If you have been following Pokemon games for some time, you will notice that every Pokemon game follows a common trajectory; you beat 8 gyms, earn 8 badges, head to the Pokemon league, beat the Elite Four, beat the Champion, and finally become the Champion! The Champion is the most difficult and toughest trainer you will face in a game. In the Sinnoh region, the Champion’s name is Cynthia.
- Who is Cynthia in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
- Why is Cynthia so hard to beat?
- What happens if you lose to Cynthia in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
Who is Cynthia in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are the remastered versions of Pokemon Diamond and pearl, respectively, that were launched for the Nintendo Switch in 2021. Although there are graphical improvements and tweaks in gameplay mechanics, the overall story of the game still remains the same. So, if you have played the original version of Nintendo DS, Cynthia needs no introduction.
If you are still not familiar with Cynthia, she is a Champion of the Sinnoh region, which you have to beat to complete the game. Cynthia was already famous for being one of the toughest opponents gamers have ever faced. Now in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, she makes a return, although in a much friendlier and nicer way.
The Pokemon League is the hardest challenge for any gamer. While all Elite Four members and the Champions in every game are given great Pokemon with great games, some battles are harder than others. Cynthia is known by the whole Pokemon community for being notoriously difficult to beat. Gamers have mentioned her to be the “Most difficult champion” among all the eight regions, now that is one big compliment.
Why is Cynthia so hard to beat?
Cynthia has one of the most balanced teams ever. The other members of the Elite four in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl all have a specific type of Pokemon. So they are comparatively easy to deal with. But if you look at the team Cynthia has set up, you will automatically understand why it is so easy to lose against her.
Let’s break her team down:
- Spiritomb: Before the 7th Gen, Spiritomb literally had no weaknesses. The battle began at level 61. What makes things worse is that physical attacks have no effect on it (since it is a ghost type). Unless you have a well-grinded pokemon that is way above his level, there is little chance of beating this Pokemon without using Full Restores and Revives.
- Roserade: This is not as tough as the first one. However, it can still create a mess with its Toxic. If you have a good fire-type pokemon with you, Roserade is pretty easy to beat. But if she manages to land a move and poison one of your Pokemon, it can have grave consequences.
- Gastrodon: Beating Gastrodon is fairly easy, perhaps the easiest among all. Any grass-type move causes Gastrodon 4 times more damage, making it almost always a one-hit KO.
- Lucario: Lucario is one of my very favorite Pokemon. Even though Cynthia’s Lucario has some of the best attacking and defensive stats, it is pretty easy to beat. Fire, Ground, and Fighting-type moves are super-effective against it; therefore, beating him is not much of a challenge unless you are familiar with these skills. Getting the initial hit would be your only difficulty since Lucario is a very speedy Pokemon.
- Milotic: Here is where the challenge begins. Milotic is at level 63, having a unique skill, Marvel Scale. This skill increases a Pokemon’s defense by 50% if it has status ailments. It has only two weaknesses: Grass and Electric. You can almost never do a one-hit KO on it. In addition to that, she continuously uses Aqua Ring to regain its HP, making this battle pretty tough.
- Garchomp: Garchomp is by far the strongest of all her Pokemon. It is at level 66. If you are trying to beat it with conventional strategies, you are destined to lose. It has powerful moves, including Dragon Rush, Earthquake, Brick Break, and Giga Impact. It also has a Sitrus Berry in its possession, which gives him 25% of its HP. If Cynthia is not done with all her potions and full restores already, then she will use them at the first chance she gets. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to beat Garchomp without using items and potions.
Cynthia’s Pokemon are insanely powerful. The main issue is that all her Pokemon are at a very high level. There is little to no chance you would perform a One-hit KO on any of them. In addition to that, she uses Full Restores in the blink of an eye, making this battle one of the most difficult ever in a Pokemon Game.
What happens if you lose to Cynthia in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
You beat the Elite four, and finally, you get to battle Cynthia. You try your best, but her Garchomp was a little too much for you. Your Pokemon faint, and you lose money. What now?
If you lose to Cynthia, you don’t get to have a rematch directly with her again. You end up in the Pokemon Centre of the Pokemon League and get your Pokemon healed. If you want to beat the game, you would now have to beat the Elite Four again in order to battle Cynthia.
No, there is no bypass to this, you just have to start from the first of the Eltite four, and if you lose to any of them, you begin again from the Pokemon Center. In addition to that, you also lose a good sum of money every time you lose.
Conclusion
While Cynthia is a tough cookie to battle, there is no doubt that you are going to enjoy battling her. Most battles in Pokemon games are pretty generic, and you can easily pass them without using any tactics and strategies. But not this one; you would have to use your due diligence to beat her overpowered Pokemon. Otherwise, you would have to repeat from the Pokemon Centre and go through the hassle of beating the Elite Four all over again.
