Pokemon XD Orre Colosseum Guide

Abstract

This guide is limited in scope to the Orre Colosseum challenges present in the story mode of Pokémon XD. This guide covers the background of the colosseum, its rules, effective strategies and teams for its challenges, data on each round, and analysis of the AI teams. This is not a challenge to be taken lightly, as it requires much in-game time investment and contends for the most challenging battling ever presented in a Pokémon game. Your opponents have nearly perfectly IVed Pokémon that have been EV trained and have been given a variety of exotic movesets and held items. The potential for level advantage is impossible, meaning that the traditional in-game mindset of simply muscling through your opponents is not an option; you must outplay them. If you have a copy of Pokémon XD but never attempted this challenge, now would seem a good time to go back and test your prowess. For those without a copy and who are interested in the toughest battling Pokémon has ever produced, you will unfortunately have to invest in a copy of the game and possibly in a GBA link cable as well.

Introduction

The opportunity to challenge the Orre Colosseum is available only after the main storyline of Pokémon XD has been completed. The Colosseum consists of seven rounds of double battles, each with four battles. To advance to the next round you must win each battle consecutively; a loss against the AI during a challenge means that you must restart that round from the beginning again. At the start of each round you will challenge with a team, and you will use this team for all four battles of that round. Only four of your six Pokémon will be used in each battle, and these are to be chosen at the start of each battle. This provides more flexibility when preparing for the AI teams, which helps to offset the disadvantage of having to use the same team four battles in a row. In general, each round has some sort of a theme, meaning that it is expected for a challenger to bring a specially-selected team for each round. It is possible to complete all seven rounds with the same team; however, it is easier to complete the challenge by preparing for each round on its own.

Naturally there will be hax during the challenge, especially when considering that almost every round has a Pokémon that caries BrightPowder or Lax Incense. The AI also makes use of Thunder Wave, confusion, and OHKO moves, furthering the potential for disaster. While this is mostly limited to the first two rounds, it becomes quite apparent because the challenge requires that you win four battles in a row, quadrupling the AI's opportunity to screw you over. While this is a negative, it is nowhere near as bad as in the Battle Frontier, where almost every challenge is ended by hax due to how the player is forced to win a large number of battles in a row. The first round is the only one that really focuses on the use of confusion, paralysis, and infatuation. In the second round, the AI makes use of Sand Veil and Double Team, and in another battle it wields OHKO moves, although these things are not seen in the five subsequent rounds. While sometimes it is impossible to prevent hax from mangling your team, following several strategies can drastically reduce the opportunity for the AI to screw you over.

The AI in the Orre Colosseum is generally effective, albeit somewhat predictable. It tends to make the "smartest" play and has the Pokémon to execute such plays. "Smartest" is in quotations, because it refers to how the AI seeks to maximize the yield of its turn. The simplest case is that if you have a Water-type in battle against the AI's Raikou, it is almost assured that Raikou will attack the Water-type with Thunderbolt. On occasion the AI does make some strange plays that serve to keep things interesting, but most of the time it will choose the obvious play. This is especially exploitable with users of Protect, which serves to further solidify the move's incredible utility. Situations of double battle events such as Explosion, Earthquake, and Skill Swap serve to further highlight this and are responsible for some of the more interesting moments of play.

There are a few moves in particular that prove extremely effective for this challenge. The previously mentioned Protect is great on a Pokémon that has room for it, and a majority of Pokémon should be running it. Protect can allow the manufacture of free turns when the AI focuses both their attacks on a single target, allowing your second Pokémon to take an advantage. Protect can also be used to alter how a trade occurs, allowing a slower Pokémon to knock out a faster Pokémon because the faster Pokémon was focused on the protected Pokémon. Protect also provides a single-turn immunity to Earthquake, Selfdestruct, and Explosion, which are some of the most effective and deadly moves in the Orre Colosseum. These moves allow the disposal of multiple foes at a time and, when used effectively, force trades in your favor. Strong special attacks are also valuable assets, and they can plow through foes quickly when coming off certain Pokémon. Similarly, fast Pokémon with good coverage can be used to double team one of the AI's Pokémon and knock it out before it has a chance to move. The pace of the game is very fast and battles are usually over quickly, with the exception of the Lovrina final. This makes it very easy to lose from a single poorly played turn and means that the player needs to make calculated safe plays.

Rules

• The following Pokémon are banned: Mew, Mewtwo, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys;
• 
• Soul Dew is banned;
• A team is not allowed to have multiple of the same species of Pokémon (Species Clause);
• A team is not allowed to have multiple use of the same item (Item Clause);
• You are permitted from calling your Pokémon or using healing items on them;
• All AI Pokémon are at level 60, or they are at the same level as your highest Pokémon;
• All battles are double battles;
• Four of six Pokémon are to be selected and used at the start of every battle;
• The challenge must be completed by winning four consecutive battles, losing a battle restarts the challenge for that round;
• Use of recoil or self-destructing moves that knock out the last Pokémon of both the AI and the player always results in a victory for the AI; the AI always wins if the player has run out of usable Pokémon.

Building Teams

To attempt this challenge it will be necessary to train an elite group of Pokémon. The best Pokémon are often bred for optimal IVs and nature and then EVed, given the best moveset, and leveled up. This is a very time-consuming process that also wants all the resources available across the Gen III Pokémon games (Ruby / Sapphire EV training spots, Emerald move tutors, Fire Red / Leaf Green move tutors and Pokémon, Pokémon from Colosseum, and Mt. Battle items). Unless you already have boxes of perfect level 100 Pokémon that were acquired long ago, it will be necessary to raise Pokémon from scratch and train them to level 60. This process itself would make a massive guide, but in the interest of restoring confidence it is possible to complete the Colosseum with your in-game Pokémon XD team by making the greatest uses of the resources available in XD alone. Clearing the first round of Orre Colosseum does give the player access to the Lucky Egg, which can slightly reduce the amount of time such a process takes. It is also possible to use hacked Pokémon, which is great in the way it saves time, although it makes the Colosseum slightly easier because you have access to perfectly IVed Pokémon. Note that the Orre Colosseum invests far more Speed EVs compared to Emerald's Battle Frontier, meaning that Pokémon specifically EVed for the Battle Frontier will not necessarily be effective here.

If building with resources only available in Pokémon XD, the best Pokémon available in-game are Snorlax, Starmie, Salamence, Zapdos, Tauros, Gardevoir, Flygon, Electabuzz, and Houndoom. There are many other usable Pokémon, so don't allow these specific mentions to limit your imagination; even Pokémon such as Primeape and Flareon can put in some work during earlier rounds. Because it's not feasible to EV train Pokémon in the confines of the Orre region, simply focus on obtaining these Pokémon with good IVs and a useful nature; this can mean having to soft reset until you get an acceptable Pokémon, which is especially difficult when reseting for a Pokémon obtained in a boss battle. For some Pokémon such as Zapdos and Tauros it is impossible to soft reset for them because the game forces a save before you can check their stats. When intending to use an in-game team to clear the colosseum, try to keep all Pokémon around the same level, and ideally, never over level 60 as to minimize the amount of work required if you intend to train new Pokémon. The natural route of the game offers almost enough experience to get six Pokémon to level 60, so round off remaining Pokémon at Mt. Battle after completing the game.

Item Clause being in effect means you have to decide on which Pokémon to give Leftovers to; usually it will be the most bulky. Not many other items have significant utility. The only items that boost offensive power are the 1.2x boosting items for each type of move, and Choice Band, which can be effective but not always an easy fit. The Shell Bell is another item that can restore HP, but it is usually only worth using on Pokémon such as Tyranitar when it wields moves that hit multiple targets, such as Rock Slide and Earthquake. A Lum Berry can free a Pokémon from status once, but it is of not much use in battles where the AI doesn't make use of status conditions. BrightPowder, Scope Lens, Focus Band, etc. are all usable items but are luck-dependent and limited to clutch use. It is actually surprising how annoying the Item Clause can be, especially when trying to build around a theme.

Overall, the following strategies are highly effective:

Explosion and Selfdestruct

These two moves are absolutely devastating in the Orre Colosseum. While the AI does have several teams that make use of Protect and Ghost-types, the amount of damage these moves can do in exchange for one Pokémon often yields an advantage. There are several battles where a three-against-two advantage can be attained on the first turn when a bulky and powerful Pokémon goes boom. The Regis, Snorlax, Metagross, and a few other Pokémon can make effective use of Explosion and Selfdestruct, and they can be combined with some other strategies such as Helping Hand Dusclops and Endure + Salac / Liechi Berry Pokémon to quickly attain an offensive advantage.

Fast and Powerful Pokémon

Pokémon with a high base Speed, a strong offensive stat, and a good movepool are highly effective due to how they can ensure quick and easy KOs before the AI can make a move. This type of matchup does become troublesome against similar Pokémon employed by the AI because their stats are perfect and thus the Speed advantage often becomes too much to outplay. Pokémon such as Gengar, Latios, Latias, Zapdos, Starmie, Alakazam, Aerodactyl, and Sceptile are examples of such Pokémon.

Endure + Salac or Liechi Berry

Use of Endure along with the held item Salac Berry or Liechi Berry can be an effective offensive strategy against the AI; however, it does fail sometimes, such as against Tyranitar and users of priority. Heracross is the most effective user, being able to spam Reversal after the Speed boost from the Salac Berry. Some other Pokémon such as Hitmonlee, Blaziken, and Electrode can also put in work with a combination of Endure and one of these Berries. Combining this with use of Explosion or Earthquake will ensure that your Pokémon is lowered to 1 HP on the turn it uses Endure in the event that the AI chooses not to attack it.

Lightningrod Abuse

A few Pokémon such as Gyarados are very difficult for the AI to KO when Electric-type moves are taken out of play. Although Manectric is not immune to the Electric-type attacks it draws, it is the best user of Lightningrod. Other Pokémon such as Rhydon and Marowak are usable but easier for the AI to capitalize on due to their low Speed and highly exploitable weaknesses.

Heavy Intimidation

For battles where the AI's team is mostly physical attackers, using a team with several Pokémon that have the ability Intimidate can greatly reduce the AI's ability to blow holes in a build. The AI is also reluctant to switch out, meaning that switching Intimidate users in and out can repeatedly lower their Attack.

Bulky Setup Sweepers

Setup sweepers capable of taking a hit or two can be quite effective depending on the battle. Most of these are users of Dragon Dance, although there are some effective users of Calm Mind and Swords Dance as well. Pokémon such as Salamence, Tyranitar, Dragonite, Raikou, and Scizor can really pack a punch after a turn dedicated to setup; however, note that the fast pace of the battle means that they usually aren't alive very long to attack.

Rain Dance

While it is possible to clear every round with a sand team, rain usually works out much better. Effective Swift Swim users and rain abusers can cleanly KO many of the AI's Pokémon with neutral Hydro Pumps, and pairing this with Thunder leaves few Pokémon able to withstand an onslaught. Full rain teams are not required either; even just one Swift Swim user that has effective synergy with the rest of the team can be a valuable asset.

These of course aren't the only strategies that work, just the ones that I have had the most success with in my experience versus the Orre Colosseum. Depending on how interesting you find the challenges, you may build only one team or acquire boxes of Pokémon dedicated to this challenge. Teambuilding itself does not need to be a meticulous process; however, the AI will exploit overlapping weaknesses. In particular, teams with numerous weaknesses to Earthquake will struggle against any AI team that packs the move. Earthquake is powerful enough that, if super effective, it will usually get a KO; the few exceptions are Pokémon such as Metagross, Regirock, and Registeel, which have enough physical bulk to stomach the onslaught. Stacking weaknesses to powerful special attacks such as Thunderbolt is also something to be avoided, because it makes taking down the AI's Raikou or Electabuzz significantly more difficult. Bringing teams that have multiple immunities to common offensive types is very useful, because most of the time the AI is somewhat predictable, and switching in Pokémon immune to the AI's attack can yield an advantage.

The fast pace of the battles in Orre Colosseum does invalidate switching to some extent. Switching a Pokémon that would be OHKOed with a Pokémon that takes neutral damage offers little in terms of absolute material. Most attacks from the AI will 2HKO Pokémon that take neutral damage anyway, effectively eliminating the advantage gained by switching in some scenarios because it gives up that Pokémon's attacking turn. It is sometimes hard to predict what the AI will do to what Pokémon, meaning that switching in a Pokémon that is crucial to the battle can result in a surprise KO from the AI because you didn't expect it to choose that target. This shouldn't entirely discourage switching, however; in many situations the best option is to switch in order to distract one of the AI's Pokémon for a turn while you attack it with your other Pokémon.

Round 1

Battle 1: Hunter Greel

Team

The first battle is the most difficult of the round, as it focuses on sleep, which renders Pokémon unable to move at all. Because there is no Sleep Clause, and because the AI has a couple fast Pokémon, this can turn into a major problem. It is best to make use of fast Pokémon that can knock out the AI's Pokémon before they can put you to sleep, or, alternatively, to make use of anti-status measures. Fast Pokémon with Substitute or even Safeguard can make the AI struggle because their most dangerous moves, such as Dream Eater and Focus Punch, benefit from your Pokémon being asleep. Due to Item Clause, you can only bring one Pokémon with a Lum Berry, although if you are struggling with this battle you can bring a Chesto Berry as well; just realize it most likely won't see use in the later three battles. Pokémon with a move such as Calm Mind in addition to Substitute perform fantastically here. Slowbro and Gardevoir are the most bulky Pokémon used by the AI, so make note of that when choosing attacks so that they don't surprise you by surviving a barrage and retaliating.

Battle 2

Team

In this battle the AI uses confusion-inducing moves, particularly Teeter Dance, which will affect all Pokémon in battle except for the user. For this reason, the AI also uses Pokémon with the ability Own Tempo, which prevents confusion. This can be used to your advantage by bringing a Pokémon with Trace, which will copy the confusion immunity; Gardevoir is particularly effective. While a Pokémon with Trace is helpful, it is far from required. A Pokémon with a Lum Berry can snap out of confusion once, and frequent switching on your part can eliminate luck as a factor. Be aware that Lickitung uses Belly Drum, so prevent it from being able to set up by knocking its HP below 50% before it has a chance to move. Smeargle makes use of Lock-On and Sheer Cold, but this can be negated to some extent through switching or use of Protect.

Semifinal: Sailor Lestor

Team

The AI now uses both confusion and paralysis in an attempt to prevent your Pokémon from being able to attack successfully. Although paralysis cannot be eliminated through switching in the way that confusion can, the comparatively weak Pokémon used by the AI can be taken advantage of. Pokémon with Substitute and Calm Mind are once again fantastic in this battle, mainly because the AI will usually use status moves unless they have a move with a type advantage. This makes predicting, especially when using moves such as Protect, that much simpler and more beneficial. The only Pokémon that the AI uses that can hit hard is Raichu, and this can be negated through the use of Ground-types or Pokémon that resist Electric-type attacks. If using a Pokémon with an exploitable weakness to Ice or Fire, Grumpig is usually the only Pokémon to fear. Because the AI only has one Pokémon that is fast, an advantage can quickly be achieved by knocking out potentially threatening Pokémon before they have a chance to force RNG with paralysis and confusion.

Final: Cipher Admin Lovrina

Team

Substitute and setup moves make the final an absolute joke because of how passive the AI's team is. A Pokémon behind a Substitute is virtually untouchable, and a Substitute setup sweeper has no problems setting Substitute on the first turn, boosting to maximum, and then cleaning. Some Pokémon can be ignored entirely; Wobbuffet for example can't hope to touch you so long as you never attack it. If Substitute and setup moves are too easy for you, Toxic of your own can tear down the AI's Pokémon in the exact fashion they intended to do to your own. Unless you bring a strong special setup sweeper, it is best to have at least a couple physical attackers to tear down Blissey, but be aware that it frequently uses Counter.

Status ailments are the theme of this round, and the AI makes use of sleep, paralysis, confusion, infatuation, and poison in the total of the four battles. Because the rules of the Colosseum prevent you from calling or using healing items on your Pokémon, you must combat or prevent status through other methods. Making use of anti-status strategies such as Substitute, Safeguard, and a Lum Berry are particularly effective in this round. Due to Item Clause, only one Pokémon can hold a Lum Berry, so if this is an effective preparation for your team, make sure to give it to a Pokémon that can see use in all four battles. The best users of Substitute are those that are fast and capable of setting up Calm Mind or abusing the Substitute in another way. Raikou and Entei can both function as effective users of Substitute + Calm Mind due to their nice Speed and natural bulk. Safeguard can be difficult to fit, but make sure the user of it is fast enough to prevent the status before the foe starts inflicting it. It is not really worth using moves such as Taunt, because the effects are short-lived and have less utility than Substitute. The effects of Yawn, Confuse Ray, and Teeter Dance can all be negated by switching, and because a majority of the Pokémon used by the AI aren't particularly deadly, switching out is almost always better than allowing your Pokémon to fall asleep or risk it hitting itself in confusion. Round things out by bringing Pokémon with a Speed advantage over the AI, which can minimize the chances for the AI to hax you and can allow the quick elimination of opposing threats in all battles excluding the final.

Round 2

Battle 1: Worker Lobel

Team

The AI always leads with Tyranitar, and it will frequently use Protect with Tyranitar on the first turn. Tyranitar's methods of dealing damage aren't particularly devastating, so it is not a bad idea to place more pressure on Dugtrio and Sandslash instead. Cacturne and Dugtrio make use of Substitute and Double Team, making it paramount that they are not able to set up for free as to avoid a disastrous situation. Claydol is quite bulky, although the only reason it is really threatening is Explosion. Bringing a weather team of your own is an option to rob the AI of the sand support; Swift Swim users such as Kingdra make short work of this battle. Quagsire can be knocked out by overloading it, although its use of Yawn will be a push factor when it comes to switching. Note that the AI won't always use Protect with their other Pokémon every time they use Earthquake, so take this into consideration so that you don't waste a turn knocking out a Pokémon that would have been knocked out by its allies' Earthquake anyway.

Battle 2: Guy Makel

Team

To reduce the probability of the AI landing its OHKO moves, bring fast and powerful special attackers that can OHKO these Pokémon before they can move. Lapras is the only Pokémon that is bulky enough to where it is difficult to take down in one hit, so focusing two attacks on it at once is a method of preventing it from launching an attack. A combination of turn one Explosion along with an Endure + Salac Berry user can also make short work of this battle; a particularly good example is Heracross, which is capable of OHKOing Lapras with Reversal. Pinsir makes use of Endure and Salac Berry itself, so make sure not to fall into that trap; packing priority or a Ghost-type is a great defense against this. Kingler is very physically bulky, so exploit its weaker Special Defense with a strong Thunderbolt before it has a chance to use Amnesia, Rest, and Guillotine.

Semifinal: Researcher Limar

Team

This is one of the few easy battles in the Orre Colosseum. The AI will lead with Ditto along with one of its other Pokémon and have Ditto transform into it turn one; rarely will Ditto decide to transform into one of the player's Pokémon. Double Rapidash entails commutative abuse of Flash Fire, double Hypno will attempt to set up Calm Mind, double Kabutops will make use of rain, etc. The potential Pokémon that Ditto will transform into are weak and have exploitable weaknesses, so just be sure to bring at least two Pokémon capable of damaging Shedinja for safety.

Final: Cipher Admin Snattle

Team

The final of round 2 sees heavy use of Explosion. Scouting on the first turn with double use of Protect or Substitute has two advantages; first, it might give you a free KO if the AI decides to explode, and second, it shows the AI's Protect pattern. The AI usually won't attempt double Protects, so it is likely that a Pokémon that used Protect on the previous turn will attack. Electrode and Glalie are both a particular danger; they are fast enough to explode before your team may have a chance to knock them out, meaning that it is best to ride out that turn through immunity or by sacrificing a less-needed Pokémon. Muk will occasionally use Imprison, which will prevent you from being able to use Protect or Substitute, so make it a high-priority target. Gengar is immune to Explosion and Earthquake, but because it uses its mediocre Attack stat in this battle as its only means of dealing damage, it is not of great concern; a single powerful attack is enough to knock it out.

Overall this round isn't too difficult; however, the first and second opponents employ strategies that can cheese through your team. Battle 1 is the most difficult in the round, while Battle 2 is easy so long as you don't get haxed. Pokémon susceptible to Earthquake aren't a good idea to use in this round; they are a liability in the first battle and aren't particularly effective in later battles anyway. A Pokémon with a Ground immunity and a Ghost-type are effective against the two toughest battles of the round, while powerful special attackers can be utilized in the other two battles. A team with both physical and special attackers offers a flexible method of attacking the AI in this round because the AI has Pokémon with either strong physical or strong special bulk but usually not both. Similarly to the first round, you'll want to minimize the chances the AI has to hax you by knocking out their Pokémon as quickly as possible; playing proactively here is especially beneficial. Lastly, make sure to bring at least two Pokémon capable of taking down the Shedinja in the semifinal.

Round 3

Battle 1: Chaser Navu

Team

A combination of Earthquake use alongside the Salac and Liechi Berry users is the greatest threat in this battle. Fast and powerful special attackers can eat through several of these Pokémon's exploitable weaknesses. Victreebel and Golem are typically quick to use Protect, so avoid double targeting them unless you have a strong reason to believe they aren't going to use Protect. Zangoose is decently fast but not so fast that it is out of control after a Liechi Berry boost; so long as you have a decently fast Pokémon it can easily be disposed of. Sharpedo is a glass cannon that should be a priority to take down; just make sure you don't attack it as it uses Protect to avoid an ally Earthquake. Type matchup can make this battle very simple; leading off with two Pokémon that have an array of coverage moves can allow you to immediately inflict massive damage to a point where the AI can't come back.

Battle 2: Chaser Pixen

Team

This battle isn't particularly difficult so long as the Pokémon you choose aren't exploitable by the AI. Magmar, Jynx, and Fearow are all moderately fast and powerful, and they also have bulk to the point where if they are smacked by super effective coverage they barely survive. This can be highly irritating, so either make use of super effective STAB moves or double team the most threatening Pokémon. Politoed and Armaldo are quite bulky and will need two or more bombardments of attacks to go down. They only really hit hard in return if they are type-trumping, but otherwise they aren't a particular threat. Heavy use of Earthquake or Explosion from your side makes this battle easy work so long as it is executed safely. All but two of the AI's Pokémon take heavy damage from a strong Earthquake and all fear Explosion except for Armaldo.

Semifinal: Chaser Daks

Team

The AI in this battle makes use of a variety of bulky, hard-hitting Pokémon. You'll want to lead with Pokémon that are fast and have type trumps over the opposing Pokémon to quickly gain the advantage. Make sure not to sacrifice a Pokémon that is needed to break an unrevealed Pokémon, as otherwise you'll be fighting an uphill battle. A powerful user of Earthquake can eliminate Arcanine and Electabuzz; however, effective Earthquake users are usually slow, so you'll need to draw their attention with another Pokémon so that the user of Earthquake isn't knocked out before it can move. Use of Intimidate can burn off Arcanine's White Herb, which prevents it from having two full-powered Overheats. Intimidate also makes Quagsire and Primeape's attacks laughably weak. Scizor is slow and easily disposed of by Fire-type coverage, but be wary of its Quick Claw and make safe plays accordingly. Walrein and Quagsire are quite bulky and will likely need repeated bombardments to be taken down. While their offensive arsenals aren't particularly lethal, moves such as Ice Beam can take advantage of double weaknesses while others such as Body Slam and Sludge Bomb can really mess things up if they achieve their secondary effects.

Final: Cipher Admin Gorigan

Team

For this battle you'll want to have any physical attackers that lack Clear Body or Intimidate sit out, because the Attack drops from the AI's Pokémon make using them a chore. Of all these Pokémon, it seems that Salamence is led with the most, making it easy for you to establish a four-against-three advantage by having a fast Pokémon smack it with Ice Beam on the first turn. Arcanine's White Herb can be burned off by employing your own Intimidate user, which also serves to limit the effectiveness of the AI's physical attackers. Gyarados can be easily picked off by a Thunderbolt, while powerful Psychic-type attacks can rip through just about everything else. Tauros can be a particular nuisance; it is very fast and throws around powerful Returns. The best way to cope with this is to either lower its Attack with Intimidate or have a Pokémon with Protect distract it while a slower and more powerful Pokémon knocks it out. Switching in this battle is more tempting than in other battles, but make sure that you don't accidentally send a crucial Pokémon into a lethal attack you weren't expecting.

Round 3 sees a noticeable spike in difficulty when compared to the previous two rounds. Rather than focusing on a particular status ailment or team structure, these opponents pack diverse teams of threatening Pokémon. Type matchup is the overall theme of this round, and having a means of ripping through the AI with a type advantage should be the goal when deciding which team to bring and which Pokémon to pick at the start of each round. Varied and powerful special attackers are quite effective in all four battles, and although several of the Pokémon used by the AI this round are bulky, it is possible to KO just about any opposing Pokémon with a single attack so long as the coverage advantage is present. Another reason to use special attackers is the heavy Intimidate use in the final, which significantly hampers physical attackers that don't have Clear Body. Every team has at least one Pokémon that gets absolutely destroyed by Hydro Pump, so Pokémon such as Starmie are particularly effective. Heavy use of Earthquake also does well, providing an effective method for disposing of Electabuzz, Arcanine, Magmar, Nidoqueen, and Nidoking, but it struggles in the final due to the heavy Intimidate use and the two Flying-types carried by the AI. Your team for this round will likely look similar to your opponent's - a diverse group of offensive Pokémon, except you'll have mostly special attackers and ideally a Speed advantage.

Round 4

Battle 1: Fun Old Man Rekix

Team

Eevee evolutions aren't particularly bulky or deadly, although they can be annoying if given a type advantage. The best weapons to use in this battle are powerful field-hitting moves such as Earthquake, Selfdestruct, and Explosion. Earthquake mauls everything except for Umbreon, while Selfdestruct and Explosion can KO any of the AI's Pokémon. Eevee and Umbreon are used as support Pokémon, so there is little to fear from them; focus on eliminating Jolteon and Espeon because they are fast and decently powerful. A variety of other tactics work here, and you can play around with just about any of the strategies mentioned in the teambuilding section of this guide.

Battle 2: Fun Old Man Dargs

Team

This battle is surprisingly difficult, and it sees the AI make use of Skill Swap alongside Slaking. The AI will nearly always lead with Slaking and either Alakazam or Gengar. Depending on your Pokémon, Alakazam or Gengar either will choose to attack or will use Skill Swap with Slaking in order to take Truant off it. The combination of a powerful special attacker alongside Slaking is what makes this battle difficult. Most Pokémon that are fast enough to eliminate Gengar or Alakazam before they can move are absolutely destroyed by Slaking. Using a Pokémon with Intimidate can lower Slaking's Attack stat and thus prevent a fast powerful attacker from being KOed by one of its moves. The most important thing in this battle is to carefully play against Skill Swap and the effect of Truant. Keep close track of abilities if something was Skill Swapped, because this means that Slaking could have Levitate or that Alakazam might be out of commission for a turn. If you can eliminate the Skill Swap user before it trades with Slaking, simple use of double Protect can make Slaking much less of a problem. Usually the AI has a tanky Pokémon in back, so don't allocate all resources to eliminating Slaking and its partner because the battle is not yet over.

Semifinal: Matron Naono

Team

The AI in this battle will always lead with Crobat and usually has Crobat use Toxic on its partner in order to activate Guts and power up Facade. Although a majority of the opposing Pokémon are slow and not particularly bulky, they are immensely powerful. The best solution is to ignore Crobat, because it is fast and not very powerful, and to focus on the Guts abusers that can rip through your team. Very few defensive Pokémon are capable of surviving an onslaught, although Metagross is one that is effective due to its neutrality to Fighting-type moves. Swellow is the largest threat here, because it is very fast and powerful. The best method of eliminating it is to draw its attack with one Pokémon, have that Pokémon use Protect, and then have another Pokémon KO it. Another method that sometimes works is to attack a Pokémon that will be KOed by a faster teammate, potentially KOing Swellow the moment it comes in before it has a chance to attack.

Final: Chobin & Robo Groudon

Team

This battle would be more difficult if the AI didn't employ the exact same procedure every battle. It always leads with Ninjask and Mr. Mime, and Mr. Mime will Fake Out on the first turn and Ninjask will use Swords Dance. The following turn, Ninjask will use Protect and Mr. Mime will use Psych Up on Ninjask. From there they will attempt a double Baton Pass to the two waiting Pokémon in back. Because the AI is so predictable in this battle, developing a counterstrategy is simple. It is usually best to set up Pokémon alongside the AI or to bring Pokémon that can knock out the AI's Pokémon before they ever have a chance to pass. For the first case, Swift Swim and Dragon Dance are both very effective, because they maintain a Speed advantage while also boosting offense. Swift Swim users are especially fantastic; the AI has nothing that resists their attacks, as Dragonite is absolutely destroyed by Ice Beam and the rest can be blasted with Hydro Pump. Other strategies such as Haze can work, but they aren't really worth the trouble.

Round 4 doesn't have an overall theme; rather, each opponent employs a specific strategy. In the first round it's just a theme of Eeveelutions, but things get more deadly later on with use of Skill Swap + Slaking, Facade + Guts, and some Baton Pass in the final. A hybrid of a rain team with powerful physical attackers can be quite effective, as can bringing a Pokémon such as Latios, which absolutely shreds through the third battle. Metagross can work well, especially in this round, as it is very bulky, quite strong, resistant to Normal-type attacks, and able to use Earthquake and Explosion. Because the strategies of the AI are quite varied, you will need to make the most of your six teamslots so that a few Pokémon work well in each matchup. The third battle pretty much requires that you bring at least a couple strong and fast special attackers, and a bulky Steel-type that is not weak to Fighting-type moves is handy as well. For the final, decide if you will set up alongside Ninjask, attempt to KO it before it can pass, or destroy the receivers as they come in, because this will determine what Pokémon you will want to bring.

Round 5

Battle 1: Team Snagem Biden

Team

The AI in this battle makes use of the familiar Explosion + Endure + stat-boosting Berry combination, although not very effectively. Ninjask will attempt to Baton Pass to slower, bulkier Pokémon, although it is very easy to stop, as it is fragile and has no support. Steelix and Weezing both have Explosion and are typically very predictable, so double Protect if a boom seems imminent. Hitmonlee isn't very threatening so long as you have at least one Pokémon that is faster than it and can just pick it off; Houndoom is a bit more threatening with the Salac Berry, but it isn't super powerful. There's not much to say about Jolteon other than it is fast and will attack whatever it can deal the most damage to, making it simple to play around.

Battle 2: Team Snagem Jedo

Team

The difficulty in this battle is certainly higher than the difficulty in the previous battle. There is no real strategy here; the AI will usually attack whatever is most vulnerable to their current Pokémon and coverage moves. Meganium can be annoying, as it offers dual screens support and spreads paralysis with Body Slam, but otherwise the battle is straightforward. Raikou is the most dangerous Pokémon of the battle due to its high Speed and strong Thunderbolts, although it can be easily dispatched with a strong Earthquake, Selfdestruct, or Explosion. Other than using these field moves, Pokémon that are faster and that have a type advantage can rip though the opposing Pokémon; for example, Zapdos has no problems easily eliminating Feraligatr, Slowking, and Crobat.

Semifinal: Team Snagem Wakin

Team

The AI has several Pokémon that are fast and fragile in this battle, which is especially exploitable through the use of Explosion and Selfdestruct. Physical tanks such as Metagross and the Regis are also good at sponging attacks and hitting back hard. Gardevoir and Blaziken are potentially very threatening in this battle. Gardevoir's Quick Claw can easily hax its way though Pokémon that would otherwise beat it, while a successful use of Endure by Blaziken makes it a fast and powerful threat. Gardevoir is best circumvented by using Pokémon that can't be haxed by Quick Claw because they have too much natural bulk and can KO it in return. The Blaziken situation is a bit harder to prepare for, and it is often arbitrary whether the AI will decide to use Endure or not. Vileplume is usually the last Pokémon out if used, and it will attempt to set up Sunny Day for itself to make use of instant SolarBeam and its Chlorophyll Speed boost. It's powerful and can be annoying with Sleep Powder, which is why it is best to simply KO it before it has a chance to set up sun.

Final: Snagem Head Gonzap

Team

The AI makes heavy use of Hyper Beam and its type clones in this battle and will occasionally attempt to combine them with use of Roar on its own Pokémon so that it doesn't have to wait through the recharge turn. None of the opposing Pokémon are exceptionally fast, and this is a good method of ensuring a victory. Pokémon such as Salamence can be quickly and easily picked off by a fast special attacker with Ice Beam or Ice Punch. Similarly, Blastoise, Skarmory, and Charizard can be overpowered with Electric-type attacks. There is no good way of hitting Slaking, and its Hyper Beam is very strong; however, use of Protect by both your Pokémon can render it ineffectual, because unlike the last time the AI used Slaking, there is no Skill Swap involved. Make the most of capitalizing on the recharge turns that the AI has to take, which can be used to set up or to gang up on the threat that is not recharging. Switching to a Pokémon that resists Hyper Beam or one of its clones can cause the AI to waste two turns, although the attack will still deal quite a bit for a resisted hit.

The theme of two battles in this round is simply that each battle corresponds to a certain generation of Pokémon, which in no way affects strategy. The second battle only uses Generation II Pokémon, the semifinal only uses Generation III Pokémon, and the first and final use a mixture. This round can be treated very similarly to round three, with the exception that the AI doesn't have a team of Intimidate users in the final. In general the round is as simple as four battles of diverse offensive Pokémon, making strategies that were successful in round three successful here as well. Overall, use of Explosion and Selfdestruct is effective, as is the use of powerful and fast special attackers.

Round 6

Battle 1: Sailor Jebol

Team

The AI will always lead with Dusclops and will attempt to use Imprison either on the first or on the second turn. This will prevent the use of Protect, Ice Punch, and Ice Beam, making the weaknesses to Ice that the AI's Pokémon have no longer exploitable. The most annoying part is that Protect is sealed as well, meaning that you are unable to use Protect so long as Dusclops is alive. The AI uses Protect more in this battle than in any other, so keep this in mind, as it can potentially invalidate a turn if you double target a protected Pokémon. If using Pokémon that have Ice-type moves, eliminate Dusclops as quickly as possible, although you should note that this is difficult because of how bulky it is and how often it likes to use Protect. If not using Ice-type moves, you can also power through with strong Electric-type attacks coming from fast Pokémon such as Zapdos. Rock-types can also have a nice matchup, although they are susceptible to Earthquake. The use of Selfdestruct and Explosion isn't very good here because the AI leads with Dusclops and uses Protect so frequently.

Battle 2: Bodybuilder Loar

Team

The AI uses Sunny Day along with Fire-types, SolarBeam, and Chlorophyll in this battle. The AI usually leads with Clefable, and you should be especially careful around it because it has diverse coverage to slam Pokémon with exploitable weaknesses, such as Salamence and Gyarados. Bring at least two Pokémon that resist SolarBeam, and having one or two Pokémon that resist Fire helps as well. A weather setter of your own can also be highly effective, such as Tyranitar or a Rain Dance user like Kingdra. Exeggutor has the most raw power of any of the AI's Pokémon, so make it a priority to KO. The Endure + Reversal + Salac Berry Blaziken set is back, so be wary of that as well. Selfdestruct and Explosion can blow away every foe in this battle, so use them if you brought a Pokémon that has such a move.

Semifinal: Bodybuilder Felps

Team

In comparison to sun, rain is much more difficult to face. Neutral rain-boosted Hydro Pumps can eat through pretty much anything that doesn't get nailed by Ice Beam, making counterplay difficult for this battle. Although Rain Dance only lasts for five turns, the pace of this battle is so fast that the match will be over or nearly over by the time rain stops. As it is pretty much impossible to prevent the AI from getting a Rain Dance off, make sure they pay handsomely for it. Strong and bulky Electric-types are good weapons here, although Kingdra and Ludicolo only take neutral damage and Manectric can pose problems with Lightningrod. Very bulky Pokémon with Explosion or Selfdestruct can work as well, but these are limited in number, as most get blasted by Hydro Pump. You can attempt to bring your own users of Swift Swim and Thunder, although the match can still be difficult. Lastly, bringing alternate weather such as a Tyranitar or a setter of Sunny Day can stop the downpour and potentially force the AI to spend more turns in setup.

Final: Cipher Admin Ardos

Team

The final of round six is fittingly brutal and difficult. The AI has some of the best offensive Pokémon available, all with very high Speed that is virtually unbeatable with strong offensive capability. Your own fast offensive attackers won't be of significant use here because the fact that the AI moves first means that you will lose. Tauros and Starmie are particularly dangerous, with Choice Band Tauros able to spam Return before you can move and clean away Pokémon fast; pretty much anything that isn't slammed by Return gets destroyed by Earthquake. Aerodactyl and Sceptile are even faster but not quite as strong, and they do lack the ability to get really nice hits on bulky Pokémon with good defensive typing such as Scizor. Charizard is relatively slow, and it is only a threat when you are using Pokémon such as Metagross or the previously mentioned Scizor. The last Pokémon is Gengar, which inexplicably runs a physical set that isn't of much danger because Gengar's base Attack stat is pitiful. Pokémon with strong defenses and strong Attack are best here because fighting for Speed is largely a lost cause. The only methods of outspeeding the AI in this battle are by using Swift Swim or Salac Berry users, both of which do in fact work nicely here.

Round 7

Battle 1: Supertrainer Lest

Team

In this battle the AI uses several strategies that involve Follow Me, including Belly Drum and being able to pick off fast attackers by drawing their attack elsewhere while a slower Pokémon knocks it out. The easiest way to get around such strategies is to use moves that hit both opposing Pokémon, such as Explosion, Selfdestruct, Earthquake, and Rock Slide. It is best to lead off with a powerful Pokémon packing one or more of these field-hitting moves, with the other lead being a fast attacker capable of eliminating Shedinja. Be very careful when using Explosion, Selfdestruct, and Earthquake here; if the AI knocks out the fast attacker before the user of the field move, you will have to send one of your own Pokémon into your own attack, which can spell disaster and give the AI the advantage. Make sure to bring at least two Pokémon capable of knocking out Shedinja just to leave some room for safety.

Battle 2: Cooltrainer Ebson

Team

This battle is very straightforward despite how the AI uses a team of legendary Pokémon. Like in the previous battle, it is a good idea to lead with a Pokémon that knows Explosion or Selfdestruct, which quickly reduces the battle to a three versus two, as none of the AI's Pokémon resist or are immune to such moves. There is still danger present, however, because most users of Explosion or Selfdestruct are slow and the AI scores neutral or even super effective attacks on them. This means that your user of Explosion or Selfdestruct can become double teamed on the first turn and knocked out before it has a chance to go boom, thus leaving the AI ahead four against three. For this reason, choose a user of Explosion or Selfdestruct that can survive such a scenario, or, alternatively, try to distract them with your other Pokémon by bringing something with weaknesses that the AI will try to exploit. By combining the use of Explosion or Selfdestruct with another strategy such as Endure + Salac or Liechi Berry, you can deal a great amount of damage to the AI on the first turn. After the first turn, you can simply clean up the remaining two Pokémon with fast and powerful attackers or rip through them if you made use of an Endure Pokémon.

Semifinal: Cooltrainer Klept

Team

This battle is very difficult and sees the AI make use of Lightningrod to nullify its exploitable weaknesses. The AI will always lead with either Manectric or Marowak and with one of its other Pokémon, but usually not Lapras. Gyarados's Intimidate along with Manectric and Marowak's frequent use of Protect makes using Explosion or Selfdestruct not very feasible in this battle. It is certainly advantageous to bring an offensive Electric-type despite the AI's use of Lightningrod, as it will usually only select one Lightningrod user, and once it is gone, Electric-type attacks clean up well. Beware of Choice Band Dodrio, as even after an Attack drop from Intimidate, it can OHKO pretty much anything that does not resist its attacks. Starmie is fast and powerful, so the best strategy is to draw its attacks with a Pokémon and have it use Protect while another Pokémon knocks it out. Try to eliminate the Lightningrod Pokémon as soon as possible; this is a feasible goal to have attained by the end of the second turn. From there, Thunderbolt can blast through pretty much everything else; just make sure Starmie or Dodrio doesn't KO your users of the move.

Final: Cipher Admin Eldes

Team

This is the toughest battle in the Orre Colosseum and perhaps in any Pokémon game ever. The AI's use of Gengar and Metagross significantly deters any use of Explosion, and with half the team immune to Earthquake, taking down Metagross is very difficult. Latios and Latias might not have Soul Dew, but they are still immense threats that are virtually impossible to take down in a single turn. BoltBeam spam makes using Pokémon such as Salamence and Gyarados a liability due to the fact that they can be cleanly knocked out by half of the AI's Pokémon before they even have a chance to move. Tauros is also a massive threat, being able to rip through most defensive Pokémon with Choice Band-boosted Return. Salac Berries and Swift Swim are really the only methods of ensuring you can get powerful attackers to move first in this battle, although a few Pokémon such as Aerodactyl have the Speed to move first; however, they have exploitable weaknesses and don't hit super hard. It's difficult to formulate a particular strategy for this battle because things are heavily impacted by what the AI decides to bring. If the AI doesn't have Gengar, Explosion and Selfdestruct are actually great methods of disposing of Latios and Latias. A Metagross of your own also performs well except for against opposing Metagross, which will most likely outspeed yours due to the AI's near-perfect IVs.

The final round is fittingly the most difficult round of the entire Colosseum. It has four opponents that all employ contrasting strategies, and for this reason it is difficult to construct a team that can perform exceptionally well in all four battles. Explosion, Rock Slide, and Earthquake use all work great in the first two battles, but they lose potency in the semifinal and the final. The fast and powerful Pokémon employed by the AI in the semifinal and final battles also deter use of similar Pokémon because the Speed advantage is difficult to outplay. Rain Dance and Lightningrod are two strategies that can work to some extent in all four battles because the AI relies on Electric-type moves to touch Pokémon such as Gyarados. Rain Dance along with Swift Swim offers a method to obtain a Speed advantage in the later battles, and it can also plow through Pokémon such as Metagross, which is particularly difficult to take down. A Pokémon with Endure, Reversal, and a Salac Berry can also be fast and powerful enough to justify use, although it usually can only take down one foe before being finished off itself. Other than these strategies there isn't much else preparation that can be done; bring your best Pokémon, play tight, and maybe you'll make it through alive.