Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire owned by Nintendo.
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Part Eighteen: Route 111 Desert

Main Walkthrough Page

Petalburg Pokemon Gym

The fifth of the Pokemon Gyms in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is much more straightforward than the rest, though that doesn't necessarily make it easier. It consists of a series of battles against trainers who start combat by using an enhancing item on their single pokemon. This makes the pokemon more potent - but it also means that you have a turn to waste that pokemon before it begins to attack. Every pokemon in attendance is a normal-type, so using fighting-type moves to demolish these pokemon will save you from the effects of the stat-boosting items. The path through the gym ensures that you don't have to face every trainer in the place, though they're worth enough experience that backtracking isn't a terrible idea.

Speed Room - Ace Trainer Randall
  • Delcatty, level 28
Reward: $1,680

Randall will use an X Speed to give Delcatty an edge. Delcatty will then put you to sleep with Sing if you're unlucky or use Attract to infatuate your pokemon. Beat it down before either happens.

Accuracy Room - Ace Trainer Mary
  • Delcatty, level 28
Reward: $1,680

Basically the same as the Speed Room, only here the item is an X Accuracy. Noooo big deal there, really.

Zero Reduction Room - Ace Trainer Parker
  • Linoone, level 28
Reward: $1,680

This time, a Guard Spec. You can't reduce its stats. Big deal.

Defense Room - Ace Trainer Lori
  • Linoone, level 28
Reward: $1,680

An X Defense enters the field. This is mildly troublesome for most fighting-type moves, but Linoone aren't exactly imposing opponents anyway.

May explores the Petalburg Pokemon Gym.
Recovery Room - Ace Trainer George
  • Linoone, level 28
Reward: $1,680

He uses a Super Potion if you don't kill it in one hit. Woooow. Dangerous.

Strength Room - Ace Trainer Jody
  • Zangoose, level 28
Reward: $1,680

Zangoose are fairly dangerous, and the addition of an X Attack is bad, but only if you don't knock it out in one turn. Which you probably will. Meh. If not, Slash might hurt a lot.

One Hit KO Room - Ace Trainer Berke
  • Zangoose, level 28
Reward: $1,680

Potentially the most dangerous battle, as the Zangoose gets a Dire Hit and will rock you rather harshly if it crits. Still, poor defenses make it a rather sad opponent in the long run.

- You must defeat a minimum of three trainers to reach the end of the gym. Waiting at the end...

Norman, the gym leader of the Petalburg Pokemon Gym.
Norman, the gym leader of the Petalburg Pokemon Gym.
Leader Norman
  • Slaking, level 28
  • Vigoroth, level 28
  • Slaking, level 30
Reward: $3,600

Alriiiight, let's do it. Norman is a powerful trainer, with three vicious physical attackers who can really mess up your team if given the chance. All three hit hard, but the second Slaking is the really dangerous opponent here, as its moves can shred you badly. Getting Swaggered is not a good idea. The key to an easy victory here is to take advantage of the first Slaking's Truant status (miss every other turn) to set up a pokemon with a lot of stat boosts that will increase its destructive power to the max. Do this a few times and you'll not have to worry about how hard these pokemon hit. That said, don't underestimate their durability - Vigoroth isn't that great, but the Slakings can take some serious hits before they go down.

Beating Norman will earn you the Balance Badge, allowing you to control pokemon up to level 60. You can also now use the HM move Surf outside battle...

- ... which is handy when, after you leave the gym, you receive HM03, Surf. (You also get TM67, Retaliate. But, you know, segues.)

- The next Route on the schedule is Route 118, just beyond Mauville... which is where Wally drags you immediately after the battle. Now that you can use Surf, though, you can also explore the mass of water between Petalburg and Slateport, which you previously navigated via Mr. Briney's boat. We'll go there first, as there's a lot to see betwixt those two cities.