Elite Four Battle Guide: Best Pokémon and Strategies

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All you need to know to become a Pokémon Champion

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman Reviewed by Ishrak

Last Updated: November 27, 2023 Fact Checked

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Elite Four & Champion Overview

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Best Pokémon

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Best Battle Strategies

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Q&A

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Tips

The Elite 4 Pokémon and Pokémon Champion are the last bosses you need to defeat before becoming the new Champion in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald. In this guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about your opponents (including the best Pokémon to put on your team), so you can battle your way to victory.

Things You Should Know

Prepare to fight Dark-Type Master Sidney, Ghost-Type Master Phoebe, Ice-Type Master Glacia, and Dragon-Type Master Drake.
Fight Pokémon Champion Steven in the Ruby and Sapphire games, and Pokémon Champion Wallace in Emerald.
Fill your team with Pokémon like Salamence, Starmie, Magneton, Steelix, and Sceptile.

Section 1 of 3:

Elite Four & Champion Overview

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Sidney uses all Dark-type Pokémon, Phoebe uses Ghost-type, Glacia uses Ice-type, Drake uses Dragon-type, Steven (Ruby/Sapphire only) uses Steel-type, and Wallace (Emerald only) uses Water-type.

Their Pokémon levels are anywhere between 46 and 58, so make sure your Pokémon is leveled up before you challenge anyone.^{[1]
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Sidney	Dark-type Master	Mightyena, Shiftry, Cacturne, Sharpedo, Absol
Phoebe	Ghost-type Master	Dusclops, Banette, Sableye, Banette, Dusclops
Glacia	Ice-type Master	Glalie, Sealeo, Sealeo, Glalie, Walrein
Drake	Dragon-type Master	Shelgon, Altaria, Flygon, Flygon, Salamence
Steven	Steel-type Master	Skarmory, Claydol, Aggron, Cradily, Armaldo, Metagross
Wallace	Water-type Master	Wailord, Tentacruel, Whiscash, Ludicolo, Gyarados, Milotic

Section 2 of 3:

Best Pokémon to Battle With

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Cater to the Elite 4/Champion’s weaknesses. Sidney’s Dark-type Pokémon are weak to Bug- and Fighting-type moves; Phoebe’s Ghost-type Pokémon are weak to Ghost- and Dark-type moves; Glacia’s Ice-type Pokémon are weak to Steel-, Fire-, Rock-, and Fighting-type moves; and Drake’s Dragon-type Pokémon are weak to Dragon-type moves.

Steven’s Steel-Type Pokémon are weak to Fire-, Fighting-, and Ground-type moves, and Wallace’s Water-type Pokémon are weak to Electric- and Grass-type moves.^{[2]
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Research source} Here are some handy Pokémon (and their best moves) to put on your roster:
- Blaziken: Fire Blast (Fire), Sky Uppercut (Fighting), Blaze Kick (Fire), Bulk Up (Fighting)
- Swampert: Earthquake (Ground), Focus Punch (Fighting TM), Surf (Water HM), Iron Tail (Steel TM)
- Sceptile: Leaf Blade (Grass), Brick Break (Fighting TM), Dragon Claw (Dragon TM), Hyper Beam (Normal)
- Salamence: Earthquake (Ground TM), Dragon Claw (Dragon), Fire Blast (Fire TM), Dragonbreath (Dragon)
- Starmie: Ice Beam (Ice TM), Thunderbolt (Electric TM), Surf (Water HM), Recover (Normal)
- Magneton: Thunderbolt (Electric TM), Zap Cannon (Electric), Lock-on (Normal), Thunder Wave (Electric)
- Steelix: Earthquake (Ground TM), Iron Tail (Steel), Toxic (Poison TM), Roar (Normal TM)
- Ludicolo: Surf (Water HM), Astonish (Ghost), Giga Drain (Grass TM), Absorb (Grass)
- Slaking: Shadow Ball (Ghost TM), Ice Beam (Ice TM), Strength (Normal HM), Brick Break (Fighting TM)

Section 3 of 3:

Best Battle Strategies

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- Save your game before you start. While you can’t go to a Pokécenter between battles to heal your Pokémon, you can save your game after defeating each Elite 4 member.
  
  Some players prefer to save just before entering the Elite 4, so they can restart the battle with a clean slate.
- Stock up on healing items. Buy plenty of Full Heals, Full Restores, and Max Revives to quickly get an injured or fainted Pokémon back on its feet in the heat of battle.
  
  You can’t go back to a Pokémon Center in the middle of battle, so it’s important to be fully stocked.^{[3]
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- Level up your Pokémon before the battles. The Elite 4 and Pokémon Champion have Pokémon between levels 46 and 58, so make sure that your own team is on that level. The more you grind, the easier it’ll be to defeat everyone.

Community Q&A

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Question

If Steven isn't there but Wallace is, how will I beat him?

Community Answer

Well, honestly, Wallace is easier than Steven. You only need a ludicolo/brelloom and magneton/raichu to defeat him, but make them at least of level 58, and milotic will be a problem so carry some revival herbs.

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Question

What if I have the Pokemon, but don't have them to level 50?

Community Answer

Train with them for a bit until they're a higher level. You could try as you are, but you'd have to be fairly lucky.

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Question

Should I use the legendary Pokemon I have caught to beat the Elite 4?

Community Answer

Not necessarily. Kyogre/Groudon will definitely have the strength, but not the levels, and might not mesh well with the balance of the team.

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Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

I reccomend trading for Pokémon like Charizard or Jolteon—better fire and electric types who can both hold out through the challenge. Swampert and Slaking can help (because there are no grass majors) as well as Breloom.
If you have Emerald and already captured Rayquaza, it is very easy to defeat the Elite Four and Wallace just using Outrage. Using elixirs, potions, and revives are also recommended for Wallace.
Use a lot of stat-boosting items and berries. Also, use your flutes if you have some from the route before Fallarbor.
Contests can be more helpful than training.

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