Pokémon Trainer
- Trainer redirects here. For other uses, see Trainer (disambiguation).
A Pokémon Trainer (Japanese: ポケモントレーナー Pokémon Trainer) is a person who catches, trains, cares for and battles with Pokémon. The majority of people within the known Pokémon world are Trainers.
Background
Many Trainers leave home at about the age of ten, sometimes accompanied with a starter Pokémon obtained from a Pokémon Professor, such as Oak. Many will travel around one or more regions, doing such things as gathering information for a Pokédex, perfecting their technique, collecting Badges, and working to become a Pokémon Master. No matter what their specialties or aims, there is one code that they all follow—when two Trainers make eye contact, they must have a battle.
Pokémon Trainers come in all sorts of classes: Youngsters tend to stay close to home, and Bug Catchers swarm about the Bug-filled forests; Hikers traverse mountains and caves, Fishermen are rarely far from water, and Ace Trainers aspire to compete in the Pokémon League. A Trainer's class may reflect their Pokémon of choice, the areas they prefer, their technique, and their level of skill; however, even within each class, Trainers may vary greatly.
Many towns have a Gym run by a strong and experienced Trainer known as a Gym Leader. Other Trainers may challenge a Gym Leader, and if the Gym Leader is defeated in battle, he or she awards them a Pokémon League Badge. However, in the Pokémon anime, the Gym Leader may award the Trainer a Badge for other reasons, since the Badge is a symbol of the Trainer's skill. For example, Ash Ketchum won several of his early Badges by refusing to take an unfair advantage or going out of his way to save a Gym, which proved himself as an exceptional Trainer outside of battle.
Above the level of Gym Leaders are the Elite Four Trainers and Pokémon League Champion. There are also a special class of Trainers known as the Frontier Brains, but they are unique to Pokémon Emerald, Pokémon Platinum, and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver and part of a privately owned institution known as the Battle Frontier, and so may not be recognized by the League. These Trainers are considered the cream of the crop, and can only be challenged if a Trainer has met requirements such as winning eight Badges. Should a Trainer defeat other Trainers at this level, it is not uncommon for him or her to be offered a place in these high ranks.
However, just as there are many Trainers with noble goals and lawful methods, there are also corrupt Trainers, including a number of villainous teams. These Trainers often use powerful Pokémon to take what they want and further their plans.
Trainer class
Trainer classes are the types of Pokémon Trainers one can battle in all core series Pokémon games. They come in different varieties and sprites which describe their occupation, estimated age, and sometimes what Pokémon they train. For example, a Psychic is a young adult with telekinetic powers who trains Psychic-type Pokémon.
All Trainer classes have overworld or field sprites that sometimes may be used for non-Trainers. Unlike in-battle sprites, overworld sprites may be shared between multiple Trainer classes such as the Ace Trainer overworld sprite, which is shared with Dragon Tamers and Pokémon Rangers in Generation IV. Notable Trainer classes, such as Gym Leaders, have unique sprites between each individual one. Trainer classes can be combined in certain Double Battles; for example a Crush Girl and a Black Belt can team up to form a Crush Kin; however, special class names are not created for Trainers involved in a Multi Battle.
While in Colosseum and Pokémon XD, there is one model for each minor Trainer class, in Pokémon Battle Revolution, each minor Trainer class can consist of multiple models.
List of Trainer classes
- Main article: Category:Trainer classes
Super Smash Bros. series
- Main article: Pokémon Trainer (Super Smash Bros.)
There is a playable character called "Pokémon Trainer" in the game Super Smash Bros. Brawl. His appearance is based on Red's Generation III design, and he uses members of the evolutionary families of the Kanto starters to battle against the others.
Trophy information
Two trophies appear in the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, one of the Brawl character and one of the player characters from Pokémon X and Y.
Pokémon Trainer
NA: Pop quiz! What do Misty, Brock, Cynthia, Iris, and Ash all have in common? That's right—they're all Pokémon Trainers! This Pokémon Master in the making is the same. Back in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, he fought to be the very best—like no one ever was. To smash them was his real test—to launch them was his cause!
PAL: Quiz time! What do Misty, Brock, Cynthia, Iris and Ash all have in common? That's right - they're all Pokémon Trainers! This Pokémon Master in the making is just the same. He fought to be the very best - like no one ever was - back in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. To smash them was his real test - to launch them was his cause.
Pokémon Trainer (Pokémon X & Y) (NA)/Trainers (PAL)
NA: We suppose it's possible you've missed out up till now, so let us explain: in Pokémon, you set out from your hometown on a Pokémon journey, catching Pokémon and fighting battles with them. In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, you reach the next town and find yourself embroiled in a tale of... No, wait—no spoilers!
PAL: If you've been living under a rock for some years now, let us explain. In Pokémon, you start from your home town on your own Pokémon journey, catching Pokémon and fighting battles with them. In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, you reach the next town and find yourself embroiled in a tale of... Well, we won't spoil it for you.
As a Trainer class
In the games, Pokémon Trainer (rendered as "PKMN Trainer" until Generation VI, in which the full title "Pokémon Trainer" is written out) is used as the Trainer class for certain storyline characters. These opponents tend to be the most powerful non-arena Trainers the player will face, notably including rivals (except Blue and Silver, who are instead outright referred to as rivals), Red from Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, Steven from Pokémon Emerald, the Stat Trainers from Pokémon Platinum, Cynthia from Generation V, Rood, Alder, and the former Striaton City Gym Leaders Cilan, Chili, and Cress from Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, AZ and Essentia from Pokémon X and Y, and Zinnia in her first encounter from Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. N and Colress also use this class until they are revealed to be members of Team Plasma, and return back to using it after Team Plasma's defeat. Malva also uses this class when battled during the Looker Quest. This class is used for every opponent in link battles and the Pokémon World Tournament.
Trivia
- For Gettin' Twiggy With It!, Professor Oak's lecture is about the Pokémon Trainer. He writes this Pokémon senryū about it: さあ10さい ぼくもわたしも トレーナー Sā jussai, boku mo watashi mo torēnā. "Ah, the age 10; we will all be Trainers."
- It is stated in the anime that a person may not become a Trainer until the age of 10; however, this is not the case in other media as some Trainers are obviously below the minimum age, such as the Trainer classes Twins, Tuber, and Preschooler. Some Preschoolers in the Battle Subway emphasize the fact that they are four years old.
- In Generation I and Generation II, the word "Trainer" is not capitalized. However, it is capitalized in later games.
In other languages
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The Pokémon League | 
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| Participation Trainer • Battle • Gym Leaders Gyms • Badges • Referee Championship matches Elite Four • Orange League Champion League Pokémon League Conferences Indigo • Silver • Ever Grande • Lily of the Valley Vertress • Lumiose • Manalo |
Regional Pokémon Leagues Indigo • Orange* • Johto • Hoenn • Sinnoh Unova (BB) • Kalos • Alola • Galar • Paldea Areas of jurisdiction Pokémon League Reception Gate • Hall of Fame Palace of Victory • Cerulean Cave • Area Zero Others Admissions Exam • Pokémon Association PIA • World Coronation Series (Masters Eight Tournament) | ||
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This Trainer Class article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games. |
