New Gym Leaders and Elite 4?

[Almonds]

I wonder if Gym Leaders and E4+Champion would be using held items? In B2W2, Iris had a Druddigon holding a Life Orb and her Haxorus had a Focus Sash. It was pretty impressive that they gave the champion useful held items so they wouldn't be too much of a pushover. Also, I know this is limited to Challenge mode, but the Elite4 also had held items such as Leftovers, Zoom Lens, etc. Even Colress and Ghetsis used held items in their teams (eviolite magneton and life orb hydreigon wtf), so maybe Maxie and Archie could have them as well? If not, then at least I'd like the E4 and Steven to use plenty of held items if possible.

 

[firepanda]

I wonder if Gym Leaders and E4+Champion would be using held items? In B2W2, Iris had a Druddigon holding a Life Orb and her Haxorus had a Focus Sash. It was pretty impressive that they gave the champion useful held items so they wouldn't be too much of a pushover. Also, I know this is limited to Challenge mode, but the Elite4 also had held items such as Leftovers, Zoom Lens, etc. Even Colress and Ghetsis used held items in their teams (eviolite magneton and life orb hydreigon wtf), so maybe Maxie and Archie could have them as well? If not, then at least I'd like the E4 and Steven to use plenty of held items if possible.

Very unlikely I'd say. B2W2 seemed to very much be the exception rather than the rule. Even Diantha's Pokemon didn't have held items in XY. So unless challenge mode returns (which I desperately hope it does), I can't see the top trainers using held items.

 

[Zeb]

I wonder if Gym Leaders and E4+Champion would be using held items? In B2W2, Iris had a Druddigon holding a Life Orb and her Haxorus had a Focus Sash. It was pretty impressive that they gave the champion useful held items so they wouldn't be too much of a pushover. Also, I know this is limited to Challenge mode, but the Elite4 also had held items such as Leftovers, Zoom Lens, etc. Even Colress and Ghetsis used held items in their teams (eviolite magneton and life orb hydreigon wtf), so maybe Maxie and Archie could have them as well? If not, then at least I'd like the E4 and Steven to use plenty of held items if possible.

While I would love for them to have items, given their latest obsession with simplifying everything, I can't see it happening. It would be a good thing to include imo, because the main game should give you practice for the online play after you finish it, and held items are a very important part of online battling.

Of course, also because it would make them a little harder to beat too.

Then again, I would like difficulty levels to return (though not with the dumb method they had in B2W2).

 

[Team Gaara]

I never even realized the sheer difference in Iris' team in Challenge Mode. Not only are her Pokemon given items, but their movesets are much more challenging, as well (her Lapras looks like complete hell). I can only dream of ORAS doing something like that.

In regards to the initial question though, I doubt they'll be given any items if they lacked them originally, unfortunately. Meaning, we will most likely be getting the signature Pokemon holding a Sitrus Berry and not much else, sans the typical Potion spam once they hit the red zone. I surely hope someone over at GAME FREAK is considering a Challenge Mode, though, because I'd love to be able to face a challenge like this BEFORE I beat the main story. Steven's already going to be having his OP Mega Metagross. Just imagine how hard it would be if they gave his regular team helpful items as well.

 

[Lelis]

Is it legal to say that I truly deslike Sidney's room? geez. Too generic. Too bland!
Hope it changes in the final version.

 

[Alola]

Don't forget everyone that it was Sinnoh where Gym Leader Pokemon items were introduced (aka la Sitrus Berry). I could see that returning for their signature Pokemon, in the very least.

 

[Lysson]

I am wondering if there will be some version differences in the form of Gym leaders, like B/W had. I do hope there will be some additions to teams to add more Pokemon to their team and they better not cut down on numbers like X/Y.

 

[Battaman]

I wonder which of Wallace/Juans Pokemon they change.

 

[Synthesis]

Sidney has a bracelet now I think that leaves it open for a chance he could use Mega Absol.
Phoebe has anklet but she's always had one.
I'm really relieved that she's using a Dusknoir hopefully they'll add an extra ice type to the Hoenn Dex so you don't have to fight the same pokemon.

I'm pretty sure Glacia will use Froslass like Phoebe got Dusknoir!

 

[Jolene]

Is it legal to say that I truly deslike Sidney's room? geez. Too generic. Too bland!
Hope it changes in the final version.

I hate how the Elite Four rooms are looking so far. After seeing what they did in Unova, Kalos and even HGSS it's disappointing seeing them essentially go back to 3D versions of the same generic rooms.

 

[Almonds]

ORAS is coming out next month and there's still no mention of the last half of the gym leaders and the E4. Also, the Battle Frontier brains. I guess if they changed them, they would have announced them, but I'm starting to wonder who's the last gym leader is - is it Wallace? Is it Juan?

 

[Fairy Type Arceus]

tate and liza appear in the demo, their design seems to be unchanged

 

[Zeb]

ORAS vs Leader graphics - Imgur

Has the battle intro names for all E4 + gym leader. Sooooo we know who the last gym leader is, not that there should have been much doubt.

Spoiler

It's Wallace

 

[The Outrage]

I guess Juan is gone, unless he's part of the post-game content that I presume they stripped from the demos.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Spoiler

Not only that, but it appears that Juan isn't even in the game at all based on the text dump. Man, they are not kind to Emerald at all in this game.

 

[Gard81]

Not surprising, considering: a) it's a Ruby/Sapphire remix, not Emerald, b) the fact that Steven was champion was kind of a tip-off on who was the eighth Gym Leader.

 

[The Outrage]

Not surprising, considering: a) it's a Ruby/Sapphire remix, not Emerald, b) the fact that Steven was champion was kind of a tip-off on who was the eighth Gym Leader.

Doesn't mean Juan couldn't be included as a side character. It was implied Juan went out of retirement in Emerald before Wallace took his place as Champion. An RS remake could have shown the transition considering we know from PWT that Wallace was a Champion. It would have tied nicely with B2W2's continuity.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Or they could've done a Drayden/Iris sort of deal, that would've made the most sense IMO.

 

[The Outrage]

Or they could've done a Drayden/Iris sort of deal, that would've made the most sense IMO.

For a guy advocating thinking outside the box and insisting Game Freak could do anything to surprise us for the next installment, you sure do seem to stick to the traditional. It doesn't make the most sense at all because Wallace and Juan's roles were completely different whereas Drayden and Iris' role in BW were identical (i.e., dragon exposition), and Steven is the Champion. That would leave Wallace out doing nothing. Juan can't just be the leader and Wallace as just his student--Wallace wasn't a beginner or in training like Iris was. He's an established trainer. Juan being his retired mentor could actually sit in the side lines without an official role while still being able to battle.

What would make the most sense is a post-game scenario where Juan contemplates coming out of retirement and Wallace on claiming the league title, with Steven being asked to step down by his father to help take over the business. This would tie into the continuity of a few of games without diminishing Wallace to being a novice trainer in one of the games:

1) The aforementioned B2W2's PWT had Juan as a gym leader and Wallace as a Champion

2) Steven in HgSs was in Kanto on a business trip

Simply switching Juan and Wallace would have created an unexplainable mess of where Wallace should go if he's not the leader and not the Champion. Wallace should stay as the leader and Juan as his mentor.

 

[Bolt Strike]

For a guy advocating thinking outside the box and insisting Game Freak could do anything to surprise us for the next installment, you sure do seem to stick to the traditional.

Something that's been done before =/= traditional. If anything, it's less traditional than what you're suggesting.

It doesn't make the most sense at all because Wallace and Juan's roles were completely different, and Steven is the Champion. That would leave Wallace out doing nothing. What would make the most sense is a post-game scenario where Juan contemplates coming out of retirement and Wallace on claiming the league title, with Steven being asked to step down by his father to help take over the business. This would tie into the continuity of a lot of games:

1) The aforementioned B2W2's PWT had Juan as a gym leader and Wallace as a Champion

2) Steven in HgSs was in Kanto on a business trip

Simply switching Juan and Wallace would have created an unexplainable mess of where Wallace should go if he's not the leader and not the Champion. Wallace should stay as the leader and Juan as his mentor.

They wouldn't be doing nothing, they'd probably be involved in the weather crisis as well.

Also, having Wallace replace Steven post game would be even more of a confusing mess. They would go into the League for a rematch thinking they're rematching Steven only to find that it's Wallace instead.