Cerulean Gym · Gym 2
How to beat Misty in Pokemon Yellow
Misty’s Yellow team is Staryu Lv.18 and Starmie Lv.21. Unlike Brock, partner Pikachu finally helps—Electric and Grass both smash this gym. The real spike is Starmie’s Speed, Special bulk, and BubbleBeam.
Fast Answer
Thunder Shock or Vine Whip
Raise partner Pikachu into the 18–22 band and spam Thunder Shock, or pick up Bulbasaur from Melanie (happiness 147) / wild Oddish or Bellsprout on Route 24–25. Keep your best mon healthy for Starmie—it outspeeds most early teams and chips with BubbleBeam. Recommended fight window: party levels 18–22.
Cerulean Gym fight
Misty’s team
Specialty: Water. Optional gym trainers: Jr. Trainer♀ with Goldeen Lv.19, Swimmer with Horsea & Shellder Lv.16. Both are skippable if you only want the badge.
Slot 1
Staryu · Lv.18
- Moves: Tackle, Water Gun
- Threat: Light opener; softens you before Starmie
- Answer: Electric or Grass—don’t waste big items here
Slot 2 · Ace
Starmie · Lv.21
- Moves: Harden, Tackle, Water Gun, BubbleBeam
- Threat: Speed 115 base tier, strong Special, Speed drops from BubbleBeam
- Answer: Healthy Electric/Grass mon; avoid pure Fighting leads
Path A
Partner Pikachu Electric path
Pikachu · Thunder Shock
- Yellow’s partner already knows Thundershock—super effective on Staryu and Starmie.
- Useful early kit: Thunder Wave (8), Quick Attack (11), Double Team (15).
- Thunderbolt is Lv.26—usually after this gym; don’t wait for it.
- Target roughly Lv.18–22 with full HP and a few Super Potions.
Fight plan
- Open on Staryu with Thunder Shock; finish quickly so items stay for Starmie.
- Against Starmie, keep Pikachu above half HP—BubbleBeam plus Speed drops feel brutal on low HP.
- Paralyze with Thunder Wave if you need a safer chip race.
- If Pikachu is underleveled, bring a Grass backup rather than forcing the fight.
Partner Pikachu still won’t evolve with a Thunder Stone in Yellow—see the evolution guide if you’re planning Raichu later via trade workarounds.
Path B
Grass path · Bulbasaur / Oddish / Bellsprout
Bulbasaur gift
- House west of the Cerulean Center—same city as the gym.
- Vine Whip at Lv.13; Leech Seed at 7 for passive chip.
- Raise toward Lv.18+ before challenging Misty.
- Also helps later vs. Surge less than Electric does—still excellent here.
Route 24 / 25 wild Grass
- Both appear at about 29.7% of grass slots on Nugget Bridge routes.
- Catch while grabbing Charmander on Route 24.
- Status powders help if you need turns to Potion safely.
- Use the catch planner if you’re hunting a specific one.
Starmie is Water/Psychic—Grass is still 2× on the Water half and does not get blocked. Grass/Poison Pokemon take 2× damage from Psychic because Poison is weak to it; Misty’s Starmie does not actually carry Psychic in this battle, so BubbleBeam is the immediate threat.
Suggested order
Cerulean block checklist flow
- Finish Brock, Mt. Moon, and arrive in Cerulean.
- Optional: Nugget Bridge → Damian’s Charmander → Route 24/25 Oddish or Bellsprout.
- Optional: raise Pikachu happiness to 147 → Melanie’s Bulbasaur (Happiness Lab helps).
- Heal at the Center, stock Potions/Antidotes, open the Cerulean Gym tool.
- Walk the pool ledges; skip or clear the two Water trainers.
- Defeat Staryu, then Starmie with Electric/Grass; claim Cascade Badge + TM11.
- Continue toward the underground path / Route 5–6 / S.S. Anne arc in the walkthrough.
Checklist
Track Misty prep on this device
Tips
Common wipe causes
Saving the wrong mon
Burning your only Electric/Grass mon on Staryu leaves you helpless for Starmie. Switch or finish the first mon cheaply.
Fire-only teams
Charmander from Route 24 is a great overall gift but poor into Water. Bring Pikachu or Grass coverage too.
Pool layout
Follow the narrow walkways—both trainers are optional. Use the gym map if you get turned around.
After the badge
Cascade Badge enables Cut outdoors (with HM01 later from the S.S. Anne captain). TM11 BubbleBeam is a solid Water special for non-Pikachu attackers.
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