How the HGSS team builder works
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are the Nintendo DS remakes of Gold and Silver, and many players still call them the best Pokémon games ever made. They are also among the longest: two regions, sixteen Gyms and a final battle on Mt. Silver. This HGSS team builder is built around that journey. The Johto Pokédex tab lists 254 Pokémon and the National Pokédex tab adds 204 more that you can obtain in Kanto, the Safari Zone and the post-game. Event-only and transfer-only Pokémon are left out.
Use it as a HeartGold team builder or a SoulSilver team builder: the version exclusives carry a small HG or SS badge, the types are the Gen 4 types and the weakness panel uses the pre-Fairy type chart. Pick six Pokémon, read which attacking types threaten them, then send the team from the HGSS team builder to our full planner, where the whole team is saved in a link you can share.
Sample teams in the HGSS team builder
Each sample team is built around one Johto starter and only uses Pokémon you can get during the main story in both versions, except where a version exclusive is marked. Load one into the HGSS team builder and change members until the weakness panel looks right for you.
Cyndaquil team
- TyphlosionFirePure Fire. Bugsy, Jasmine and Pryce all fall to it, which makes Cyndaquil the smoothest start in Johto.
- AmpharosElectricMareep is on Route 32, right after Violet City. Electric damage for Falkner, Misty and Lance's Gyarados.
- GyaradosWaterFlyingThe red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage is a story encounter. Since Gen 4 Waterfall is physical, so it finally uses its Attack.
- EspeonPsychicBill gives you an Eevee in Goldenrod City; high friendship during the day evolves it into Espeon. Psychic answers Chuck and Bruno.
- HeracrossBugFightingHeadbutt trees once you have the Headbutt move. Bug/Fighting covers Whitney, Karen and the Normal-types of Kanto.
- DragoniteDragonFlyingThe Dragon's Den elder gives you a Dratini after Clair's Gym. It evolves late, but nothing in Johto is stronger.
Totodile team
- FeraligatrWaterPure Water with strong physical attacks. Handles Jasmine's Steelix, Pryce's Piloswine and Blaine's Fire team.
- AmpharosElectricMareep is on Route 32, right after Violet City. Electric damage for Falkner, Misty and Lance's Gyarados.
- EspeonPsychicBill gives you an Eevee in Goldenrod City; high friendship during the day evolves it into Espeon. Psychic answers Chuck and Bruno.
- HeracrossBugFightingHeadbutt trees once you have the Headbutt move. Bug/Fighting covers Whitney, Karen and the Normal-types of Kanto.
- DragoniteDragonFlyingThe Dragon's Den elder gives you a Dratini after Clair's Gym. It evolves late, but nothing in Johto is stronger.
- SteelixSteelGroundOnix evolves when traded holding a Metal Coat. Steel/Ground resists Rock and Steel and is immune to Poison and Electric.
Chikorita team
- MeganiumGrassThe hardest Johto start: Falkner, Bugsy, Pryce and Clair all resist or threaten Grass, so the rest of the team carries more weight.
- GyaradosWaterFlyingThe red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage is a story encounter. Since Gen 4 Waterfall is physical, so it finally uses its Attack.
- AmpharosElectricMareep is on Route 32, right after Violet City. Electric damage for Falkner, Misty and Lance's Gyarados.
- EspeonPsychicBill gives you an Eevee in Goldenrod City; high friendship during the day evolves it into Espeon. Psychic answers Chuck and Bruno.
- HeracrossBugFightingHeadbutt trees once you have the Headbutt move. Bug/Fighting covers Whitney, Karen and the Normal-types of Kanto.
- ArcanineFire(HeartGold only)Growlithe is a HeartGold exclusive; in SoulSilver use Ninetales (Vulpix). Fire covers Bugsy, Jasmine and Pryce.
HeartGold vs SoulSilver exclusives
These Pokémon can only be caught in one version, straight from the data the HGSS team builder uses:
- HeartGold only: Spinarak, Ariados, Growlithe, Arcanine, Mankey, Primeape, Gligar, Phanpy, Donphan, Mantine, Omanyte, Omastar, Sableye, Baltoy, Claydol, Anorith, Armaldo, Kyogre, Mantyke, Gliscor.
- SoulSilver only: Ledyba, Ledian, Vulpix, Ninetales, Meowth, Persian, Delibird, Teddiursa, Ursaring, Skarmory, Kabuto, Kabutops, Mawile, Gulpin, Swalot, Lileep, Cradily, Groudon.
The legendary mascots are the biggest difference: Ho-Oh is easier to reach in HeartGold and Lugia in SoulSilver, and Kyogre and Groudon swap between the versions. Our version exclusives tool turns this into a trade list.
Johto Gym Leaders in HGSS
| Trainer | Location | Type | Ace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falkner | Violet City | Flying | Pidgeotto Lv. 13 |
| Bugsy | Azalea Town | Bug | Scyther Lv. 17 |
| Whitney | Goldenrod City | Normal | Miltank Lv. 19 |
| Morty | Ecruteak City | Ghost | Gengar Lv. 25 |
| Chuck | Cianwood City | Fighting | Poliwrath Lv. 31 |
| Jasmine | Olivine City | Steel | Steelix Lv. 35 |
| Pryce | Mahogany Town | Ice | Piloswine Lv. 34 |
| Clair | Blackthorn City | Dragon | Kingdra Lv. 41 |
Whitney's Miltank is the most famous wall in the series: it uses Rollout and heals with Milk Drink. A Fighting-type, or a Geodude whose Ground typing resists Rollout, makes it manageable. Morty's Ghost team is immune to Normal and Fighting moves. Jasmine's Steelix is Steel/Ground, so Water, Fire, Fighting and Ground all work, and Pryce's Piloswine is Ice/Ground and takes double damage from Fire, Water, Grass, Fighting and Steel. Clair's Kingdra is only weak to Dragon. Check every one of those rows in the HGSS team builder before you commit to a team.
Elite Four and Champion Lance
| Trainer | Role | Type | Ace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will | Elite Four | Psychic | Xatu Lv. 42 |
| Koga | Elite Four | Poison | Crobat Lv. 44 |
| Bruno | Elite Four | Fighting | Machamp Lv. 46 |
| Karen | Elite Four | Dark | Houndoom Lv. 47 |
| Lance | Champion | Dragon | Dragonite Lv. 50 |
Will's Psychic-types fall to Dark, Bug and Ghost. Koga mixes Poison- and Bug-types: Psychic moves hit most of his team, Fire handles his Forretress and Electric or Ice brings down Crobat. Bruno's Fighting-types fold to Flying and Psychic, though he also brings two Onix. Karen leads with Dark-types that are weak to Fighting and Bug, but she carries Vileplume and Gengar as well. Lance brings three Dragonite along with Gyarados, Aerodactyl and Charizard, so at least one Ice attack and one Electric attack are close to mandatory.
Kanto Gym Leaders and Red
| Trainer | Location | Type | Ace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brock | Pewter City | Rock | Onix Lv. 54 |
| Misty | Cerulean City | Water | Starmie Lv. 54 |
| Lt. Surge | Vermilion City | Electric | Electabuzz Lv. 53 |
| Erika | Celadon City | Grass | Victreebel / Bellossom Lv. 56 |
| Janine | Fuchsia City | Poison | Venomoth Lv. 50 |
| Sabrina | Saffron City | Psychic | Alakazam Lv. 55 |
| Blaine | Seafoam Islands | Fire | Rapidash Lv. 59 |
| Blue | Viridian City | Mixed | Pidgeot Lv. 60 |
The Kanto leg is where a Johto-only team starts to show its gaps. The Gym levels jump into the 50s, Blaine has moved to the Seafoam Islands and Blue has taken over the Viridian Gym. After all sixteen badges, Red waits on Mt. Silver with Pikachu at level 88, Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise at 84, Snorlax at 82 and Lapras at 80. The HGSS team builder helps here too: load your team and make sure Water, Fire, Grass and Electric are not all red at once.
Gen 4 rules the HGSS team builder accounts for
- Physical and special are split by move. Since Gen 4 each move has its own category, so Gyarados' Waterfall and Feraligatr's physical Water moves use Attack.
- No Fairy type. Clefable, Togekiss and Granbull keep their old types, Steel resists Ghost and Dark, and Dragon is only resisted by Steel.
- Eight HMs. Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Whirlpool, Rock Smash, Waterfall and Rock Climb. Flash is a TM in these games.
Tips for building a HeartGold or SoulSilver team
- Plan for both regions. A team that only covers Johto's Gym types can stall against Kanto's Water, Electric and Grass leaders.
- Dark and Steel options are rare early on. Umbreon (from the same Eevee as Espeon) and Steelix are the usual answers.
- Check single matchups with the type calculator, and compare with other generations in the full team builder.
HGSS team builder FAQ
Does this HGSS team builder work for HeartGold and SoulSilver?
Yes. It is a HeartGold team builder and a SoulSilver team builder at once: 254 Johto Pokédex entries plus every National Dex Pokémon you can obtain, with HeartGold-only and SoulSilver-only Pokémon marked.
What is a good team for Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver?
Typhlosion, Ampharos, Gyarados, Espeon, Heracross and Dragonite is a balanced team that only uses Pokémon available in both versions. Load it as the Cyndaquil sample team and adjust it from there.
Which Johto starter is best in HGSS?
Cyndaquil has the easiest route because Fire beats Bugsy, Jasmine and Pryce. Totodile is close behind. Chikorita is the hardest start, but a good team around it still works.
Does the HGSS team builder include Fairy type?
No. HeartGold and SoulSilver are Gen 4 games, so the HGSS team builder uses the pre-Fairy types and type chart: Steel resists Ghost and Dark, and Dragon is only resisted by Steel.
How many Gyms are in HeartGold and SoulSilver?
Sixteen. After the eight Johto Gyms and the Elite Four you travel to Kanto for eight more, and beating all sixteen leads to Red on Mt. Silver.
Can I share a team from the HGSS team builder?
Yes. Open the team in the full builder and copy the address bar: the game and all six Pokémon are stored in the link.