Pokémon Trainer (SSBU): Difference between revisions

|image = {{tabber|width=300px|height=300px|title1=Male|tab1=[[File:Pokémon Trainer (solo) SSBU.png|x300px]]|title2=Female|tab2=[[File:Pokémon Trainer (solo)-Alt1 SSBU.png|x300px]]|title3=Team (Male)|tab3=<br><br>[[File:Pokémon Trainer SSBU.png|300px]]|title4=Team (Female)|tab4=<br><br>[[File:Pokémon Trainer-Alt1 SSBU.png|300px]]}}

|shareslot = {{SSBU|Squirtle}}<br>{{SSBU|Ivysaur}}<br>{{SSBU|Charizard}}

<!--NOTICE BEFORE EDITING: When using pronouns, it is generally preferred, though not strictly required, that they match the gender of the default. If referring to one gender, only refer to the alternate when it specifically applies to them. While using gender-neutral pronouns is optional, it is heavily discouraged. However, completely omitting pronouns is entirely a valid style, as long as the sentence stays coherent.-->

'''Pokémon Trainer''' ({{ja|ポケモントレーナー|Pokémon Torēnā}}, ''Pokémon Trainer'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was officially revealed on June 12th, 2018 alongside his team of Pokémon: {{SSBU|Squirtle}}, {{SSBU|Ivysaur}}, and {{SSBU|Charizard}}. Although Pokémon Trainer lacks a fighter number compared to the rest of the cast, his Pokémon have fighter numbers in his stead: Squirtle is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #33]], Ivysaur is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #34]], and Charizard is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #35]].

The male Pokémon Trainer has new voice clips in all languages he is voiced in, with all of his voice actors from ''Brawl'' being replaced (except for his Japanese voice actor, who reprises her role). Respectively, the voice actors for the male and female Pokémon Trainers are:

*Maximilian Belle (male, replacing Dina Kuerten) and Lea Kalbhenn (female) in German.

*Tania de Domenico (male, replacing Francesca Guidice) and Giada Bonanomi (female) in Italian.

*Rodri Martín in Spanish (male, replacing Isabel Navarro) and Tania Ugía (female) in Spanish.

:''The list below covers the general changes of the Pokémon Trainer and their party as a whole. For information about each individual Pokémon's moveset changes, see [[Squirtle (SSBU)]], [[Ivysaur (SSBU)]], and [[Charizard (SSBU)]].''

Following his status as the second-lowest ranking mid tier character in ''Brawl'', Pokémon Trainer has been buffed significantly in the transition to ''Ultimate''. Notably, both the [[Pokémon Change#Stamina|stamina]] mechanic and [[type effectiveness]] have been completely removed, and [[Pokémon Change]] has been granted high utility due to the addition of aerial switching and significantly faster Pokémon switches. As such, switches between the three Pokémon have now become a unique advantage for the Pokémon Trainer alone instead of being a major mandatory commitment, and the Pokémon are now free to fight indefinitely without being limited by Stamina during battle. In addition, Ivysaur, who was previously the worst Pokémon in the party, has been greatly buffed, and the general changes to ''Ultimate''{{'}}s mechanics greatly benefit Ivysaur and Squirtle. Each of the Trainer's Pokémon is usable as its own character, but as in ''Brawl'', usage of all three for different situations is optimal.

Despite some noteworthy buffs, Pokémon Trainer has also received some nerfs. While the removal of type effectiveness slightly benefits Charizard and greatly benefits Ivysaur, it also greatly hinders Squirtle. Additionally, while Pokémon Change has been greatly improved, it has also received a few new disadvantages as there is now a timer which prevents switching for a couple of seconds (although there are ways to work around this) and it no longer resets [[stale move negation]], effectively weakening the next Pokémon. Squirtle has also been considerably nerfed, and Ivysaur and Charizard have received some nerfs as well.

Nevertheless, Pokémon Trainer has become a significantly more effective character than in ''Brawl''. Despite retaining a high learning curve, Pokémon Trainer has a great playerbase, especially compared to ''Brawl''. While initially overshadowed by widely acknowledged top tier characters such as {{SSBU|Peach}} and {{SSBU|Lucina}}, players such as {{Sm|Wishes}}, {{Sm|Tweek}}, {{Sm|Puppeh}}, {{Sm|Pandarian}}, and {{Sm|Leffen}} have been able to take advantage of the Trainer's ability to use three different character archetypes in battle and Ivysaur's overall potency as a character in its own right to obtain significant results.

Unlike his Pokémon, Pokémon Trainer did not receive any buffs or nerfs via game updates. Instead, he received only a number of fixes to both minor and major glitches.

[[File:Pokemon Trainer SSBU Skill Preview Extra 1.png|thumb|right|All three of Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon, as shown via the [[Move List]].]]

*'''Up taunt''': Triumphantly raises his right hand into the air.

*'''Up taunt''': Fist pumps with her left hand while triumphantly raising her right hand into the air.

SSBURedIdle1.gif|Male Pokémon Trainer's first idle pose

SSBURedIdle2.gif|Male Pokémon Trainer's second idle pose

SSBULeafIdle1.gif|Female Pokémon Trainer's first idle pose

SSBULeafIdle2.gif|Female Pokémon Trainer's second idle pose

The male Trainer can say "You all did great!" ({{ja|よくやったな、みんな！|Yoku yatta na, minna}}, ''Good job, everyone!''), while the female Trainer can say "Everyone did great!" ({{ja|みなさんは素晴らしい！|Minasan wa subarashī!}}, ''All of you did great!''). They will either say a non-specific line, or a Pokemon-specific line. In Team Battles, if there is more than two players on the winning team, the Pokémon will not be present, but this does not affect the Trainer's lines. The male and female Trainers also have variations in their own pose depending on the gender of the Trainer, similarly to the Inklings.

Reception towards Pokémon Trainer has been positive ever since ''Ultimate''{{'}}s release. The changes to his infamously counter-intuitive mechanics, specifically the removal of [[Pokémon Change#Stamina|Stamina]] and [[type effectiveness]], alongside the significantly faster switch time for [[Pokémon Change]], left players excited for the character's return from ''Brawl''. However, players also noted that Pokémon Trainer's playstyle had some detractors due to {{SSBU|Ivysaur}} being overtuned compared to its teammates, while {{SSBU|Charizard}} was considered a very lackluster character, leading to optimal play requiring unbalanced use of the three Pokémon and a more predictable and exploitable game plan. Although the character initially saw average representation due to a high learning curve, players such as {{Sm|Leffen}}, {{Sm|Wishes}}, and {{Sm|HIKARU}} found success at several national tournaments.

However, as more players began learning how to utilize all three Pokémon, Pokémon Trainer saw an increase in representation. This positive trend culminated in an explosion of results during the summer of 2019 thanks to the efforts of players such as {{Sm|Puppeh}}, {{Sm|moxi}}, and most notably {{Sm|Tweek}}, who placed top 3 at several major tournaments including {{Trn|EVO 2019}} and {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}}. Following this, Pokémon Trainer would then seen a decline in tourney success, due to buffs to other characters and [[downloadable content]] bringing forth a number of viable characters, however despite several of Pokémon Trainer's best players dropping him during this time, new Pokémon Trainer players such as {{Sm|Quidd}} and {{Sm|Atelier}} rose to take their place. As a result of his continued success, Pokémon Trainer is widely considered to be at least a high tier character, thanks to above-average tournament representation and overall positive community reception.

===Most historically significant players===

<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->

''Any number following the Smasher name indicates placement on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]], which recognizes the official top 50 players in the world in [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]] from July 13th, 2019 to December 15th, 2019.''

''See also: [[:Category:Pokémon Trainer professionals (SSBU)]]''

*{{Sm|Atelier|Japan}} - The best Pokémon Trainer player in the world. Placed 1st at both {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 3}} and {{Trn|Sumabato SP 15}}, 2nd at both {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 2}} and {{Trn|Kagaribi 3}}, and 4th at {{Trn|Kagaribi 5}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Zackray}}, {{Sm|Tea}} and {{Sm|Kome}}.

*{{Sm|HIKARU|Japan}} (#41) - One of the best Pokémon Trainer players in Japan. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 7}}, 9th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}}, 13th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 6}}, and 17th at both {{Trn|EVO 2019}}  and {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Kome}} and {{Sm|Lea}}.

*{{Sm|Leffen|Sweden}} (#51) - The best Pokémon Trainer player in Europe prior to his retirement from ''Ultimate''. Placed 1st at {{Trn|DreamHack Winter 2019}}, 7th at {{Trn|Valhalla II}}, and 17th at both {{Trn|GENESIS 6}} and {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Tweek}}, {{Sm|Maister}}, and {{Sm|WaDi}}.

*{{Sm|moxi|USA}} (#33) - One of the best Pokémon Trainer players in the world prior to switching to {{SSBU|Wolf}}. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Play With Heart}}, 7th at {{Trn|Low Tier City 7}}, 13th at both {{Trn|Port Priority 5}} and {{Trn|Mainstage}}, and 17th at both {{Trn|EVO 2019}} and {{Trn|2GG: Nightmare on Smashville}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Maister}}, {{Sm|ESAM}}, and {{Sm|Dark Wizzy}}. Online, placed 2nd at {{Trn|SWT: NA Northwest Ultimate Online Qualifier}} and 13th at {{Trn|The Box}}. Formerly ranked 57th on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v5]].

*{{Sm|Ned|USA}} (#37) - Co-mains Pokémon Trainer alongside {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}, and is considered one of the best Pokémon Trainer players in the United States. Placed 5th at {{Trn|Spotlight}}, 7th at {{Trn|Full Bloom 5}}, 9th at {{Trn|DreamHack Atlanta 2019}}, 13th at {{Trn|The Big House 9}}, and 17th at {{Trn|2GG: Kongo Saga}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Marss}}, {{Sm|Nairo}}, and {{Sm|ESAM}}. Online, placed 9th at {{Trn|The Quarantine Series: Major Tournament 1}} and 13th at {{Trn|Pound Online}}. Currently ranked 19th on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v7]].

*{{Sm|Puppeh|USA}} - One of the best Pokémon Trainer players in the United States. Placed 5th at {{Trn|CEO 2019}}, 13th at {{Trn|Just Roll With It! 11}}, 17th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}}, 25th at {{Trn|CEO Dreamland 2020}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|EVO 2019}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Nairo}}, {{Sm|Samsora}}, and {{Sm|ESAM}}. Currently ranked 1st on the [[MD/VA Power Rankings#Super Smash Bros. Ultimate|MD/VA Ultimate Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Quidd|USA}} - One of the best Pokémon Trainer players in the world. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Let's Make Big Moves 2022}}, 2nd at {{Trn|CROSSxUP}}, 5th at {{Trn|Collision 2022}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Mainstage 2021}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Light|p=Connecticut}}, {{Sm|Kola}}, and {{Sm|Zomba}}.

*{{Sm|Tweek|USA}} (#3) - The best Pokémon Trainer player in the world prior to dropping him. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Low Tier City 7}}, 2nd at {{Trn|EVO 2019}}, 3rd at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}} and {{Trn|Frostbite 2020}}, and 5th at both {{Trn|Glitch 7 - Minus World}} and {{Trn|The Big House 9}}.

*{{Sm|Wishes|USA}} - One of the best Pokémon Trainer players in the world prior to switching to {{SSBU|Joker}}. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Suplex City Smash}}, 9th at both {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}} and {{Trn|Collision 2019}}, and 17th at {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 5}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Light|p=Connecticut}}, {{Sm|Samsora}}, and {{Sm|Tea}}. Formerly ranked 21st on the [[Spring 2019 PGRU]].

|6||{{head|Pokémon Trainer|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}} ({{head|Pokémon Trainer|g=SSBU|s=20px}}) Opposite-gender Pokémon Trainer||Pokémon Stadium 2||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|The Battle at the Summit!}}''

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Pokémon Smash Bros.png|Artwork of all playable Pokémon characters and Poké Ball Pokémon, as posted by the official Pokémon Twitter account.

Pokémon Trainer amiibo.png|Pokémon Trainer's [[amiibo]].

*In Spanish, German, French, and Italian, the voice clip from the announcer on the victory screen is slightly different from the one used on the character select screen, instead featuring a noticeable translation of "the" (respectively, "'''el''' Entrenador Pokémon"/"'''la''' Entrenadora Pokémon", "'''der''' Pokémon-Trainer"/"'''die''' Pokémon-Trainerin", "'''le''' Dresseur de Pokémon"/"'''la''' Dresseuse de Pokémon", and "'''l''''Allenatore di Pokémon"/"'''la''' Allenatrice di Pokémon"). This also happens with {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}}, {{SSBU|Inkling}}, {{SSBU|Villager}}, {{SSBU|Hero}}, the {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}}, {{SSBU|Zombie}}, {{SSBU|Enderman}}, and the Mii Fighters.

**The other characters are both male and female [[Robin]], both male and female [[Wii Fit Trainer]], [[Cloud Strife]]'s alternate costume from ''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'', all three [[Mii Fighter]]s, and [[Kazuya Mishima]].