What determines the order in which gym leaders send out their Pokemon in sapphire?

Question

basically, I want to know if there's any set order or if there's some AI behind it or if it's just random.

Comments

I think their non-fainted Pokemon are in a set order. When sending out a Pokemon, they look at your Pokemon, and send out the first one of theirs that has a super effective attack. If none have any super effective attacks, then they just send out their first one.

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sumwun is correct. They've definitely got some sort of battle intelligence, but how much I have no idea. I doubt it is random.

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They send out their Pokemon in a set order.

Source: Knowledge and lots of Bulbapedia

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Converting this to a comment because it doesn't suffice as an answer unless it has clear evidence to support it.

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not sure what determines it, but i think its just the coding of the game. it would be harder to add a randomizer to an already large game for the time.

Answer 1

Gym leaders basically have their first Pokémon fixed (as we have our first Pokémon in our party). You can't see their Pokémon before sending your first one. From second one onwards, they check your Pokémon and send out theirs which has Super Effective moves. It is not random, they should have some sort of battle intelligence in order to make Gym battles a little tough. If they have none, they would be helpless and send theirs in random.

For example, one Pokémon would be the most powerful, but not sent first by a Gym leader.
Eg. Fortree City Gym - Swablu, Pelipper, Skarmory, Tropious, and Altaria; and Altaria is mentioned by DB in last, Swablu is mentioned at the first. She sends Swablu first, her first Pokemon (I'm talking about my emerald, giving you an example to make you understand) Click this link for details. I'm facing them with Manectric. Swablu fainted with a spark. Since Altaria take neutral damage with electric moves, and also has Earthquake, The gym leader sent Altaria and OHKO'd it.

This is how it works xD
Hope I helped.

Comments

I don't know if this has changed or not, but in Sword, I battled against Leon, he sent out Aegislash first. I lost, and then he sent out a different Pokemon, so this answer may or may not be false

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This is for Sapphire though :P

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Yeah, but the AIs in SwSh aren’t what they used to be, and in SwSh and a few other games, Gyms have their Pokémon fixed.

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That's why I said I am unsure

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Umm... Why is it flagged? I had just answered for Sapphire, and I am sure it needs more info to deserve BA.

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I don’t know, this seems like a good answer to me.

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Clearing flags for now.