Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald Gym Leaders and Elite Four Guide
Plan Hoenn Gyms, Elite Four members, Ruby/Sapphire Steven Champion, Emerald Wallace Champion, starter matchups, danger points, and counter types.
Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald share the same broad Hoenn Gym order, but the final Gym and Champion roles are important SEO and gameplay differences: Wallace is the eighth Gym Leader in Ruby/Sapphire, Juan is the eighth Gym Leader in Emerald, Steven is Champion in Ruby/Sapphire, and Wallace is Champion in Emerald.
Rustboro City - All versions
Water, Grass, and Fighting pressure are helpful. Torchic players should avoid brute forcing too early.
Recommended counters
Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground
Starter matchup note
Mudkip and Treecko are comfortable. Torchic should evolve or bring support before trying to overpower Rock types.
Common danger point
Early teams can be too narrow here; do not rely on one underleveled answer.
Dewford Town - All versions
Flying and Psychic answers are useful, but simple overconfidence can backfire if your team is underleveled.
Recommended counters
Flying, Psychic
Starter matchup note
All starters can proceed, but Treecko and Torchic teams should avoid sending frail support into Fighting pressure carelessly.
Common danger point
Underleveled Flying or Psychic answers can still lose if they cannot survive hits.
Mauville City - All versions
Ground support is excellent. Marshtomp is especially comfortable here; Water/Flying teammates need care.
Recommended counters
Ground
Starter matchup note
Marshtomp is excellent. Treecko and Torchic teams should consider Ground support or careful neutral pressure.
Common danger point
Water/Flying teammates can be punished hard by Electric attacks.
Lavaridge Town - All versions
Water, Ground, and Rock coverage help. Bring status healing and avoid letting one weakened Water user carry everything.
Recommended counters
Water, Ground, Rock
Starter matchup note
Mudkip remains safe, Torchic mirrors Fire pressure less cleanly, and Treecko needs teammates for Fire coverage.
Common danger point
A single weakened Water user is not enough if the rest of the team has no backup plan.
Petalburg City - All versions
A common wall for casual teams. Fighting pressure, defensive pivots, and status control are safer than trading raw hits.
Recommended counters
Fighting, Ghost
Starter matchup note
No starter automatically solves Norman. Fighting coverage, status, and defensive pivots are more important than starter identity.
Common danger point
Normal-type raw damage can overwhelm teams that depend on one overleveled attacker.
Fortree City - All versions
Electric, Rock, and Ice coverage matter. Do not walk in with only Grass and Fighting attackers.
Recommended counters
Electric, Rock, Ice
Starter matchup note
Treecko and Fighting-heavy teams need support. Electric, Rock, or Ice coverage makes this Gym much safer.
Common danger point
Flying pressure punishes Grass and Fighting plans, and mixed coverage can catch casual teams.
Mossdeep City - All versions
Double Battle positioning matters. Dark, Ghost, Water, and balanced spread pressure can help depending on your team.
Recommended counters
Dark, Ghost, Water
Starter matchup note
Think in pairs, not single matchups. Surf and Dark/Ghost pressure can help, but positioning matters in this Double Battle.
Common danger point
Two individually strong Pokémon can still make a bad pair if they overlap weaknesses.
Sootopolis City - Wallace in Ruby/Sapphire; Juan in Emerald
Electric and Grass coverage are useful, but watch secondary typing and Ice coverage. Emerald changes the leader role.
Recommended counters
Electric, Grass
Starter matchup note
Treecko has useful Water pressure, Mudkip needs care around Grass/Ice-style coverage, and Torchic needs Electric or Grass support.
Common danger point
Ruby/Sapphire use Wallace as Gym Leader; Emerald uses Juan and saves Wallace for Champion.
- Steven is Champion in Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire.
- Wallace is Champion in Pokémon Emerald, shifting the final League preparation toward Water-focused pressure.
- Steven remains important in Emerald as a powerful post-game battle rather than the main Champion fight.
Sidney
Elite Four
Fighting and Bug-style pressure help, and Blaziken can be very useful if healthy.
Phoebe
Elite Four
Dark and Ghost answers are useful. Bring healing and avoid relying only on Normal/Fighting attacks.
Glacia
Elite Four
Fire, Fighting, Rock, and Steel coverage can help, but many Ice teams also pressure with Water-adjacent bulk.
Drake
Elite Four
Ice coverage is the cleanest preparation point. Do not reach Drake without a Dragon answer.
Steven / Wallace
Champion
Steven is Champion in Ruby/Sapphire with Steel-heavy pressure. Wallace is Champion in Emerald with Water-focused pressure.
Related guides
Hoenn Guide Sections
Story Walkthrough
Follow Hoenn from Littleroot Town to the Champion with practical route notes.
Starter Pokémon
Compare Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip for early, mid, and late game.
HM Locations
Find Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Flash, Rock Smash, Waterfall, and Dive.
Legendary Pokémon
Catch Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Latios, Latias, and the Regis with safer prep.
Catch Rayquaza
Find Rayquaza at Sky Pillar with Emerald story notes and capture preparation.
Regi Puzzle
Unlock Regirock, Regice, and Registeel through the Sealed Chamber sequence.
Version Differences
Compare Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald story focus, Champion, and post-game value.
Version Exclusives
Plan Hoenn availability, Emerald gaps, and trade needs across Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald.
Emerald Battle Frontier
Understand Emerald's post-game facilities and how to prepare for streaks.
Gen 3 Mechanics
Learn abilities, natures, double battles, contests, berries, Secret Bases, and Dive.
FAQ
Who is the eighth Gym Leader in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire?
Wallace is the eighth Gym Leader in Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire. He specializes in Water-type Pokémon in Sootopolis City.
Who is the eighth Gym Leader in Pokémon Emerald?
Juan is the eighth Gym Leader in Pokémon Emerald. Wallace moves from the Sootopolis Gym role to the Champion role in Emerald.
Who is the Champion in Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald?
Steven is Champion in Ruby and Sapphire. Wallace is Champion in Emerald, while Steven becomes a powerful post-game battle.
This guide covers the original Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald for Game Boy Advance. It keeps Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remake mechanics, encounter changes, and story revisions separate from the original Hoenn games.