How to Beat Fantina: Hearthome City Gym Guide

This guide covers everything you need to know to beat the Hearthome City Gym Leader, Fantina, in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, a Pokemon remake for the Nintendo Switch. Read on to learn about Fantina's Pokemon team, Fantina's type specialty, recommended Pokemon to use against Fantina, and how to beat the Hearthome City Gym.

Before the Fight

See Drifloon at Hearthome Gym

The trainers in the second area of Hearthome Gym are the only trainers in the game to use Drifloon. If you don't see it now, you won't be able to complete the National Dex without waiting until a Friday or trading for a Drifloon, so don't miss it, no matter what!

How to Complete the Sinnoh Dex

Fantina's Pokemon Team and Types

Type and Suggested Level

Type Specialty
Suggested Level	Lv. 39 ~ Lv. 42

Fantina's Pokemon

Pokemon	Type	Ability / Item	Moves
Drifblim (Lvl. 32)		Aftermath Zoom Lens	・Strength Sap ・Hex ・Fly ・Will-O-Wisp
Gengar (Lvl. 34)		Cursed Body Colbur Berry	・Shadow Claw ・Confuse Ray ・Sludge Bomb ・Dazzling Gleam
Mismagius (Lvl. 36)		Levitate Expert Belt	・Confuse Ray ・Phantom Force ・Magical Leaf ・Dazzling Gleam

Fantina's Hearthome Gym Puzzle

The Hearthome Gym features a simple quiz set-up where a signboard offers a question and the player must go through the doors with the correct answers to reach Fantina.

Gym Puzzle Solution Video

Hearthome City Gym Quiz Answers

How to Beat Fantina

Bring Strong Physical Attackers

Fantina's Ghost types are vulnerable to strong physical attacks. A strong physical Dark or Ghost move should be able to deal significant damage to most of her team. Top contenders here include Luxray and Gyarados with Bite.

Gengar's Colbur Berry will reduce the damage dealt by Dark Moves

If you intend to deal super-effective damage using a Dark type move to Fantina's Gengar, you might be surprised when you don't deal as much damage as you expected. It would be better to exploit it's Ghost or Ground weakness instead.

Avoid Risking Confusion Damage

Whenever Gengar or Mismagius inflict confusion via Confuse Ray, it might be better to switch out or healing this status condition away. With their high offensive prowess, it can be fatal to hit yourself in confusion, and receive damage from them in one turn.

Best Team to Beat Fantina

When Starting with Turtwig

Best Team to Beat Fantina When Starting With Turtwig
Luxray	Torterra	Gyarados

For all the teams, we recommend leading with Luxray. A strong Spark should deal significant damage to Drifblim and has the added bonus of inflicting Paralysis. Hopefully you'll be able to take down Drifblim without suffering a Burn.

Torterra's Earthquake is a strong physical super-effective move has the potential to deal phenomenal damage against Gengar, provided that his Sludge Bomb doesn't take Torterra out first.

Mismagius has great Special Stats but poor Physical Defense. Favor using Physical moves against it to deal as much damage as possible. Also, remember that it has the Levitate ability which will keep it immune from Ground type moves.

When Starting with Chimchar

Best Team to Beat Fantina When Starting With Chimchar
Luxray	Infernape	Gyarados

As mentioned above, we recommend leading with Luxray. Exploit Drifblim's electric-type weakness by hitting it with a strong Spark. Gyarados should also have access to Bite to deal with these Ghost-Types.

The three recommended Pokemon here all have great Physical stats so they should be able to deal huge chunks of damage against Fantina's Mismagius. Go for high-powered physical moves that have normal effectiveness and you should be able to whittle them down in no time.

When Starting with Piplup

Best Team to Beat Fantina When Starting With Piplup
Luxray	Rapidash	Staraptor

Luxray really is the most reliable electric-type lead you can have at this point . Spark will deal signifcant damage to Fantina's Drifblim. Rapidash also has respectable physical attack and can deal good damage with it's Flame Wheel agaisnt Gengar and Mismagius.

Staraptor has some viability in this battle, especially against Mismagius. By having a natural immunity to Ghost moves, and resisting Magical Leaf, Staraptor should be able to overpower Mismagius with Aerial Ace.

When things get rough, remember that you can always use recovery items to heal your team back up. Be sure to stock on items if you're not feeling confident!

All Fantina Battles

Previous and Next Gym Leaders

Pokemon BDSP Related Links

Related Story Pages

Complete Story Walkthrough

Gym Leaders

All Gym Leader Types and Pokemon

Gym Leader Rematches

All Gym Leader Rematch Teams