#peaks of sinnoh

Once you’ve battled your way through all eight gyms and the caves of Victory Road, you can finally face the elite four and the champion.

As always, you have to fight all of them in a row, so stock up on potions and other items and take on the challenge! 

(To learn more about this project, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag!)

The first member of the elite four you’ll face is…

Aaron

Aaron is still at the front of Sinnoh’s elite four challenge, and is as enthusiastic as ever about the awesomeness of bug types. His team consists of Yanmega, trash cloak Wormadam, Heracross, Vespiquen, and Drapion.

Next up:

Diana

Inspired by her older sister Cynthia, Diana has become a powerful trainer and the Sinnoh region’s first master of fairy type Pokémon. She’s the youngest member of the elite four, and is always excited to take on new trainers. To move on, you’ll have to best her team of Clefable, Azumarill, Gardevoir, Sylveon, and Togekiss.

After you’ve defeated Diana, you’ll challenge…

Volkner

At the insistence of his friend Flint, Volkner left gym life behind to challenge stronger trainers as a member of the elite four. He’s more engaged by the challengers he receives in his new role, but he’s still skeptical of your ability to show him an impressive battle. But once you defeat his Lanturn, Raichu, Electivire, Luxray, and Magnezone he’s definitely impressed.

You’re nearly there! The last member of the elite four is…

Fantina

Fantina retired from being a gym leader to travel the world, but was unable to stay away from the battle arena for long. Upon her return to Sinnoh she became the most powerful member of the elite four, taking on each new challenger with Mismagius, Gengar, Gourgeist, Froslass, and Drifblim.

Now, brace yourself. This is the last challenge between you and the hall of fame. It’s time for you to face…

Champion Dawn

The champion is thrilled to see you! She knew she saw the spark of a master trainer in you.  

If you can defeat Dawn and her partners–Luxray, Glaceon, Lucario, Garchomp, Blissey (holding a Chople Berry), and Empoleon–you will be the new strongest trainer in Sinnoh. Congratulations! 

Associate Professor Larch joins Dawn to induct you into Sinnoh’s hall of fame. They congratulate you, and now you have completed the Sinnoh League.

The next morning you will wake up back home in Twinleaf Town, where Matilda and Cato will be waiting to congratulate you. Now you’re free to travel the region however you like! Will you master Pokémon contests? Cook the perfect poffin? Challenge the battle frontier? Challenge the trainers of the league to rematches? It’s all up to you!

Thank you for following Peaks of Sinnoh <3

In your journey across the Sinnoh region you will face a variety of legendary Pokémon, each of which present unique challenges.

To see more about this project, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag!

Team Dimensional’s goal is to reunite the old Gods of the Sinnoh region with our world, and to that end they are seeking to capture nearly every legendary in the region. First and foremost, they need to capture the Lake Trio, Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit. 

You will have encountered Team Dimensional at many steps along your journey, as they can be found in nearly every town, either proselytizing to the masses or researching ancient legends. However, it is not until you pass by the entrance to Lake Valor, where Dimensional grunts will block your way, that it becomes clear that Team Dimensional are up to something. This is made even clearer by talking to Aroma Specialist Mars, Lady Jupiter, and Ace Trainer Saturn, but it does the details of Team Dimensional’s operation do not come to light until after you have defeated Keira at the Hearthome city gym.

You will once again meet Dawn as you are leaving Hearthome, and she will congratulate you on your progress. However, she will receive a call from Assistant Professor Larch demanding she come to Lake Verity immediately. 

You and Dawn speed to the Verity Lakefront, where Acolyte Spacia is attempting to capture the lake’s legendary Pokémon, Mesprit. However, Spacia is unable to successfully catch the Pokémon, and orders some grunts to capture it by means other than a Pokéball. Upon hearing this, Mesprit flees. Specifically, the emotion Pokémon flees to you, the player, and unless there is an open space in your party you will be prompted to send a member of your team to a box. Mesprit will join your team, whether you like it or not. 

Spacia and the grunts challenge you in an attempt to steal Mesprit from you, but Dawn and Lucas easily defeat the grunts while you take on Spacia. Once defeated, Spacia has no choice but to retreat.

This development sends you to Canalave town, where, once Roark’s Gym is defeated, your rivals and Assistant Professor Larch study up on the guardians of the lakes. It’s clear that Team Dimensional want to get their hands on these Pokémon, likely as a means to summon Dialga Palkia, and perhaps Giratina. 

In hopes of preventing Team Dimensional from capturing any other lake Pokémon, you meet one of your rivals, Matilda at Lake Valor. There you will find Acolyte Tempus and three grunts restraining Azelf, the willpower Pokémon. Tempus is determined to succeed where Spacia failed. However, when two of the grunts challenge the player and Matilda to a double battle in hopes of driving you off, Azelf is able to break free, and becomes a part of Matilda’s Pokémon team. You and Matilda continue to battle as a team against Tempus and the remaining grunt, and once again emerge victorious. 

The last lake, Lake Acuity, is reached after you have made it to Snowpoint city. You have time to reach the Pokémon center there before Cato appears, telling you something is wrong at the lakefront. At lake Acuity, you and Cato battle a group of grunts guarding the lakefront before surfing to the cave in the center of the lake. There you must face Pravita, who plans to defeat you and capture Uxie for herself. Cato isn’t confident enough to face her alone, and you battle as a team against her, which she insists is unfair. Even after being defeated, she throws one last Pokéball at the knowledge Pokémon, but it escapes from the ball and situates itself in Cato’s party.

After you defeat Candice at Snowpoint gym, Dawn meets up with you again, and is encouraged by the possibility that Team Dimensional will be stopped in their tracks now that they can no longer bring together the Lake Trio and get a hold of the red chain. 

However, just before you reach Sunyshore city to challenge the final gym, an earthquake rattles the region. Barry, Sunyshore’s gym leader, runs headlong into you, and hurriedly explains what’s going on:

Something big is happening in turnback cave, off of route 214, and you’re that kid Dawn’s been talking to, right? He tells you to go ahead and check it out while he goes to find Dawn.

When you reach sendoff spring, where the cave’s entrance is located (and the path to which you could SWEAR wasn’t there yesterday…), Matilda is already there. She explains that she was on route 214 when the ground shook, and decided to head towards where the shake might’ve come from. She also called Cato and told him what was going on. The pair of you climb down to the cave entrance, and just before you head in Cato rushes down into the spring to join you. 

The path into the heart of the cave, which is labyrinthine at the best of times, is lined by Team Dimensional grunts. You, Matilda, and Cato fight your way through them until you reach Giratina’s chamber, where the renegade Pokémon is looming over Acolyte Pravita and Themis, Team Dimensional’s leader.

Themis reveals to you that he has summoned Giratina, and will use this newfound power to bring forward Dialga and Palkia as well. And, all the better, the three of you are now here, so Team Dimensional has been able to bring the lake trio together after all!

In an attempt to stop Themis, you challenge him to a battle. Pravita takes on both Cato and Matilda while you face Themis, and his team: Rampardos, Bastiodon, Dustox, Clefable, and Toxicroak. Though he is upset that you defeat him, he is not swayed, and turns his attention Giratina instead.

Finally,Barry has returned with Dawn and Lucas, but it may already be too late. Themis calls upon Giratina’s power, and a dark portal opens in the center of the room. Themis, Pravita, the player, Matilda, and Cato are all pulled briefly through the distortion world only to be spat out onto the peak of Mt. Coronet at the spear pillars. 

Tempus and Spatia are waiting at the pillars, and are glad to see that their leader has succeeded. With Giratina’s power, Themis calls forth Dialga and Palkia, and the whole region, perhaps the whole of reality, shakes under the strain. 

Themis asks the great legendaries how Team Dimensional can serve them, but Sinnoh’s creators have only rage. Another portal to the distortion world opens in an attempt to balance all of this power, but Giratina is weakened from being restrained and controlled by Themis. Even as the mountain and the ruins begin to crumble under the pressure, Themis persists. This, he is convinced, is the will of these gods. They will reshape Sinnoh to their liking! Even if it means the destruction of everything we know and hold dear. Time and space are being torn asunder by Dialga and Palkia, and Giratina is exerting more and more power in a vain attempt to compensate. Everything is threatening to shake apart at an atomic level! It would hardly be possible to contain all three of these powerful, legendary Pokémon at all, and truly impossible to contain them quickly enough to end this destruction. They cannot return to a state of balance now that they have been summoned; their anger will not allow them, and with time, space, and distortion all in one place, to remove one would surely tip the scales into utter, world ending chaos! 

The shuddering cacophony of inter-dimensional distress reaches an overwhelming fever-pitch, before being abruptly stilled. 

Arceus stands before you, looking down upon the scene. All is silent. Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina turn toward it. In a flash, each of the other legendaries is returned to their rightful places. 

Arceus turns its attention to Themis.

Themis bows down before Arceus, and his acolytes follow suit. He swears devotion to Arceus, and offers the Pokémon anything it could want. He asks that it remold Sinnoh to its liking, and take Team Dimensional as its servants. After a moment of hesitation [… … …], Arceus gives its answer:

No.

In a blink, Themis is gone, teleported elsewhere just like Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. The acolytes recoil in horror, and everyone is unsure what to do. No one among you would be brave or idiotic enough to face the Alpha Pokémon. 

…Right?

Wrong. You’re a player character, likely armed with a master ball, and you’ve been looking forward to just such an opportunity like this. It’s time to save your game, and face the legendary Arceus. Ideally, you will catch Arceus here, but if you defeat it instead you can return to the spear pillar after defeating the champion and obtaining all of the different type plates available in the Sinnoh region, at which point Arceus will re-spawn and you can try again.

With Arceus caught, reality has returned to a stable state, and the former acolytes of Team Dimensional are absolutely terrified of you. Tempus offers you the role of the team’s leader, but even if you don’t refuse, Pravita rejects the idea. Though none of them have given up their ideals and goals of a better, more advanced world, Spatia reasons that without their determined, charismatic leader, Team Dimensional will surely disband.

Now that Team Dimensional and their tampering with the legendary Pokémon has been stopped, you can finish your gym challenge in peace, and face the elite four and champion.

It isn’t until the post-game that you will find out that Themis has been discovered, alive and well, in Floaroma town. You can go meet him there and discover that his memory is hazy at best, losing focus soon after he became a Team Galactic grunt. Aroma specialist Mars is working to get him re-situated. He’s considering becoming a rancher!

Three trainers are honored in your hometown, and well known across the region, not only for their role in defeating Team Galactic, but for the work they continue to do in Sinnoh.

To learn even more, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag!

Lucas has now largely taken over Professor Rowan’s work. He can often be found in the lab in Sandgem Town, where he primarily studies the history of Pokémon species and their relationships with humans. He’s the one who gives you and your rivals your first Pokémon and a Pokédex. Lucas will also meet you a few times on your journey to check in on your progress or help investigate the actions of Team Dimensional. He will also introduce players who choose the “male” player character to Super Contests, and can appear as a coordinator in the highest-rank contests.

Barry is going strong as the gym leader of Sunyshore City. High-speed life in a port city is a great fit for him, though he still finds it too slow at times. He’s always rushing, and is likely to run into you or other NPCs in his haste. He has little time for Team Dimensional’s ideas and spirituality, but he does sometimes join Dawn or Lucas to investigate the team’s actions.

You first encounter Dawn in Eterna Forest, where Team Dimensional is holding up trainers. Upon discovering that you have received a Pokémon and Pokédex from Lucas, she encourages you to take on Acolyte Spatia. She can handle the grunts. She continues to monitor Team Dimensional’s actions, and you’ll meet her again many times. First she Dawn is also there to introduce the player to Super Contests if they have chosen the “female” player character, and can appear as one of the coordinators in the highest-rank contests. She is seen again when she looks into Team Dimensional’s Veilstone HQ with Barry, when she faces Team Dimensional with you and Lucas at the Verity Lakefront, and she attempts to stop Team Dimensional from summoning the Pokémon that created Sinnoh. 

However,you will also meet Dawn one more time before your journey is over...

Your childhood friends and rivals in your journey across the Sinnoh region!

To see more about this project, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag.

Matilda

Matilda is the driving force behind your group of friends. She has the get-up-and-go attitude to turn any plan into a reality. She loves Pokémon battles, and faces every challenge along her path with gusto! She is chosen by the legendary Pokémon Azelf to protect it from Team Dimensional.

Her starter, “Buddy,” has type advantage over your starter. When you face Matilda for the last time on Victory Road (and any other times you battle with her in the post-game) her team is made up of her starter (Buddy), Luxray (Sparky), Floatzel (Bubbles), Drifblim (Puff), Weavile (Scritchy), and Gabite (Chompers).

Matilda may appear as a competitor in the highest rank of contests in the Toughness and Coolness categories. In Toughness contests she will use Buddy, and in Coolness contests she will use Sparky. Matilda will also be at the Battle Frontier on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, where she can be teamed up with for double battles, or may appear as a challenger in higher-level single battles.   

Cato

Cato is a methodical and studious young man. He takes it upon himself to learn all he can, and think through his actions (not to mention yours and Matilda’s!) as best as he can before moving forward. Throughout your journey he seems to be one step behind you and Matilda, but he is still a formidable trainer. He is a great asset to you in double battles against Team Dimensional, and he successfully collects all eight badges, making all three of you impressively powerful trainers and the pride of Twinleaf Town. However, Cato is more focused on his Pokédex, working to document and (if possible) catch every Pokémon he can. He is chosen by Uxie to protect it from Team Dimensional.

Cato starts his team with the starter that is weak to yours. By the time you battle him for the last time in Sunyshore City (and in any battles thereafter) his team is made up of his starter, Staraptor, Lopunny, Alakazam, Lumineon, and Hipowdown.

Cato may appear as a competitor in the highest level of contests in the Cleverness and Beauty categories. In cleverness contests he will use his starter, and in Beauty contests he will use Lumineon. Cato can be found in the battle frontier on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, at which time he can join you for double battles, or may be a challenger in higher-level single battles.

On Saturdays both Cato and Matilda can be found in the town square in Twinleaf town. There you can talk to them, battle them individually, or take them both on in a double battle.

Matilda and Cato balance each other well, but that doesn’t mean you’re not an important part of this dynamic. As much as Cato’s intelligence needs Matilda’s energy to motivate him to act, and Matilda needs Cato’s level head to balance her recklessness, they both need your heart to better inform their thoughts and actions. The same way that their knowledge and enthusiasm improve your journey, your empathy makes a great fulcrum to keep things from swinging too far toward thoughts or actions.

Together, you three can take on any challenge the Sinnoh region can throw at you!

There’s a new group in Sinnoh, looking to share enlightenment. Along with control of the known universe. What could go wrong?

To learn more about this project, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag!

Team Dimensional is traveling the region, seeking to help people become one with the universe. They’re a spiritual bunch, aiming to connect with the cosmos and reconnect with the all-powerful Pokémon that created all things.

Team Dimensional grunts generally use Zubat, Glameow, Roselia, and/or Cleffa/Clefairy. 

To reconnect with those Pokémon, they need a lot of power, and a lot of followers, and they will go to great lengths to achieve that. You will, at various stages, need to confront them to prevent them from using people and Pokémon against their wills. Most importantly, you’ll need to defeat the team’s leaders, the acolytes.

Acolyte 1: Spatia

The first acolyte you encounter is Spatia. She dreams of mastering space, being able to travel great distances instantly, either by technological or metaphysical means. She’s a big fan of astral projecting. She’s an enthusiastic driver of the team, but her temper can get the better of her. She is also the newest member of the team’s higher ranks; when you first challenge her in Eterna Forest, her team is only a Marill and a Bidoof. She is blocking a path in Eterna Forest, where they are trying to spread Team Dimensional’s message of possibility and convince trainers to work with them. However, any time someone questions Team Dimensional’s goals Spatia gets angry with them and challenges them to a battle. 

You meet her a few more times in your travels, including at lake Verity. By the time you battle her for the last time, her team is made up of Bibarel, Azumarill, Floatzel, and Manatine.

Acolyte 2: Tempus

Tempus is a more experienced member of the team, and perhaps one of the more grounded. He is the most disciplined and determined of the acolytes, and is largely responsible for operations at Team Dimensional Headquarters in Veilstone city, which is run out of the old department store, now that the department store has moved into the larger space left behind by Team Galactic all those years ago. When you go snooping around the new headquarters you aren’t initially challenged to many battles. However, once you have worked your way far enough back behind the scenes to reach Tempus, he is determined to defeat you. 

Tempus is fascinated by time – the ways its progress is both unavoidable and mutable. Time moves inexorably forward, and yet, every moment theoretically happens at once. Taking both of these things into account, there’s no better time to act than in the present! His team includes Bastiodon, Bronzong, and Magnezone, though his Pokémon are initially battled in their pre-evolved forms.

Acolyte 3: Pravita

Pravita has been with Team Dimensional since the very beginning. She keeps her mind open to all possibilities, and believes in the fluidity of all things, with her reasonings varying from the spiritual to the quantum-mechanical. Everything is changeable, and she aspires to share the power to change it with all of Team Dimensional’s followers, as soon as she can get a hold of it herself. 

Other members of Team Dimensional will sometimes mention Pravita, and you will see her briefly in the Veilstone HQ and in Celestic town. By the time you battle her on the shores of Lake Verity (soon after defeating the Canalave City gym), her team consists of Mismagius, Drifblim, and Froslass.

Team Leader: Themis

Themis has spent over a decade searching for ways to make contact with the all-powerful Pokémon that are able to mold Sinnoh, and perhaps even time, space, and reality themselves, to their will. You will meet him many times throughout your journey; the first time you see him he is talking to scientists in Oreburgh City, but he does not introduce himself until you find him sharing the good word in Hearthome City, and you don’t face him in battle until Celestic Town.

Themis was a grunt for Team Galactic, and was there to witness Cyrus’ summoning of the ultimate legendaries of the region, and the team’s following downfall. He concluded that Cyrus’ mistake was a disrespect for the legendaries, and an over-emphasis on science. Themis’ goal is to succeed where Cyrus failed, and free Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Arceus to reign over Sinnoh once more, with himself and Team Dimensional as their loyal servants. Servants that, presumably, will become powerful by association. And maybe, just maybe, he can retrieve Cyrus from the distortion world, and prove himself to his former team leader.

He has made one small miscalculation: none of those Pokémon are trapped any more than a Pikachu is trapped in a tree. They do not need to be summoned; they are already exerting as much power as they wish. In his aspirations to “free” the legendaries, he is blindly restricting and controlling them.

This cannot end well.

Especially after you defeat his team: Rampardos, Bastiodon, Dustox, Clefable, and Toxicroak. He will first challenge you in Celestic Town.

However, Themis is not the only former member of Team Galactic still roaming Sinnoh. Most have let the teal dye fade from their hair and disappeared into mundane lives or other trainer classes, but there are three key team members that can still be encountered in Sinnoh, and can offer you some help in taking on Team Dimensional.

Bonus: Former Galactic Commanders

Aroma Specialist Mars lives in Floaroma town, and, if asked, will tell you some about the flawed battle strategies of Team Galactic, and is the first to remark on the connections between Team Dimensional and Team Galactic. After battling Spatia for the first time, Mars will battle with you to help you train to take on Team Dimensional.

Ace Trainer Saturn prefers to keep his distance from Team Dimensional. However, he can be found in Pastoria City, where he will explain some of Team Galactic’s grand plans to you, including the summoning of legendaries on Mt. Coronet, and the creation of the red chain.

Lady Jupiter has taken up residence at Hotel Grand Lake, and now considers her time with Team Galactic to have been an absurd phase in her life that she is glad has passed. She does love to tell stories, however, and will detail the events of Team Galactic’s attempt to summon the legendaries at the Spear Pillar, including their defeat by the now-champion and Cyrus’ disappearance. 

(Feat. an update on the state of the project as a whole)

Hi! So, as you may have kind of guessed this project won’t be going forward as it has been presented in the past. Life gets busy, priorities change, and people with adhd move on. However, I have too many ideas and sprite edits stashed away to let it go completely, so I want to share those things with you in subject-specific posts. Thanks to everyone who’s checked this out, and I hope you find these ideas at least passingly interesting. So, without further ado…

The Gym Leaders!

To see more about this project, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag!

Half of the gym leaders on the roster are familiar from the original/canon adventure in the Sinnoh region, but three are new (if still somewhat familiar) faces!

The new Oreburgh city gym leader, Carmilla, has already been featured in the Oreburgh city post, but let’s talk about her anyway:

Gym Leader 1: Carmilla

Carmilla is the youngest gym leader in Sinnoh, having taken over the Oreburgh gym from Roark. Her focus is on poison types, and her gym has bouncy, bubble-inspired theming.

If you defeat her team of Stunky, Budew, and Zubat, you’ll receive the venom badge, and have completed the first step of your Pokémon league journey!

Gym Leader 2: Gardenia

Gardenia has maintained her position as gym leader of Eterna city, though the forest maze in her gym has grown thicker and more lush over time, and Lass Caroline is now a Parasol Lady. 

You receive the forest badge for defeating her Cherubi, Leafeon, and Grotle.

Gym Leader 3: Maylene

Maylene has grown into a confident and accomplished gym leader in Veilstone city. She still gives out the cobble badge when you defeat her, and all of the other trainers in her dojo-themed gym. However, the other trainers in the gym are no longer exclusively black belts, now including battle girls and a ninja boy (who battles with a Croagunk). 

Maylene’s gym challenge team consists of Meditite, Riolu, and Machamp, but outside of the gym, and in any later battles, she can still be found with her partner Pokémon: Lucario.

Gym Leader 4: Quake

Quake took over the Pastoria gym from his mentor Crasher Wake when the elder wrestler retired*. Quake specializes in ground type Pokémon, and has redesigned the gym to better reflect that. 

Like Gardenia, Quake’s gym mimics the natural world, with a system of rivers running through it. The rivers can be navigated by crossing a series of bridges which raise and lower based on various control points throughout the gym (not unlike the buttons in the original layout). The rivers may not be wide, but they are deep, and the currents will sweep you right back to the front of the gym if you try to cross without using a bridge! The other gym trainers include rangers, ranchers, and fishermen.

He will award you the coast badge for defeating him and his team of Hippopotas (whose moveset includes muddy water), Quagsire, and (west sea) Gastrodon.

*Crasher Wake still lives in Pastoria city, and will give the player some advice about type effectiveness (grass is best) if talked to before battling Quake. Crasher Wake can also be battled post-elite four on select days of the week.

Gym Leader 5: Keira

Long-time contest judge Keira took over the Hearthome gym when Fantina left to travel the world and hone her battling skills some years ago. Though the ghost-type master has since returned to Sinnoh, Fantina is now a member of the elite four, and Keira and her normal-type team have remained the next step of the gym challenge. 

When you first reach Hearthome city, Keira is away from the gym, focused on her contest performances. When met briefly at the super contest hall, she explains that she has a couple very important master-rank contests to complete, and encourages you to challenge the Veilstone gym in the meantime. Keira and Quake can both be challenged after Maylene; it is only a matter of whether the player decides to double back or travel on to Pastoria city first.

The gym itself is constructed to encourage showmanship, and is styled after the super contest hall, with a largely pink, purple, yellow, and blue color scheme. On the first floor, the player must dress up (in any outfit other than the base player outfit. The player can choose to wear their contest outfit, as they well have learned about contests well before challenging this gym) before battling a Lady. On the second floor, you must follow a pattern of DDR-style arrows across the floor (stepping on the wrong tile will drop you down to the floor below) to battle a Lass. The third floor requires you to summon a Pokémon to use strength in order to move stage rosters aside to reach and challenge an Idol. 

Then, finally, you can challenge Keira, who will compliment you performance in the gym. Her room has retained the original stained glass, but now includes a stage, and has been repainted in a lighter pink, as opposed to the original, shadowy purple. Once you defeat her Jigglypuff, Porygon-Z, and Lopunny, Keira will award you the Twirl Badge

Gym Leader 6: Roark

Roark has taken over the Canalave city gym for his father, Byron*. The gym is now rock type, as opposed to steel, but has remained largely unchanged in most other respects. The gym trainers you must defeat to reach Roark include Workers, Black Belts, and Ace trainers–most notably Black Belt Jonathan and Ace Trainer Darius.

When you do reach Roark, he notes that he has been interested in your progress. He loves being a gym leader and battling new, promising trainers like you and Carmilla all the time, and that’s part of why he agreed to take over this gym for his father. His team includes Graveler, Steelix, Bastiodon, and Rampardos, and once defeated he awards you the mine badge.

*Byron still lives in Canalave city, but is somewhat less helpful than Crasher Wake. When spoken to, Byron will primarily share information about boat routes, or the appeal of steel type Pokémon. After defeating the elite four, he can be challenged once a week, when he visits Iron Island.

Gym Leader 7: Candice

Candice’s role as gym leader has remained largely unchanged in the many years since the original DPPT games took place. Like Gardenia, she has not updated the interior of her gym, though some of the Ace Trainers in the gym have changed, while others have been replaced by Skiers. 

However, you do need to go retrieve Candice from her studies of the Snowpoint Temple before you can challenge her. She can be found on the third floor of the temple, where the stairs leading further down into the temple have worn away and are only accessible using rock climb. She will share some of the temple’s legends with you before returning to the gym. 

You receive the icicle badge after defeating Candice’s team of Piloswine, Weavile, Abomasnow, and Froslass.

Gym Leader 8: Barry

As one of the great trainers from Twinleaf Town, Barry was on the shortlist to become a gym leader when leader Volkner became a member of the elite four.

Barry loves the hustle and bustle of Sunyshore, and the close proximity to Victory Road and the Battle Tower. He has refitted the gym to revolve around speed, with the floors of each room using boost tiles to send you zipping across the room! Only by making your way through this breakneck maze and defeating the joggers, cyclists, and ace trainers that also train at the gym can you challenge Barry. 

Though, Barry’s still not a big fan of staying still or wasting time. He arrives at the gym at the same time as you, giving you a brief glimpse of the best path through the first room as he rushes to the gym leader’s platform at the end. He also asks what took you so long when you finally arrive!

Once you defeat his Electrode, Jolteon, Crobat, Weavile, and Torterra (his beloved starter is the only Pokémon with a base speed stat under 125) you are given the beacon badge and you’re finally ready to challenge the elite four!

Thanks for checking out this post about the future of Sinnoh’s gym leaders. If you enjoy these ideas, likes and reblogs are much appreciated, and more stuff like this can be found in the Peaks of Sinnoh tag!

On your way back to Jubilife City, you meet Cato on the Jubilife side of the Oreburgh Gate tunnel. He challenges you to a battle, though he heals your Pokémon first. 

His team is currently made up of his starter (the one with type disadvantage to you), and a starly. When you defeat him he laments that he will need to get stronger before challenging the gym, but the only thing for it is to move forward. He’s determined to do his best to keep up with you and Matilda! …After going back to Jubilife to heal his Pokémon.

If you are interested in following the story of Peaks of Sinnoh, start here!

When you arrive back in Jubilife City with Cato, a crowd has gathered outside of the Jubilife TV station. Out front of the station, two people with teal hair and dark, sparkling clothes, and another with pale blue hair and a sleeker, more buttoned-up look are speaking to the people.

The one with blue hair seems to be taking the lead, telling everyone to,

“Step right up, let us predict your future! I, Tempus, and my colleagues wish to share with you how Team Dimensional has tuned into the mystical realms outside of this reality!”

Matilda joins you and Cato at the edge of the crowd. She tells you that, hey, that’s cool! She’s considering finding out her fortune, but Cato says that,

“But, it doesn’t make sense. How would they be able to do that? I wonder…” He hesitates a moment, before speaking up: “EXCUSE ME?” 

Tempus and the other two turn to Cato. As does the rest of the crowd. He takes a step back, startled by the attention, but asks his question anyway.

Cato: “How are you able to tell the future? Could you tell me more about your methodology?”

Tempus: “Certainly. The ancient gods of the Sinnoh region are not only powerful, but wise, and kind, and in Team Dimensional we are working to make close contact with them.”

Cato: “But, have you made that contact?”

Tempus: “We understand the great powers more every day. We certainly understand enough to see some glimmers of truth about your future.”

One of the teal-haired grunts steps forward.

Grunt 1: “I can tell your future: You will struggle to win Pokémon battles. You are not a strong trainer.”

Matilda steps up to challenge this: “Hey! Don’t insult my friend!”

The other grunt steps toward Matilda.

Grunt 2: “Your future contains obstacles that you cannot force your way through with brute strength. You must remember this.”

Matilda: “Huh? What are you talking about? There’s nothing we can’t do if we work hard! Right, [PLAYER]?”

At this, Tempus turns to look at you, the player. He regards you for a moment.

Tempus: “… You will face many, many challenges. It is unclear how–or if–you will overcome them.” Tempus returns to the spot where he was originally addressing the crowd. “You see? The future is laid out before us like the pages of a book, and we wish to share this gift with you!”

Matilda and Cato both turn toward you, and each other.

Matilda: “There’s no way that’s real. They’re making it all up, right?”

Cato: “I don’t know. I am a weak trainer…”

Matilda: “No way! You’re a great trainer! And what would their predictions really mean, anyway? They were so vague… What do you think, [PLAYER]?”

You can reply one of three ways: “It’s probably fake” “It could be real” or “I don’t know…”

No matter what you say, Cato will point out that there’s no point worrying about it. You all need to keep moving on your journeys. Matilda agrees, but warns you that there’s only water to the west of the city, so she’s heading north. She wants to get to the Eterna Gym as soon as possible! Cato plans to head to the Pokémon center, and then to Oreburgh city. 

Once they have left you are free to go wherever you like. Maybe you’ll stock up on items at the store, or talk to those still gathered around Tempus and his Grunts. You can’t reach the three members of Team Dimensional, but those in the crowd will say things like,

“I’ve never heard of these guys before.”

“I want to know my future!”

“What cool outfits…”

“These guys should write the horoscopes.”

“Do you think I could join Team Dimensional?”

…and more.

However, once you’re through in Jubilife City, it’s time to head up Route 204 to Floaroma town.

…Or, you WOULD go to Floaroma town, but I have sort of burnt out on this project. Sort of. Stay tuned for more information! This isn’t the end of what I have to share for Pokémon future, but this is the last “story”-style post. I apologize if you were enjoying these!

City of Energy

Once you’ve made it through the Oreburgh Gate tunnel you arrive in Oreburgh city. This mining town is also the home of the first gym on your journey! Are you ready to take on the gym leader?

If you are interested in following the story of Peaks of Sinnoh, start here!

You run into Matilda just inside of town. She informs you that she’s already defeated the gym, and she recommends that you stock on antidotes before you challenge it yourself. However, you’ll have to go find the gym leader first. After being defeated by Matilda, the leader left the gym. 

Matilda heads back toward Jubilife city, and you are left to explore Oreburgh. You can look around the local homes, the patch of grass on route 207, the Oreburgh mine, or the mining museum. 

In the Orebrugh mine, workers are using both rock and poison type Pokémon to either chip away or burn through the rock. Some workers will say they find using acid on the walls much easier, while others will reminisce about the more traditional ways of mining. In the mining museum you will find a man with distinctive, teal hair talking to someone at the front desk. 

When you get close enough, you can overhear the conversation. The scientist behind the desk is explaining that ancient Pokémon can only be revived using fossils. What this man has are not fossils, the scientist explains, but artifacts more generally. From what the scientist can tell they are artistic representations that predate Sinnoh as we think of it. Where did the man get it? This artifact would be greatly appreciated by any number of museums in the region–

The teal-haired man proclaims that if these well-regarded scientists cannot revive these Pokémon, he has no interest in working with them. He rushes from the building, just barely missing running headlong into a young girl. 

The young girl steps up to the desk, and asks, “Is everything alright? I came as quick as I could.”

The scientist explains that the man didn’t end up being a threat, just strange. There’s no need for her to worry. Before leaving again, she stops to ask you if you noticed anything strange about that man. Whether you reply with yes or no, she thanks you, and says she’ll keep that in mind. She’ll also keep an eye out for him.

Now, if you return to the gym, the same young girl can be found talking to the man by the door. When you walk through the door, she looks your way.

“Oh!” she says, “You’re a gym challenger! Welcome! I’m Carmilla, Oreburgh’s gym leader. I’ll see you on the other side, if you’re able to defeat my friends. Good luck!” Carmilla hurries away to her spot at the back of the gym. If you talk to the man at the front of the gym, he will, of course, refer to you as the Champ to Be, and let you know that Carmilla specializes in poison type Pokémon. He also warns you that you’ll have a tough time if you’re using grass type Pokémon.

The Oreburgh gym has been refitted in sleek purple. The layout is largely similar to how the Oreburgh gym appeared in the past. However, instead of stairs, there are bouncy pads on each of the three levels (ground, first level, and Carmilla’s perch), which launch the player up to the next level, and slides down from each level, including one down the entire (screen) left side of the gym, down from Carmilla’s spot. To reach each of the two bounce pads, you’ll have to pass by two picnickers (one on each level). One picnicker, Susie, has a level 8 Stunky, and the other, Zelda, has two level 9 Zubats.

When you reach Carmilla, she greets you:

“You made it! I’m always excited to face new challengers! It looks like you don’t have any badges yet, so I’ll have to use my lowest-level team. Don’t let that fool you, we’re still strong!”

Carmilla’s team consists of a level 12 Stunky, a level 12 Budew, and a level 14 Zubat. Once you defeat them all, Carmilla is upset to have lost:

“Oh no! That’s my second loss in a row! If only I could have used my stronger Pokémon…” But, she’s also happy for you: “Great job! Being a gym leader is tough, but it means I get to meet cool trainers like you. Good luck with the rest of your gym challenge!”

For your victory, you are presented with the Venom Badge, and three TMs containing Venoshock. You can also now call on wild Pokémon to help you out by using the move Rock Smash. Congratulations! That’s one gym defeated, with seven more to go!

Now, if you’re done exploring, it’s time to move on. Unfortunately, you don’t have a bike, so you can’t get up the slope to reach the rest of Route 207, or Route 206, so it’s back to Jubilife city.

City of Joy!

Welcome to Jubilife City, the communication hub of the Sinnoh region! You have a package to deliver, and a city to explore.

If you are interested in following the story of Peaks of Sinnoh, start here!

When you reach Jubilife City, with its tall buildings and bustling streets, you can find Matilda and Cato outside of the Trainer’s School. Approaching them lets you in on their conversation, where Matilda is insisting that they have to keep looking for you and battle as soon as possible. However, Cato argues that it’s important to be informed going into battle. Knowledge is power, after all.

Matilda: “Power is power!”

It’s at this point that they spot you, and Matilda challenges you to a battle. You can refuse and come back later if you are unprepared, but, either way, Matilda will battle you with her starter, Buddy, and her new Shinx, sparky.

After the battle, you give Cato the package his father sent you with. It contains a handful of berries from his family’s garden, which he then shares with you and Matilda. You receive two oran berries and two pecha berries. From here Matilda thanks Cato and races off. Cato heads into the Trainer’s School.

When you follow Cato into the school you can talk to a variety of NPCs who will tell you a variety of basic information about Pokémon, like weakness and resistance, status conditions, etc. There are also two school kids, who challenge you and Cato to a double battle. When you win, both the students and Cato are impressed by you. When Cato compliments you:

“Wow, [NAME], you did great! You’ve bonded with all your Pokémon, not just [starter].”

You can respond to him either with “Thank you!” or, “You battled well yourself!” However, neither option has an impact on Cato’s dialogue. He tells you he wants to keep studying to better prepare himself, but that you should probably explore the city.

Out on the streets, you can find Matilda talking to a Pokétch salesman. When you join the conversation, Matilda tells you,

“This guy is just giving away Pokétches! I’ve gotta get one!”

She dashes away, and the man explains that, yes, if you retrieve three Pokétch coupons from the three clowns ‘hidden’ around the city, he’ll give you a Pokétch.

The three clowns each have a question about Pokémon. One clown, outside the Pokétch building, asks if Pokémon can have weakness and resistance to different types. One between the fountains out front of the Global Hub (which you cannot yet enter; not until you have at least one gym badge) asks if Pokémon get stronger when they evolve. The third and final clown, standing to one side of the TV Station asks if Pokémon can use items in battle. If you reply correctly, “Yes” to all of them, they will give you coupons and you can return them to the salesman.

Once again, Matilda is already talking to him. She has just received her Pokétch. When you join the conversation you are given one too, along with a brief description of how to use it. Then Cato joins you, also with coupons. Now all three of you have Pokétches, and the salesman informs you of a new feature they’re especially proud of: these Pokétches can make phone calls! 

Cato notes that it could be very useful to have each other’s Pokétch numbers, so that you have someone to call in an emergency. Matilda is quick to make sure you all have each other’s number, and she and Cato also say that they’re adding their family’s numbers (Cato enters his home number, and Matilda adds both her home and her brother). When you check the Pokétch call screen, you have Cato, Matilda, and Mom registered. 

With that all sorted out, Matilda tells you that she’s off to start the gym challenge in Oreburgh City. Without further ado, she’s gone. Cato concludes that he’ll try to get a bit stronger first, but he’ll head to the first gym soon enough.

So now, once you’re satisfied with your exploration of the city–maybe you’ll look around the TV Station, or the condominium–it’s off through the tunnels to Oreburgh City! It’s time to truly begin your gym challenge.

A sandy beach town!

Matilda rushes her way down Route 201 to Sandgem Town, staying a few steps ahead of you. Cato, on the other hand, keeps pace with you for the short trip. Still, when you reach the edge of town Matilda is waiting for you so you can all enter the lab together!

If you are interested in following the story of Peaks of Sinnoh, start here!

Sandgem Town is small, much like Twinleaf Town, but the lab, the Pokémon center, and the Poké-mart make this beachside spot a point of interest in its own right. But today, you’re most interested in the lab.

Along with Matilda and Cato, you enter the lab to find Assistant Professor Larch hard at work. You wait a moment, but he still doesn’t look up. An old man steps up to the three of you, and speaks:

“Can I help you?”

You all jump and turn to face him, and Matilda pushes you forward. “Tell him what happened, [NAME]!”

You have two options: “We were attacked yesterday…” or, “We came to talk to Assistant Professor Larch…” No matter what you choose, the man replies:

“I see. I am Professor Rowan, it’s a pleasure to meet you. May I see your Pokémon?” Professor Rowan steps up to each of you in turn, and concludes that, “It looks like Lucas made the right decision. You’re all getting along quite well.”

Assistant Professor Larch finally leaves his desk to join you. “I thought so,” he tells you, and gives you the option to nickname your starter. Cato decides not to nickname his starter, but Matilda leaps at the chance (she nicknames her starter Buddy, no matter which one she chose). 

Then, Assistant Professor Larch asks the three of you if you will help him with something: will you travel the region and collect data on every Pokémon you can find? New information emerges about Pokémon every day, and you can be part of that process by catching them all.

You all agree, of course, and receive Pokédexes for your journey. Professor Rowan notes that to explore a region with Pokémon as your companions and guides is a great adventure, and Assistant Professor Larch agrees. As you learn more about Pokémon, you will also learn more about yourself.

Rowan and Larch send you on your way, and you are released into the Sinnoh region with Matilda and Cato. Cato notes the Pokémon center and the shop, which are now genuinely useful to you as trainers. He gives a quick explanation of each, before Matilda interrupts with more information: 

“Do you know how to catch Pokémon? My older brother taught me!” You can choose whether or not Matilda gives you a tutorial on catching Pokémon. If you say you don’t know how, she’ll give you the usual spiel. If you say you know already, she’s very impressed, and suggests that your mom probably taught you. She then gives you some Pokéballs, which note in their description that they can be used to catch weakened Pokémon in battle, just to be sure you’re not totally left in the dark. 

As per your mom’s request, you head home, able to catch and battle Pokémon along the way. Matilda and Cato rush ahead (Matilda faster than Cato). 

When you get home, your mom heals you up and gives you a map of the region. She wishes you luck, and reminds you that she’ll be rooting for you, and that you’re always welcome at home. When you head out, you find Cato’s dad at the edge of town. He tells you that he was trying to give a package to Cato, but Matilda dragged him away, insisting that you [the player] were probably already halfway to Jubilife city! Could you deliver the package to Cato when you reach Jubilife?

You have no choice but to take the package, which is put in your key items, and you’re off! Time to start exploring the region, and head for Jubilife city!

[Author’s note: Playing BDSP has me thinking about this project again! I had dreams of being very specific, and posting Kanto and Sinnoh posts back and forth, but I think instead I’ll focus on Sinnoh for now, and just write up what I can. I’d rather put this out there than obsess about particular qualities. Thanks for checking this out!]

The fresh and free home of heroes!

Welcome to Twinleaf Town, where your Pokémon journey is about to begin!

Twinleaf Town is a quiet, idyllic spot in the southwest of the Sinnoh region. There are six houses in town, including yours, and a pavilion in the center of town. The pavilion, popular for picnics and friendly battles, has a plaque on the southernmost side. This commemorates the trainers from Twinleaf Town that helped protect the Sinnoh region from destruction many years ago. Sometimes curious trainers will visit Twinleaf Town to see where these trainers grew up!

When you wake up to a lovely day outside, your mother tells you that your friends want to meet you at the pavilion! As you leave the house, she reminds you: be careful, stay in town. It’s not safe to go into the tall grass without a Pokémon of your own. Mom’s Luxray is relaxing in the sun outside the house, but Luxray won’t be waking up to help you anytime soon.

Your friends, Matilda and Cato, are waiting for you at the pavilion. 

Matilda is the first to rush up to you, excitedly explaining that rumor has it that the champion is going to be near Twinleaf Town today! You absolutely have to come with them to try and spot the champion! Cato points out that none of you actually know what the champion looks like, but Matilda is unphased. She rushes off to the north side of town and route 201, and you and Cato don’t really have much of a choice but to follow. (If you turn around or wait too long, she will call for you to hurry up!) 

When you and Cato reach route 201, Matilda points you toward the Verity Lakefront. There, you watch someone rush through the trees toward the lake.

“That could be the champion!” she insists, “Come on!” and she leads the way to Lake Verity.

When you reach the lake, you find the man you’d spotted earlier standing at the water’s edge. 

???: “Are you sure about this? … OK, I’m on my way. Let’s go, Floatzel!”

He releases a Pokémon and surfs away, leaving behind a briefcase.

Matilda heads for the briefcase, but Cato stops her. It’s been left in tall grass, and none of you have Pokémon. However, Matilda insists it will be fine, and heads for the briefcase anyway. A few steps into the grass she asks if you’re coming with her, but it doesn’t really matter if you follow her or not. Either way, when she reaches the case she is attacked by a wild Starly. If you followed her, you’re attacked too. If not, you and Cato rush in to help anyway. She swings the briefcase at the wild Pokémon, and it bursts open. Cato is the first to notice the Pokéballs scattered on the ground. Maybe there’s Pokémon inside!

“Quick! Grab one!” Matilda tells you, and so you have a choice to make: will you grab Turtwig, the tiny leaf Pokémon? Chimchar, the chimp Pokémon? Or Piplup, the penguin Pokémon? Whichever one you choose, Matilda chooses the Pokémon that has type advantage over yours, and Cato, who has no other options, takes the Pokémon that has the type disadvantage.

After you defeat the wild Starly, the three of you are left with a conundrum: Do you keep the Pokémon you just battled with, or return them to the briefcase? Matilda wants to keep them. She’s always wanted to be a trainer, and has been hoping and trying to get her own Pokémon since she was very little. Until now she’s just been allowed to borrow Pokémon from other people in her family. Cato insists that the right thing to do is to return the Pokémon. Surely the “Mystery Man” will come back, and he’ll know his Pokémon were stolen. When they turn to you for your opinion, you have three possible answers: “Keep them,” “Put them back,” or, “Is there a way to do both?”

If you choose “Keep them” or “Put them back” whoever you agree with will use that as ammunition in their argument against the other. If you select the third option, wondering about a compromise, the other two will consider it. Matilda will suggest you leave a note explaining the situation. You could even include your names, so the “Mystery Man” will know where to find you! Cato insists that will just make you more likely to get into trouble. Instead, you all should wait until the “Mystery Man” comes back, at which point you can explain yourselves and ask nicely if you can keep the Pokémon. Matilda is worried that he might say no. No matter what conversation Matilda and Cato are having, they are distracted by a Pokémon teleporting into your midst.

The pink and blue emotion Pokémon Mespirit hovers between you for a moment. It stays just long enough for Matilda to ask, “What is-?” before zipping across the lake and into the cavern. Cato suggests it was probably a Pokémon. Maybe even the legendary Pokémon said to live here at Lake Verity. Your attention is drawn back to the cavern as the “Mystery Man” emerges, followed by a woman in pink.

Mystery Man: “How long do you think it’s been since they were here?”

???: “The writing hadn’t faded. Probably not long. We’ll have to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.”

Mystery Man: “I’ll keep a close eye out around here.”

They don’t exchange any more words before the woman calls on a Pokémon and flies away. Similarly, the “Mystery Man” gets back on his Floatzel to surf back.

“Oh no, he’s gonna catch us! We have to hide!” Matilda tells you, looking around.

“I thought you were confident that we wouldn’t get in trouble?” Cato asks.

There’s nothing you can do before the man reaches shore and hops off his Pokémon. Matilda hides behind you and Cato.

Mystery Man: “I guess I should know better than to leave a briefcase here.”

Matilda insists you say something to him. You have two options: “Can we keep your Pokémon?” and “Sorry for using your Pokémon.”

If you choose to apologize, the man will start by saying, “Oh, it’s no problem!” Regardless of your answer, he says, “Do you like them? If they like spending time with you, I’d hate to make you part ways. I’m Assistant Professor Larch. You kids should probably call me that, though most people still just call me Lucas. I work over in Sandgem Town. If I let you keep these Pokémon, will you come visit me at my lab tomorrow?”

You all confirm that you will, of course.

“Great. And make sure you talk with your families before you start traveling the region or challenging any gyms. Talk to you later!” As he picks up the briefcase and walks away he continues to mutter, “I’ll need to get everything ready, make sure I have the equipment, and…”

Once you’ve watched him leave, Matilda turns to you.

“We have our own Pokémon! How cool is that?! Come on, I’ll meet you back in town!” She hurries back toward Twinleaf Town, and Cato also confirms that he will see you back there. You are left to your own devices for a short time, though a trainer blocks your way to Sandgem Town. If you try to pass, he’ll remind you that you don’t have your own Pokémon and shouldn’t be out here. When you explain that you do have a Pokémon, he asks if you’ve told your mother about this yet, and you are still kept from passing him.

When you return to Twinleaf Town, Matilda is waiting for you at the pavilion, ready for a battle. She explains that she and Cato already battled and she just barely beat him, so she wants to challenge you, next! She will heal your Pokémon, and you will have your first trainer battle.

After the battle, your mom congratulates you from the side of the pavilion, whether or not you’ve won. She talks to you about your new Pokémon, and takes you back home to get healed up. When you wake up the next morning, Mom also talks to you about the journey ahead: exploring the region, challenging trainers, and taking on Gym Leaders, including a few comments about how much you’ve grown up and her own nostalgia for the gym challenge. She also hopes you’ll come back one more time after meeting with Professor Larch so that she can be sure you’re ready before you take off! But she admits she’s talked too much, and sends you off to meet Cato and Matilda.

Your friends are waiting for you at the northernmost edge of town. Together, you’re ready to head for Sandgem Town!