In this Pokemon Sword and Shield guide, we will go over the 3rd Gym Leader Kabu, who can be found in Motostoke. This Pokemon Sword and Shield Motostoke Gym guide will detail the challenge you’ll have to complete to reach him, the kind of Pokemon he’ll have in store for you, and what is the best possible strategy when going up against him.
Pokemon Sword and Shield Motostoke Gym
Kabu is the 3rd Gym Leader you’ll encounter, and has a proclivity for all things fiery and hot. As you may have already guessed, he is a Fire-Type expert and will provide a searing challenge for all would-be challenger. Follow these Kabu battle tips and you should have no problem defeating the Motostoke gym leader and earning yourself the Fire badge.
As you can imagine, a Water-Type Pokemon would be the best counter for Kabu and his blistering team of blazing Pokemon. But before getting to all that, let’s quickly go over the way to actually reach the Gym, which, as stated earlier, lies in Motostoke.
Reaching the Motostoke Gym
You’ll have to go into Galar Mine 2; you’ll have to face off against several enemies before having the opportunity of making a quick and clean egress from the cave. But once you succeed in doing so, cross the nearby bridge and start making your way over to Motostoke.
Along the way, you’ll be forced to fight Marnie. Take care of her as swiftly as you can and stay on the trail to eventually reach Motostoke.
Before heading into the Gym to challenge Kabu and his many Trainers, we recommend spending some time in the Wild Area or Galar Mine 2. You want your Pokemon to level up and be at least Level 25 or above. Attempting to take on the Gym with Pokemon under the bare minimum will prove to be your undoing.
As always, heal your Pokemon at the Pokemon Center before heading in.
Pokemon Recommendations
Kabu has nothing but Fire-Type Pokemon as part of his arsenal, so you’ll want the following Types of Pokemon in your party:
- Water-Type
- Ground-Type
- Rock-Type
If you happened to go with the Water-Type Starter, then you’ll have a leg up on your opponent. Take full advantage of it and do as much damage as possible. If you picked any of the other Starters, we recommend going into the world and getting your hands on any of the above mentioned Types – make sure to level them up before heading into the Gym!
We recommend capturing a Diglett and a Wooper, both will prove to be quite useful in this particular battle.
The Motostoke Gym Challenge
The challenge is a bit tricky for this one. Essentially, you have to score a total of 5 Points in order to proceed. You earn points by capturing or knocking out Wild Pokemon that are roaming around in the Gym. The catch, however, is that the other Trainers under Kabu are attempting to thwart your efforts; they will be attempting to catch or defeat those same Pokemon as well. If they succeed, then you get no points.
For capturing a Pokemon you get 2 Points, whereas you only get a single point for defeating a Pokemon. If you wish to end the challenge as quickly as possible, then you’ll need to catch the Pokemon (which you get to keep afterward).
The most efficient way of completing this challenge is by taking out the other Trainers’ Pokemon. Once they’re out of the picture, you’re in a position where you can catch or defeat a Pokemon at your leisure. We recommend doing this; the other Trainers don’t pose much of a challenge.
Once you’ve earned 5 Points, it’s time to face Kabu!
Gym Leader – Kabu
Kabu has the following Pokemon at his disposal:
- Ninetales (Lvl 25)
- Arcanine (Lvl 25)
- Centiskorch (Lvl 27)
He will use Dynamax for his final Pokemon – Centiskorch – so we recommend not using your own Dynamax until it’s the right time to do so.
Kabu will first send out Ninetales, a Pokemon you can easily beat if you have a Water-Type. A Rock or Ground-Type will get the job done as effectively. Ninetales won’t pose much of a threat, and the same goes for Arcanine. Both of them can easily be beaten with a Water-Type. If you have a Fighting-Type Pokemon in your party, we advise not to use it against Arcanine; it won’t do you much good.
The Pokemon that actually poses a genuine threat is Centiskorch. It’s partially a Bug-Type Pokemon, but don’t foolishly send out a Fire-Type to combat it; Centiskorch’s Flash Fire ability gives it complete fire immunity!
The best way to deal with Centiskorch is to Dynamax one of your Water or Rock-Type Pokemon before Centiskorch enters the battlefield. That way, you can take advantage of the situation and swiftly take it out before it has a chance to do any serious damage.
Motostoke Gym Rewards
You will be given the following rewards for beating Kabu:
- Motostoke Gym Badge
- TM38: Will-O-Wisp
- Fire-Type Uniform (Can be worn outside Gym Challenges)
- Ability to catch Pokemon up to Level 35
