Stat Trainers
Stat Trainers is a fan term for a group of five Pokémon Trainers; Cheryl, Mira, Riley, Buck, and Marley; who specialize in Pokémon that excel in a certain stat.
In the games
The stat Trainers first appeared in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, where each is encountered at a certain point during the player's journey. Unlike other Trainers, the stat Trainers ask the player to help them to navigate their way through a certain area, participating in double battles against other Trainers and wild Pokémon, and healing the player's Pokémon after each battle.
After the player has defeated the Elite Four, the stat Trainers that the player has so far encountered (only Cheryl is required to be encountered during the game's storyline; the others are optional) will be waiting in the Battle Tower to participate in tag-team double battles.
In Pokémon Platinum, in addition to reprising their role from Diamond and Pearl, the stat Trainers the player has encountered will also appear in the Battleground in the Survival Area as potential opponents. Riley and Buck are also now required to complete the game's storyline, with both of their scenarios involving Team Galactic.
In the anime
So far, three of the five have appeared in the anime, doing so in the same order they can be first encountered in the games.
Cheryl was the first to appear, in Some Enchanted Sweetening and the two episodes that followed. As in the games, she traveled with Ash and his friends through Eterna Forest. After finding the honey she was looking for in An Angry Combee-nation!, she left the group.
The next to appear was Mira, in Sandshrew's Locker!. Unlike in the games, she was not lost in Wayward Cave, but instead needed Ash and his friends to help her with their Template:Type2 Pokémon to retrieve her Sandshrew from her sunken school. After this was done, she had her Abra teleport the group to Hearthome City.
Riley made his appearance most recently, when Ash journeyed to Iron Island in Steeling Peace of Mind!, after facing Byron. Like Ash, Riley has the ability to use Aura. He and his Lucario, along with Ash and his friends, stop Team Galactic's plot to discover the location of Spear Pillar on Mt. Coronet while attempting to calm the Template:Type2s that are disturbed by the beam the evil team is sending at the mountain in the next episode.
Sprites
Trivia
- All the stat Trainers' names are based on a variety of grains, in the original Japanese and all translated versions.
- Based on how they hold their Poké Balls, the Trainer's back sprites were likely edited from the player character's sprites. This was later followed by Silver in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
- The stat Trainers are the only Pokémon Trainers with animated sprites that use the standard Trainer battle music.
- There is no stat Trainer that specializes in only Special Defense.
Professor Rowan • Professor Oak • Johanna • Barry • Lucas • Dawn • Cynthia • Looker • Stat Trainers (Cheryl • Riley • Mira • Buck • Marley)
Bebe • Teala • Felicity • Roseanne • Rad Rickshaw • Eldritch • Wilma • Jasmine • Caitlin • Julia • Jordan • Dexter • Keira • Mr. Backlot • Morimoto
Underground Man • Mr. Goods • Mr. Fuego • Pokétch Co. President • Dr. Footstep • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman • Helena • Ketch Appy
Team Galactic • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Frontier Brains • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Professor's assistants • Stats judge
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