Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Motostoke gym: Guide to beating Kabu

Pokémon Sword and Shield’s third gym leader is the fire-type expert, Kabu.

He’s the last gym leader in the minor league and while he isn’t too hard to beat, check out our guide below if you’re getting stuck.

Motostoke gym challenge

Kabu’s gym has you catching Pokémon with a twist: other trainers are battling with you, trying to mess you up. You have to score at least five points to complete the challenge. Catching a Pokémon nets you two points. Knocking it out, but not catching it, gives you one. The other trainers will attack your Pokémon and the wild Pokémon making it a bit difficult if you’re trying to keep its health low for an easy catch. We recommend that you focus on knocking out the other trainer first, so you can catch the wild Pokémon uninterrupted.

Note that you do get to keep any Pokémon you catch here, so if you want a Litwick or another fire-type, this is a great place to grab one.

After netting five points, you’ll go up against Kabu himself.

Kabu’s Pokémon

Game Freak, The Pokémon Company/Nintendo via Polygon

Kabu uses three fire-type Pokémon, with his Centiskorch also having a dual bug-typing. As with the other gym leaders, he’ll Gigantamax his Centiskorch when he throws it out, so save your Dynamax until then to keep things easy.

1. Ninetails, level 25, fire
2. Arcanine, level 25, fire
3. Centiskroch, level 27, fire/bug

Recommended counters against Kabu

All of Kabu’s Pokémon are weak against water-, ground-, and rock-type moves. Centiskorch is also weak against flying-types.

Here are some good Pokémon to catch and evolve for this gym, as well as the easiest places to find them:

• Wooper, water- and ground-type
  Found in West Lake Axewell in the Wild Area, except during sunny and snowy weather
• Diglett, ground-type
  Found in Galar Mine
• Tympole, water-type
  Found in Dappled Grove, West Lake Axewell, Watchtower Ruins, North Lake Miloch, and South Lake Miloch in the Wild Area
• Magikarp, water-type
  Route 2, Wild Area, Motostoke, via fishing

Motostoke gym rewards

After beating Kabu, you’ll be rewarded with TM38, Will-O-Wisp, and a fire-type uniform to wear outside of gym challenges. You’ll also be able to catch Pokémon up to level 35.