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| Pokémon | Mightyena Lv. 50 | Shiftry Lv. 50 | Cacturne Lv. 50 | Sharpedo Lv. 50 | Absol Lv. 52 |
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| Type | Dark | Grass / Dark | Grass / Dark | Water / Dark | Dark |
| Ability | Intimidate | Chlorophyll | Sand Veil | Rough Skin | Super Luck |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | None |
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Preparing to Face the 1st Elite Four Member
Battles in the Pokémon League are quite straightforward compared to Gym battles.
In the Pokémon League, you’ll have to face the Elite Four and Champion one after another. While you can use items to heal between fights before progressing to the next room, turning back and returning to the Pokémon Center in the middle of the challenge is not allowed. If you lose any of these battles, you’ll need to start over and fight them from the beginning.
So make sure you’re well-prepared before challenging Sidney.
Here’s what you should do first:
- Train Your Team to be Around Level 50-60. The Elite Four’s Pokémon are between level 50-59, so it would be beneficial to bring a team of Pokémon that have similar or higher levels than your opponents.
- Finalize the Team’s Held Items and Movesets. Before entering through the gates, it’s a good idea to let your teammates hold useful items and learn new moves that might be useful in the upcoming battles. Check out the section below for Pokémon you can use or moves you can learn that help you beat Sidney.
- Stock Up on Revives, Full Restores, and Full Heals. They’re essential for keeping your Pokémon healthy between all five battles. You can buy healing items from the clerk located on the right side of the Pokémon League lobby.
Tips & Strategies for Defeating Sidney
Here are some tips and strategies to help you win this fight:
- Use Bug-type Moves. Both Shiftry and Cacturne are 4x weak to Bug-type moves, while the rest of Sidney’s Pokémon have a 2x weak to it. Fairy-type and Fighting-type moves are also super effective, as none of his dual-type Pokémon resist them.
- Avoid Using Psychic-type Moves. Dark-types are naturally immune to Psychic. Moreover, Psychic-types are weak against Dark, so it’s advisable to avoid using them in this battle.
- Be Careful When Using Physical Moves. Sidney’s Pokémon have moves and abilities like Intimidate, Rough Skin, Swagger, and Spiky Shield. These can be punishing when you use physical moves. If possible, rely on special moves in this battle instead.
- Boost Defense or Use Reflect. Sidney’s Pokémon primarily use physical moves. Utilize defense-boosting moves or Pokémon with a high Defense stat to reduce incoming damage. Reflect can also be a great option for halving incoming damage for your entire team.
- Protect Yourself from High Critical-Hit Ratio Moves. Shiftry, Sharpedo, and Absol have moves that can land critical hits more frequently. This might pose a threat to frail Pokémon with low HP or Defense stats. Consider using Pokémon with the Battle Armor or Shell Armor abilities or use the move Lucky Chant to prevent critical hits.
Recommended Pokémon & Moves to Use
If you’re struggling with this particular battle, check whether you’ve caught or raised any of the Pokémon listed below.
The options below are especially effective at dealing with Sidney’s Dark-type Pokémon:
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| Recommended Pokémon | |||
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| Pokémon | Hariyama | Armaldo | Gardevoir |
| Type | Fighting | Rock / Bug | Psychic / Fairy |
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Evolve Ralts found on:
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Changing up your Pokémon’s moves in between battles against the Elite Four can also be a viable strategy.
Consider letting eligible Pokémon learn the following TMs to help you defeat Sidney easier:
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| Recommended TMs to Learn | |||
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| TM | TM52 Focus Blast | TM81 X-Scissor | TM99 Dazzling Gleam |
| Type | Fighting | Bug | Fairy |
| Location | Lilycove City Department Store | Victory Road | Route 123 |
After Defeating Sidney
After defeating Sidney, you’ll receive a reward of P 8,320.
Once the brief cutscene concludes, the room behind Sidney will unlock, which leads to the next Elite Four member: Phoebe.
Guide Navigation
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Pokémon ORAS
- Pokémon ORAS: Elite Four Sidney (1st E4 Battle)
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