Pokémon Trainer

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For the character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl referred to as "Pokémon Trainer," see Red (game).
"Trainer" redirects here. For the type of Pokémon Trading Card Game card, see Trainer card.

File:Pokemon trainers.jpg
Pokémon Trainers (clockwise, starting at upper-left): a Team Aqua grunt, Blue, a Team Magma grunt, May and Brendan.

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.

Trainers from different classes: A Grunt, a Lass, and a Bug Catcher

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, 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 among their classes, 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, 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 champions. 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.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Main article: Red

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 evolution families of the Kanto starters to battle against the others.

Trivia

In other languages

  • Chinese (Cantonese): 寵物小精靈訓練員 (Chungmatsiujingling Fanlinyuen)
  • Chinese (Mandarin): 神奇寶貝訓練家 (Shénqíbaǒbeì Xùnliànjiā)
  • French: Dresseur Pokémon
  • German: Pokémon-Trainer
  • Italian: Allenatore di Pokémon
  • Korean: 포켓몬 트레이너 (Pocketmon Trainer)
  • Polish: Trener Pokémonów
  • Portuguese: Treinador Pokémon
  • Spanish: Entrenador Pokémon


Trivia

  • In Generation I, enemy trainers with artificial intelligence will always use a super effective move on one of the player's Pokémon if possible. This remains true even for status moves, such as Mist.

See also


RosaChallenge.png The Pokémon League VSMarshal.png
Participation
TrainerBattleGym Leaders
GymsBadgesReferee
Championship matches
Elite FourOrange League
Champion League
Pokémon League Conferences
IndigoSilverEver GrandeLily of the Valley
VertressLumioseManalo
Regional Pokémon Leagues
IndigoOrange*JohtoHoennSinnoh
UnovaKalosAlolaGalarPaldea
Areas of jurisdiction
Pokémon League Reception GateHall of Fame
Palace of VictoryCerulean Cave
Others
Pokémon AssociationPIA
World Coronation Series
(Masters Eight Tournament)


Template:Gen I trainers

Project CharacterDex logo.png 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.