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Battle plan · HeartGold & SoulSilver

How to beat Karen in HeartGold & SoulSilver

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
  • VileplumeLv 42Grass and Poison typeMoves: Poison and Grass
  • GengarLv 45Ghost and Poison typeLevitateMoves: Ghost and Fighting
  • MurkrowLv 44Dark and Flying typeMoves: Flying 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× · 2/5Psychic2× · 2/5Rock2× · 2/5Fire2× · 1/5Water2× · 1/5Electric2× · 1/5Ground2× · 1/5Flying2× · 1/5Bug2× · 1/5Ghost2× · 1/5Dark2× · 1/5

Good to catch

Catchable before Karen in HeartGold & SoulSilver.

One takes normal hits from their moves. 5 are weak to part of their team: switch out where the card says.

  • GyaradosWaterFlyinghits 2× with Ice, Dark or Water · 4/5Ice Fang · Lv 32takes 1×Catch Magikarp · New Bark Town (Old Rod) · evolves at 20 Add
  • VenomothBugPoisonhits 2× with Bug or Psychic · 3/5Zen Headbutt · Lv 41switch out against Murkrow and HoundoomCatch Venonat · Route 43 · evolves at 31 Add
  • RhydonGroundRockhits 2× with Fighting or Rock · 3/5Rock Blast · Lv 25later: Stone Edge at 45switch out against Vileplume and GengarCatch Rhyhorn · Victory Road · evolves at 42 · rare Add
  • LanturnWaterElectrichits 2× with Bug, Electric or Water · 3/5Bubble Beam · Lv 30switch out against VileplumeCatch Chinchou · New Bark Town (Good Rod) · evolves at 27 Add
  • PrimeapeFightinghits 2× with Fighting or Dark · 3/5Cross Chop · Lv 41switch out against MurkrowCatch Mankey · Route 42 · evolves at 28HeartGold only Add
  • OctilleryWaterhits 2× with Bug, Psychic, Ice or Water · 5/5Psybeam · Lv 10switch out against VileplumeCatch Remoraid · Route 44 (Good Rod) · evolves at 25 · rare Add

Slot by slot

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

  • UmbreonLv 42Beat it withPrimeapehits 2×Cross Chop · Lv 41WallMachoke takes ½×Catch Machop · Route 47 · evolves at 28
  • VileplumeLv 42Beat it withSkarmoryhits 2×Air Slash · Lv 39Catch Skarmory · Route 45 · rare · SoulSilver onlyWallVenomoth takes ½×
  • GengarLv 45Beat it withVenomothhits 2×Zen Headbutt · Lv 41WallNo catch resists all of its moves.
  • MurkrowLv 44Beat it withRhydonhits 2×Rock Blast · Lv 25later: Stone Edge at 45WallMagneton takes ½×Catch Magnemite · Route 38 · evolves at 30
  • HoundoomLv 47Beat it withGyaradoshits 2×Hydro Pump · Lv 41WallNo catch resists all of its moves.

Other bosses in HeartGold & SoulSilver

Every boss, in the order you meet them. All HeartGold & SoulSilver bosses

Quick picks for HeartGold & SoulSilver

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 13. Team types: Normal and Flying. Pidgey and Pidgeotto.
  2. 02BugsyAzaleaLv 17. Team types: Bug, Flying and Poison. Scyther, Kakuna and Metapod.
  3. 03WhitneyGoldenrodLv 19. Team types: Normal. Clefairy and Miltank.
  4. 04MortyEcruteakLv 25. Team types: Ghost and Poison. Gastly, Haunter, Gengar and Haunter.
  5. 05ChuckCianwoodLv 31. Team types: Fighting and Water. Primeape and Poliwrath.
  6. 06JasmineOlivineLv 35. Team types: Electric, Steel and Ground. Magnemite, Magnemite and Steelix.
  7. 07PryceMahoganyLv 34. Team types: Water, Ice and Ground. Seel, Dewgong and Piloswine.
  8. 08ArianaRadio TowerLv 32. Team types: Poison, Grass, Dark and Flying. Arbok, Vileplume and Murkrow.
  9. 09ArcherRadio TowerLv 38. Team types: Dark, Fire and Poison. Houndour, Koffing and Houndoom.
  10. 10ClairBlackthornLv 41. Team types: Water, Flying and Dragon. Gyarados, Dragonair, Dragonair and Kingdra.

Before the Elite Four

  1. 01SilverChikorita startLv 40. Team types: Dark, Ice, Poison, Flying, Electric, Steel, Ghost, Psychic and Fire. Sneasel, Golbat, Magneton, Haunter, Kadabra and Typhlosion.
  2. 01SilverCyndaquil startLv 40. Team types: Dark, Ice, Poison, Flying, Electric, Steel, Ghost, Psychic and Water. Sneasel, Golbat, Magneton, Haunter, Kadabra and Feraligatr.
  3. 01SilverTotodile startLv 40. 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 50. Team types: Poison, Flying and Bug. Crobat, Weezing, Ariados, Ariados and Venomoth.
  2. 02Lt. SurgeVermilionLv 53. Team types: Electric and Steel. Raichu, Electrode, Magneton, Electrode and Electabuzz.
  3. 03BrockPewterLv 54. Team types: Rock, Ground and Water. Graveler, Rhyhorn, Omastar, Onix and Kabutops.
  4. 04MistyCeruleanLv 54. Team types: Water, Ground, Ice and Psychic. Golduck, Quagsire, Lapras and Starmie.
  5. 05SabrinaSaffronLv 55. Team types: Psychic. Espeon, Mr. Mime and Alakazam.
  6. 06ErikaCeladonLv 56. Team types: Grass, Flying and Poison. Jumpluff, Tangela, Victreebel and Bellossom.
  7. 07BlaineSeafoam IslandsLv 59. Team types: Fire and Rock. Magcargo, Magmar and Rapidash.
  8. 08BlueViridianLv 60. Team types: Grass, Psychic, Fire, Ground, Rock, Water, Flying, Fighting and Normal. Exeggutor, Arcanine, Rhydon, Gyarados, Machamp and Pidgeot.

Post-game

  1. 01RedMt. SilverLv 88. Team types: Electric, Water, Ice, Normal, Grass, Poison, Fire and Flying. Pikachu, Lapras, Snorlax, Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise.