Players will find that the NPCs ofPokemon Scarlet and Violetare generally very friendly individuals. Even when they are in battles against players, they will root the player on and be overjoyed when they see players prove themselves. This is true of Geeta, who is a Pokemon League champion inPokemon Scarlet and Violet. Despite being an accomplished Trainer, her team is lackluster, and she uses it in a very inefficient manner. This could have been mended by having Geeta break some old traditions.
Typically, Pokemon League champions save their best Pokemon for the end of the battle. This isn’t the best strategy withGeeta, whose best Pokemon is Glimmora. Having the Rock/Poison Pokemon come out first would make Geeta a more formidable foe, and it would make a lot more sense that she is a Pokemon League champion.
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The Problem With Geeta’s Team in Scarlet and Violet
Geeta is a chairwoman of Paldea’s Pokemon League. Although she is respected by all, she generally has a positive attitude, and she tries to inspire the best out of everyone. She is friendly toward players, and she cheers them on when they are victorious. Players have a big encounter with her in theVictory Road storyline. After defeating the Elite Four, players have a surprise battle against Geeta, though it isn’t much of a surprise to series veterans.
After hearing other characters talk up Geeta so much, most players expect a grueling match against her. However, her team ends up being quite underwhelming. She uses a variety of Pokemon, though players shouldn’t have too hard of a time dealing with them. Typically, she starts with thePsychic-type bird Espathra. The rest of her team consists of Avalugg, Kingambit, Veluza, and Gogoat. She saves her best Pokemon for last, which is Glimmora. This is a Rock/Poison dual-type that has plenty of powerful moves. It shines thanks to its Ability called Toxic Debris. Whenever a move makes contact, toxic spikes fall on the opponent’s side of the battlefield. This makes it difficult for opponents to switch out Pokemon. Geeta never makes full use of this ability because Glimmora gets sent out last, and by this time, players are unlikely to be doing much switching out.
Geeta Should Have Broken Tradition
Typically, when players battle the Pokemon League champion, the champ saves their best Pokemon for last. This is usually a good strategy for keeping the excitement running high for the whole duration of the match, as players can never relax. This is the case inXandY, where Diantha saves Mega Gardevoir until the end of the battle, and inRubyandSapphire, players go up against Steven who keeps Metagross as his last team member, with this Pokemon being at a higher level than all his other creatures.
It would have been a good time for the franchise to abandon this formula and have Geeta use her ace first. To get the best out of Glimmora, it is best to use it first, as it allows her to set up toxic spikes for the players. This adds a layer of challenge for players, as they now have to contend with poison slowly draining their Pokemon’s HP. This may also require players to consider adding Pokemon that can remove entry hazards with moves such as Rapid Spin. Players may also have to useSteel-type Pokemonwhich are immune to being poisoned, and Poison-type Pokemon which are unaffected by toxic spikes.
For players who want to battle Geeta again in the post-game, she is one of the opponents in the Academy Ace Tournaments. She also provides further content by instructing players to revisit the gym leaders to ensure that high standards are being kept. Withrumors ofScarlet and VioletDLCswirling about, perhaps players could still see more of Geeta.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare available on Nintendo Switch.
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