Let’s be real for a second. Most people breeze through Galar. They pick Scorbunny, mash the A button, and wonder why everyone complained about the difficulty. But if you actually sit down and look at the Pokemon Shield gym leaders, there’s a weird spike in challenge that the Sword version just doesn't have. It’s subtle. It’s about the typing.
Galar’s Gym Challenge is basically a high-stakes sports league. You’ve got the crowds, the chanting, and that banger of a soundtrack that kicks in when you’re down to your last Pokemon. But the specific lineup in Shield changes the math of your playthrough. If you aren't prepared for the shift from Rock to Ice or Fighting to Ghost, you’re gonna have a bad time.
Honestly, the Galar region gets a lot of flak for being "too easy," but that's usually coming from people who over-leveled their starter. If you play at the intended level cap? Those GMAX moves hit like a truck.
The Version Exclusives: Why Shield is a Different Beast
Most players know the drill. Sword gets the aggressive, physical types. Shield gets the technical, stall-heavy, or high-special-attack types. This isn't just a cosmetic swap. It changes your entire team-building priority from the jump.
Take the third gym. In Sword, you’re dealing with Bea. She’s tough, sure, but Fighting types have very clear, exploitable weaknesses that are easy to find early on. In Shield? You’re walking into Allister’s Ghost-type gym. Ghost types are notoriously annoying in the mid-game because they ignore Normal and Fighting moves—the two most common move types you’ll have on your team at that point.
Allister’s Gengar is a nightmare. It’s fast. It’s mean. If you didn’t go out of your way to catch a Dark-type or a fast Psychic-type in the Wild Area, that GMAX Terror is going to trap your Pokemon and pick them off one by one. It’s a literal trap.
Then there’s the late-game swap. While Sword players are fighting Gordie’s Rock-types (which basically fall over if you breathe on them with a Water or Grass move), Shield players have to deal with Melony. She is, without a doubt, the hardest of the Pokemon Shield gym leaders for a casual player. Her Lapras is a tank. It sets up Aurora Veil. Suddenly, all your damage is halved for five turns. That is a massive hurdle if you don't have a brick-break user or a way to stall out the veil.
Milo and Nessa: The Deceptive Early Game
You start in Turffield. Milo is... well, he's Milo. He’s the "friend" gym leader. He uses Grass types. He’s basically there to teach you how Dynamax works. Honestly, his Eldegoss is only a threat if you’re trying to challenge yourself with a mono-Water team for some reason. If you have a Rookidee or a Scorbunny, the fight is over in three turns.
Nessa is where the game actually starts. Her gym in Hulbury introduces the puzzle element, which is simple but sets the tone. But look at her Drednaw. It’s a Water/Rock type. That 4x weakness to Grass is a gift, but if you don't exploit it, that Swift Swim ability in the rain (which her Max Geyser sets up) will make her faster than anything you own.
She’s the first real "check" in the game. Do you have a plan for speed? If not, you’re losing a Pokemon.
Kabu: The Firewall
Kabu is the point where the Shield gym challenge stops being a tutorial. He’s the Motostoke gatekeeper. His Centiskorch isn't just a fire bug; it’s a physical powerhouse that can burn your team and then out-sustain you.
- The Strategy: Most people try to use a Water type here.
- The Trap: Kabu’s Centiskorch often has moves to counter its weaknesses, and it’s surprisingly bulky.
- The Fix: You need Stealth Rock. Even this early, entry hazards change the game.
The Mid-Game Wall: Allister and Opal
I mentioned Allister before, but he deserves a deeper look. His team composition in Shield is actually quite clever. He uses a Galarian Yamask (Runerigus eventually, but Yamask here). This thing has the Wandering Spirit ability. You touch it, your ability is gone. It messes with your rhythm.
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Then you get to Opal. She’s the Fairy-type specialist in Ballonlea. The "quiz" mechanic is hilarious because she asks you questions while you’re trying to fight, and if you get them wrong, your stats get nerfed.
"What is my favorite color?"
"How old am I?"
It’s psychological warfare. Her Weezing is a Fairy/Poison type, which is a fantastic defensive typing. If you’re relying on your own Fairy types or Grass types, she’s going to melt them. You need Steel or Ground. By this point in the game, if you haven't visited the Wild Area to diversify, Opal will stall you out until her Alcremie GMAXes and starts healing itself while attacking.
Melony: The Shield Exclusive Legend
We need to talk about Melony's Lapras. It’s arguably the most "competitive" set used by any of the Pokemon Shield gym leaders.
When she Gigantamaxes her Lapras, she uses G-Max Resonance. This doesn't just do massive damage; it sets up Aurora Veil regardless of the weather. For those who don't play competitive VGC, Aurora Veil is a move that usually requires Hail to be active. It reduces all incoming damage by 50%.
Trying to power through a 50% damage reduction against a Pokemon that has massive HP and access to Hydro Pump and Blizzard is a recipe for a wipe. Most players reach Melony and realize their "hit it hard" strategy doesn't work. You have to learn about screen-breaking moves or status effects. She forces you to be a better trainer.
Piers and Raihan: The Final Push
Piers is the only gym leader who refuses to Dynamax. He’s a purist. He’s also the Dark-type leader in Spikemuth. Since there’s no GMAX gimmick in this fight, it’s a straight-up 6v6 (or 5v5 depending on the mode) brawl. His Obstagoon with Obstruct is annoying. It lowers your defense if you make contact. It’s a chess match.
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And then, Raihan. The "final boss" of the gyms.
Raihan is unique because he fights in a Double Battle. This is a huge shift. Every other gym is 1v1. Raihan plays with weather. He’s a Dragon-type user, but he’s really a Sandstorm user. He uses Duraludon, which is Steel/Dragon—a typing that only has two weaknesses (Fighting and Ground).
If you aren't prepared for the sandstorm chip damage and the constant pressure of two Pokemon attacking at once, Raihan will end your run right at the finish line. He isn't just testing your levels; he’s testing your ability to manage a complex battlefield.
Beating the Galar Circuit: A Practical Approach
If you’re looking to dominate the gym circuit in Shield, you can’t just rely on your starter. The typing spreads are too wide.
First, get a Corviknight. It’s the MVP of Galar. Steel/Flying is an insane defensive typing that helps with Milo, Allister (to an extent), Opal, and Melony. It resists almost everything they throw at it.
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Second, find a good Ground type for Raihan. A Galarian Stunfisk or a Mamoswine (which you can get early in the Wild Area) is essential for taking down that Duraludon.
Lastly, don't ignore the "held items." Giving your Pokemon a Charcoal or a Mystic Water might seem small, but in those GMAX battles, that 10-20% boost is often the difference between a knockout and leaving the opponent with a sliver of health—allowing them to heal or counter-attack.
The Pokemon Shield gym leaders offer a specific kind of challenge that rewards preparation over raw power. While the game provides plenty of "quality of life" features like Exp. Share, the actual mechanics of the later fights—like Melony’s screens or Raihan’s weather—require a bit of tactical thinking.
Go into the Wild Area. Catch a diverse team. Don't just spam your strongest move. If you treat the Gym Challenge like the professional sports league it’s meant to be, you’ll find a lot more depth in Shield than the critics suggest.
Next Steps for Your Playthrough:
Check your team for "entry hazard" moves like Stealth Rock or Spikes before hitting the mid-game. These are game-changers for the Kabu and Melony fights. Also, make sure you have at least one Pokemon with the move "Brick Break" specifically for the Circhester Gym; it’s the only way to instantly shatter Melony’s Aurora Veil and regain the momentum.