Upcoming gyms

[sound of silence]

I'm guessing the following

M-Mawile I agree with for adrienne, as it gives xym access to intimidate initially for physical attackers, as well as covering the few weaknesses the fairy type has (and in case anyone tries to win by changing the field to corrosive mist)

For Titania, despite it being used by 2 gym leaders already, I'm going out on a limb and I'll say that she has a mega-lucario. That will hit hard enough regardless of fields chosen, while it also kind of suits her based on the lucario event in ametrine city/mountain. Titania is very much a lone wolf that only interacts with others when vitally needed, while resenting contact with just about everyone. The only reason I second guess my choice is given we know she has skarmory, aegislash and excadrill already, it really doesn't leave a lot of defensive backbone to her team to cover weaknesses of the steel type. I suspect she will also have a new field, as there isn't really any field other than the ashen beach that really suits her team.

Amaria is going to be hell regardless of whether she has a mega or not. I see Ame making amaria to be a combination of Flobot, Swagplay, and Scald Hax. Due to the water's surface, she will outspeed any non-water type/swift swimmer on your team, use whirlpool to trap you and cause confusion hax, then proceed to spam scald. This will be a nightmare in the extreme end of the scale, and I almost hope she doesn't have a mega because of how evil this fight will be.

Hardy...going with mega-aggron, for the sole purpose of annoying everyone who thought water type spam will see you through this fight. Despite lunatone and solrock being rather subpar pokemon, access to trick room is a major selling point, as well as psychic typing + levitate to mitigate 2 major weaknesses the rock type has, while sand stream will fix special attacks. It would not surprise me to see cradily rear its ugly head again if only to deter people trying to spam rain + surf to end this fight quickly.

Saphira will almost certainly have mega charizard X. There just isn't another dragon other than dragalgae that deters fairy spam for this fight. Also fixes a key ice weakness too. Additionally, if Ame is feeling truly sadistic, a burning field would compliment it very nicely

Edited September 17, 2015 by sound of silence

[Damage]

I dont think I'm alone in the idea that a mega shouldn't change the pokemon from being what the type is supposed to be. I heard Noel's case was actually voted on by the forum. I understand Seel's case since if the forum voted on it, it wouldn't have been as awesome a surprise (or agonizing to my fighting mono) but I think it takes something away from the whole gym setup to see leaders of all people deter from the path that makes them, them. As for the item thing, I guess revives and what not can pull you away but considering the player can switch and plan for an entire team. While the leader is always stuck with the same six, they need some advantage after the badge halfway mark. Like being able to switch one or two mons. You planned to fight sharpedo well, Amaria switched and this rematch you have to fight slowking. Anyting to give the leaders just one advantage since field effects while powerful can always be beaten in some way.

[Fumble]

Hardy must have been like either a tactical genius back in the league days or should've been the first or second gym leader if he's rocking lunatone/solrock lol.

Again, as I said before, he used Trick Room Solrock and Lunatone so his slower Rock types (i.e. he had Rhypherior in the League from a battle I saw) could outspeed and defeat. He was one of the three Champions in Season 3.

[Monochrome_Complex]

Oh wow, that's actually really awesome for a rock specialist.