Thread: Do Gym leader's ever use pokemon not of their type?

I know lance (Dragon) sends out a charizord, but do most gym leaders use pokemon that aren't their primary type?

Lance can't be considered because he isn't a Gym Leader. I suppose Blue, but every Pokemon of his is a different-type anyways, so his "type" could be considered "multi". Also, didn't Giovanni (ground-type) use Persian?

Originally Posted by eX.A.K.R.

Volkner is an electric type Gym leader.

He uses an Octillery and an Ambipom.

'Nuff said.

Haha, yeah, Volkner just kinda did whatever the hell he wanted, didn't he?

Lots of them, especially if you include the Pokemon Stadium games:

Brock: Golbat, Cubone, Vulpix, Ninetales, Dugtrio, Pinsir, Forretress, Slowbro, Steelix, Heracross, Ursaring

Misty: Exeggutor, Dugtrio, Sunflora, Togetic, Wigglytuff, Nidoqueen, Dragonair, Ampharos

Surge: Tangela, Poliwrath, Lickitung, Porygon, Victreebel, Dodrio, Quagsire, Porygon2

Erika: Clefable, Dewgong, Chansey, Vaporeon, Ninetales, Marrowak, Blissey, Mantine

Koga: Forretress, Parasect, Tangela, Hypno, Gligar, Electrode, Magmar, Lapras, Lanturn, Stantler

Janine: Gligar, Stantler, Meganium, Vaporeon, Girafarig, Forretress

Sabrina: Venomoth, Snorlax, Wigglytuff, Furret, Sandslash, Hitmonlee, Typhlosion, Scizor

Blane: Clefable, Chansey, Kangaskhan, Tangela, Parasect, Octillery, Vileplume, Mr. Mime

Giovanni: Persian, Tauros, Kangaskhan, Gengar, Moltres

Bugsy: Pupitar, Weepinbell, Raticate, Sudowoodo, Quagsire

Whitney: Gloom, Donphan, Mr. Mime, Golduck

Morty: Marrowak, Noctowl, Ariados, Sudowoodo, Girafarig, Exeggutor, Granbull, Lapras, Mantine

Chuck: Sandslash, Granbull, Hypno, Ampharos, Ursaring

Jasmine: Ampharos, Corsola, Mantine, Blastoise, Rapidash, Slowbro, Stantler

Pryce: Ursaring, Donphan, Tentacruel, Quagsire, Girafarig, Hitmontop

Claire: Arcanine, Rhydon, Lapras, Ampharos, Charizard, Gyarados, Nidoking

Roxanne: Steelix

Candice: Medicham

Volkner: Octillery, Ambipom

And that's just from the games, not the anime, manga, or TCG, which have many more examples.

In the anime, I remember Misty having Togepi, Togetic and Azurill while Brock had loads of non-Rock Pokémon. Whitney also had a Nidorina and Jasmine was the actual owner of the Ampharos in the lighthouse. Giovanni, being the boss of Team Rocket had plenty of non-Ground-type Pokémon, such as Persian (of course), Kingler and Machamp. Blaine also had a Rhydon in Riddle Me This.

Speaking of, apparently Jasmine was once a Rock-type trainer but changed to a Steel-type trainer, according to one of the NPCs in G/S/C. Dunno if that counts.

Roxanne's Steelix and Misty's Azurill can be excused, since Steelix evolves from a Rock type and Azu evolves into a Water type. Bugsy's Pupitar is also explained by its larva-cacoon nature. Morty's Noctowl is somewhat of a spirit bird. There aren't that many Dragon types to begin with, but all of Claire's and Lance's Pokemon are dragon-like; Lapras, Charizard, and Gyarados learn Dragon Dance.

There's no hard rule that says that a gym leader/E4 member should only have pokémon of their type speciality. In fact, having a Pokémon of a different type ups the difficulty a little since those Pokémon might be considered counters for Pokémon that are supposed to be strong against their type of choice. Or it might even reflect their personality a little.