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Virbank City Gym Leader: Roxie

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Name: Roxie
Moniker: A Little Poison in Your Days, a Little Poison on the Stage
Region: Unova
Role: Leader of the Virbank City Gym and distributor of the Toxic Badge
Type Specialty: Poison


BACKGROUND

While most trainers tend to shy away from the Poison-type as a result of its limited capabilities in battle, some trainers eventually learn the devastating effects that poison can have on an opponent as long as one is patient; Roxie of Virbank City is no different and is certainty a great deal more dangerous than her otherwise cute demeanor might suggest. Similar to Crasher Wake of the Sinnoh Region, Roxie is only a Gym Leader as a part-time job and is actually the leader of a rock band that is slowly gaining considerable fame in the region; even so, though, her dedication to both music and battle is unquestionable and makes her one of the toughest trainers in the entire city. Roxie's father is a ship captain in the local harbor and has often times considered leaving his job for the glimmer and glitz of Pokéstar Studios, but recent attempts at such a career have gone nowhere and essentially have left the man with few options aside from his usual job. This seems to work for Roxie just as well, as she has more than enough on her plate and does not really have the time to constantly worry about her dad and the money his job brings in. Roxie herself is a lover of music and has used her expertise in music to make a battling career out of the otherwise unorthodox Poison-type, an action that few trainers ever managed to take let alone Gym Leaders in general. Roxie is a kind-hearted girl and enjoys battling alongside her friends in battle much more so than most would think, even if she tends to rub people the wrong way as a result of her grim determination to win any battle at any cost. Trainers will likely have little trouble working with this young lady and will probably have little difficulty making a friend out of her, but when it comes to battle, her personality tends to grow vicious in desperate situations; as such, it is recommended that one should be careful about how they approach Roxie and should make it an imperative goal to get on her good side as quickly as possible.


BATTLE STRATEGIES

While she tends to specialize in offense more so than any other type of strategy, Roxie possesses a well-rounded team and is able to play both defensive and tactical fights with little trouble. The fact that she is so experienced at such a young age demonstrates her commitment to her job and can be more than enough to send average trainers right over the edge in battle. Many of Roxie's Pokémon are armed with a variety of different attacks and are able to utilize them to an advanced degree, something that few Poison-types ever manage to accomplish even under the most experienced of trainers. Steel-type Pokémon can easily shut down many of Roxie's offenses, but several of her Pokémon are armed with moves that can nullify such strategies; as such, it is recommended that caution be brought to every battle if only to help prepare for the worst. The Pokémon under Roxie's possession are not among the most powerful fighters in most cases, but this matters little to her as she enjoys using unorthodox tactics to get what she wants in battle and is experienced enough to make it happen on a regular basis. Trainers should be prepared to bring their best to arms when battling this toxic queen and should be careful where they step, or they will more than likely finds out just how dangerous the Poison-type can be when used as more than just a simple hazard in battle.


PRIMARY POKÉMON

Scolipede: This massive insect might not have the defenses needed to last very long in battle, but it is more than fast enough to make great use of its powerful attacks to devastate anything that gets in its way. Relying on a held Sitrus berry, Liechi berry or Choice Scarf for an advantage in battle, this monster will gladly attack the opposition at full force in battle with Venoshock, Rollout, Bug Bite, Steamroller, Megahorn, Rock Slide, Earthquake and Poison Jab attacks in close quarters while relying on a Toxic technique for tactical measures. This beast was never really meant to last a while in battle, but this is of little importance as its Speed can be high enough to cause some problems in battle, not to mention the fact that its Protect technique can help it survive for a bit longer and is thus a threat worth taking out quickly.

Crobat: This bat is among the fastest Pokémon out there and is more than capable of making life miserable for anyone that dares to step in its path. This bat will usually start things off by using its Tailwind technique to increase the overall mobility of its entire team before incapacitating its target with its Mean Look and Toxic techniques and rapidly charging at its target, unleashing powerful Venoshock, Cross Poison, U-turn, Fly, Brave Bird and Zen Headbutt (potentially powered up by a held Psychic Gem) attacks. The Payapa berry that this beast sometimes holds can allow it to last a bit longer against Psychic-types in some cases, but overall this beast is defensively weak and can be taken out quickly with a single strong hit…that is, if one can even hit it to begin with.

Seviper: Though not among the most powerful of Poison-types, this snake is bad news for most offensive fighters as it can easily turn things around in battle as a result of its Coil, Toxic and Glare techniques. Once the opposition has been incapacitated, this snake will waste little time in battle and will strike with powerful Dark Pulse, Venoshock and Sludge Wave attacks from afar while relying on its Bulldoze and Dragon Tail attacks in close quarters to demobilize its opponents and switch up the batting order whenever it feels like it. The Shuca berry that the reptile holds can help it survive against Ground-type attacks a bit better, but as long as one puts all of their offensive might in action, this beast is of little concern and an easy target to defeat in battle.

Amoonguss: This bizarre fungus is definitely nowhere near being a conventional fighter but can still be an annoyance in the right cases. Relying on a held Ganlon berry or Black Sludge to keep its health up, this fungus will often start off a battle by using moves like Toxic, Spore, Protect and Substitute to make it almost impossible for the opposition to easily deal direct damage to its target. Once the opposition in reduced to a confuddled mess, this creature will gladly stand at a moderate distance away and use its Giga Drain and Foul Play attacks to deal damage and hopefully keep its energy up at the same time. While this creature can quickly become a defensive and tactical nightmare in many cases, defeating it with a powerful attack is pretty easy and thus makes this mushroom little more than cannon fodder if it can be taken out quickly.

Toxicroak: While most Toxicroak are designed for direct offense only, Roxie's specimen is a bit more defensively-minded and can thus last a bit longer in battle. Relying on its Protect and Swords Dance techniques to keep itself in top shape, this amphibian will lash out at anything that manages to get close to it, attacking with potent Poison Jab and Drain Punch attacks in close quarters. The fact that it can easily be taken out even with a weak Psychic-type attack can make it somewhat easy to defeat this beast, though the Focus Sash it holds can still help it survive a devastating attack and thus deliver at least one powerful blow in retaliation.

Drapion: Though its stats might be fairly well-rounded, this beat is among the most dangerous of Poison-types and is more than a serious threat to trainers in many cases. After using its Acupressure and Protect techniques to heckle the opposition and potentially raise its stats to an incredible degree, this beast will charge at its target with little remorse and attack with powerful Cross Poison, Night Slash, Fire Fang and Ice Fang attacks in effort to deal as much damage as possible before it gets knocked out. The Sitrus berry that the beast occasionally hold can help it recover from an otherwise devastating blow, but this beast is only truly dangerous when it is holding a Scope Lens; if this is the case, defeating the beast must become a top priority, as its stats are more than high enough to make even a single critical hit potentially fatal for a large majority of opponents.

Garbodor #1: In addition to being one of the least pleasant-looking Poison-types out there, Garbodor is a well-rounded fighter that can take a lot of punishment and give it back in turn. Relying on a held Salac berry or Expert Belt to increase its chances of being an offensive threat, this monster will rely on its Stockpile, Swallow and Protect techniques to heckle its target and increase its overall defensive stats to the point of being almost untouchable. Once this is accomplished, this creature will keep itself far from the grasp of its opponent and unleash powerful Clear Smog, Psychic, Thunderbolt, Rock Blast, Gunk Shot and Focus Blast attacks from afar. The fact that Garbodor lacks a really strong stat advantage makes it somewhat easy to overcome if you're an extremist in terms of strategy, but this is still an opponent worth looking out for and eliminating if only because it can type-trump a fairly wide variety of opponents with little trouble.


RESERVE POKÉMON

Garbodor #2: This specimen is not quite as powerful as Roxie’s other Garbodor, but it is still capable of being a bit of a pain in the right situations. This monster will generally choose to cover the arena with Toxic Spikes before attacking with its Double Slap and Venoshock attacks in close quarts, the latter of which hopefully after the opposition has been Poisoned by its trap. If needed, this creature can further makes itself resistant against damage using its Amnesia technique, but this is still unlikely to save it in most cases and it is an easy target for experienced trainers in general to handle.

Golbat: This creature has yet to evolve and is in turn a fairly easy opponent for most to handle. This bat will generally try to incapacitate its opponent first using its Attract and Confuse Ray techniques before attacking with its Poison Fang attack up close and a wicked Air Slash attack from afar. This bat might be fairly good at heckling its target, but its weak defenses nonetheless should make it an easy opponent for more experienced trainers to handle.

Koffing: This beast might not be among the most powerful of Poison-types on its own, but it can still be a bit of a hassle in the right cases. This monster will generally start of battle y attacking in close quarters with its Tackle and Assurance attacks to soften up its target before using its Smog attack to potentially Poison its target; if this happens, it can then use its Venoshock attack to inflict massive damage on its opponent. The Oran berry this beast holds can give it a boost in energy if needed, but it should otherwise be a fairly easy opponent to take out with a bit of experience under one’s belt.

Grimer: This putrid creature is generally only used by Roxie during a normal Gym battle, but despite its young age, it is still capable of giving weaker opponents something to prepare for. This creature will generally choose to attack from afar, utilizing a Poison Gas technique to Poison its target before striking with Mud-Slap and powered-up Venoshock attacks from afar. This beast is additionally capable of messing with its opponent with its Disable technique and can put up a fight against most young trainers, though an experienced veteran should have very little trouble taking it down before it starts to become a real nuisance.


OVERALL DIFFICULTY: 1/5

Though Roxie is more than a bit talented and demonstrates incredible skill in battle despite her young age, the Poison-type simply is not meant to last very long in battle and is thus an easy type for most trainers to overcome with a bit of practice and hard work. The Steel-type is probably the biggest downfall of Roxie as many of her Pokémon's best attacks are of the Poison-type and thus completely useless against Steel-types in battle. Moreover, many of her Pokémon possess defensive moves that are not really well-suited for most battles and only make her Pokémon more of a sitting duck than they might otherwise be normally. This is unlikely to change in the future, as Roxie's team breaks a lot of the boundaries that keep the Poison-type little more than a tactical or anti-Fairy weapon and seems to be her preferred method of battling in any situation. Thankfully for Roxie, she is still quite young and will likely prove to be a stronger opponent in the future as she grows and learns more about the act of being a true Gym Leader. Even so, though, trainers should make sure to study her Pokémon and understand what needs to be done to get them out of the way; the Poison-type by itself might not convey any real form of offensive danger (or at least not under Roxie's care), but the variety of strategies that her Pokémon are capable of following are more than enough to make her a decent challenge and an opponent worthy of the status of Gym Leader.


REWARDS FOR DEFEAT

Defeating Roxie will allow trainers to have the Toxic Badge, one of ten (though only eight are offered at any one time) badges found within the Unova region. In addition, trainers will receive a TM that contains the Venoshock attack, a unique attack that is only moderately powerful by itself but automatically doubles in power if the opposition has already been Poisoned or Badly Poisoned.

Professor Wormwood
A report on the Virbank City Gym Leader, Roxie. Enjoy.
© 2012 - 2024 Mutitus
Comments9
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Basement-Aviator's avatar
I admire a bassist who can make it as head of the band. Poison isn't the easiest type to specialize in, either. Roxie is quite the dedicated young lady.