Skip to content
Type
Coverage

Battle plan · Emerald

How to beat May or Brendan (Torchic start) in Emerald

May or Brendan’s team, what hits it hard, and what you can catch before the fight. Add your own team to see who to lead with.

Plan with your team

Their team

Other bosses
  • TropiusLv 31Grass and Flying typeMoves: Normal and Grass
  • LudicoloLv 32Water and Grass typeMoves: Ghost and Grass
  • SlugmaLv 32Fire typeMoves: Fire and Rock
  • MarshtompLv 34Water and Ground typeMoves: Ground and Normal

Hit it with

Best hit · how many of their 4 Pokémon it hits super effectively.

Poison2× · 2/4Flying2× · 2/4Rock2× · 2/4Grass4× · 1/4

+5 more

Ice4× · 1/4Fire2× · 1/4Water2× · 1/4Ground2× · 1/4Bug2× · 1/4

Good to catch

Catchable before May or Brendan in Emerald.

Strongest matchup first. All six are weak to part of their team: switch out where the card says.

  • SwellowNormalFlyinghits 2× with Flying · 2/4Wing Attack · Lv 13switch out against SlugmaCatch Taillow · Route 104 · evolves at 22 Add
  • CameruptFireGroundhits 2× with Fire or Ground · 2/4Magnitude · Lv 19switch out against MarshtompCatch Numel · Route 112 · evolves at 33 Add
  • TentacruelWaterPoisonhits 2× with Poison or Water · 3/4Bubble Beam · Lv 25switch out against MarshtompCatch Tentacool · Route 103 (Old Rod) · evolves at 30 Add
  • SwalotPoisonhits 2× with Poison · 2/4Sludge · Lv 14switch out against MarshtompCatch Gulpin · Route 110 · evolves at 26 Add
  • GolbatPoisonFlyinghits 2× with Flying · 2/4Wing Attack · Lv 21switch out against SlugmaCatch Zubat · Granite Cave · evolves at 22 Add
  • SkarmorySteelFlyinghits 2× with Flying · 2/4Air Cutter · Lv 29switch out against SlugmaCatch Skarmory · Route 113 · rare Add

Slot by slot

What to send against each of their Pokémon, and what takes its moves best.

  • TropiusLv 31Beat it withSkarmoryhits 2×Air Cutter · Lv 29WallShedinja takes 0×Catch Nincada · Route 116 · evolves at 20 · needs an empty party slot and a spare Poké Ball
  • LudicoloLv 32Beat it withSwellowhits 2×Wing Attack · Lv 13WallSkarmory takes ½×
  • SlugmaLv 32Beat it withCamerupthits 2×Magnitude · Lv 19WallGraveler takes ½×Catch Geodude · Granite Cave · evolves at 25
  • MarshtompLv 34Beat it withTropiushits 4×Magical Leaf · Lv 31Catch Tropius · Route 119 · rareWallShedinja takes 0×Catch Nincada · Route 116 · evolves at 20 · needs an empty party slot and a spare Poké Ball

Other bosses in Emerald

Every boss, in the order you meet them. All Emerald bosses

Quick picks for Emerald

Up nextMaxieMagma Hideout, Magma HideoutLv 39. Team types: Dark, Poison, Flying, Fire and Ground. Mightyena, Crobat and Camerupt.

Gyms and story battles

  1. 01RoxanneRustboroLv 15. Team types: Rock and Ground. Geodude, Geodude and Nosepass.
  2. 02BrawlyDewfordLv 19. Team types: Fighting and Psychic. Machop, Meditite and Makuhita.
  3. 03WattsonMauvilleLv 24. Team types: Electric and Steel. Voltorb, Electrike, Magneton and Manectric.
  4. 04MaxieMt. ChimneyLv 25. Team types: Dark, Poison, Flying, Fire and Ground. Mightyena, Zubat and Camerupt.
  5. 05FlanneryLavaridgeLv 29. Team types: Fire and Ground. Numel, Slugma, Camerupt and Torkoal.
  6. 06NormanPetalburgLv 31. Team types: Normal. Spinda, Vigoroth, Linoone and Slaking.
  7. 07WinonaFortreeLv 33. Team types: Normal, Flying, Grass, Water, Steel and Dragon. Swablu, Tropius, Pelipper, Skarmory and Altaria.
  8. 08May or BrendanTreecko startLv 34. Team types: Grass, Flying, Water, Fire and Fighting. Tropius, Pelipper, Ludicolo and Combusken.
  9. 08May or BrendanTorchic startLv 34. Team types: Grass, Flying, Water, Fire and Ground. Tropius, Ludicolo, Slugma and Marshtomp.
  10. 08May or BrendanMudkip startLv 34. Team types: Grass, Flying, Fire and Water. Tropius, Slugma, Pelipper and Grovyle.
  11. 09MaxieMagma HideoutLv 39, up next. Team types: Dark, Poison, Flying, Fire and Ground. Mightyena, Crobat and Camerupt.
  12. 10Tate & LizaMossdeepLv 42. Team types: Ground, Psychic, Flying and Rock. Claydol, Xatu, Lunatone and Solrock.
  13. 11MaxieMossdeep Space CenterLv 44. Team types: Dark, Poison, Flying, Fire and Ground. Mightyena, Crobat and Camerupt.
  14. 12ArchieSeafloor CavernLv 43. Team types: Dark, Poison, Flying and Water. Mightyena, Crobat and Sharpedo.
  15. 13JuanSootopolisLv 46. Team types: Water, Ground, Ice, Dark and Dragon. Luvdisc, Whiscash, Sealeo, Crawdaunt and Kingdra.

Before the Elite Four

  1. 01WallyVictory RoadLv 45. Team types: Dragon, Flying, Normal, Grass, Poison, Electric, Steel and Psychic. Altaria, Delcatty, Roselia, Magneton and Gardevoir.

Elite Four and Champion

  1. 01SidneyElite FourLv 49. Team types: Dark, Grass and Water. Mightyena, Shiftry, Cacturne, Crawdaunt and Absol.
  2. 02PhoebeElite FourLv 51. Team types: Ghost and Dark. Dusclops, Banette, Sableye, Banette and Dusclops.
  3. 03GlaciaElite FourLv 53. Team types: Ice and Water. Sealeo, Glalie, Sealeo, Glalie and Walrein.
  4. 04DrakeElite FourLv 55. Team types: Dragon, Flying, Water and Ground. Shelgon, Altaria, Kingdra, Flygon and Salamence.
  5. 05WallaceChampionLv 58. Team types: Water, Poison, Grass, Ground and Flying. Wailord, Tentacruel, Ludicolo, Whiscash, Gyarados and Milotic.