TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is the Battleground?
The Battleground (also known as the Top Trainer Café) is an exclusive eatery that only Sinnoh’s elite trainers are allowed to patronize.
Once you’ve made the cut, you’ll be able to find—and battle—all the Gym Leaders and many of the trainers you’ve teamed up with over the course of your journey.
Each of the trainers you can challenge at the Battleground will be much tougher this time around, with updated Pokémon teams, new movesets, and higher levels than before.
How To Gain Entry (The Stark Mountain Subquest)
The Top Trainer Café is reserved for Sinnoh’s all-time best trainers.
But if you think you’ll be allowed in just because you’re the reigning Champion of the Pokémon League, you’ve got another thing coming.
Before you’re even allowed through the front door of this elite establishment, you’ll need to visit Stark Mountain and team up with Buck to defeat the last remnants of Team Galactic.
Bear in mind that this is one of the final quests you’ll be able to take on. It’s only available after you receive the National Pokédex and make the long voyage to the northeastern-most corner of the Battle Zone.
The quest will officially start when you speak to Buck at the start of the path to Stark Mountain.
To complete the quest, you’ll make your way through Stark Mountain, joining up with Buck about halfway through the caves before cornering Charon of Team Galactic in the very back chamber.
After you’ve put the kibosh on the post-Cyrus iteration of Team Galactic (with a surprise appearance by Looker of the International Police), you, Buck, and Looker will leave Stark Mountain.
As you say your goodbyes, Buck will invite you to his place back at the Survival Area.
Head back to the Survival Area and speak to Buck outside the Battleground to be let inside.
From this point on, you’ll be able to visit the Battleground and enjoy its perks whenever you want.
You can come to the Battleground each day to find up to four trainers inside, all ready to battle as soon as you talk to them.
Note: By saving the game before you enter the Battleground, you’ll be able to randomly change which trainers are available to battle by resetting the game and re-entering the venue.
The Battleground Trainers: Details & Strategies
The trainers you’ll find in the Battleground belong to two groups: Gym Leaders and Stat Trainers.
You’ve met each of these people before, but they’re far tougher than they were since you last saw them in action.
All Gym Leaders
Each of Sinnoh’s eight Gym Leaders will be available for rematches once you have access to the Battleground.
Their Pokémon teams have all been updated: each Gym Leader will now have five Pokémon regardless of how few they had during their original encounter, and many of their Pokémon’s moves will also be changed. Their Pokémon’s levels will now all be in the low- to mid-60s.
Roark
It’s been ages since you won your first Gym Badge against Roark at the start of your adventure. He has a bunch of new Pokémon and he’s totally buffed up, but your strategy against him will remain the same.
Use Fighting, Water, and Grass moves to send Roark’s Rock-type Pokémon back to the Stone Age.
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| Leader Roark (Battleground Team) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Aerodactyl Lv.62 | Probopass Lv.61 | Golem Lv.63 | Rampardos Lv.63 | Tyranitar Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,683XP | 2,587XP | 2,313XP | 2,686XP | 3,036XP |
| Type | Rock/Flying | Rock/Steel | Rock/Ground | Rock | Rock/Dark |
| Ability | Rock Head | Sturdy | Rock Head | Mold Breaker | Sand Stream |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Gardenia
Flying, Fire, and Ice will carry you through the rematch with Eterna City’s Gym Leader, Gardenia.
Just be careful if Sunny Day gets used: Cherrim’s SolarBeam won’t require a recharge turn during harsh sunlight.
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| Leader Gardenia (Battleground Team) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Jumpluff Lv.61 | Cherrim Lv.62 | Bellossom Lv.61 | Torterra Lv.63 | Roserade Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,299XP | 1,767XP | 2,404XP | 2,808XP | 2,841XP |
| Type | Grass/Flying | Grass | Grass | Grass/Ground | Grass/Poison |
| Ability | Chlorophyll | Flower Gift | Chlorophyll | Overgrow | Natural Cure |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Fantina
Fantina was one of the trickier bosses in the first half of the game, but now that you have more options to fight Ghost Pokémon, you should be able to take her down much more easily.
One good Dark move user can wipe out her entire team, but bring a Ghost-type Pokémon along for some extra assurance.
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| Leader Fantina (Battleground Team) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Banette Lv.61 | Mismagius Lv.63 | Drifblim Lv.61 | Dusknoir Lv.62 | Gengar Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,338XP | 2,524XP | 2,665XP | 2,790XP | 2,646XP |
| Type | Ghost | Ghost | Ghost/Flying | Ghost | Ghost/Poison |
| Ability | Insomnia | Levitate | Aftermath | Pressure | Levitate |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Maylene
Flying-type moves will carry you through the rematch with Veilstone’s Gym Leader, Maylene. She has a few counters for Flying Pokémon, but they shouldn’t slow you down too much.
However, remember that her Lucario isn’t weak against Flying moves, so you might bring a Fire or Fighting user along as well.
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| Leader Maylene (Battleground Team) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Hitmontop Lv.62 | Medicham Lv.63 | Breloom Lv.62 | Machamp Lv.64 | Lucario Lv.66 |
| Experience Points | 1,833XP | 2,065XP | 2,191XP | 2,646XP | 2,884XP |
| Type | Fighting | Fighting/Psychic | Grass/Fighting | Fighting | Fighting/Steel |
| Ability | Intimidate | Pure Power | Effect Spore | Guts | Steadfast |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | None |
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| Money Earned | 7,920p | ||||
Crasher Wake
The end-game rematch with Crasher Wake is about as predictable as the original was—use Electric and Grass for an easy win.
Recall that Wake’s Gyarados is a Water/Flying dual-type, so use Electricity instead of Grass against it. Use Grass against Quagsire instead, since its Ground-type half makes it immune to Electric moves.
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| Crasher Wake (Battleground Team) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Sharpedo Lv.61 | Quagsire Lv.61 | Floatzel Lv.63 | Gyarados Lv.62 | Ludicolo Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,287XP | 1,789XP | 2,403XP | 2,842XP | 2,520XP |
| Type | Water/Dark | Water/Ground | Water | Water/Flying | Water/Grass |
| Ability | Rough Skin | Damp | Swift Swim | Intimidate | Swift Swim |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Byron
Steel Pokémon loathe Fire attacks, so you can take out most of Byron’s team with a little flame-broiling. Make sure to bring a Fighting or Water user to defeat his Bastiodon and Aggron, though, since they aren’t quite as flammable.
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| Leader Byron (Battleground Team) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Skarmory Lv.61 | Magnezone Lv.62 | Steelix Lv.61 | Bastiodon Lv.63 | Aggron Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,196XP | 2,802XP | 2,562XP | 2,686XP | 2,854XP |
| Type | Steel/Flying | Electric/Steel | Steel/Ground | Rock/Steel | Steel/Rock |
| Ability | Keen Eye | Magnet Pull | Rock Head | Sturdy | Sturdy |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Candice
If you had trouble with Candice’s Froslass spamming Double Team during her Gym Battle, you can rest easy: she has ditched the evasion-boosting move in favor of some less irritating ones.
Fire, Fighting, and Steel moves should see you through to the end of this battle with little issue.
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| Leader Candice (Battleground Team) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Weavile Lv.62 | Mamoswine Lv.61 | Abomasnow Lv.61 | Froslass Lv.63 | Glaceon Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,643XP | 2,704XP | 2,796XP | 2,524XP | 2,730XP |
| Type | Dark/Ice | Ice/Ground | Grass/Ice | Ice/Ghost | Ice |
| Ability | Pressure | Oblivious | Snow Warning | Snow Cloak | Snow Cloak |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Volkner
Volkner’s Pokémon are tougher than ever, but their weaknesses remain straightforward: strong Ground and Rock moves should be enough to carry you through most of the match, with maybe a Grass-type Pokémon to take down Lanturn.
Just watch out for all of Volkner’s Fighting moves. Most of Volkner’s Pokémon aren’t as fast as they look, so you might get away with moving first for one-hit KOs against most of them before they can Brick Break or Double Kick your Pokémon unconscious.
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| Leader Volkner (Battleground Team) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Jolteon Lv.61 | Raichu Lv.61 | Luxray Lv.62 | Lanturn Lv.63 | Electivire Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,574XP | 1,594XP | 2,577XP | 2,106XP | 2,770XP |
| Type | Electric | Electric | Electric | Water/Electric | Electric |
| Ability | Volt Absorb | Static | Rivalry | Volt Absorb | Motor Drive |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
All Stat Trainers
Stat Trainers are the five trainers you teamed up with at various points in the game. They’re called “Stat Trainers” because each trainer’s team uses Pokémon that excel in one or two specific stat areas. For instance, Riley only uses Pokémon that have a very high physical Attack stat, whereas Cheryl is an HP master.
These traits make Stat Trainers more difficult than Gym Leaders, since Stat Trainers’ Pokémon don’t share the same weaknesses throughout their teams.
Cheryl
When you met Cheryl in Eterna Forest toward the beginning of the game, she was just a hapless amateur trainer partnered with a relatively useless Chansey. She has improved considerably since then, with several high-HP behemoths with a wealth of tricky moves.
There isn’t a lot of overlap among her Pokémon’s weaknesses, but if you include Fighting- and Dark-type moves in your arsenal you’ll eliminate Cheryl’s biggest threats, the famously tough Blissey and Wobbuffet.
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| Cheryl (Specialty: HP) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Wobbuffet Lv.61 | Drifblim Lv.61 | Hariyama Lv.62 | Wailord Lv.63 | Blissey Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,313XP | 2,665XP | 2,443XP | 2,781XP | 3,550XP |
| Type | Psychic | Ghost/Flying | Fighting | Water | Normal |
| Ability | Shadow Tag | Aftermath | Thick Fat | Water Veil | Natural Cure |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Mira
Remember Mira? You rescued her from Wayward Cave a long time ago, when she was relatively defenseless. She’s come a long way since then. With a formidable team featuring several impressive special attackers, you’ll want to bring Pokémon with high Speed and plenty of type advantages.
A couple of strong Dark- and Fighting-type moves will take out most of Mira’s team. Round it out with an Electric Pokémon to take down her Togekiss and the battle will be over before you know it.
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| Mira (Specialty: Special Attack) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Porygon-Z Lv.61 | Gengar Lv.61 | Magnezone Lv.62 | Togekiss Lv.63 | Alakazam Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,418XP | 2,482XP | 2,802XP | 2,970XP | 2,590XP |
| Type | Normal | Ghost/Poison | Electric/Steel | Normal/Flying | Psychic |
| Ability | Adaptability | Levitate | Magnet Pull | Hustle | Synchronize |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Riley
Like Roark and Byron, Riley trained his Pokémon among the tough Steel types of Iron Island, so it shouldn’t be surprising that his specialty stat is physical Attack.
Fighting and Fire move users will wipe out four of Riley’s five Pokémon, and you can finish up by taking advantage of Salamence’s quadruple Ice weakness for a one-hit KO.
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| Riley (Specialty: Attack) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Absol Lv.61 | Ursaring Lv.61 | Metagross Lv.62 | Salamence Lv.63 | Lucario Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 2,274XP | 2,943XP | 2,470XP | 2,790XP | 2,841XP |
| Type | Dark | Normal | Steel/Psychic | Dragon/Flying | Fighting/Steel |
| Ability | Pressure | Guts | Clear Body | Intimidate | Steadfast |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Marley
You’ll remember Marley, the Speed specialist. Her Pokémon are all uncommonly fast, and each one has a move or Ability that either raises its Speed to even higher levels or increases its priority during a turn’s move order.
Like most Speed-focused Pokémon, however, most of her team lacks the physical bulk to take many punches. Counter with heavy-hitting super effective moves and you’ll be fine.
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| Marley (Specialty: Speed) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Ninjask Lv.61 | Electrode Lv.61 | Crobat Lv.62 | Weavile Lv.63 | Arcanine Lv. 65 |
| Experience Points | 2,025XP | 1,960XP | 2,709XP | 2,686XP | 2,965XP |
| Type | Bug/Flying | Electric | Poison/Flying | Dark/Ice | Fire |
| Ability | Speed Boost | Soundproof | Inner Focus | Pressure | Intimidate |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Buck
Buck may own the Battleground, but he’s far from the toughest fighter here. Defensive Pokémon are his specialty.
He has little to counter super effective moves; a good Water-type Pokémon will wipe out three of his five Pokémon on its own, leaving Umbreon and Dusknoir, whose high defenses are rendered less intimidating by their lackluster overall stats.
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| Buck (Specialty: Defense/Special Defense) | |||||
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| Pokémon | Shuckle Lv.61 | Umbreon Lv.62 | Torkoal Lv.61 | Dusknoir Lv.63 | Claydol Lv.65 |
| Experience Points | 1,045XP | 2,616XP | 2,104XP | 2,835XP | 2,632XP |
| Type | Bug/Rock | Dark | Fire | Ghost | Ground/Psychic |
| Ability | Sturdy | Synchronize | White Smoke | Pressure | Levitate |
| Held Item | None | None | None | None | Sitrus Berry |
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| Money Earned | 7,800p | ||||
Guide Navigation
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Pokémon Platinum
- The Battleground/Top Trainer Café (Pokémon Platinum)
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Every Arceus Plate in Pokémon Platinum (All Locations)
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Pokémon Platinum Pokétch: How To Get It + All App Locations
Candice + Snowpoint Gym Puzzle (Pokémon Platinum)
Where To Get Fire Stones in Pokémon Platinum (All Methods)
Maylene + Veilstone Gym Puzzle (Pokémon Platinum)
Where To Get Water Stones in Pokémon Platinum (All Methods)
Pokémon Platinum Move Tutors (All Locations + Move Lists)