Piers

Piers ネズ Nezu
Artwork from Sword and Shield
Gender	Male
Eye color	Green
Hair color	Black and white
Hometown	Spikemuth
Region	Galar
Relatives	Marnie (younger sister)
Trainer class	Gym Leader
Generation	VIII
Games	Sword and Shield
Leader of	Spikemuth Gym
Badge	Dark Badge
Specializes in	Dark types
Member of	Team Yell
Rank	Captain

Piers (Japanese: ネズ Nezu) is the Gym Leader of Spikemuth and the captain of Team Yell. He specializes in Dark-type Pokémon. He gives the Dark Badge to Trainers who defeat him. During the events of Pokémon Sword and Shield, he retires from his position as a Gym Leader and passes the title on to his little sister, Marnie.

In the games

In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Piers is the only Gym Leader absent from the Gym Challenge's opening ceremony in Motostoke. He makes his first appearance once the player clears the Spikemuth Gym Challenge, where it is revealed that the Team Yell Grunts are actually Spikemuth Gym Trainers in disguise, and that their leader is Piers. Spikemuth is the only Gym in Galar not built over a Power Spot; previously, Chairman Rose had asked Piers to relocate his Gym to a faraway Power Spot, but Piers refused and opted to be the only Gym Leader not to use Dynamax. After the player defeats Piers, Marnie approaches him for her turn at the Gym Challenge. Their conversation reveals that Piers had previously planned to retire as Gym Leader after the Champion Cup ended and planned to pass down the role to his little sister. However, Marnie refused the offer, stating that she could not be a Gym Leader if she succeeds in becoming Champion.

After the player defeats Marnie in the Champion Cup Semifinals in Wyndon, Piers rededicates Team Yell to cheering on the player instead. He and Team Yell assist the player and Hop in accessing Rose Tower by helping them find the Macro Cosmos's League staff hiding the monorail key needed to reach the tower.

Piers plays a vital role in helping to stop the Dynamax Pokémon created by Sordward and Shielbert. He accompanies the player and Hop to all the stadiums in Galar to help their Gym Leaders defeat the Dynamax Pokémon. After the player captures Zacian^Sw/Zamazenta^Sh, Piers gives them his rare League Card and returns to Spikemuth, where he can be found giving a concert to the members of Team Yell. He can also appear as an opponent in the player's Champion Cup rematches.

League Cards

This is a transcript of the back of Piers's League Cards in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Normal League Card

"Spikemuth lacks a Power Spot that would allow Pokémon to Dynamax, and thus not many fans come to visit the town. Piers feels responsible for allowing his town to fall into obscurity and dilapidation. Once in battle, Piers tends to get riled up and will often reveal his strategy early on, but he has the strength and skill to triumph regardless. However, his true passions are singing and song writing, and his talents in these fields are well-known. As such, he currently hopes that his younger sister will take over as Gym Leader."

Rare League Card

"Here are some words from Piers when he first became the Gym Leader of Spikemuth. "Uh... ... ... The name's Piers. It's too bad we can't Dynamax our Pokémon in Spikemuth, but you could say we have a more authentic style of Pokémon battles. And I plan on showin' that off. And well... I have a younger sister, and she's got way more talent than me. But until she's old enough to become Gym Leader, I'll keep rockin' with my crew and make sure Spikemuth stays lively!""

Pokémon

Piers keeps his Pokémon in Dusk Balls.

Pokémon Sword and Shield

Gym battle

Gym Leader Piers Spikemuth Sword and Shield Reward: $7,360

Types: Dark Fighting Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Scrafty♂ Lv.44 Fake Out Normal Physical   --       Sand Attack Ground Status   --       Brick Break Fighting Physical   --       Payback Dark Physical   --       Types: Dark Psychic Ability: Contrary Held item: None Malamar♂ Lv.45 Night Slash Dark Physical   --       Foul Play Dark Physical   --       Psycho Cut Psychic Physical   --       Payback Dark Physical   --       Types: Poison Dark Ability: Aftermath Held item: None Skuntank♂ Lv.45 Sucker Punch Dark Physical   --       Screech Normal Status   --       Toxic Poison Status   --       Snarl Dark Special   --       Types: Dark Normal Ability: Reckless Held item: None Obstagoon♂ Lv.46 Obstruct Dark Status   --       Throat Chop Dark Physical   --       Counter Fighting Physical   --       Shadow Claw Ghost Physical   --

Max Raid Battle partner

Piers uses this Pokémon in the Max Raid Battles in Turffield, Hulbury, and Motostoke Stadiums.

Pokémon Trainer Piers Galar Sword and Shield Reward: N/A
Types: Dark Normal Ability: Reckless Held item: None Obstagoon♂ Lv.62 Cross Chop Fighting Physical   --       Snarl Dark Special   --       Throat Chop Dark Physical   --       Shadow Claw Ghost Physical   --

Champion Cup rematches

Pokémon Trainer Piers Wyndon Stadium Sword and Shield Reward: $9,920

Types: Dark Fighting Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Scrafty♂ Lv.60 Fake Out Normal Physical   --       Sand Attack Ground Status   --       Brick Break Fighting Physical   --       Payback Dark Physical   --       Types: Dark Psychic Ability: Contrary Held item: None Malamar♂ Lv.60 Night Slash Dark Physical   --       Foul Play Dark Physical   --       Psycho Cut Psychic Physical   --       Payback Dark Physical   --       Types: Poison Dark Ability: Aftermath Held item: None Skuntank♂ Lv.61 Sucker Punch Dark Physical   --       Screech Normal Status   --       Toxic Poison Status   --       Snarl Dark Special   --       Types: Electric Poison Ability: Held item: None Toxtricity♂ Lv.61 Overdrive Electric Special   --       Sludge Bomb Poison Special   --       Taunt Dark Status   --       Venom Drench Poison Status   --       Types: Dark Normal Ability: Reckless Held item: None Obstagoon♂ Lv.62 Obstruct Dark Status   --       Throat Chop Dark Physical   --       Counter Fighting Physical   --       Shadow Claw Ghost Physical   --

Caught for someone else

Morpeko ♀

Debut	Pokémon Sword and Shield

When Marnie was five, Piers caught this Morpeko as a present to his little sister, which eventually became her starter Pokémon. According to her League Card, Marnie's Morpeko helped her become less of a crybaby and more cheerful and outgoing.

Artwork

Piers's League Card in Sword and Shield	Piers's rare League Card in Sword and Shield

Trivia

• Piers's uniform number is "061", which can be read in Japanese as goroawase for 悪い warui, meaning "bad".
• Piers is the second villainous team leader to be fought as a Gym Leader, the first being Giovanni in Generations I, III, and VII.
  • Like Giovanni, Piers eventually passes on his Gym Leader status to another Trainer. Incidentally, both Giovanni's and Piers's successors were introduced as rivals before becoming Gym Leaders.
  • Interestingly, Piers is the first Dark-type Gym Leader, but also keeps with the long tradition of villainous team leaders using Dark-type Pokémon.
• Unlike past villainous team leaders, Piers has no evil intentions or goals. Instead, his only intention is for his sister Marnie to take over his role as Gym Leader.
• Part of Piers's battle music is remixed from the music used for the final battle against N in Pokémon Black and White.

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	ネズ Nezu	From 杜松 nezu (temple juniper)
English	Piers	From the genus Juniperus and possibly pierce
German	Nezz	Similar to his Japanese name
Spanish	Nerio	From enebro (juniper) and possibly negro (black)
French	Peterson	From peteron (common juniper)
Italian	Ginepro	From ginepro (juniper) and possibly nero (black)
Korean	두송 Dusong	From 두송 (杜松) dusong (temple juniper)
Chinese (Mandarin)	聶梓 / 聂梓 Nièzǐ	From the transcription of his Japanese name and possibly 梓 zǐ (catalpa)
Chinese (Cantonese)	聶梓 Nihpjí

Team Yell
Spikemuth
Captain	Related
Piers (Masters)	Marnie (Masters)
Lower members
Team Yell Grunts • Spikemuth Gym Trainers

Gym Leaders of the Galar region
Turffield Stadium Milo	Hulbury Stadium Nessa	Motostoke Stadium Kabu	Stow-on-Side Stadium Bea Allister
Ballonlea Stadium Opal Bede	Circhester Stadium Gordie Melony	Spikemuth Gym Piers Marnie	Hammerlocke Stadium Raihan

This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.