ability: Shed Skin - Poison Sting

Bugsy is quite simple to beat. One of his Pokemon is useless, the other one is weak, and the last is rather strong, but not impossible to overcome. Bug-type Pokemon are naturally weak to Fire-, Rock- and Flying-type attacks. Quilava will not have a problem and neither will Croconaw. Bayleef may find it difficult to take Bugsy one. Onix takes on Scyther well since it has a double weakness to Rock. Metapod and Kakuna are minuscule problems.

Whitney of Goldenrod City

Type: Normal
Prize: The Plain Badge, ¥2280, TM45 Attract, Usability of Strength
Recommended: Fighting

Clefairy [F] @ None level 17 Cute Charm - Encore - DoubleSlap - Mimic - Metronome

Miltank [F] @ Lum Berry level 19 Ability: Scrappy - Rollout - Attract - Stomp - Milk Drink

Whitney's Clefairy is easy to take out, since it abuses Metronome. Go with Machop, which you can be obtained by trading a Drowzee with someone who lives in southern Goldenrod. Machop's ability to learn Low Kick at a low level helps to counter both Clefairy and Miltank. Miltank is still a trooper, and will deal serious damage if Machop isn't trained enough. I would hope to get a female Machop, since Attract won't affect it.

Morty of Ecruteak City

Type: Ghost
Prizes: The Fog Badge, ¥2760, TM30 Shadow Ball, Usability of Strength
Recomended: Psychic, Dark

Gastly @ None level 21 Ability: Levitate - Lick - Spite - Mean Look - Curse

Haunter @ None level 21 Ability: Levitate - Hypnosis - Dream Eater - Curse - Nightmare

Haunter @ None level 23 Ability: Levitate - Sucker Punch - Curse - Mean Look - Night Shade

Gengar @ Sitrus Berry level 25 Ability: Levitate - Shadow Ball - Hypnosis - Sucker Punch - Mean Look

Drowzee will do a good job agaisnt them, though Shadow Ball will mean trouble. Croconaw should not have a problem if it still knows Bite, which is super-effective against all of Morty's Ghost-types. Quilava and Bayleef also won't have much difficulty. Morty's team revolves around trapping and hypnotizing. If you are wary of his strategies, you will be at an advantage from the start. Bring plenty of Awakenings and be willing to be patient. Steel-types are also pretty good, considering you find one.

Chuck of Cianwood City

Type: Fighting
Prizes: The Storm Badge, ¥3720, TM01 Focus Punch, Usability of Fly
Recomended: Psychic, Flying

Primeape @ None level 29 Ability: Vital Absorb - Leer - Focus Punch - Double Team - Rock Slide

Poliwrath @ Sitrus Berry level 31 Ability: Water Absorb - Body Slam - Surf - Focus Punch - Hypnosis

Chuck was always an easy trainer to beat. Sweep with Pidgeot or Noctowl, but be wary of Primeape's Rock Slide. Hypno and Kadabra also come in handy. Meganium won't have a problem, but Ty will with Poliwrath's Surf and Hypnosis combo.

Jasmine of Olivine City

Type: Steel
Prizes: The Mineral Badge, ¥4200, TM23 Iron Tail
Recomended: Fire, Water, Ground

Magnemite @ None level 30 Ability: Magnet Pull - Thunderbolt - Sonicboom - Supersonic - Thunder Wave

Magnemite @ None level 30 Ability: Sturdy - Thunderbolt - Sonicboom - Supersonic - Thunder Wave

Steelix @ Sitrus Berry level 35 Ability: Sturdy - Sandstorm - Screech - Rock Throw - Iron Tail

Both Magnemite will be easy to overcome. A modest Fire-type will suffice, but a Ground-type will also prove effective against Jasmine's team. Magnemite are doubly weak to Ground-type attacks, making Sandslash, Graveler and Onix excellent candidates. A Fire- or Water-type can easily overpower Steelix with a powerful Special-oriented attack.

Pryce of Mahogony Town

Type: Ice
Prize: The Glacier Badge, ¥3100, TM07 Hail, Usability of Whirlpool
Recommended: Fighting

Seel @ None level 30 Ability: Thick Fat - Snore - Icy Wind - Rest - Hail

Dewgong @ None level 32 Ability: Thick Fat - Sleep Talk - Aurora Beam - Ice Shard - Rest

Piloswine @ Sitrus Berry level 34 Ability: Snow Cloak - Hail - Ice Fang - Mud Bomb - Blizzard

Meganium users beware! This gym will be challenging for you. I recommend using a strong Fighting-type Pokemon. Rock-types will suffice, but considering that most Rock-types are also dual Ground-types, it would be inadvisable to bring one along. Machoke or Heracross won't have a problem here at all. Dewgong is bulky, but it won't be able to withstand Close Combat or Cross Chop. Piloswine will also go down rather easily with a strong Fighting-type. Fire-type will also be fine here, considering only Piloswine can threaten them with Mud Bomb.

Clair of Blackthorn City

Type: Dragon
Prize: The Rising Badge, ¥4920, TM59 Dragon Pulse, Usability of Waterfall
Recommended: Ice, Electric

Gyarados @ None level 38 Ability: Intimidate - Twister - Dragon Rage - Dragon Pulse - Bite

Dragonair @ None level 38 Ability: Shed Skin - Thunder Wave - Fire Blast - Slam - Dragon Pulse

Dragonair @ None level 38 Ability: Shed Skin - Thunder Wave - Aqua Tail - Slam - Dragon Pulse

Kingdra @ Sitrus Berry level 41 Ability: Sniper - Smokescreen - Hydro Pump - Hyper Beam - Dragon Pulse

Dragon-types are notorious for their resilience and strength. Your starter Pokemon will likely not aid you in this battle, considering Dragon-types are resistant to Grass-, Fire- and Water-type attacks. Thus, you should try to plan effectively. Dragon is weak to itself, giving you an edge if you happen to have a Dragonite or Kingdra yourself. But due to their inaccessibility, another plausible route is to find and train an Ice-type from Ice Path. Your best bet is a Cloyster or Dewgong, since both are sturdy and able to take and throw a punch. Take Gyarados out with an Electric-type and use Ice Beam/Blizzard on the Dragonair. Ice Beam or Blizzard will take out the Dragonairs, leaving it between you and Kingdra. A war of attrition may suffice; Use Toxic on it, and protect until it dies. Hydro Pump doesn't have perfect accuracy and Hyper Beam will force it to rest, giving you a chance to snip away at its health. Or, bring along a Dragonite and smash it with Outrage. Your choice.

Congratulations! You've defeated all of the Johto Gym Leaders. But you're not done yet! You still have all of Kanto!

Kanto Gym Leaders

Brock of Pewter City

Type: Rock
Prizes: The Boulder Badge, ¥6240, TM80 Rock Slide
Recommended: Water, Grass,Fighting

Graveler @ None Level 51 Ability: Sturdy - Defense Curl - Rock Slide - Rollout - Earthquake

Rhyhorn @ None level 51 Ability: Lightning Rod - Scary Face - Earthquake - Horn Drill - Sandstorm

Omastar @ None level 53 Ability: Shell Armor - AncientPower - Brine - Protect - Spike Cannon

Onix @ Sitrus Berry level 54 Ability: Rock Head - Iron Tail - RockSlide - Screech - Sandstorm

Kabutops @ None level 52 Ability: Battle Armor - Rock Slide - Aqua Jet - Endure - Giga Drain

Brock will be easy if you bring a Grass or Water Pokemon with you. Feraligatr won't have a problem, and neither will Meganium. However, Typhlosion will be okay if has Earthquake on it. If not, try Quagsire or Bellossom.

Misty of Cerulean City

Type: Water
Prizes: The Cascade Badge, ¥6480, TM03 Water Pulse
Recomended: Grass, Fighting

Golduck @ None level 49 Ability: Damp - Water Pulse - Disable - Psych Up - Psychic

Quagsire @ None level 49 Ability: Water Absorb - Water Pulse - Amnesia - Earthquake - Rain Dance

Lapras @ None level 52 Ability: Water Absorb - Sing - Ice Beam - Body Slam - Water Pulse

Starmie @ Sitrus Berry level 54 Ability: Natural Cure - Water Pulse - Recover - Ice Beam - Confuse Ray

Use a Grass-type like Bellossom or Vileplume on her. I would stay away from Jumpluff, considering both Starmie and Lapras have Ice Beam. Bellossom's Solarbeam or Vileplume's Petal Dance will take care of both Golduck and Quagsire and start to weather down Starmie's HP. Use a Fighting type on Lapras.

Lt. Surge of Vermilion City

Type: Electric
Prizes: The Thunder Badge, ¥6360, TM34 Shock Wave
Recomended: Rock, Ground

Raichu @ None level 51 Ability: Static - Thunder Wave - Quick Attack - Shock Wave - Double Team

Electrode @ None level 47 Ability: Static - Thunder Wave - Double Team - Shock Wave - Light Screen

Electrode @ None level 47 Ability: Static - Screech - Selfdestruct - Charge Beam - Double Team

Magneton level 47 Ability: Magnet Pull - Supersonic - Double Teaam - Shock Wave - Mirror Shot

Electabuzz @ Sitrus Berry level 53 Ability: Static - Quick Attack - Shock Wave - Low Kick - Light Screen

Your best bet is to use sturdy and powerful Sandslash. Earthquake will clear the entire gym for you, and you won't be threatened by Magneton's Mirror Shot or Electabuzz's Low Kick as Golem/Graveler or Onix would be.

Erika of Celadon City

Type: Grass
Prizes: The Rainbow Badge, ¥6720, TM19 Giga Drain
Recommended: Flying, Ice

Jumpluff @ None level 51 Ability: Chlorophyll - U-Turn - Leech Seed - Sunny Day - Giga Drain

Victreebel @ None level 56 Ability: Chrolophyll - Sunny Day - Synthesis - Grass Knot - Leaf Storm

Tangela @ None level 52 Ability: Chlorophyll - AncientPower - Wring Out - Giga Drain - Sleep Powder

Bellossom @ Sitrus Berry level 56 Ability: Chlorophyll - Sunny Day - Synthesis - Giga Drain - Solarbeam

Pidgeot or Fearow will have it easy here. Use Aerial Ace and Wing Attack to take down Jumpluff, Victreebel and Bellossom. Tangela's Defense is high, so hit it hard with Ice Beam or Blizzard from a local Water type.

Janine of Fuschia City

Type: Poison
Prizes: The Soul Badge, ¥6000, TM84 Poison Jab
Recommended: Psychic, Fire

Crobat @ None level 47 Ability: Inner Focus - Screech - Supersonic - Confuse Ray - Wing Attack

Weezing @ None level 44 Ability: Levitate - Double Hit - Sludge Bomb - Toxic - Explosion

Ariados @ None level 47 Ability: Insomnia - Scary Face - Poison Jab - Pin Missile - Psychic

Ariados @ None level 47 Ability: Swarm - Pin Missile - Poison Jab - Swagger - Night Shade

Venomoth @ Sitrus Berry level 50 Ability: Shield Dust - Sludge Bomb - Double Team - Signal Beam - Psychic

Bring a strong and fast Psychic-type like Gardevoir or Alakazam and don't worry about. Blow through her team with Psychic.

Sabrina of Saffron City

Type: Psychic
Prizes: The Marsh Badge, ¥6600, TM48 Skill Swap
Recomended: Ghost, Dark

Espeon @ None level 53 Ability: Synchronize - Shadow Ball - Skill Swap - Calm Mind - Psychic

Mr. Mime level 53 Ability: Filter - Mimic - Light Screen - Skill Swap - Psychic

Alakazam @ None level 55 Ability: Synchronize - Skill SWap - Psychic - Energy Ball - Reflect

Basically, find a Houndour and evolve it. Sabrina's team is all Psychic-types, and they have mostly Psychic moves. Houndoom will have fun here, and will sweep with Crunch. Not even Alakazam can put a dent in it, with it's immunity to Psychic-type moves. If you're having trouble finding Houndoom, try Sneasel.

Blaine of the Seafoam Islands

Type: Fire
Prizes: The Volcano Badge, ¥7080, TM50 Overheat
Recommended: Water, Ground

Magcargo @ White Herb level 54 Ability: Flame Armor - Sunny Day - Smog - Overheat - Rock Slide

Magmar @ White Herb level 54 Ability: Flame Body - Thunderpunch - Overheat - Sunny Day - Confuse Ray

Rapidash @ White Herb level 59 - Quick Attack - Bounce - Overheat - Flare Blitz

Catch a Quagsire or evolve a Wooper. Blaine's Pokemon lack any Grass-type attacks, which puts Quagsire in the clear. Magmar's Thunderpunch will not affect Quagsire, and it can sweep with Surf or Waterfall. Do NOT allow him to set up Sunny Day because that will lower Quagsire's Water-type attacks and power his own Pokemon's Fire-type attacks.

Blue of Viridian City

Type: Varied
Prizes: The Earth Badge, ¥9600, TM92 Trick Room
Recommended: Flying, Water, Electric

Pidgeot @ Sitrus Berry level 60 Ability: Keen Eye - Return - Whirlwind - Air Slash - Mirror Move

Rhydon @ None level 58 Ability: Rock Head - Megahorn - Stone Edge - Earthquake - Thunder Fang

Machamp @ None level 56 Ability: No Guard - DynamicPunch - Earthquake - Thunderpunch - Stone Edge

Gyarados @ None level 52 Ability: Intimidate - Ice Fang - Dragon Dance - Waterfall - Return

Exeggutor @ None level 55 Ability: Chlorophyll - Leaf Storm - Psychic - Hypnosis - Trick Room

Arcanine @ None level 58 Ability: Flash Fire - Roar - Dragon Pulse - Extremespeed - Flare Blitz

Pidgeot: Use an Electric-type, like Electabuzz or Electrode.
Rhydon: Use Quagsire. Surf will take care of it.
Machamp: Use Yanmega and Air Slash. Yanmega is strong and fast, and it's Air Slash can take out Machamp with ease.
Gyarados: Same as Pidgeot.
Exeggutor: Same as Machamp.
Arcanine: Same as Rhydon.

 

Apricorns are pretty neat little fruits. They have two functions for ingame: creating Poke Balls and making Aprijuice. Both of these are useful in their respective areas of gameplay. But Apricorns are only available once per day, one for each Apricorn tree. Just how do you collect them?

Marking Their Locations

The trees are found in many areas. You can find one just about anywhere in Johto and quite a few spots in Kanto. How will you remember them all?
Well, there's this great function in HGSS for the map application on your PokeGear that allows you to mark locations. When you first mark locations, if you're finding them on your own, travel everywhere in each region and mark every city and route that happens to have them. The marking function even gives an Apricorn marker, just so you know exactly why it's there!
If you're hoping for a list of places to find them, you're in luck. Here's where the Apricorn trees are found:

Red- Routes 37, 44, and Fuchsia City
Yellow- Routes 8, 42, 46, and Violet City
Blue- Routes 26, 36, 37, and Pewter City
Green- Routes 11, 29, 30, 35, 39, 42, 45, and 46
Pink- Routes 2, 30, 33, and 42
White- Route 38, Azalea Town, and Pewter City
Black- Routes 1, 31, 33, 37, and 43

Another place to obtain Apricorns is in the Pokeathlon Dome, where you use your hard-earned points from Pokeathlons as the currency. They only have certain Apricorns on certain days, however.

Sunday- Red, Blue, Black
Monday- Red, Blue, Green
Tuesday- Yellow, Pink, White
Wednesday- Blue, Pink, Black
Thursday- Yellow, Pink, White
Friday- Red, Yellow, Green
Saturday- Green, White, Black

Green is the most common type, and after that, Black. You may want to just buy rarer Apricorns such as Red from the Dome, as opposed to common types.

Making Poke Balls

The one thing everyone knows about Apricorns is that they can be used to make unique types of Poke Balls. Just take 'em to Kurt; he'll take about a day to make them but it's well worth the wait.
Each type of Apricorn is turned into a different type of Poke Ball. You may want to stock up on Apricorns before giving them to Kurt, as there's no such thing as too many Poke Balls!

Red- Level Ball - Increases catchrate for Pokemon of a lower level than the Pokemon currently battling
Yellow- Moon Ball - Increases catchrate of Pokemon who evolve by using the Moon Stone
Blue- Lure Ball - Increases catchrate while fishing
Green- Friend Ball - Caught Pokemon will be friendlier (friendship is set to 200)
Pink- Love Ball - Increases catchrate for Pokemon of the same species but opposite gender of the Pokemon currently battling
White- Fast Ball - Increases catchrate of Pokemon with a base Speed stat of at least 100
Black- Heavy Ball - Increases catchrate of heavy Pokemon

The most useful ingame are usually the Lure, Friend, Fast, and Heavy Balls. Also, they're very pleasing to the eyes as opposed to the plain old Poke, Great, Ultra, and Master Balls.

Making Aprijuice

The other function of Apricorns is making Aprijuice. Aprijuice helps out your Pokemon in its Performance stats for the Pokeathlon, much like Poke Blocks for Contests and Poffins for Super Contests. Each Apricorn contributes to certain stats, except for the White Apricorn, which does nothing on its own.

Red- Increases Power.
Yellow- Increases Stamina.
Blue- Increases Skill.
Green- Increases Jump.
Pink- Increases Speed.
Black- Increases Power and Stamina.

Also like Poke Blocks and Poffins, Pokemon will only like certain types of Aprijuice based on their natures. Each Performance stat is related to specific flavors and in turn, specific battling stats.

Power- Spicy - Attack
Stamina- Sour - Defense
Skill- Dry - Sp. Attack
Jump- Bitter - Sp. Defense
Speed- Sweet - Speed

Each nature affects a Pokemon's tastes; the stat that is boosted by the nature is what the Pokemon likes, and the stat the nature lowers is what the Pokemon dislikes. HGSS luckily shows you which nature does what. On the stats screen of a Pokemon's summary, the stat highlighted in yellow is the boosted stat, while the blue highlight is the lowered stat.

Conclusion

Apricorns add yet another fun layer on Pokemon, especially now that they contribute to a side game. With so many uses for one little fruit, it'll be an important item to grab on your adventures in Generation IV. Be sure not to miss out on such a nifty item!