Rainbow Badge - The City of Rainbow Dreams

Your guide to Celadon City Gym in Pokémon Gold & Silver! Learn how to defeat Erika, earn the Rainbow Badge, and get TM19 (Giga Drain).

Alright, so you've probably picked up on a theme with the Kanto Gyms in Gold and Silver – they're often a bit easier than you might expect, especially if you've already tackled the Johto Elite Four. Leader Erika's Gym in Celadon City is no different. She's all about Grass-types, so if you've got a Fire, Ice, or Flying Pokémon, or even just some solid moves of those types, you're in a great spot.

Before you head into the Gym, make sure you're healed up at the Pokémon Center. If you're unsure about the path back out of the Saffron City Gym (since you've already got your tenth badge!), don't sweat it – the map provided earlier should help you retrace your steps. Once you're ready, head west from Saffron City onto Route 7.

Route 7 is pretty straightforward, much like Route 6. There's not a whole lot going on besides the usual wild Pokémon in the grass. Just keep heading west until you reach Celadon City.

Celadon City itself has a few things to check out, though not a ton of essential items. You've got your Department Store in the northwest and the Game Corner in the middle. If you're feeling lucky, you can snag a single Coin from someone at the Game Corner. The Game Freak headquarters is also nearby; talk to the Director on the third floor for Pokédex diplomas, and if you visit at night via the back entrance, you can grab TM13 (Curse) in the top room. In the southeast corner of the city, you can find a man at a counter who'll give you Leftovers – a great item that heals 1/16th of your Pokémon's HP each turn. Just east of that building, you can find a PP Up hidden in a tree by using Cut to get past it.

Speaking of the southeast building, head south from it and use Cut on the tree blocking the path. Follow that path, and you'll find the Celadon City Gym. It's a pretty open layout with a few Trainers before you get to Erika herself at the north end. Take them all on, and then it's time to face the Leader!

Celadon City Gym - Leader Erika

Erika's team is pretty standard for a Grass-type Gym Leader. Her Tangela is a bit bulky, and her Jumpluff is super fast. Victreebel and Bellossom hit pretty hard, especially with moves like Sunny Day boosting their Grass attacks. Remember, Fire, Ice, and Flying moves are your best bet here. If you've got a strong Fire-type Pokémon from the start, or one of the legendary birds, you should have a pretty smooth time.

After you defeat Erika, you'll earn the Rainbow Badge. This badge gives your Grass-type moves a 12.5% power boost, which is pretty neat. You'll also get TM19 (Giga Drain), a solid Grass-type attack that heals you as it damages the opponent. Nice!