Hello and welcome to our new feature here at BoxMash! Every Friday we will be guiding you through one of the eight Kalos Region Gyms in Pokémon X and Y, showing you everything you need to know to beat them all and get your badges. We will show you how to find the gyms, what Pokémon they have and how you can defeat them, and even where to head next! This week, we are looking at the first Gym in Santalune City with Gym Leader Viola!
Gym Type
This Gym is a Bug-type Specialty. Pokémon that are strong against bug types are Fire, Flying and Rock types.
How to find The Gym
After you get Roller Skates from Rinka, this gym is easy to find in Santalune City.
This gym is half photography studio, half spider web. When you first enter the gym you will find a gallery of Viola’s photography. You must use the pole in the center of the gym to reach the lower floor. The lower flower has a large spider web that you bounce on when you land. You can only walk along the web strands, and you should look for the thicker strands or strands with water droplets on to find your way round.
There are three other bug-type trainers in this gym, some are standing on platforms. They are: Youngster David, Youngster Zachary, and Lass Charlotte. If you cross in front of their sight, they will challenge you to a battle. The first two are optional and can be avoided by finding your way around the web, but you have to battle Lass Charlotte in order to fight the gym leader. We recommend battling all three as it is always good to level your Pokémon up before you take on the Gym Leader. If you wish to go back up to heal your Pokemon at the Pokemon Center, return to the middle of the web and press A to climb up the rope.
Trainers in the Gym
Youngster David
Ledyba (level. 10)
Type: Bug and Flying
Ability: Swarm
Moves: Supersonic, Tackle, Comet Punch
Money for winning: P240
Youngster Zachary
Spewpa (level. 10)
Ability: Shed Skin
Moves: Harden, Tackle
Money for winning: P240
Lass Charlotte
Kakuna (level. 7)
Type: Bug and Poison
Ability: Shed Skin
Moves: Poison Sting, Harden
Combee (level. 9)
Type: Bug and Flying
Ability: Honey Gatherer
Moves: Gust
Money for winning: P216
Gym Leader Viola
Viola is a bug-type trainer with two tough, mixed type Pokémon.
Surskit (Level. 10)
Type: Bug and Water
Ability: Swift Swim and Rain Dish
Item: None
Moves: Quick Attack, Bubble, Water Sport
Vivillon (Level. 12)
Type: Bug and Flying
Ability: Shield Dust & Compound Eyes
Item: None
Moves: Harden, Infestation, Tackle
How to defeat Viola
As Viola’s Surskit is a dual Water and Bug type Pokémon, you should use an electric or flying type Pokémon to defeat it. You shouldn’t use a fire type Pokémon to win as Surskit will use Water Sport to weaken any fire-type attacks. As we suggested in our 10 Best Pokémon to catch in Pokémon X and Y feature, Pikachu is a great Pokémon to use against Surskit as Water Pokémon are weak to electric types. You can catch a Pikachu in Santalune Forest.
Vivillion is part Bug and Flying type, so when Water Sport is no longer in effect, bring out your Fire Pokemon and use Ember or any fire-based attack to win. If you chose Fennekin as your starting companion you will win easily, otherwise you can catch a Pansear in Santalune Forest.
Another way to beat Viola is to trade for a Farfetch’d named Quacklin’. He can be found south-west of the trainer school in one of the houses in Santalune City; you will find a hiker who wants to trade Farfetch’d for Bunnelby. After this all you need to do is use your Aerial Ace move and beat Viola as it is super effective against both her Pokémon.
Tips: Viola may use a Potion on her Pokemon during the battle if one of her Pokemon gets weak without fainting. Try taking them out quickly. You should also stock up on potions and maybe an antidote or two as Vivillion has a deadly combination of infestation and harden, and It will take some time to get its health down. Infestation will trap you and deal 1/16 of your health for 4 or 5 turns.
Reward
After you defeat Viola, she tells a you a photography joke and gives you your Bug Badge, which allows you to control Pokémon of up to Level 30 and to use HMO1 Cut outside of battle. You also get P1920 money and the TM 83 Infestation.
Where to go next
Take the stairs behind Viola to return to the entrance. You’ll come out a secret exit behind one of the big photos in the gallery. As you leave the gym, the guy near the entrance tells you to go to the Pokémon Lab in Lumiose City and show Professor Sycamore your first gym badge. To get there, go west of the Trainers’ School, then go north.
Viola’s older sister Alexa will run after you and give you an Exp. Share. To use it, select it in your bag and turn it on. While it is turned on, all of the Pokémon in your team will receive Experience Points after battles, even if they were not used during battle. Alexa goes north to return to Lumiose City. To go to Lumiose City, follow where Alexa went. You’ll enter Route 4, Parterre Way.
Remember to come back here next Friday for next weeks installment: Cyllage City and Gym Leader Grant!
