Pokemon Ruby Team Builder (Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire)

How the Pokemon Ruby team builder works

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire took the series to Hoenn on the Game Boy Advance, and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remade them on the 3DS with Mega Evolution, soaring on Latios or Latias and the post-game Delta Episode. This Pokemon Ruby team builder covers both generations. It opens on Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, where the Hoenn Pokédex lists 213 Pokémon and the National Pokédex adds 278 more, including the legendaries from earlier regions that appear in the remakes.

The Game switch changes the whole tool to the original Ruby and Sapphire: the Hoenn Pokédex with 202 Pokémon, the Gen 3 types and the Gen 3 type chart. Gardevoir loses its Fairy type, Steel resists Ghost and Dark again, and the weakness panel updates with it. Team members that exist in both games stay on the team when you switch.

Tap a sprite to add it and tap it again to remove it. The version filter hides what Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, Ruby or Sapphire cannot catch, the type filter narrows the grid, and Randomize team picks six from whatever the filters show. Show per-Pokémon matchups opens the full grid, and Copy share link stores the game and the team in one link you can send to anyone.

Sample teams in the Pokemon Ruby team builder

The first three sample teams are built around each Hoenn starter for Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire; the last one switches the Pokemon Ruby team builder to the original Ruby and Sapphire. Load one and swap members until the weakness panel looks right.

Omega Ruby vs Alpha Sapphire exclusives

These are the Pokémon each version cannot catch on its own, from the same data the Pokemon Ruby team builder uses. The remakes first:

• Missing from Omega Ruby: Lotad, Lombre, Ludicolo, Sableye, Seviper, Lunatone, Latias, Kyogre, Omanyte, Omastar, Lugia, Cranidos, Rampardos, Shellos (East Sea), Gastrodon (East Sea), Dialga, Sawk, Tirtouga, Carracosta, Thundurus (Incarnate Forme), Thundurus (Therian Forme), Zekrom, Clauncher, Clawitzer.
• Missing from Alpha Sapphire: Seedot, Nuzleaf, Shiftry, Mawile, Zangoose, Solrock, Latios, Groudon, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ho-Oh, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Shellos (West Sea), Gastrodon (West Sea), Palkia, Throh, Archen, Archeops, Tornadus (Incarnate Forme), Tornadus (Therian Forme), Reshiram, Skrelp, Dragalge.

The original Ruby and Sapphire split a much shorter list, with Groudon in Ruby and Kyogre in Sapphire:

• Missing from Ruby: Lotad, Lombre, Ludicolo, Sableye, Seviper, Lunatone, Latias, Kyogre.
• Missing from Sapphire: Seedot, Nuzleaf, Shiftry, Mawile, Zangoose, Solrock, Latios, Groudon.

Our version exclusives tool turns these lists into a trade list.

Hoenn Gym Leaders in ORAS and Ruby & Sapphire

Roxanne's Nosepass is a Rock-type wall that Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground and Steel all handle. Brawly's Makuhita is bulky, so Flying and Psychic are the cleanest answers. Wattson's Magneton is Electric/Steel and takes four times damage from Ground. Flannery's Torkoal is slow but hits very hard with Overheat. Norman's Slaking only attacks every other turn because of Truant, so a Fighting-type can win the trade. Winona's Altaria needs Ice or Rock, Tate & Liza fight a Double Battle with Lunatone and Solrock, and Wallace's Milotic is bulky enough that Electric and Grass both need to land. Check every row in the Pokemon Ruby team builder before the badge in question.

Elite Four and Champion Steven

Sidney's Dark-types fall to Fighting and Bug, and in ORAS to Fairy too. Phoebe's Ghost-types are immune to Normal and Fighting. Glacia's Ice team is weak to Fire, Fighting, Rock and Steel, and Drake's Dragon-types are weak to Ice and Dragon, plus Fairy in the remakes. Steven closes with Metagross, a Steel/Psychic powerhouse that falls to Fire and Ground, and in the remakes to Ghost and Dark as well. Unlike Emerald, where Wallace is the Champion, Ruby, Sapphire and both remakes put Wallace in the Sootopolis Gym and Steven at the top.

Rules the Pokemon Ruby team builder accounts for

• Fairy type only in the remakes. Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire use the Gen 6 chart, so Gardevoir, Azumarill, Mawile and Mega Altaria have Fairy typing and Steel no longer resists Ghost and Dark. Ruby and Sapphire use the Gen 3 chart.
• Physical and special. In Ruby and Sapphire the category comes from the move's type, so Sharpedo's Water attacks are special. In the remakes each move has its own category.
• Mega Evolution. The remakes let one team member Mega Evolve per battle. The tool lists base forms; Mega forms change types only for a few Pokémon such as Altaria and Sceptile.
• Seven HMs. Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Rock Smash, Waterfall and Dive. Ruby and Sapphire add Flash as an eighth.

Tips for building a Pokemon Ruby or Sapphire team

• Hoenn has a lot of water. Have at least one Electric or Grass attacker for Wallace and the many Water-types on the sea routes.
• Plan an Ice move for Drake and the Dragon-types that follow: Ice Beam from a Water-type is the usual answer.
• Playing Emerald instead? Use the Pokemon Emerald team builder, and check single matchups with the type calculator.

Pokemon Ruby team builder FAQ