Gear Station (Japanese: ギアステーションGear Station) is a location in Nimbasa City that connects all of Unova's train lines together. Its circular hall has entrances to eight different platforms for each train: one for Single Trains, one for Super Single Trains, one for Double Trains, one for Super Double Trains, one for trains to Anville Town, one for Super Multi Trains, one for Multi Trains, and one for Wi-Fi Trains. By boarding one of the seven Battle Subway trains (i.e. those that do not lead to Anville Town), the Battle Subway location is accessed.
Exchange Service Corner
All seven Battle Subway train platforms include an Exchange Service Corner, where the player can buy various items with Battle Points.
By boarding one of the seven Battle Subway trains (i.e. those that do not lead to Anville Town), the Battle Subway location is accessed. Once a Battle Subway train has been boarded, the player must defeat seven (seven sets of two if riding a Multi Train or Super Multi Train) randomly picked サブウェイトレーナー Subway Trainers in order to make it to the next stop, which will earn them Battle Points and increase their current win streak, which (along with their all time Record win streak) will be displayed on their Vs. Recorder. Battles fought on Battle Subway trains differ from regular battles in a number of ways. When riding a Battle Subway train:
All Pokémon are set to level 50 (unlike previous generations this also includes Pokémon below level 50).
The player is forced to save the game between challenges, effectively preventing the player from achieving artificial win streaks without manipulating gameplay via cheating.
Pokémon are fully restored after each battle, including any held items lost during battle.
Initially, the player is not allowed to board the Super Single, Super Double, and Super Multi Trains. These are permanently unlocked after obtaining the National Pokédex, and a win streak of 21 has been achieved on the Single, Double, and Multi Trains, respectively. Unlike Super Trains, these non-Super Trains do not go on forever, instead returning to Gear Station after the 21st battle. The opponent Subway Trainers and their Pokémon are also completely different from those faced on Super Trains, heavily featuring Pokémon that are not fully evolved and limited to Generation V Pokémon only, as opposed to the Super Trains, which feature Pokémon from the first five generations, all of which are fully evolved, with the exception of Porygon2. The number of Pokémon used varies with the battle mode of the train as follows:
After defeating a set of Subway Trainers, the player is dropped off at a stop from where they can continue their challenge by boarding the train again, or return to Gear Station (from where the challenge can also be resumed). Like the trains, these stops are part of the actual Battle Subway location, although they do not feature its background music, バトルサブウェイ The Battle Subway. Like on the Royal Unova, most key items cannot be used here. A stop features benches, trash cans, a subway map, and a Vending Machine. Two Depot Agents managing the player's fare are found at each stop, joined by a number of other Battle Subway challengers which decreases as the player's win streak grows until none are left. Some of these fellow Battle Subway challengers will hand the player a gift when engaged:
The number of Battle Points awarded after seven consecutive victories varies with the length of the current win streak, as shown in the table below. 10 Battle Points are awarded for every seven consecutive victories on the Wi-Fi Trains.
Battle Points
Win streak
Normal
Super
7
3
5
14
3
6
21 (Normal Trains Subway Bosses)
10
7
28
8
35
9
42
10
49 (Super Trains Subway Bosses)
30
56 (and subsequent multiples of 7)
10
Variable scoring
For every time a Trainer is defeated and the player advances to the next cabin, a sound effect or beat is added to the background music, バトルサブウェイ The Battle Subway. In the first cabin of every train, only the sound of train tracks is played. Subsequently, jingles, bongo drum beats, and a bass tune are added, until the last (seventh) cabin, where a soft melody can be heard in the background.
Partners
In the Multi Trains and Super Multi Trains, the player can team up with another player via wireless or infrared. Otherwise, the player can team up with the NPC Hilbert, Hilda, Nate, or Rosa depending on the player's gender and game version. The NPC will ask what kind of team the player would prefer to team up with, based on attack, defense, or balance, and adjusts their team accordingly.
Pokémon
Banned Pokémon
Regardless of which Battle Subway train is boarded, the following Pokémon, along with their respective alternate forms are not allowed:
Subway Bosses are sometimes fought instead of regular Subway Trainers. Unlike regular Subway Trainers who use a set of Pokémon randomly drawn from their roster, Subway Bosses have a predetermined team for every battle, although the team order does vary.
When the Subway Bosses are defeated on both the Super Single and Super Double Trains, a Trainer star is earned in Pokémon Black and White Versions. In all versions, the player is given a trophy for their room upon defeating the Super Single, Super Double, and Super Multi Subway Bosses for the first time, resulting in a total of three obtainable trophies. Obtained trophies from Pokémon Black and White Versions can be displayed in the Nuvema Town player's room of Pokémon Black and White Versions 2 via Memory Link.
In the anime
Gear Station in the anime
The Battle Subway appeared in the anime as typical public transportation for the citizens of Nimbasa City, as well as featuring Battle Trains that Trainers may battle on. The Gear Station made a short cameo in Meowth's Scrafty Tactics! as Jessie and James began the next phase of their mission. They continued their mission in Purrloin: Sweet or Sneaky?, Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief!, and Beartic Mountain Feud!. In Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief! their actions were noticed by Emmet and his brother Ingo through their security office. In Beartic Mountain Feud!, the twins set out to find the cause of the disturbances and they caught a glimpse of Team Rocket, but lost them among the shadows of the subway tunnels.
In Crisis from the Underground Up! and Battle for the Underground, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Meowth used the Battle Subway trains as a means of transport to reach the Pokémon Center. After the train was stopped, due to Team Rocket tampering with the rail switches, the group met Emmet and Ingo. While they were resting at the Pokémon Center, Team Rocket executed their scheme to steal all the Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, and used the Battle Subway as a medium for transporting them. They used their own specialized train, and were able to create balloon-like duplicates to throw off Emmet and Ingo's security center computer which monitors all trains currently on the rails. Ash, Iris, and Cilan were then assigned to use the maintenance trains to find Team Rocket and retrieve the stolen Pokémon. When things got rough, Ingo and Emmet joined them, using Emmet's Eelektross as a super-charged power supply for the maintenance train.
In Lost at the Stamp Rally!, a Stamp Rally was held, offering the prize of an opportunity to battle the Subway Bosses. Cilan entered the challenge, and after he completed the collection and helped Ingo and Emmet reunite a lost Axew with her Trainer, he partnered with Ash to battle the twins. They faced Ingo and Emmet's Chandelure and Eelektross, but lost.
The Battle Subway is the only battle facility that was not expanded or altered between original and follow-up versions, appearing in Black 2 and White 2 just like it was in Black and White, even in terms of the specific Pokémon used by opponents.
Unlike previous battling facilities, the player does not automatically lose if both Trainers' last Pokémon faint simultaneously; instead, the Trainer whose Pokémon fell first loses.
