and moves.

Learn how to conquer the Battle Tower in Pokémon Platinum, including strategies for Palmer and earning BP.

The Battle Tower in Pokémon Platinum is a returning feature from previous games, offering a challenge for trainers. You can engage in either one-on-one or two-on-two battles. For two-on-two battles, you can team up with specific battle partners you've met during the main game or with a friend via local wireless. If you choose the latter, the rival trainer will field four Pokémon. In single-player mode, both you and your opponent will use three Pokémon.

In the single-player Battle Tower, you select three eligible Pokémon from your party that are not holding identical items. Your Pokémon will be lowered to level 50, and your stats will be adjusted accordingly. You will then face randomly generated trainers with randomly generated Pokémon teams. After defeating a trainer, your Pokémon's health is fully restored. You will then be presented with three options:

• Keep Going: Continue to battle the next trainer.
• Rest: Save your game at your current progress point and resume later. You will always restart in the same area, and cannot leave until all your Pokémon faint or you choose to retire.
• Retire: End your current Battle Tower session. Be cautious, as this will forfeit any ongoing streaks.

Completing a streak of 7 battles rewards you with 3 BP (Battle Points). Once a streak is finished, the game saves, allowing you to take a break and return later for another streak. As you progress through streaks, the opponents' strategies and Pokémon become more challenging. For instance, opponents in your second streak will feature more advanced attacks and Pokémon with mid-evolutions or stronger type advantages compared to those on your first streak.

Warning: Be aware that the computer AI in the Battle Tower may sometimes employ tactics that feel unfair, such as increasing the accuracy of one-hit-kill moves like Guillotine or Fissure. To counter these:

• Use a Focus Sash item to survive a one-hit-kill move with 1 HP remaining.
• If the opponent uses Guillotine or Horn Drill, a Ghost-type Pokémon is effective. A Ghost-type Pokémon with the Levitate ability can also defend against Fissure, though it remains vulnerable to Sheer Cold. Gengar, Mismagius, and Rotom are good Ghost-type Pokémon with Levitate. Spiritomb, with its Pressure ability (forcing opponents to use 2 PP instead of 1), can also be helpful.
• A Pokémon with the Sturdy Ability can also prevent these attacks. Forretress, Donphan, Bastiodon, Golem, Sudowoodo, Steelix, Shuckle, Skarmory, Aggron, Magnezone, and Probopass all have this ability, as do some of their pre-evolutions. Note that Rampardos and Pinsir do not benefit from Sturdy against these moves, though Pinsir is the only one mentioned that can also use a one-hit-KO move.

After completing your third streak (21 consecutive battles) in single-player, you will unlock the opportunity to battle the Tower Tycoon, Palmer. Palmer is the father of your rival and presents a significant challenge.

Boss: Tower Tycoon Palmer

Palmer's Pokémon team consists of:

• Milotic Lv 50 (Water)
• Rhyperior Lv 50 (Rock/Ground)
• Dragonite Lv 50 (Dragon/Flying)

Palmer can be a tough opponent if you are not adequately prepared. Two of his Pokémon are weak to Ice-type attacks, so having a move like Ice Beam is recommended. While status-affecting moves like Toxic, Hypnosis, or Thunder Wave might seem useful, Milotic's ability can boost its defense, and Dragonite holds a Lum Berry that cures any status ailment upon the first infliction.

Palmer's Milotic, holding a Shell Bell, will recover 1/8th of the damage dealt to you. It can use Hypnosis to put your Pokémon to sleep and Attract to make it difficult for Pokémon of the opposite gender to attack. Surf and Ice Beam are powerful moves that can quickly defeat your team if you are not careful. Electric-type attacks are highly effective, especially if you can inflict a status effect like Toxic on Milotic. Any Pokémon with Thunderbolt is a good choice.

Next is Rhyperior, whose Solid Rock ability reduces the damage from super-effective moves. Moves that normally deal 2x damage (Fighting, Ground, Steel, Ice) will only deal 1.33x damage, and moves that would normally deal 4x damage will be less effective.