Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Spikemuth gym: Guide to beating Piers

The seventh gym leader in Pokémon Sword and Shield is Piers, a dark-type user in the city of Spikemuth.

Piers’ challenge is a bit more straightforward than the other challenges, but we prepped a guide to help get through it anyway.

Spikemuth gym challenge

To start the gym challenge, run right of the Pokémon Center and a NPC will ask if you want to start the challenge. The challenge is just running straight through the streets of Spikemuth, taking down any Team Yell members who try to get in your way. A Mr. Mime will block your way if you haven’t beaten every trainer in the area, but none of them are hiding and are fairly easy to beat. Once you get to the end, you’ll find Piers.

Piers’ Pokémon

Game Freak, The Pokémon Company/Nintendo via Polygon

Pierce uses four dark-type Pokémon, but unlike all the other gym leaders, he doesn’t Gigantamax any of them. Not only can none of his party Gigantamax, but players are also unable to Dynamax in his gym.

1. Scrafty, level 44, dark/fighting
2. Malamar, level 45, dark/psychic
3. Skuntank, level 45, dark/poison
4. Obstagoon, level 46, dark/normal

Recommended counters against Piers

Dark-types are weak against bug-, fairy-, and fighting-types, though some of the dual typing in Piers’ party will counter those. Bug-type will be four times as effective on Malamar, whereas Fairy-type moves won’t do as much damage to Scrafty. Bring a good variety of Pokémon if you want to clear the gym with ease.

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

• Caterpie, bug-type
  Found on Route 1
• Stufful, normal/fighting
  Found on Route 5 and East Lake Axewell in the Wild Area
• Tyrogue, fighting
  Found on Route 3 and Rolling Fields in the Wild Area
• Milcrey, fairy
  Found on Route 4

Spikemuth gym rewards

After winning, you’ll get TM85, Snarl, as well as a dark-type uniform to wear outside of gym challenges. You’ll also be able to catch Pokémon up to level 55.