Motostoke Stadium is the largest building in the city and is the site at which the third installment in the Galarregion's Gym Challenge takes place. This is also where the Gym Challenge's opening ceremony is held before the Gym Challengers depart to challenge the first Gym. It is located at the northeastern part of the city, at the upper tier.
Gym Challenge
Gym mission
During the Gym mission, the player is required to earn five points by defeating or catchingwild Pokémon in tall grass. Catching a Pokémon yields two points, whereas defeating it yields one point.
Each of the three areas of tall grass within the Gym hosts one visible Pokémon as a stationary wanderer (there are no hidden encounters in this grass). They disappear if they are caught or defeated, or if the player runs from the encounter, but respawn as soon as the player encounters another Pokémon.
In each field of grass, a Gym Trainer stands near the visible Pokémon. When the player encounters a Pokémon, the player and that Gym Trainer will face off in a 2-on-1 competitive wild encounter. The Gym Trainer may choose to attack either the player's Pokémon or the wild Pokémon, but they will not attempt to catch the wild Pokémon. The Gym Trainer is considered the player's ally—this means the player earns no experience for knocking the Gym Trainer's Pokémon out, and that if the player's Pokémon uses a move that affects allies (such as Light Screen), it will also affect the Gym Trainer's Pokémon. The player can run from these wild encounters, but unlike in normal wild battles, they are not be presented with the option to run if their Pokémon faints.
The scoreboard in the middle of the area keeps track of the player's current score. If the Gym Trainer's Pokémon causes the wild Pokémon to faint (including due to a status condition it inflicted), the player does not earn any points or experience.
The player cannot use Pokémon Camp, Pokémon Box Link, or VS during the Gym mission or in the hallway before the Gym battle.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
Trainers
These Trainers appear as rivals in wild encounters. The player does not battle them directly.
While pursuing Sordward and Shielbert, the brothers will use their stock of Wishing Stars to force a Torkoal from the Stadium to Dynamax against its will, causing it to rampage in the Stadium. The player faces it with Hop, Piers, and Kabu in a Max Raid Battle to defeat it and calm it down.
Motostoke Stadium appeared in Kabu's Battle Training!, where Liko and Roy visited it to find out if Kabu knew anything about the BlackRayquaza. Upon arrival, they also met Wakaba, a Gym Trainer-in-training. While supporting Roy's dream of wanting catch Rayquaza someday, Kabu emphasized starting from the basics and put Liko and Roy through a training test: by using their Pokémon's most basic attacks (Sprigatito's Leafage and Fuecoco's Ember) in creative ways, they would aim to either extinguish or light up the flames on a group of Litwick, with the one who managed to do so on every Litwick present before the other winning.
After Roy had won the test, Kabu challenged the two young Trainers to a Tag Battle, with Wakaba working as his partner. Although Roy's Fuecoco ended up learning Flamethrower, Kabu's Centiskorch was able to defeat it with ease on its own, after which Kabu withdrew from the battle to turn it into a one-on-one match between Liko and Wakaba. Though Liko quickly gained an upper hand over Wakaba's Rolycoly, she suddenly surrendered, wanting to support Wakaba's dream of becoming a Gym Trainer by letting her win. However, this only angered Wakaba, who sought to earn her position, causing her to lash out against Liko. Kabu explained to Liko that showing compassion is not always the right choice in a battle, as she had inadvertently disrespected her opponent and Sprigatito by forfeiting. Liko and Wakaba reconciled afterward, realizing their poor behavior towards each other.
Pokémon used in the Gym
Gym Test
Litwick (×20)
These 20 Litwick were the focus of Kabu's Gym test. Ten started with their flames lit, and ten started with their flames extinguished. Liko and Sprigatito were charged with extinguishing all their flames, while Roy and Fuecoco were tasked with lighting them all, competing against each other.
After Henry, Casey, Bede, Marnie, and Hop had all defeated Nessa at Hulbury, they moved on to challenge Kabu at Motostoke Stadium. In Gulp Gulp!! Pokémon, after Henry, Bede, and Marnie had won their matches, it was Casey's turn to challenge the Motostoke Gym Leader. With the help of her newly retrieved Arrokuda, Kilo, Casey was able to defeat Kabu. Hop also beat him afterwards, allowing the five Gym Challengers to move on in their Gym Challenge.
Pokémon used in the Gym
Centiskorch ↔ Gigantamax Centiskorch
Centiskorch is Kabu's only known Pokémon. It was first seen being defeated by Marnie's Morpeko in a Gym battle. It was later seen facing Casey's Arrokuda, Kilo, in its Gigantamaxed form, but was defeated as well.
The following is a list of cards mentioning or featuring Motostoke Stadium in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Motostoke Stadium Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
