Gym leaders in the Pokémon world have a big responsibility, they are tasked with testing the skills and abilities of each trainer they battle against to determine if they’ve learned what it takes to raise strong and capable Pokémon. They’re often seen as experts on a particular type of Pokémon’s strengths and weaknesses.
You might be wondering what type of Pokémon Gym you would run, and given the 18 different types it can be hard to tell. To give you an idea of what gym you might find yourself drawn to, here are some examples of Pokémon types that would match certain MBTI® types.
10 Rock: ESTJ
Rock Pokémon are known for their durability and endurance, they can take blows that would lay other Pokémon types flat and get stronger the longer the battle goes on. An expert trainer of Rocks must also be the strong silent type, immune to taunts and capable of learning from their mistakes to come back stronger.
ESTJs are suited for this kind of gym given their stability in all aspects of their life. They have good heads on their shoulders that keep them strong in battle and patient when teaching others.
9 Fire: ESFP
Fire Pokémon can be either nurturing or destructive. A Typhlosion is just as capable of keeping a group of people warm on cold nights or burning the house down. It takes talented and fiery trainers to keep their Pokémon’s raw power in check and harness it for beneficial or productive purposes.
ESFPs are a good personality type for handling these powerful Pokémon given how their personalities are very similar to fire types. They can be warm and friendly one minute or fiery and passionate the next, so of all personalities they’d know the struggles of keeping the flames under control.
8 Water: ENFP
Water types are a varied breed of Pokémon, some are elusive and fast like flowing rivers, while others are durable and aggressive like crashing waves on the beach. They don’t fit one particular box and the master of these Pokémon shouldn’t either.
ENFPs would be good at adapting to situations and filling the space they’re given. A water gym leader should know which problems need to be slowly eroded away and when it’s time to come crashing through. Their out of the box thinking and independence would serve them well when dealing with the Pokémon of the deep waters.
7 Electric: ENTP
Electric Pokémon are quite literally balls of energy. They are constantly active, and in battle they move around the arena dealing powerful attacks and paralyzing their opponents with their electrical energy.
ENTPs are a personality type that could match this boundless energy. Their need for constant stimulation and activity allows them to keep up with their Pokémon on the battlefield and in training. The importance of logical and objective reasoning for these types would also be helpful to avoid serious injury from electrical shocks by instituting safety measures and protocols when breaking in a new Pokémon.
6 Poison: INTP
Poison Pokémon are tricky to wield effectively, they’re often glass cannons with powerful abilities that take time to take effect. A gym leader seeking to master the poison type must be aware of their nature and have the utmost respect for their dangerous power.
INTPs are the personality type capable of handling this responsibility. When a fight is won via attrition you want a gym leader that uses methodical planning, patience, and the ability to quickly think on their feet when things aren’t going their way.
5 Psychic: INFJ
Psychic Pokémon are arguably the most dangerous as they’re often the most intelligent. Alakazam, Mewtwo, Necrozma, these are entities with unimaginable potential and powers that don’t always follow the laws of nature as we understand them.
INFJs are suited to understanding or at least handling these alien-like beings. Each Psychic Pokémon presents a challenge that requires deep research and creativity to train. How do you wield authority over a Pokémon that could very well be smarter and more cunning than you are? If anyone can develop this ability it’s an INFJ.
4 Dragon: ENTJ
Dragon Pokémon are powerful and mythical monsters that mankind somehow managed to capture and train. They’re often the rulers of the environments they inhabit and are frequently large and imposing creatures.
ENTJs are the natural born leaders capable of taming these mighty beasts. It’s no small feat to command a creature larger than a house into battle and an practice in madness to find one in the wild and make it obey your commands. A dragon gym leader needs someone fearless and ready to take charge in order to keep these titans in line.
3 Dark: INTJ
There aren’t many gyms dedicated to this mysterious Pokémon type. Many equate Dark Pokémon with evil forces and considering Pokémon like Guzzlord, Houndoom, and Darkrai it’s not hard to see why.
INTJs are probably one of the few personality types capable of handling these ominous creatures. Introverts who don’t mind being ostracized; self-sufficient and courageous individuals comfortable closing their eyes to sleep around monsters that lurk in the shadows. Their tendency to devise theories and explain the unexplainable would enable them to help others who like them are drawn to Dark Pokémon.
2 Ghost: INFP
Ghost Pokémon are the boogeymen of the Pokémon world, beings that operate somewhere between life and death. Each one has a story to tell of hauntings, tragic deaths, nefarious instincts, and a parasitic nature that has them clinging to life often at the expense of others.
It would take an INFP type to handle these creatures that range from harmless pranksters to sinister demons. Introverts who are comfortable being alone with these fiends, who enjoy digging into the puzzles of how to tame creatures that cheated death and learning the secrets of how and why they’re still clinging to life, are perfect for maintaining control over them.
1 Fairy: ISFJ
In the dark world of Pokémon, Fairy types are the light that keeps everyone sane and hopeful for the future. They serve as a counter to the brooding Dark Pokémon and the powerful Dragons, providing warmth, healing, and comfort to all they encounter.
To be an effective Fairy gym leader the individual must have a personality type similar to an ISFJ. Someone who’s naturally nurturing, kind, and generous both to their Pokémon and those training Fairies. Having that emotional sensitivity to these tender Pokémon is an absolute must.
NEXT: The MBTI® Types Of The Pokémon Sword & Shield Gym Leaders
