Unlocked during your first trip to the Academy, the Victory Road Treasure Hunt is one of three primary quest lines in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Centering around Nemona's obsession to see you become a Champion, Victory Road will send you to eight Pokémon Gyms around Paldea to defeat Gym Leaders in combat. It's the lengthiest, most difficult of the Treasure Hunts, and the one that most closely resembles the Pokémon games of the past.
As with the other two Treasure Hunts, you can complete Victory Road in any order you like, so long as you can reach the gyms. There is a definite intended order for completing the gyms, however, determined by the level of the Pokémon you'll face in battle. This guide will provide some recommendations on which gyms you should tackle when, as well as links to more detailed articles.
Regardless of which gym you enter first, there's a sequence of events that will trigger as you go through the gyms. You'll receive items, as well as conversations with various characters, as you make your way through each successive gym.
First Gym
The first gym you're recommended to take on is in Cortondo. It features Bug-type Pokémon, and is best tackled with Rock-, Flying-, or Fire-type Pokémon. Your team should be around level 13 before you try to take on this gym.
Nemona will be waiting in the first gym when you come knocking. She'll give you three Super Potions to help you with your first Gym Challenge.
Second Gym
The second gym you're recommended to take on is in Artazon. It features Grass-type Pokémon, and is best tackled with Fire-, Ice-, Flying-, Poison-, or Bug-type Pokémon. Your team should be around level 15 before you try to take on this gym.
Nemona will again be waiting when you enter your second gym. She'll give you three Ethers this time before taking off.
Third Gym
The third gym you're recommended to take on is in Levincia. It features Electric-type Pokémon, and is best tackled with Ground-type Pokémon. Your team should be around level 23 before you try to take on this gym.
You'll receive a challenge from Nemona in the middle of this Gym Challenge, just before you tackle the Gym Leader but after you complete the Gym Test. This time she's bringing out some of her higher-level Pokémon.
Pokémon Trainer Nemona
- Rockruff, level 21
- Pawmi, level 21
- Floragato / Crocalor / Quaxwell, level 22
- Rockruff is a Rock-type. It can cause trouble with Rock Throw, but is otherwise a straightforward, easy-to-beat Pokémon. Water-, Grass-, Ground-, Steel-, and Fighting-type moves will take it down.
- Pawmi is an Electric-type. It's speedy and can put on some hurt, but goes down easily. Ground-type moves are the way to go (ironic, since it uses Dig itself). Watch out for Static if you use physical attacks.
- Last up is the starter Nemona chose at the beginning of the game. All three are fairly powerful, and will promptly Terastallize to max out their damage capacity. Still, you need only stick to their weaknesses to survive the fight. Your starter can handle their starter, and if they're not around a Pokémon of the same type as your Pokémon will do.
- Lycanroc, level 36
- Pawmo, level 36
- Goomy, level 36
- Meowscarada / Skeledirge / Quaquaval, level 37
- Lycanroc has jumped up a few pegs in the world, and can now use Accelerock to gain a speed advantage over your team. Its weaknesses - Water-, Ground-, Grass-, Fighting, and Steel-type moves - are, however, the same as before.
- Pawmo is stronger than Nemona's old Pawmi, but it's still an Electric-type. Its ability to paralyze you is its ost annoying attribute. Ground-type moves will do it in.
- Goomy is a relatively weak Dragon-type Pokémon. Fairy-, Ice-, and Dragon-type moves will finish it off in a hurry.
- Nemona's starter has evolved to its final, most dangerous form, and each possible starter now has a secondary type as well - though they will Terastallize into their original form. Your starter can, for the most part, still handle them.
- Lycanroc, level 42
- Sliggoo, level 42
- Pawmot, level 42
- Meowscarada / Skeledirge / Quaquaval, level 42
- Lycanroc is more or less the same as before. A Water- or Grass-type move will wallop it.
- Nemona's Goomy as evolved into a Sliggoo, which is more powerful, but... still a Dragon-type. Fairy-, Ice-, and Dragon-type moves work, though be careful not to deploy Fairy- or Dragon-types unless you know they're quick.
- Pawmo has turned into Pawmot, an Electric- and Fighting-type with major speed. Ground- and Fairy-type moves are pretty useful here. Just be ready to be paralyzed with Thunder Wave.
- Nemona's starter is the same as before, just a bit stronger, and with a new move that takes advantage of the Tera Type bonus when it Terastallizes. Your own starter still has the upper hand here, so long as it can move more quickly. Terastallizing should earn your starter an easy win.
- Lycanroc, level 65
- Goodra, level 65
- Dudunsparce, level 65
- Orthworm, level 65
- Pawmot, level 65
- Meowscarada / Skeledirge / Quaquaval, level 66
- Rock-type Lycanroc has ditched its weaker moves, though it still primarily attacks with Rock-type attacks, as well as the Ground-type Drill Run. It can also use Stealth Rock, which will annoy your team for the entire match if it goes off. Lycanroc has poor defenses, so take it down with a Fighting-, Water-, Grass-, or Steel-type move before it can deploy Stealth Rock.
- Goodra remains a Dragon-type, but is much more dangerous than last time. It can use Dragon Pulse, Ice Beam, Sludge Bomb, and Muddy Water, all to great effect. Goodra's Defense is poor, so physical moves of the Ice-, Dragon-, or Fairy-types are advisable.
- Dudunsparce is a Normal-type with good bulk and Attack, but otherwise so-so stats. It knows Hyper Drill, Drill Run, Dragon Rush, and Coil, and can make all of them hurt, but it doesn't have a ton of Speed. Get a swift Fighting-type up against it for a relatively quick win.
- Orthworm is a Steel-type with a good Attack and an exceptional Defense, and... that's about it. Expect it to use Iron Tail, Body Press, Earthquake, or Rock Blast when attacking. Most Orthworm's stats are pretty poor, allowing you to wallop it with Special Attacks. Ground-type moves will heal Orthworm thanks to its Earth Eater Ability, so stick to Fighting- or Fire-type moves.
- Pawmot is more or less the same as before, an Electric- and Fighting-type with high Speed and Attack but poor defenses. It knows Double Shock, Ice Punch, Quick Attack, and Close Combat, and will usually go first. Ground-types can be countered by Ice Punch, so you may want to go with a Fairy- or Psychic-type Pokémon instead.
- Last up is Nemona's starter, which, as ever, Terastallizes itself when the fight begins. Each has a new move, but for the most part these fights will go the same as before. Your starter will be a decent counter.
