23: Sootopolis Gym Unlocked -- The AGL Battles

23: Sootopolis Gym Unlocked -- The AGL Battles

First let us head west (left) to the Poke Mart and restock the kit we used up.  Be an idea to have some extra healing potions added to the kit now, as they may come in handy later... 

The house to the left of the Mart has an old couple in it that will tell you a bit about the town, and there is a TV here you can catch the most recent show on now.  How come we always seem to be on TV?

Visit all of the houses on this side of town to learn some more background information, and obtain TM31 -- Brick Break -- before you head east (right) to the other side of town, stopping at the Center to heal and save.

Inside the Center to the right of the desk is a Move Tutor who will teach one of your Pokemon the move Double-Edge -- but be aware that he will teach it only ONE time.   Also note that this move is an alternate form of Tackle that has a blow-back impact on the user, which means that using it can and often does damage the user.  It may be useful for the Gym Battle, and maybe not...  Your call.

We still cannot explore the east side of town now, the people are still blocking it, so really all that we have left to do is the Gym Battle, right?  And you are prepared... Right?  Excellent!  Head for the Gym!

Solving the Sootopolis City Gym Ice Puzzles

Sootopolis Gym Ice Puzzles

The Gym Leader here is Juan, and this is an Ice Gym -- and it seems one of the more annoying ones based on the conversations that I have had with other trainers, so I am going to take the unusual step of providing you with step-by-step instructions here rather than just telling you where to go, right?

So, save before you enter, then head inside and say hellow to the official Gym Greeter, who will tell you that the Leader is Juan (we already knew that), that he is a Water-type Master (we did not know that!), and that this is an Ice Gym (we knew that).

The trick with Ice Gyms is to never step in the same place more than one time.  If you do, the floor shatters, you fall, game over -- the other half of the trick is, to move on you have to break (not shatter) EVERY floor panel!  That being the case, you have to be clever about how you proceed -- it really is something of a puzzler, which is fine, because we LIKE puzzles!

Ground Floor

To the right in the entry foyer is a ladder leading down -- ignore that for now and head to the stairs and stop just at the top, before you step on to the ice.  Now do the following:

(1) Up
(2) Left
(3) Up
(4) Right
(5) Right
(6) Up
(7) Left
(8) Up

And you reveal the stairs and climb up to the next level!

First Floor

This bit is a little more complicated than the previous bit -- both because it is bigger and because is is divided by some boulders!  If you do not instantly see the proper path when you look at the floor, no worries mate.  It took me a bit to work it out as well, but here is what you need to do:

(01) Up
(02) Left
(03) Left
(04) Left (to the wall)
(05) Up
(06) Up (to the wall)
(07) Right
(08) Right
(09) Down (beside the boulder)  
(10) Right
(11) Right (to the boulder)
(12) Down
(13) Right
(14) Right (to the wall)
(15) Up
(16) Up (to the wall)
(17) Left
(18) Left
(19) Left (you are not at the stairs!)
(20) Up!

There -- all tiles broken, magic stairs appear, well done mate!

Second Floor

So, the Ground Level was easy enough, the First Floor a bit more difficult, but this?!  Gah!

Right then, step-by-step carefully, and she'll be apples mate!  Just do this:

(01) Up
(02) Left
(03) Left
(04) Up (beside the boulder)
(05) Left (to the other boulder)
(06) Down
(07) Left
(08) Left (to the wall)
(09) Up
(10) Up
(11) Up to the wall
(12) Right
(12) Down (to the boulder)
(13) Right
(14) Down
(15) Right (to the boulder)
(16) Up
(17) Up (to the wall)
(18) Right
(19) Down (to the boulder)
(20) Right (to the other boulder)
(21) Down
(22) Right
(23) Down (to the wall near the right of the entrance)
(24) Right
(25) Up
(26) Right
(27) Right (the far right boulder is above you)
(28) Down
(29) Right (and you are in the lower-right corner of the room!)
(30) Up
(31) Up
(32) Up (now in the upper right corner of the room!)
(33) Left
(34) Left
(35) Down (the boulder is to your right now)
(36) Left
(38) Up (to the wall)
(39) Left
(40) Left (and the stairs magically appear!)
(41) Up!

Excellent job mate!  No need to drop through the floor on this one!

Now before you step up to battle the Gym Leader there is something that you should be aware of -- there actually ARE AGL's in this Gym -- they are located in the levesl BELOW you -- and if you had made a mistake and broken through the floor, you would know that...  But you did not, because you are THAT good!

Still, you really should battle them before you take on Juan -- because you cannot after you beat him, and as they have relatively decent XP, it is really a good idea to do them...  So, instead of stepping up and bracing Juan, turn around and walk onto the broken ice so you fall through the floor here!

The Assistant Gym Leaders are well hidden in Sootopolis

Second Level AGL's

After you drop through the ice you find that the room is packed with AGL's!  Cool! 

We will start with the top-left side, Beauty Tiffany, who opens with her Level 39 Carvahna that is worth 735 XP, followed by her Level 39 Sharpedo that is worth 1462 XP and $3120 in reward!

Below Tiffany on the left-most side of the room is Lass Crissy, who starts with a Level 39 Goldeen that is worth 927 XP, following with a Level 39 Wailmer worth 1144 XP and $624 reward money for winning the battle.

Directly to the right in a red dress is Pokefan Bethany, who has a unique team in that they consist of all three forms of a single Pokemon Evolution!  She leads with her Level 35 Azurill worth 247 XP, then brings out her Level 37 Marill worth 459 XP, and finishes the battle with her Level 39 Azumarill worth  1278 XP and $3120 reward money.  That's a nice reward indeed!

Next to the right is Beauty Olivia -- who is in the center of the room --  and she leads with her Level 35 Clamperl which is worth 1065 XP, following with her Level 37 Corphish worth 879 XP, and finally her Level 39 Lombre worth 1177 XP and $3120 reward.

Next to the right is Beauty Bridget -- just walk along the wall as she will come to you when she spots you!  Bridget leads with her only team member, a Level 40 Azumarill worth 1311 XP and $3200 reward money.  An easy battle!

The final AGL on this Level is Lady Briana, who has a Level 40 Seaking worth 1456 XP and a whopping $8000 reward money!  Whoa!  A few more like this and we will not have to worry about kit money for sure!

Now that we have finished off the Trainers on this level hit the ice slide to go down to the next level!

First Level AGL's

You can do this battle as two singles, but it is intended to be fought as a double -- this is obvious by the layout.  To make this easier to follow though, I am going to do it as single battles so you have accurate stats on XP and reward money for each.

Starting on the left side is Lady Daphne, a pretty southern bell of a Trainer in a green ball gound.  Her team consists of a pair of Level 39 Luvdisc worth 918 XP each and a very nice $7800 reward money.  More of these please!

Next is Pokefan Annika, who has a pair of Level 39 Feebas worth 508 XP each and $3120 reward money, which wraps up the AGL's for this Level!

Ground Level AGL's

The order of battle here is pretty much established by the ice slide, as there is no way to avoid battling Andrea first unless you drop in from above -- but it really does not matter which you battle first, right?  Both have single-Pokemon teams and both are very easy battles.

Lass Andrea throws out her Level 40 Luvdisc which is worth 942 XP and $640 reward money.

Beauty Connie has a Level 40 Goldeen worth 951 XP and $3200 reward money, and that is it for the Sootopolis City Gym AGL's!

OK as we have worked our way through all of the AGL's, now would be an ideal time to leave the Gym, head ot the Center, heal and save, and then return and backtrack to face Juan!

Did you notice that Steven and Wallace are still outside here waiting?  I suspect that they plan on observing our battle with Juan -- I also suspect that we will be battling both Steven AND Wallace in the near future... But hey, I am a suspicions Trainer, what can I say?