1st Gen The Kanto Gym Leaders

curiousnathan

curiousnathan

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    [PokeCommunity.com] The Kanto Gym Leaders
    [PokeCommunity.com] The Kanto Gym Leaders
    Spread throughout Kanto were various Pokémon Gyms, places where we could hone and test our skills as aspiring Pokémon trainers against a series of master trainers. While on your Pokémon journey, which of the Gym Leaders did you like the most? Did you find any particularly difficult to defeat? Or were some just pushovers for you and your trusty team?

    Share your thoughts on the original eight Gym Leaders of the Pokémon Franchise!
     
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    It's been a long while since I last touched RBY, but I think I was able to go through all the gym leaders pretty easily. I can't remember if I choose Charmander in one of my playthroughs, but if I did I imagine Brock would be tough for me and perhaps Misty too. With favorites, I think my favorite is Blaine as he's pretty eccentric with his quizzes.
     
    Lt. Surge bias because of electric types. <3 I also found his gym battle in the anime to be the absolute most epic followed closely by Blaine so they're high up on my favorites list. Erika too but that's primarily design-wise.

    But geez did I have trouble with Brock in Yellow. Have such clear memories of having to Quick Attack him into defeat as I spammed Potions to keep myself alive.. lol. Not sure why I didn't bother grabbing a Mankey or other fighting type but my kid self wasn't the brightest bulb. Having Squirtle or Bulbasaur in R/B made things so much easier.
     
    I hate Misty. Her and her bloody damned Starmie; she caused me so much trouble in the original games. I had to grind my Pikachu up to level 26 - which took me several hours - in Yellow for Thunderbolt just so I could beat her. In Red...well, I chose Charmander, so you can imagine how infuriating I found it.

    I always used to catch a Dugtrio for Surge. I think that was the sole reason for the Rock Tunnel being where it was, haha.
     
    Meloetta said:
    I think that was the sole reason for the Rock Tunnel being where it was, haha.
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    I think you mean Diglett's Cave. :)

    I agree that Misty's Starmie can be challenging if you don't have the right Pokémon. An opponent with 115 Base Speed that early in the game?! With a STAB Bubble Beam off 100 Special?! : O

    I'm surprised no one's mentioned Sabrina, yet. She's using the game's fiercest type! And especially in Yellow, where her Alakazam's level was boosted by 7! She also happens to be quite intimidating in her early depictions in most media. I actually never really thought about it, but I think she's my favourite! {D:}
     
    Raburesu said:
    I think you mean Diglett's Cave. :)

    I agree that Misty's Starmie can be challenging if you don't have the right Pokémon. An opponent with 115 Base Speed that early in the game?! With a STAB Bubble Beam off 100 Special?! : O

    I'm surprised no one's mentioned Sabrina, yet. She's using the game's fiercest type! And especially in Yellow, where her Alakazam's level was boosted by 7! She also happens to be quite intimidating in her early depictions in most media. I actually never really thought about it, but I think she's my favourite! {D:}
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    ...derp. That is EXACTLY what I meant. It's been so many years I'm forgetting the place names. xD

    I didn't have that many issues with Sabrina in Yellow for some reason, although I DO remember being more worried by that level increase. I had more problems in Koga's Gym with those invisible walls...IIRC, there is a trainer in there with a Level 40ish Hypno, and the thing was a damage sponge. Koga himself came equipped with Toxic and Sleep Powder, too...status ailments were considerably more annoying when I was a kid.

    Speaking of, another thing that just came to me: my first poisoning. It was in Silph. Co, and I freaked out. I thought I'd broken my Gameboy, or the game had glitched, or SOMETHING. It took my Pokemon several minutes to die, and I spent those minutes wandering around in tears, worrying about what my parents were going to do when they found out I'd broken my Gameboy. Then it fainted and the bleeping and screen tearing stopped. I've never been more relieved to have a Pokemon faint on me before. xD
     
    I loved the Kanto leaders, particularly the random level jump from Erica to Koga. A lot of people didn't really understand this but I think when you consider everything you can do between the two (Game Corner and Pokémon tower, Cycling Road, Routes 14/15 and Silph Co.) it kind of makes sense.

    Sabrina is definitely the most difficult, mainly owing to overpowered Psychics in Gen I.
     
    Meloetta said:
    Speaking of, another thing that just came to me: my first poisoning. It was in Silph. Co, and I freaked out. I thought I'd broken my Gameboy, or the game had glitched, or SOMETHING. It took my Pokemon several minutes to die, and I spent those minutes wandering around in tears, worrying about what my parents were going to do when they found out I'd broken my Gameboy. Then it fainted and the bleeping and screen tearing stopped. I've never been more relieved to have a Pokemon faint on me before. xD
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    What an awful, stressful memory! I'm so sorry for you! ;_;
     
    damn was i hating on sabrina with her psychic pokemon hurting pikachu like that
    but she does look cool though​
     
    Sabrina used to be my favorite, but now Erika is actually my favorite gym leader out of all the games. I remember when I played Yellow Version for the first time when I was five I had quite a bit of difficulty with Brock (obviously), Sabrina, and Koga iirc. Now, all of the gyms are a breeze for me lol.
     
    Sabrina appeals to me the most, mainly because despite the official pecking order of Gym Leaders, I always found her to be the strongest and the most intimidating of the bunch. I faintly recall even some of the dialogue from NPCs mentioning how strong she was or how they were afraid of her. She seemed like such a mysterious but also dangerous character. Giovanni I always found interesting - I suppose he is somewhat on the same line as Sabrina in terms of personality and impressions - but I'd have to say Sabrina is my absolute favourite.

    In terms of difficulty, Misty was a nightmare to defeat. Her Starmie would always give me grief with its Bubblebeam. Coupled with the fact that I picked Squirtle which didn't have much of an effect on her Pokemon, made beating her a tough but in the end satisfying task.
     
    Being one to choose Charmander, I always had so much difficulty at the beginning of the game; it kind of skews my memories of it. Brock wasn't too bad once I leveled up a bit, but Misty would always be such a problem for me. :| Like the rest of you, that Starmie just kicked the snot out of my poor, fledgling teams. Every time. Bad memories there.

    In terms of difficulty, the rest of the game typically goes pretty swimmingly for me until I get to Sabrina. That Alakazam of hers had me rage-quit numerous times. Any time I would chip away at it... it'd just use recover. If Gameboys weren't so durable back then, I'm sure I would have broken my fair share of them while battling her!

    Personal favorites would still have to be Erica and Blaine.
     
    Koga is my favorite Gym Leader of all for sure. I remember going having trouble with Brock because of having Charmander early in the game (and Pikachu in Yellow), but none of the others really were that bad. Erika was easy for me because I chose Charmander, so I just set her whole team on fire. :P
     
    I hated Lt. Surge because of the puzzle before we can beat him.
    Koga is my favorite gym leader of all time, but mostly because I have an attachment to him and his Pokemon (I love Poison type Pokemon). So glad he's become a Elite Four :)
    Brock is hard because of the choice of Pokemon you have at this point of the game. I always have to train a lot in the grass before I can beat him.
     
    I've always loved Misty and Sabrina, even if they were always a nightmare to battle in the games. I've always liked both Water and Psychic types and strong female characters. I miss seeing them in the games. :sideways:
     
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