Like the thread title says: Let's say you're a gym leader in a region of your choice.

What's your Pokemon team? Does it have a theme? Are you mono-type or multi-type? You're allowed up to six Pokemon.

What is your badge called and how does it look? Does your gym have puzzles/traps to challenge trainers?

*

For my gym, I'd have it be a simple large arena, but with complete darkness.

The battles would be dual in that I and the trainer challenging me would have to use two Pokemon in each round, so three rounds in total.

I'd go with Kabutops/Aerodactyl for round 1, Umbreon/Scizor for round 2 and Mawile/Banette for round 3.

If they defeated me, the trainers would receive the Black Badge, which would look like a black diamond.

 

No theme, more my favourites from across the generations. If I were going for a single type, it'd likely be Rock. On a theme, I tend to prefer the giant dinosaur types.

Gardevoir, Tyranitar, Aggron, Gastrodon, Krookodile, Alolan Muk.

I'd offer two choices of ways to get the badge:
1 - camp out on the hills for a week. You can have, at most, two pokemon out at a time, and returning to civilization at all is a fail. During this time, no more than two of my team are actively hunting you and yours down. Hope you brought enough potions.
2 - full on team-v-six (less at mid/low tier) fight. Except neither trainer can give commands.

The badge is called The Endurance Badge, and is a bindle.

Gym-wise, it'd actually be pretty bland, as most battles would be held in the woods. But the gym has a decentish library, a couple of computers, and a workbench or two.


The aim is to prepare for worst case scenarios - losing your pokemon/losing your means of navigation.

For lower level challenges, probably either the prevolutions, or
Mid tier - Golem, Aurorus, Rhydon, Sigilyph
Low tier - Rhyhorn, Kecleon


EDIT
I was actually thinking about pokemon battling in the pokemon world this morning, and if we had any direct correlation in the real world. The closest analogy I could think of was football (soccer, not familiar enough with anywhere else to say for certain though):
As a child, most people are interested, and lots go to training camps, clubs, and spend a lot of free time devoted to it.
In your teenage years, it still is a large focus for a lot of people, but most now do it less frequently, although still recreationally, and still watching pro level. You might be planning your future around taking it as far as you can, but most have accepted they aren't going to be very good on a large scale.
As an adult, you still might do it now and then, but participation isn't so much of a big deal. Instead, you follow your favourite team/player, get into the theory, and maybe pick up coaching. You'll also sometimes join in with the kids, and you'll still dream of the chance you threw away of making it big.

It doesn't fit exactly, because there's a lot of jobs surrounding pokemon, whereas we don't have lots of jobs surrounding football.
But people take time out of work to go watch away matches, the entire world goes mental during the World Cup, and not showing any interest in it makes you a bit weird.

Also...

I'm trying to think up a tier listing for gym teams, assuming the common idea that each leader has a series of teams for different levels. Not based on any source material, although I'm sure I've picked things up from various fanfics.

The idea is that trainers with 0,1, or 2 badges are beginners - they might not ever become 'trainers', but they'll likely have pokemon.
3-5 badges are for those who are interested in working with pokemon. Nurses, scientists, maybe construction workers?
6+ badges are for proffessional trainers. They plan on not only working with pokemon, but using their pokemon with trainers - so rangers, trainers, breeders, tutors.

0 badges - multiple pokemon, but mostly brute force.
1 badge - add in buffs (howl) / maluses (growl) / status effects (sleep powder) / and items
2 badges - add in strategies that span pokemon (switch out a Drought-Torkoal to something with Solar Beam), typing plans (so start using water/ground and the like), abilities (aforementioned Torkoal), and environmental concerns (limited visibility, damage from sandstorm, etc)
3 badges - start using non-standard commands. Another language, or whistles, or psychic abilities.
4 badges - start using non-standard attacks - mix together poison powder and haze to fill the battlefield with toxic gases, then use ember to blow everything up.
5 badges - actively hamper the challenger - they have to keep going on a treadmill, or answer rapid-fire
6 badges - ???
7 badges - keep your team reasonable, but otherwise...
8+ badges - anything goes.

 

While we had gym leaders here on DLP I used water types and had the flood badge. Iirc, @Palindrome created actual badges for us.

My team would be Empoleon, Kingdra, Swampert (Mega if allowed), Milotic, Politoed and Poliwrath.

Why the dual polis? Politoed leads and sets up drizzle while Poliwrath brings essential fighting type STAB to the team.

Waiting in the wings are Pokemon like Jellicent, Greninja, Golisopod.

My theme would be an archipelago with varying underwater abyss as well as beaches and stretches of shallow water.

 

Bidoof gym. Six of the finest represent:








And in the improbable event that somebody manages to defeat this stellar roster, here's the badge:

 

Dragons. That is all.

 

HOLD UP

Alternate Bidoof dream team:

 

A lot of my Favorites are Dark Types so if I had to pick one I'd be pretty happy opting for it.

Pokemon at highest level: Krookodile, Zoroark, Embreon, Absol (Mega), Greninja and Malamar

Given Gym Leaders usually only have five I'd dump Embreon from the team.

Region: Kalos since the limitations are pretty much gone there

Theme: If you remember the Battle Pyramid I'd probably opt for something similar re: defeat an opponent and the gym gets a little brighter.

Or the gym itself is shrouded in shadows and you're not sure whether the shadow you walk past is a trainer or nothing until you step into it.

I'd just call it the Obsidian Badge and be done with it.

 

This except I was the fire gym. As for a modern day team I'd have to think about it. It would vary on whether Megas were allowed. If yes then Charizard(Mega Y) if not then Ninetales. With Chandelure, Salazzle, Volcarona, Blaziken, and Heat Rotom rounding out the team(If using the rules we used to have with allowing legendaries as long as they were non-Uber then replace Rotom with Heatran. I've heard good things about Blacephalon too.)

I'd throw people off. I'd have my entire gym set up like an ice one. Sliding puzzles and all just to activate some stairs to the roof. Where I'd be chilling in the sun.

 

I had a team in HeartGold to which I was very attached. I can't fully remember it, but the key players were:

Scizor
Ampharos
Umbreon

So... them, plus whoever the other three were. Like I say, I was very attached to that team.

 

Dragonite has been my favorite Pokemon for a long time, so I'd have to center around it, and it's gotta be a dragon gym.

Goodra, Salamence, Flygon, Kingdra, Tyrantum, and Dragonite to bring the pain at the end. If we're talkin' like "Final Boss Gym" team. Not optimized for battle, but for maximum Dragon.

As far as the gym goes? I always really liked Blaine's gym, with the quiz. That's a bit simplistic for how the games have developed over time, though. So let's combine it with the "Mailman Dragonite" theme that I really enjoy.




You're given a question that will be sourced from the Pokedex entry of a Pokemon. Within the time limit for delivery, you have to maneuver through a small maze and deliver your letter to the proper Pokemon the entry describes. Maybe three Pokemon at three different maze exits. Deliver your letter to the wrong one, and you'll have to fight it.

 

Normal type gym.

Blissey
Kangaskhan
Snorlax
Porygon Z
Tauros
Exploud

This is actually really close to the team I played through Soul Silver with. Only I used Togekiss instead of Exploud (at the time, Togekiss was normal/flying; I wanted to play the whole game with only normal types, but I also wanted to be able to fly).

 

Well when we had gyms, I was the electric type leader because it was my favorite type. That hasn't changed so that's what I'd be again. My core team would be Jolteon, Ampharos, and Lanturn. Max team would add Elektross, and any 1-2 of Heliolisk, Vikavolt, and Alola Raichu. As for items, if Z moves are a thing than Jolteon with Electrum Z, otherwise Mega Ampharos.

Badge would be Shock badge I guess.

 

OK FAM LETS DO THIS

Competitive pokemon incoming.

Aerodactyl - focus sash, atk+ spd+ leads with a taunt to stop those pesky entry hazards. I think I had earthquake, ice fang and some other move fuck knows. Good for some damage and that taunt fucks people yo.

Electivre = expert belt i think, atk + spd + electric + ice punch, crosschop, earthquake. The expert belt makes super effective moves hit EVEN harder and this guy hits about 99.9% of all pokemon with a supereffective attack thanks to his amazing range of moves. He would almost always hit first thanks to his ability which speeds him up if he is hit with an electric move. But whats that? Why would anyone hit a electric type with electric ? Well thats thanks to his bro...

MY BOI GYARADOS SONNY JIM, + atk + spd + life orb, moxie. Waterfall, Dragon dance, ice fang and earthquake.
This guy.

This
fucking
guy.

Won me more games on his own than any other pokemon I have ever used. He baits electric moves that powers up Electivre which also won me tons of games. But if he gets off a dragon dance? Well everytime he knocks out a enemy pokemon he gets +1 atk thanks to moxie. This means, very quickly, you have a angry Gyarados smashing in your backdoor and stealing your toaster. Many people here know of the GLORY OF THE GYARADOS.

Heatran choice scarf and some other shit- revenge killer in da house. Cant remember what I had equpped on to this guy but a choice scarfed heatran completely throws people because no one AND I MEAN NO ONE expects this fat cunt to go first. Massive special attack means he is taking out a lot of pocket monsters.

Dragonite- multi scale + atk + spd, choice band Outrage and some other shit. So. Multiscale means that hes going to tank the first hit of any ice shit headed his way. Which lets him get off outrage. And hes choice banded. And he has + atk. This guy would outrage the fuck outta half your team if not put down. Bois a fucking beast.

And now.

The piece de résistance.

The magnus opum of all pokemon.

I give you the wall. The tank. The terror of a thousand nations.

I give you,













CHANSEY

+ HP + SP DEF EVIOLITE fuck knows what ability, Toxic, Protect, Wish and Seismic toss.

So you manage to take me down to my last pokemon. Maybe its gone 1 for 1 or even 2 for 1. Maybe most of your pokemon are in good shape. But whats that? All your steel and poison types are dead? Thats strange.

TOXIC YOU FUCKFACE MWAHHAAHAH. This bitch has more hp than the fucking moon and her sp def is UN. FUCKING. REAL.
Ive seen her take super effective fighting moves from +3 atk shit before. NAH CUZ SHE STILL GOT 300 HP LEFT LIKE WAAAAAAAAT?

Wish and protect means even when you do massive amounts of dmg shes getting it back like THIS *SNAPS FINGER*

The eviolite gives her already incredible stats a massive boost - its why we arent running blissey.

Toxic means that your god pokemon is dying more and more every turn. Even when a poison immune pokemon gets through seismic toss is doing a cool 100dmg every time. ERRRY TIMMME.

AND THATS THAT. You will have to excuse my excitement but that pokemon team was a hot damn terror to deal with. I havent played pokemon in a while but i would still rate it against any of these new fangled shitters. IF you had brushed up on the metagame you could easily dunk on many a fool.

 

Went digging and... aha! Here we are. Bask in the glory of the almighty Hot Topic Badge.



Fun fact: I actually had no clue what Hot Topic was at that point, I was merely advised to call it that. The inferno badge was based on DLP's shiny new logo at the time.

For my gym? Pfft, monotype of course. Using multitype teams in gym battles is heresy. To that end, the challengers must fight me with monotype teams, too. I'll be known across the land as the gym that's the most pain to raise a team for, but they'll finally learn how to play pokemon right, the little shits.

 

I'd go with Poison. Including a lot of Salandit for the scrub Trainers for those smartarses who'll inevitably try and sweep with a Steel-type.

My team would probably be something like Salazzle, Toxapex, Toxicroak, Scolipede, Dragalge, and then finally Gengar (Mega, if allowed). Lot of Toxic everywhere, lots of different secondary types to deal with. Dump Scolipede if that's too many. Ought to be a fairly difficult Gym without being a dickhead and going full Smogon.

 

Shuckle x 6.

That is all.

 

"Wait, wait, why are we skipping the gym? Come on, it's right there."

"No, no way. You don't fuck with that gym. No one fuck's with the Shuckle Gym."

 

From the DLP NU tournament. A testament to shuckle being ridiculous.

 

I've always enjoyed Steel as a typing, so here goes:

Mawile
Aegislash
Bisharp
Skarmory
Metagross
Empoleon

Very annoying team type-wise - only two real weaknesses are ground and fire, which have an answer in Skarmory and Empoleon respectively. Would love to be able to slot in an Aggron or a Scizor because they're fucking awesome. Magnezone could be good as well.

A lot of the really cool steel types also happen to be legendaries, and sadly, I don't think Dialga would be too happy fighting in gym battles. Same for Celesteela, Magearna and Heatran.

(never been much of a competitive pokemon player so this team might be complete shit for all I know)

 

I'd swap out Bisharp for Magnezone because Aegislash can play Bisharp's role with ease.