Should gyms/gym leaders' difficulty be increased?

[Zeb]

I thought there was already a thread on this topic, but I searched, and apparently not.

So for the last few games, the majority of the gym leaders have, imo, gotten much easier. Maybe it's because I understand the game mechanics more than when I was child, or maybe they are just getting easier.

And IMO, the number of gym leaders that are actually hard to beat can probably be counted on one hand.

So, would you like gyms to be tougher? Or do you think they are fine as is?

I understand the games have to playable for the younger fans, but I personally feel the gym leaders aren't much of a challenge anymore, and would at least like some increase in their difficulty for the older fans.

 

[Joshawott]

The Gym Leaders in Pokémon Black/White were way too easy. If I remember correctly, I managed to beat Brycen without even losing a single hit point. I would certainly approve of an increase in their difficulty.

The way I see it, is Gyms 1-3 should be relatively easy, while 4-6 should be challenging and 7-8 should be hard. If you have that balance, it should be easier for even some of the younger fans.

 

[Oswin]

Definitely, some of my fondest Pokémon memories are lucky wins over the hard gyms. I remember Brycen was ridiculously easy too, but that could be because of the type.

 

[Almonds]

Brycen and Skyla had been too easy. I could beat Brycen with my Serperior easily, and Skyla with my Galvantula.

Also, I had no trouble getting through Drayden with a Gothorita using Attract.

Though, I wish Elesa had increased difficulty without making people annoyed. She should have a different team insted of two Emolgas.

 

[GengarEatBanana]

I felt that some of BW's gym leaders were way too easy. Brycen was a joke, and most of the others were easy as well. Maybe B2/W2 will fix that up, hopefully some changes are made.

 

[VirtualAnomaly]

The Gym Leaders in Pokémon Black/White were way too easy. If I remember correctly, I managed to beat Brycen without even losing a single hit point. I would certainly approve of an increase in their difficulty.

The way I see it, is Gyms 1-3 should be relatively easy, while 4-6 should be challenging and 7-8 should be hard. If you have that balance, it should be easier for even some of the younger fans.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[GatoRage]

Yes, yes, oh god yes.

The Black/White Gym Leaders were far too easy and I thought most of them had too few Pokemon. I want to be stuck on the Gym Leaders, like I was sometimes in the older gens. Now that might be because I understand the games more and I'm a much better player, but I'd still like them to ramp up the difficulty considerably. They're supposed to be bosses. Not something you sweep through in 4 minutes tops on the first try.

 

[Zeb]

I want to be stuck on the Gym Leaders, like I was sometimes in the older gens. Now that might be because I understand the games more and I'm a much better player, but I'd still like them to ramp up the difficulty considerably. They're supposed to be bosses. Not something you sweep through in 4 minutes tops on the first try.

This is what I was trying to say! Some of the older gens had really tough gyms (Misty, Whitney, Norman, Clair, and Tate & Liza [Emerald]) which I struggled to beat, and still do now if I ever replay.

--

The BW ones are far, far, too easy. The only gym that was hard in BW was the first gym, and that was only if you didn't take the monkey in the Dreamyard. Elesa was annoying with the constant Volt Switch-ing, but I wouldn't say she was hard to beat.

 

[Ranger Jack Walker]

Yes.

The first 2 or 3 should be standard monotype teams.
The next 3 should use pokemon of atleast two types. Not dual types but combos. Like a flying type paired with a ground type who can abuse each others immunities. The gymleaders should also start switching out pokemon to better abuse the immunities.

The last 2 should use competitive level Pokemon and items(like leftovers, choice items, life orb), strategy teams(like weather abusers, stall teams, entry hazards) and most importantly, NO UNEVOLVED POKEMON BULLSHIT (DRAYDEN, I'M LOOKING AT YOU!)

 

[Bouffalant Herdier]

Definitely. Pokemon has a marvelous battle system, it's a huge shame the majority of easy Gym Leaders fail to properly demonstrate how good it can be.

 

[Almonds]

Yes.

The first 2 or 3 should be standard monotype teams.
The next 3 should use pokemon of atleast two types. Not dual types but combos. Like a flying type paired with a ground type who can abuse each others immunities. The gymleaders should also start switching out pokemon to better abuse the immunities.

The last 2 should use competitive level Pokemon and items(like leftovers, choice items, life orb), strategy teams(like weather abusers, stall teams, entry hazards) and most importantly, NO UNEVOLVED POKEMON BULLSHIT (DRAYDEN, I'M LOOKING AT YOU!)

...if the gym leaders were that smart, then we'd have trouble getting through the game for starters... XDD

 

[Xenidal]

I don't know if they've gotten too easy or not, but I would not like to see what Ranger Jack Walker's saying. Items / strategic teams would be a horrible idea for Gym Leaders. Maybe for the Elite Four or the Champion, or a bonus area, but not for Gym Leaders.

 

[Ranger Jack Walker]

The strategic thinking would be reserved for the final Gym Leader. In every game, the 8th Gym Leader has always been presented as just below E4 level yet they are often the easiedt to defeat.

 

[smalllady]

Well, I said no, only because I'd rather not be stuck on a gym leader and not be able to progress the story. But I don't really care either way.

Although I agree that gym leaders 6-8 should at least be a little challenging. Skyla and Brycen should be ashamed of themselves. Drayden/Iris weren't as bad, since Dragon types are purely offensive and can hit pretty hard.

 

[Possu]

There is the fact that many kids play the games (they bring money) and they'd probably get frustrated if the gym leaders were more difficult. If the game was done only for me, I'd like gyms to be more difficult. Expecially I'd love to improve how intelligent their moves are - because sometimes they are out right stupid. They should regocnize players pokemon types and use moves wisely considering that.

 

[NatsuTerran]

Ranger Walker said what I was going to say. I think gym leaders should specialize in two separate types. That and they should ALL have a team of 6 pokemon. How do you call yourself a gym leader when you have less pkmn than me AND they are lower levels?

I mainly am sick of the whole single-type gyms thing. It would be awesome if they were like how the pkmn trading card game used to be played back in the day, where everyone's deck had two types (because of energy constraints) and you picked types that could cover each other. It would be really nice if the leaders had a slight specialization but had backups that could handle typical counters. Say for instance, a fire gym leader has 4 fire types (and one of those is their "prized/boss pkmn") and they would have an electric type for any waters you have and a grass type for your ground types. Then all that would be left is for them to intelligently switch to their back-up types when you put a rock/ground type in their way.

Also, it would be nice to rematch them like the elite four. And I would even take it a step further than that. If they keep the whole seasons thing, I think gym leaders and the E4 should up the levels of all their pokemon each time a season passes (for the rematches). That way eventually every trainer you can rematch will have nothing but a team full of level 100's. It always bothered me that the only way you can reach 100 is by grinding the E4 with lucky eggs over and over again. Some types aren't good against anything the E4 have and so you have to use an exp share for like 20 levels until they get to 85+ where they can handle themselves against type disadvantages. Rematching gym leaders and having everyone in the game level up along with you would really be all I could ask for in a new game.

 

[Rare Candy]

Last Pokemon that fainted in a gym battle was my poor Wingull against Wattson's Manectric in Emerald.

The games are very easy. I hope something is done about this.

 

[Meyneth]

The thing that made the B/W gym leaders too easy was the fact that you could a Pokemon with the gyms weakness, like how you can get a fighting type right before the normal type, or a ground type right before the Electric one. I just hope they don't do this again.

I mainly am sick of the whole single-type gyms thing. It would be awesome if they were like how the pkmn trading card game used to be played back in the day, where everyone's deck had two types (because of energy constraints) and you picked types that could cover each other. It would be really nice if the leaders had a slight specialization but had backups that could handle typical counters. Say for instance, a fire gym leader has 4 fire types (and one of those is their "prized/boss pkmn") and they would have an electric type for any waters you have and a grass type for your ground types. Then all that would be left is for them to intelligently switch to their back-up types when you put a rock/ground type in their way.

Even the first one?

 

[NatsuTerran]

Even the first one?

*Especially* the first one! XD just kidding. Nah I would prefer it leading up to how I had it though. Like maybe a dark-type guy with 2 pkmn and one other random type thrown in like a ghost or something that isn't strong against the starters. Then the next would be a normal gym with 3 normal types and 1 psychic. And so on as they ramp it up. I'm mainly concerned with rematching gym leaders. And if they start the first ones weak, they should add to their team as the seasons pass. So like that first gym in BW would eventually have all three of them fight you at once and each of them would have 2 of each starter type on their team in one large battle.

 

[Peachy]

BW's gym were really easy. Draygen/Iris' highest leveled Pokemon was Haxorus at Lv.43. Compaired to Volkner in Platimum whose highest Pokemon is Electivire at 50. So yeah, there has been a decline in difficulty.