Trainer Card (game): Difference between revisions

A Trainer card in the Pokémon games is the card introduced in Generation III that displays information about a Trainer. It shows basic information such as the Trainer's name, the Trainer ID number, the player's gender, the amount of money carried, the total gameplay time, the number of badges obtained and the number Pokémon they have seen or caught in their Pokédex.

In Generations I and II, the information is found in the player's Trainer case instead.

In the games

Generation III

In Generation III, the card can be flipped to the back and it includes data such as the number of times a player had participate in link battles, the number of times won, lost, traded, and even the time taken to enter the Hall of Fame for the first time. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, a Trainer's party could be photographed in the Rocket Game Corner in Celadon City and put on the back as well.

Trainer stars were also introduced in Gen III, and the Trainer card changes color according to the amount of stars imprinted upon it. The stars are obtained by completing specific achievements.

Generation IV

Timestamps are now used in the Generation IV Trainer cards, whereby the date which the game began and the date and time at which the Elite Four were defeated was also added. An small drawing area was also included at the back of the card to allow the Trainer to add his signature.

Utilizing the dual screens of the Nintendo DS, the earned badges are now displayed separately from the Trainer card. In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, a badge case was added where Trainers could polish their badges using the stylus and by touching the badges they would play a musical note. As the badges gradually grow dull over time due to the lack of shine, the pitch will change depending on the 'cleanliness' of the badge. A dull badge will play a lower note than it would if it were sparkling.

In HeartGold s and SoulSilver s, badges are displayed at the upper screen of the Nintendo DS instead. Unlike Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, the player is able to sign his Trainer card without having to go to a Pokémon Center.

When communicating in the Union Room, players can have the option of viewing each other's Trainer card. However, the other player's picture will change to an in-game Trainer class of his/her gender. The Trainer class can be changed by talking to a man in the Oreburgh City Pokémon Center or the Violet City Pokémon Center.

Generation V

In Generation V, the badges are now shown on a separate screen from the Trainer card. The badges can be polished by the stylus and the picture of the corresponding Gym Leader will light up as the badges become more shiny.

The Trainer card now has added features to it. The front of the card allows the player to change his Trainer class and nature by tapping with the stylus, while the bottom allows a greeting to be entered which will be used when communicating with other Trainers via C-Gear wireless.

The back of the card is divided into 2 sections: the top keeps track of the player's playtime, the first Hall of Fame debut and a list of other records which include the number of times the player won, lost or traded with other people, the number of musicals participated, the number of Pass Powers obtained, and the Battle Institute and Poké Transfer high scores. The bottom half of the card allows the player to draw or sign with added functions such as zoom and erase, or even create a 2-frame animation with two halves of the box.

Trainer stars were removed from the card, but the color of the card will still change when the player has completed certain achievements.

Applications

Stars

Main article: Trainer stars

Trainer stars were introduced in Generation III, and are stars placed on the Trainer card when specific achievements are performed. The Trainer card changes colour depending on the number of stars on the card, and the stars may be obtained in any order.

A star is usually awarded when the player completes the first part of the game, usually after defeating the Elite Four and the Champion or in the case Black and White Versions, after defeating Ghetsis. Another star is awarded when the Pokédex is completed, usually excluding any event-exclusive Pokémon. One star is awarded after completing a battle-related achievement, such as obtaining a win-streak in a battle facilities or obtaining all gold symbols from the Battle Frontier in Pokémon Emerald. The remainder of the stars usually depend on the game, such as obtaining the platinum flag in the Underground in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, collecting five Shiny Leaves in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, or obtaining all the Entralink Pass Powers in Pokémon Black and White.

Score

In Generations III and IV, the Trainer card also carries the Trainer's score. A Trainer's score offers no specific purpose in the game and appears to be only aesthetic. The score begins at zero and increases every time a score-altering event occurs.

Stickers

In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the Braggart on Four Island hands out Stickers to trainers who tell him about their achievements.

Frontier Pass

In Pokémon Emerald, a player can upgrade their Trainer card to a Frontier Pass upon reaching the Battle Frontier. The Frontier Pass shows a player's symbols and Battle Points, allows players to view a map of the Battle Frontier, view a recorded match saved at a Battle Frontier facility except for the Battle Pike and Battle Pyramid, or look at the standard Trainer card.

Upon the player's first entry into Hoenn's Battle Frontier, their Trainer card will be upgraded into a Frontier Pass by a woman at the entrance. This pass holds the Trainer card, as well as a small map of the Battle Frontier and the player's records with the Frontier. Saved-up Battle Points, or BP, are listed, as are any of the seven Frontier Symbols the player has won. One battle from within one of the facilities may be recorded and stored on the Frontier Pass, which may be watched or overwritten with another at any time.

Previous games

• Trainercase RBY.png

  Red's Trainer case in Pokémon Yellow

• Trainercase GSC.png

  Trainer case in Gold, Silver, and Crystal

In the anime

Trainer cards do not appear in the anime; Trainers are instead identified via their Pokédex. Each has another license, called the Pokémon Trainer's license. Applicants must be 10 years of age or older to obtain these licenses.

In The Symbol Life, Ash obtained the Frontier Pass, although it was called the Frontierfolio, from the words frontier and portfolio.

See also

• Vs. Recorder

External links

• Create an unofficial Trainer card