Pokémon Legends: Z-A Royale Trainers Guide

Rank Z: Zach the Driver

Your first promotion match is against Zach, a friendly taxi driver stuck at the bottom of the rankings. His team is composed of common early-game Pokémon.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Slowpoke	8	Water/Psychic
Pidgey	8	Normal/Flying
Pikachu	9	Electric

How to Beat Zach:
Your starter Pokémon and early-game catches are more than enough to handle Zach’s team.

• For Slowpoke: Use Bug or Grass-type moves. If you’ve caught a Spewpa or Kakuna, they work well here.
• For Pidgey: Electric-type attacks are your best bet. A Mareep can easily take it down.
• For Pikachu: Use a Ground-type Pokémon like Bunnelby to exploit its only weakness and resist its Electric attacks.

Rank Y: Yvon the Worker

Yvon is an office worker who introduces you to the Fairy type in a trainer battle.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Spritzee	15	Fairy
Swirlix	15	Fairy
Vivillon	16	Bug/Flying

How to Beat Yvon:
Your best counters for this match will be Poison and Steel-type Pokémon.

• For Spritzee & Swirlix: A Beedrill with Poison-type moves or a Honedge with Steel-type attacks will make quick work of her two Fairy-types.
• For Vivillon: This Pokémon has a 4x weakness to Rock-type moves. It is also weak to Fire, Flying, Electric, and Ice.

Rank X: Xavi the Grade-Schooler

Don’t let his age fool you; Xavi presents a step up in difficulty with a four-Pokémon team.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Venipede	20	Bug/Poison
Roselia	20	Grass/Poison
Kadabra	21	Psychic
Furfrou	21	Normal

How to Beat Xavi:
Xavi’s team has some shared weaknesses you can exploit.

• For Venipede & Roselia: Both are weak to Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock. A Pokémon like Fletchinder can handle both with ease.
• For Kadabra: Use Bug, Ghost, or Dark-type moves.
• For Furfrou: A strong Fighting-type Pokémon like Machoke or Hawlucha is your best counter.

Rank W: Rintaro the Waiter

Rintaro uses a trio of elemental monkeys, a fun callback to the Striaton City Gym Leaders from Pokémon Black & White.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Simisage	24	Grass
Simisear	24	Fire
Simipour	24	Water

How to Beat Rintaro:
This is a straightforward type-matching battle.

• For Simisage: Use Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison, or Bug-type moves.
• For Simisear: Counter with Water, Ground, or Rock-type attacks.
• For Simipour: Electric and Grass-type moves are super effective.

Rank V: Vinnie

This battle marks a turning point, as trainers will now use Mega Evolution. Defeating Vinnie will propel you from Rank W all the way to Rank F.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Houndoom	30	Fire/Dark
Buneary	30	Normal
Sharpedo	30	Water/Dark
Mega Drampa	32	Normal/Dragon

How to Beat Vinnie:
Vinnie’s team has a common weakness to Fighting-type moves.

• For Houndoom, Buneary, & Sharpedo: A powerful Fighting-type like Hawlucha can deal significant damage to most of his team. Houndoom and Sharpedo are also weak to Fairy.
• For Mega Drampa: This Pokémon has a major stat boost. Your best bet is to counter with your own Mega Evolution. It is weak to Fighting, Ice, Dragon, and especially Fairy-type moves.

Rank F: Canari the Streamer

Canari is a gaming streamer who specializes in Electric-type Pokémon and has prepared counters for their common weaknesses.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Heliolisk	37	Normal/Electric
Ampharos	38	Electric
Stunfisk	38	Ground/Electric
Mega Eelektross	39	Electric

How to Beat Canari:
Ground-type moves are your key to victory, but be prepared for her counters.

• General Strategy: While most of her team is weak to Ground, Stunfisk is immune, and other Pokémon may have Grass-type coverage moves. A strong Ground-type like Excadrill is a great choice, as its Steel typing gives it resistance to Grass.
• For Mega Eelektross: As a pure Electric-type with the Levitate ability, Mega Eelektross has no weaknesses. You’ll need to hit it with strong, neutral attacks.

Rank E: Ivor the Fighter

This energetic brawler uses a team of powerful Fighting-type Pokémon that all hit very hard.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Heracross	45	Bug/Fighting
Medicham	46	Psychic/Fighting
Machamp	46	Fighting
Mega Falinks	47	Fighting

How to Beat Ivor:
Flying and Fairy-type Pokémon are your best friends in this fight.

• General Strategy: A strong Flying-type like Hawlucha can dominate this match. Heracross has a 4x weakness to Flying.
• For Medicham: Its Psychic typing makes it a threat to Poison-types, but it’s weak to Flying, Ghost, and Fairy. A Ghost-type like Chandelure or a Fairy-type like Florges is effective.
• For Mega Falinks: Counter its high stats with your own Mega Evolution. A powerful Flying or Fairy-type Mega is ideal.

Rank D: Corbeau the Syndicate Head

Corbeau, the head of the Rust Syndicate, uses a team primarily composed of Poison-types.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Arbok	50	Poison
Gyarados	51	Water/Flying
Roserade	51	Grass/Poison
Mega Scolipede	52	Bug/Poison

How to Beat Corbeau:
Psychic and Fire-type moves will carry you through most of this battle.

• For Gyarados: Use an Electric-type move for a quick 4x effective knockout.
• For Arbok & Roserade: Both are weak to Psychic-type attacks. Roserade is also 4x weak to Fire.
• For Mega Scolipede: This Pokémon is weak to Flying, Rock, Fire, and Psychic. A Mega Evolved Fire-type like Charizard or a strong Psychic-type will be very effective.

Rank C: Jacinthe the SBC Head

Jacinthe is obsessed with battling you and uses a tough, defensive team of mostly Fairy-type Pokémon. To reach her, you must first re-battle Vinnie, Canari, Ivor, and Corbeau.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Carbink	57	Rock/Fairy
Mawile	58	Steel/Fairy
Aurorus	58	Rock/Ice
Gardevoir	58	Psychic/Fairy
Mega Clefable	59	Fairy

How to Beat Jacinthe:
Steel-type moves are the key to unlocking this victory.

• General Strategy: All but one of her Pokémon (Mawile) are weak to Steel-type attacks. A Pokémon like Lucario or Excadrill is an excellent choice. Carbink and Aurorus both have a 4x weakness to Steel.
• For Mawile: Use Fire or Ground-type moves to exploit its weaknesses.
• For Mega Clefable: Use strong Poison or Steel-type attacks.

Rank B: Grisham of Café Nouveau

Your final promotion match to reach Rank A is against Grisham, a former member of Team Flare. He uses a powerful and diverse team of six Pokémon.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Pangoro	61	Fighting/Dark
Malamar	61	Psychic/Dark
Pyroar	61	Normal/Fire
Tyranitar	62	Rock/Dark
Salamence	62	Dragon/Flying
Mega Charizard X	63	Fire/Dragon

How to Beat Grisham:
Fairy-type moves are extremely valuable in this battle.

• General Strategy: Four of Grisham’s Pokémon (Pangoro, Malamar, Tyranitar, Salamence) are weak to Fairy-type attacks. A strong Fairy-type like Mega Clefable, Florges, or Mega Meganium can sweep a large portion of his team. Pangoro and Malamar are both 4x weak to Fairy.
• For Mega Charizard X: Its Fire/Dragon typing makes it weak to Ground, Rock, and Dragon-type moves. If you chose Totodile as your starter, a Mega Evolved Feraligatr with a Dragon-type move is a perfect counter.

Rank A: Urbain / Taunie

Your final story battle is against your rival, who has also reached Rank A. Their team is varied and includes the two starter Pokémon you did not choose, with their ace being the one that has a type advantage over your own starter.

Pokémon	Level	Type
Meowstic	62	Psychic
Goodra	62	Dragon
Starter #2	63	Grass, Fire/Fighting, or Water
Manectric	63	Electric
Avalugg	62	Ice
Mega Evolved Starter #3	64	Grass/Fairy, Fire/Fighting, or Water/Dragon

How to Beat Your Rival:
A well-balanced team with good type coverage is essential.

• General Strategy: This battle tests your ability to adapt. Ground-type moves are effective against Manectric and Avalugg (and Emboar, if present). Dark-types counter Meowstic, and Fairy-types are great against Goodra.
• Countering the Mega: The final Mega Evolution is the biggest threat.
• • If they have Mega Meganium (Grass/Fairy), use Poison, Flying, Steel, Fire, or Ice moves.
  • If they have Mega Emboar (Fire/Fighting), use Water, Ground, Flying, or Psychic moves.
  • If they have Mega Feraligatr (Water/Dragon), use Fairy or Dragon moves.
    Bring your strongest Pokémon and be ready to switch out to maintain a type advantage at all times. Good luck, trainer!