Welcome to a new entry in the 'My Pokemon Gym' series. This series allows me to post about my potential life as a gym leader; showcasing the Pokemon I would use at different stages of battle. We'll do these in order from my favorite to least-favorite type. For this particular entry, I'll be showcasing my talents as a master of Fire-type Pokemon. So please sit back, and comment below! For those unsure on the series in general, I've outlined background information and the rules for the series in this following blog-post:

Gym #1

Houndour | Level 14 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Ember, Smog, Roar
Vulpix | Level 16 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Ember, Quick Attack, Confuse Ray

Favorite TM: Sunny Day

Gym Leader Comment: For the first gym in a region, it needs to be easy but challenging. And for the FFire-type, we start with Houndour and Vulpix. These would be par for the course at this point. Houndour would be more dangerous up-front, and Vulpix would have a little more bulk to deal with. Accordingly, Houndour also has Smog with a chance to Poison, and Vulpix with Confuse Ray to confuse it's attackers and give it the advantage. The challenge comes in with their complete immunity to other fire-type attacks - boosting their own Ember if hit by one, and the ability to set up Sunny Day to reduce damage from Water-type attacks.  

Gym #2

Houndour | Level 22 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Ember, Smog, Bite
Vulpix | Level 24 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Ember, Will-O-Wisp, Feint Attack

Favorite TM: Sunny Day

Gym Leader Comment: By the second gym, you should begin to have a much more varied team; and this could include physical hitters with moves like Dig, Rollout or Rock Throw. Well not today. Vulpix now carries Will-O-Wisp to burn and then cripple its opponents. It can also hit with Feint Attack now; useful for enemies trying to pull evasion tactics. Houndour itself likes to play dirty; and attempts to flinch opponents with Bite. Sunny Day is still used here and rewarded as your victory TM.   

Gym #3

Houndour | Level 27 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Ember, Smog, Bite
Ponyta | Level 25 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Flame Wheel, Stomp, Fire Spin
Ninetales | Level 29 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Will-o-Wisp, Hex, Flame Burst

Favorite TM: Roost

Gym Leader Comment: At the third gym, the threat increases from two Pokemon to three. Ponyta is added to the challenge here; once again using Sunny Day. Ponyta attempts to force you to stay in and take damage from Fire Spin; and then Stomp and flinch you while you try and make a comeback. The other major change here is Vulpix; who has now evolved. The newly evolved Ninetales continues firing off Will-O-Wisp; but then punishes burned Pokemon with the incredible Hex - doubling in power on a burned target. You better have some burn heal. 

Gym #4

Houndoom | Level 34 | Flash Fire | Flamethrower, Sunny Day, Smog, Bite
Ponyta | Level 31 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Flame Wheel, Fire Spin, Take-Down
Ninetales | Level 35 | Flash Fire | Flamethrower, Sunny Day, Nasty Plot, Extrasensory

Favorite TM: Flamethrower

Gym Leader Comment: A new TM is awarded, the scalding Flamethrower. A move unlike any you have battled thus far; with incredible base power - and a scathing boost from Sunny Day too. Houndour has now evolved into Houndoom. This dark doggy will immediately set up the sun and fire off incredibly powerful Flamethrowers. Ponyta will boost her Fire Spin and Flame Wheel from the Sun and have Take-Down for neutral hits. Finally Ninetales has adapted completely; no longer does she attempt to burn and then hex; instead she just utterly destroys by setting up Nasty Plot and abusing Extrasensory and Sun-boosted Flamethrower.

Gym #5

Houndoom | Level 36 | Flash Fire | Flamethrower, Sunny Day, Nasty Plot, Thunder Fang
Flareon | Level 33 | Flash Fire | Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Bite, Fire Fang
Ponyta | Level 34 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Flame Wheel, Fire Spin, Take-Down
Ninetales | Level 37 | Flash Fire | Flamethrower, Sunny Day, Nasty Plot, Extrasensory

Favorite TM: Flamethrower

Gym Leader Comment: From three to four. The fire-type Eeveelution; Flareon is added to the roster here. It utilises Sand-Attack to lower accuracy and then proceeds to attempt flinches and burns. Houndoom also gains access to the immense Nasty Plot now and has Thunder Fang to use for coverage on foolish Water types.  Ponyta and Ninetales remain in the back with the same strategies ready to stomp on any mistakes. 

Gym #6

Houndoom | Level 40 | Flash Fire | Flamethrower, Sunny Day, Nasty Plot, Thunder Fang
Flareon | Level 38 | Flash Fire | Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Bite, Fire Fang
Ponyta | Level 38 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Flame Wheel, Fire Spin, Take-Down
Ninetales | Level 41 | Flash Fire | Flamethrower, Sunny Day, Nasty Plot, Extrasensory

Favorite TM: Flamethrower

Gym Leader Comment: Outside of a few level up increases, there's no real variation here. It's easy to get overconfident at a stage like this; but the team know their shit by this point; and know how to combat opponents. But do you know how to combat them? 

Gym #7

Houndoom | Level 45 | Flash Fire | Fire Blast , Nasty Plot, Thunder Fang, Foul Play
Flareon | Level 44 | Flash Fire | Fire Fang, Last Resort
Rapidash | Level 44 | Flash Fire | Fire Blast, Sunny Day, Flame Wheel, Take-Down
Ninetales | Level 47 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Nasty Plot, Extrasensory, Fire Blast

Favorite TM: Fire Blast

Gym Leader Comment: A new TM is now ushered in; the less accurate but much more dangerous Fire Blast. The slight increase in power can be deadly in certain circumstances. Ones that Houndoom knows quite well with its Nasty Plot potential. It loses Sunny Day to have Foul Play; a Dark-STAB which calculates based on the opponent's attack stat. Let's hope you don't set up a Swords Dance at any point. Flareon reduces to two moves; Fire Fang and then the hellish Last Resort. Rapidash and Ninetales also now gain the new TM; Fire Blast 

Gym #8

Talonflame | Level 50 | Flame Body | Flare Blitz, Quick Attack, Roost, Acrobatics
Houndoom | Level 53 | Flash Fire | Fire Blast , Nasty Plot, Thunder Fang, Foul Play
Flareon | Level 52 | Flash Fire | Last Resort, Flare Blitz
Rapidash | Level 52 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Poison Jab, Megahorn, Flare Blitz
Ninetales | Level 55 | Flash Fire | Sunny Day, Nasty Plot, Extrasensory, Fire Blast

Favorite TM: Fire Blast

Gym Leader Comment: The final Gym team tests trainers to the extreme. And the main addition here is the first non-Flash Fire Pokemon; Talonflame. While it might be easy to attack with contact physical moves to blow back this thing; there should always be the reminder that Flame Body can cripple opponents if it activates. However, leaving it too long is dangerous as it can attack with Flare Blitz, boosted Acrobatics and then heal away with Roost. Flareon also gains Flare Blitz; changing Fire Fang for it. The other main change here is Rapidash; gaining a much more suitable and coverage-filled moveset of Poison, Bug and Fire attacks. Houndoom and Ninetales retain their threatening set-up potential. 

Gym Rematch

Ninetales | Level 69 | Drought | Calm Mind, Toxic, Solarbeam, Fire Blast
Talonflame | Level 67 | Gale Wings | Brave Bird, Flare Blitz, Roost, U-Turn
Flareon | Level 65 | Guts | Flare Blitz, Will-O-Wisp, Curse, Wish
Rapidash | Level 65 | Flame Body | Flare Blitz, Wild Charge, Horn Drill, Hypnosis
Houndoom | Level 68 | Flash Fire | Nasty Plot, Fire Blast, Sludge Bomb, Dark Pulse
Charizard (M:Y) | Level 70 | Blaze | Roost, Solarbeam, Dragon Pulse, Blast Burn

Gym Leader Comment: The Gym-Leader rematch is meant to become the ultimate test of a Pokemon-type. Starting this battle off, we have the previous gym-ace; Ninetales. But there's a slight difference about this one. It's ability is Drought; allowing it to set up the Sun right away. It then proceeds to set up Calm Mind; throw out Toxic when in danger, and then fire off one-turn Solarbeam, and Sun-boosted Fire Blast. Next you face the bravest of all birds; Gale Wings Talonflame... with Brave Bird... and Sun-boosted Flare Blitz, priority Roost and high speed U-Turn. You have to be careful with trying to poison any of the team as Flareon can switch in at any point; utilising Guts to boost its power. It then throws out immense Flare Blitz, uses Will-O-Wisp to cripple it's opponents, uses Curse to set up and heal off any damage with Wish. Rapidash likes to have fun; not only can it use Flare Blitz and Wild Charge for coverage; it's extra slots go to the inaccurate Hypnosis and very inaccurate Horn Drill; but how funny would it be if it hit those... Houndoom returns as the only Flash Fire user. It keeps Nasty Plot and also uses Fire Blast, Sludge Bomb and Dark Pulse for all sorts of crazy combinations. And the final Pokemon... The Doragun Not-Doragun... Charizard... Mega Charziard Y. Setting up Drought as soon as it mega evolves; it can fire off powerful Solarbeams, Dragon Pulses and heal off any damage with Roost. And in last minute circumstances... Charizard can use Sun-boosted Blast Burn. I heard it's so powerful, it even knocks out some Greninja... Hehe.