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Battle plan · Gold & Silver

How to beat Karen in Gold & Silver

Karen’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
  • UmbreonLv 42Dark typeMoves: Dark. It also stops you switching out, with a move like Wrap or Mean Look (the binding moves also chip each turn) and confuses with a move like Supersonic or Swagger, so you may hit yourself whatever your types.
  • VileplumeLv 42Grass and Poison typeMoves: Poison and Grass
  • GengarLv 45Ghost and Poison typeMoves: Ghost. It also uses a Ghost-type Curse, which cuts a quarter of your HP each turn whatever your types.
  • MurkrowLv 44Dark and Flying typeMoves: Normal and Dark
  • HoundoomLv 47Dark and Fire typeMoves: Dark and Fire

Hit it with

Best hit · how many of their 5 Pokémon it hits super effectively.

Ice2× · 2/5Fighting2× · 2/5Ground2× · 2/5Psychic2× · 2/5

+8 more

Rock2× · 2/5Fire2× · 1/5Water2× · 1/5Electric2× · 1/5Flying2× · 1/5Bug2× · 1/5Ghost2× · 1/5Dark2× · 1/5

Good to catch

Catchable before Karen in Gold & Silver.

Two take normal hits from their moves. Four are weak to part of their team: switch out where the card says.

  • GirafarigNormalPsychichits 2× with Psychic · 2/5Psybeam · Lv 41weak to three of their five: switch outCatch Girafarig · Route 43 Add
  • PrimeapeFightinghits 2× with Fighting · 2/5Low Kick · Lv 9later: Cross Chop at 45takes 1×Catch Mankey · Route 42 · evolves at 28Gold only Add
  • GravelerRockGroundhits 2× with Ground or Rock · 3/5Earthquake · Lv 41switch out against VileplumeCatch Geodude · Route 46 · evolves at 25 Add
  • MachokeFightinghits 2× with Fighting · 2/5Vital Throw · Lv 34later: Cross Chop at 43takes 1×Catch Machoke · Mt. Mortar Add
  • SudowoodoRockhits 2× with Fighting, Dark or Rock · 4/5Rock Slide · Lv 28switch out against VileplumeCatch Sudowoodo · Route 36 Add
  • QuagsireWaterGroundhits 2× with Ground · 2/5Earthquake · Lv 35switch out against VileplumeCatch Wooper · Route 32 · evolves at 20 Add

Slot by slot

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

  • UmbreonLv 42Beat it withPrimeapehits 2×Low Kick · Lv 9later: Cross Chop at 45WallMachoke takes ½×
  • VileplumeLv 42Beat it withGirafarighits 2×Psybeam · Lv 41WallSkarmory takes ¼×Catch Skarmory · Route 45 · rare · Silver only
  • GengarLv 45Beat it withGirafarighits 2×Psybeam · Lv 41WallDodrio takes 0× from attacksCatch Doduo · Route 27 · evolves at 31
  • MurkrowLv 44Beat it withAmpharoshits 2×Thunder Punch · Lv 30Catch Mareep · Route 32 · evolves at 30WallMagneton takes ½×Catch Magnemite · Route 38 · evolves at 30
  • HoundoomLv 47Beat it withGyaradoshits 2×Hydro Pump · Lv 40Catch Magikarp · Dark Cave (Old Rod) · evolves at 20WallNo catch resists all of its moves.

Other bosses in Gold & Silver

Every boss, in the order you meet them. All Gold & Silver bosses

Quick picks for Gold & Silver

Up nextLanceChampion, ChampionLv 50. Team types: Water, Flying, Dragon, Rock and Fire. Gyarados, Dragonite, Dragonite, Aerodactyl, Charizard and Dragonite.

Gyms and Team Rocket

  1. 01FalknerVioletLv 9. Team types: Normal and Flying. Pidgey and Pidgeotto.
  2. 02BugsyAzaleaLv 16. Team types: Bug, Poison and Flying. Metapod, Kakuna and Scyther.
  3. 03WhitneyGoldenrodLv 20. Team types: Normal. Clefairy and Miltank.
  4. 04MortyEcruteakLv 25. Team types: Ghost and Poison. Gastly, Haunter, Gengar and Haunter.
  5. 05ChuckCianwoodLv 30. Team types: Fighting and Water. Primeape and Poliwrath.
  6. 06JasmineOlivineLv 35. Team types: Electric, Steel and Ground. Magnemite, Magnemite and Steelix.
  7. 07PryceMahoganyLv 31. Team types: Water, Ice and Ground. Seel, Dewgong and Piloswine.
  8. 08PetrelRadio TowerLv 32. Team types: Poison. Koffing, Koffing, Koffing, Weezing, Koffing and Koffing.
  9. 09ProtonRadio TowerLv 36. Team types: Poison and Flying. Golbat.
  10. 10ArianaRadio TowerLv 32. Team types: Poison, Grass, Dark and Flying. Arbok, Vileplume and Murkrow.
  11. 11ArcherRadio TowerLv 35. Team types: Dark, Fire and Poison. Houndour, Koffing and Houndoom.
  12. 12ClairBlackthornLv 40. Team types: Dragon and Water. Dragonair, Dragonair, Dragonair and Kingdra.

Before the Elite Four

  1. 01SilverChikorita startLv 38. Team types: Dark, Ice, Poison, Flying, Electric, Steel, Ghost, Psychic and Fire. Sneasel, Golbat, Magneton, Haunter, Kadabra and Typhlosion.
  2. 01SilverCyndaquil startLv 38. Team types: Dark, Ice, Poison, Flying, Electric, Steel, Ghost, Psychic and Water. Sneasel, Golbat, Magneton, Haunter, Kadabra and Feraligatr.
  3. 01SilverTotodile startLv 38. Team types: Dark, Ice, Poison, Flying, Electric, Steel, Ghost, Psychic and Grass. Sneasel, Golbat, Magneton, Haunter, Kadabra and Meganium.

Elite Four and Champion

  1. 01WillElite FourLv 42. Team types: Psychic, Flying, Ice, Grass and Water. Xatu, Jynx, Exeggutor, Slowbro and Xatu.
  2. 02KogaElite FourLv 44. Team types: Bug, Poison, Steel and Flying. Ariados, Venomoth, Forretress, Muk and Crobat.
  3. 03BrunoElite FourLv 46. Team types: Fighting, Rock and Ground. Hitmontop, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Onix and Machamp.
  4. 04KarenElite FourLv 47. Team types: Dark, Grass, Poison, Ghost, Flying and Fire. Umbreon, Vileplume, Gengar, Murkrow and Houndoom.
  5. 05LanceChampionLv 50, up next. Team types: Water, Flying, Dragon, Rock and Fire. Gyarados, Dragonite, Dragonite, Aerodactyl, Charizard and Dragonite.

Kanto gyms

  1. 01JanineFuchsiaLv 39. Team types: Poison, Flying and Bug. Crobat, Weezing, Weezing, Ariados and Venomoth.
  2. 02BrockPewterLv 44. Team types: Rock, Ground and Water. Graveler, Rhyhorn, Omastar, Onix and Kabutops.
  3. 03Lt. SurgeVermilionLv 46. Team types: Electric and Steel. Raichu, Electrode, Magneton, Electrode and Electabuzz.
  4. 04ErikaCeladonLv 46. Team types: Grass, Flying and Poison. Tangela, Jumpluff, Victreebel and Bellossom.
  5. 05MistyCeruleanLv 47. Team types: Water, Ground, Ice and Psychic. Golduck, Quagsire, Lapras and Starmie.
  6. 06SabrinaSaffronLv 48. Team types: Psychic. Espeon, Mr. Mime and Alakazam.
  7. 07BlaineSeafoam IslandsLv 50. Team types: Fire and Rock. Magcargo, Magmar and Rapidash.
  8. 08BlueViridianLv 58. Team types: Normal, Flying, Psychic, Ground, Rock, Water, Grass and Fire. Pidgeot, Alakazam, Rhydon, Gyarados, Exeggutor and Arcanine.

Post-game

  1. 01RedMt. SilverLv 81. Team types: Electric, Psychic, Normal, Grass, Poison, Fire, Flying and Water. Pikachu, Espeon, Snorlax, Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise.