Pokémon Trainer (Super Smash Bros.)

The Pokémon Trainer (Japanese: ポケモントレーナー Pokémon Trainer) is a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series. He is playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and is a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U. While he is not playable in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, his Pokémon Charizard is.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Pokémon Trainer is one of the fighters unlocked from the start in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Unlike the other fighters, Pokémon Trainer doesn't actually fight his opponents himself. Instead, he sends out his Pokémon team of, , and to fight on his behalf, each with its own set of moves, strengths, and weaknesses. The Trainer is able to switch between the three Pokémon using the Down-Special move, Pokémon Change, which each Pokémon has access to. If a Pokémon fights for too long, it will gradually weaken. The Pokémon Trainer's Final Smash,, is performed by all three Pokémon at once.

During a fight, the Pokémon Trainer can be seen in the background, using hand signals and commands to direct his Pokémon, and running across the screen (on large stages) so he can be near his Pokémon at all times. When his Pokémon are defeated, he remains in the background, but pulls his hat over his eyes and assumes a defeated posture.

Type effectiveness
A of type effectiveness is implemented for each of the three Pokémon: Squirtle is weak to Grass and resists Fire, Ivysaur is weak to Fire and resists Water, and Charizard is weak to Water and resists Grass. A resisted attack does 0.9x knockback, while a super-effective attack does 1.1x knockback. No characters aside from another Pokémon Trainer (or a Kirby having copied one) have access to damaging Grass- and Water-type attacks, but several characters have KO-capable Fire-type attacks, which overall gives Squirtle more survivability and cuts Ivysaur's noticeably. It also heavily affects matches where one Pokémon Trainer faces another, as each player will try to switch to gain the advantage.

Pokémon Change
 (Japanese: ポケモンチェンジ Pokémon Change) is 's down special move in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Unlike other special moves being exclusive to one Pokémon (for instance, only being available to ), Pokémon Change is universal between, , and  (as is Triple Finish).

When sent out, each Pokémon is initially granted 100 points of energy called stamina. 0.5 points of stamina is deducted for every second a Pokémon is in battle, thus allowing for a maximum of approximately 3 minutes and 20 second of normal performance. Executing an attack also drains 0.5 stamina points. When a Pokémon's stamina reaches 40, their stance will change to signal oncoming fatigue. Once stamina reaches 0, the Pokémon's attacks drop in effectiveness to 0.7x damage. When any Pokémon is knocked out, the stamina of all three is increased by 30%. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Stamina no longer exists, allowing the use of just one Pokémon without penalty.

Pokémon Change mimics /-style battling by switching out to the next available Pokémon to let the previously used one rest; while not in battle, each Pokémon will regenerate 0.8 points of stamina per second (until restored to 100).

While switching out, the user is temporarily immune to any on-screen attacks. This makes it an effective method for avoiding certain Final Smashes if timed correctly. Damage percentage is shared by all 3 Pokémon, so changing Pokémon will not affect damage at all. Effects such as increased or decreased size held by the previous Pokémon will not be carried over during Pokémon Change (Final Smash wielding being one exception). Pokémon Change cannot be activated in midair.

Due to the Pokémon Trainer starting with only Squirtle, Pokémon Change is disabled in The Subspace Emissary until the player obtains Ivysaur; it is then limited until Charizard is obtained.

Subspace Emissary
The Pokémon Trainer is first encountered by in the Ruined Zoo. For most of the game, the two are paired together. Pokémon Trainer's mission is to capture Charizard and Ivysaur while Lucas's is to save. On their way to, the two are ambushed by , who is eventually defeated by the two. Later in, they are attacked by. Once defeated, it sets off a time bomb. Lucas saves the Pokémon Trainer, and they are then both saved by who carries them away from the explosion, which sucks up Wario's trophy into Subspace. From then on, the two join Meta Knight,, and on their quest to take down the.

Pokémon Trainer
"A person who and trains them as partners in battle. In battle, a Trainer gives orders to the Pokémon and uses items. It's not an exaggeration to say s can be won or lost on a Trainer's single strategic move. Trainers pour their hearts into their Pokémon and share anger, sadness, and joy as they adventure in hopes of becoming Pokémon Masters."

Triple Finish
"The Final Smash of the Pokémon Trainer. Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard join forces to simultaneously use, , and . This is the only time all three of them appear on the screen together, so this move boasts the strength of three in one. A window will appear on the screen saying "It's super effective!" when the attack hits."

Squirtle
"A Tiny Turtle Pokémon. In times of danger, it pulls its arms and legs inside its shell to protect itself from enemy attacks. When it conceals its neck, it also shoots a powerful stream of water from its mouth. Its shell not only protects its body, it also reduces water friction when it's in the water. When it levels up, it evolves into ."

Ivysaur
"A Seed Pokémon that is the evolved form of . It has a flower bulb on its back, the weight of which has made it develop strong legs and hips. If the blossom gets too big, the Pokémon can't stand on two legs alone. At a certain level, it evolves into . When this happens, the bulb absorbs nutrients and blossoms into a large-petaled flower."

Charizard
"A Flame Pokémon. Its fiery breath is hot enough to burn up rocks, and its wings let it fly up to 4,600 feet into the air. It's a proud Pokémon that will never use its flame breath on an opponent weaker than itself. The flame on its tail is a barometer of how much vitality it has remaining. Its signature move,, is a reliable technique."

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U
As part of change to the mechanics of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, Pokémon Trainer was removed from the game, and became a standalone fighter. Pokémon Trainer,, and still appear as trophies.

Trophy information
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.''

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Pokémon Trainer returned as a fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, together with Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard. In addition, a female alternate pallet was introduced, allowing the player to choose the gender of the Trainer similar to or. By default, Pokémon Trainer now starts with Squirtle, but this Pokémon can be changed by tapping its portrait or pressing the Y button (the Up button if playing on a Left JoyCon) on the Character Select screen.

Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon no longer grow tired if they fight for too long without rest, and they can change Pokémon faster and in midair. While switching, their Pokémon are granted invincibility frames, but these frames become shorter and less effective if over-used.

By default, Pokémon Trainer is the 26th character to be unlocked, but they can be unlocked earlier via 's in Classic Mode or finding them in the.

Classic Mode
Pokémon Trainer's route is called The Future . Like Pikachu's scenario, all of the opponents are, save for (and  if the player reaches the fight at  7.0 or higher). The player is allowed to heal with a between the  and Hand fights.

World of Light
During the opening cutscene, the male Pokémon Trainer was present on the cliffside when unleashed its beams of light. Working together with and his, he sent out Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard in an attempt to fight back against the beams with Triple Finish, to no avail. All four were vaporized and placed under Galeem's imprisonment along with the rest of the fighters (excluding Kirby). The female Pokémon Trainer makes no appearance in cutscenes.

Pokémon Trainer's icon is found near the eastern coast of the World of Light's overworld. After defeating him, Pokémon Trainer and his female counterpart are freed and can be selected in battle in the Adventure mode.


 * : Pokémon Trainer… That's the guy giving orders behind a Pokémon, right?
 * : Right, and this Pokémon Trainer is controlling, , and . They represent water, grass, and fire, and they're all powerful.
 * Solid Snake: So he makes his Pokémon fight while he sits back and watches. Sounds like a good deal if you ask me.
 * Roy Campbell: It's not like that, Snake. Those Pokémon wouldn't know what to do if the Pokémon Trainer wasn't there giving orders. In every, there's a soldier doing the fighting, and a commander telling him what to do. By working together as a team, they accomplish much more than either could on their own. So let's do this together, partner.
 * Solid Snake: …Yeah… Whatever you say, Colonel.


 * Pit: That little twerp is bossing those Pokémon around!
 * Palutena: That's the Pokémon Trainer. Looks like you'll be fighting Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard today.
 * Viridi: All the original starters? This fighter is a fan of the classics!
 * Pit: Do you think Pokémon get claustrophobic being trapped in those little balls?
 * Palutena: I hear Poké Balls are much bigger on the inside.
 * Viridi: But what about the weak Pokémon who get left in their balls and forgotten? I mean, everyone has, like, hundreds of them in their Box.
 * Pit: Huh... I never thought about— PikaPit! NOOOOOOOO!
 * Palutena: Now, Pit, I'm sure those abandoned Pokémon are all playing together at a farm upstate.
 * Viridi: Anyway, commanding three Pokémon is really tricky. Pay attention to the trainer's patterns and tendencies, and find a way to exploit them.

Squirtle

 * Pit: Is that a Squirtle?
 * Palutena: The Tiny Turtle Pokémon.
 * Viridi: Mmm... I have a sudden craving for tiny turtle stew.
 * Pit: What is wrong with you?
 * Palutena: Squirtle is one of the first Pokémon you can get! And this time around, Squirtle has more water moves in its arsenal.
 * Pit: Getting a little wet doesn't bother me!
 * Palutena: Don't underestimate water, Pit. With enough force and precision, it becomes a blade that can cut through anything.
 * Pit: You're right. All these fighters are here for a reason. I can't let my guard down against anyone!
 * Palutena: When Squirtle charges at you with its shell, guard, and then counterattack when it's up in the air.

Ivysaur

 * Pit: That's ! ...Or is it ?
 * Viridi: It's Ivysaur. The Pokémon's form before it evolves into Venusaur.
 * Pit: I know I'm supposed to fight it, but I gotta say, it's pretty stinkin' cute.
 * Viridi: Cute and deadly! Ivysaur's Vine Whip is as versatile as it is dangerous. It can be used like a whip as the name implies, but it can also grab opponents. It can even be used to grab onto ledges in a pinch!
 * Pit: I see. Hey, I'm really grateful for all the info, Viridi, but where's Lady Palutena?
 * Viridi: Who cares? Palutena doesn't know squat about plants! This is where I shine! Where was I? Oh, the Vine Whip has a deceptively long reach. And don't forget about as well!

Trivia

 * The Pokémon Trainer is a Cross-canon counterpart of, specifically based on his appearance in.
 * As of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,, also from is featured as part of the Pokémon Trainer's palette swaps.
 * Multiple palette swaps in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate feature alternate colors based on other protagonists as well; namely, , , , , and.
 * If Ivysaur is grabbed, the opposing character grabs its bulb rather than its whole body, even when grabbing in front of it.
 * Squirtle is tied with as the smallest playable character in Brawl.
 * When the heroes reach the final boss of the Subspace Emissary, Tabuu, he unleashes his Off Waves, instantly turning them all into trophies. Because he does not fight opponents directly, this is the only time in the entire game when the Trainer himself is turned into a trophy.
 * There are unused animations of the Pokémon Trainer jumping and landing within the game code.
 * Since Charizard has Rock Smash replaced by Flare Blitz in Ultimate, all of their Pokémon will only have STAB moves.
 * The Pokémon Trainers are the only human Pokémon characters to appear in Ultimate in any shape or form, as all from the Pokémon franchise are  themselves.

Related articles

 * Charizard (Super Smash Bros.)
 * Charizard (Super Smash Bros.)