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Pokemon Sword’s Circhester gym: Guide to beating Gordie

Gordie uses a pretty solid team of rock-types

Gordie, Circhester’s gym leader in Pokémon Sword, gets ready to battle Game Freak, The Pokémon Company/Nintendo via Polygon
Julia Lee (she/her) is a guides producer, writing guides for games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Genshin Impact. She helped launch the Rift Herald in 2016.

The sixth gym in Pokémon Sword is against Gordie, a rock-type specialist in Circhester.

If you’re playing Pokémon Shield, you go up against ice-type user Melony instead.

Gordie’s rock-type specialty means he’s weak to a lot of different Pokémon, but if you still need help, check out our guide below.

Circhester gym challenge

In Gordie’s gym, you’ll have to walk around on rocky ground, careful not to break through and fall into a hole. You’ll be given a tool that’ll help you feel out the area. The harder your controller vibrates, the closer you are to finding another pitfall. You’ll have to battle trainers along the way, and once you get through the rocky maze, you’ll take on Gordie.

Gordie’s Pokémon

A Quagsire takes on Gordie’s Shuckle Game Freak, The Pokémon Company/Nintendo via Polygon

Gordie uses four rock-type Pokémon, all of which are fairly easy to take down. Being rock-type, their defenses are pretty high, so don’t be too surprised if your super effective attack doesn’t one-hit KO them. He will Gigantamax his Coalossal when he tosses it out.

  1. Barbaracle, level 40, water/rock
  2. Shuckle, level 40, rock/bug
  3. Stonjourner, level 41, rock
  4. Coalossal, level 42, rock/fire

Recommended counters for Gordie

Gordie’s team is weak against water-, grass-, fighting-, ground-, and steel-types. Players who started with Sobble or Grookey should have a fairly easy time in this gym and many of our counters from previous gym challenges will work well here.

Here are some good Pokémon to catch and evolve for this gym, as well as the easiest places to find them:

  • Wooper, water- and ground-type
    Found in West Lake Axewell in the Wild Area, except during sunny and snowy weather
  • Lotad (Shield only), grass- and water-type
    Found on Route 2
  • Seedot (Sword only), grass-type
    Found on Route 2
  • Diglett, ground-type
    Found in Galar Mine

Circhester gym reward

After beating Gordie, you’ll get TM 48, Rock Tomb, and a rock-themed uniform to wear outside of gym challenges. You’ll also be able to catch Pokémon up to level 50.

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