What is the requirement to be a competent trainer?

[CrystaI]

I feel like asking this question after all the discussion I saw on another forum about the anime BW Cameron, and also Ash's performance during BW league, where the discussion extended further into Ash's overall performance throughout the entire anime.

Although this concern of mine started from the anime, but I'm not specifically asking this in the anime-verse, nor game-verse or manga-verse, it is more of a general idea about characterization and character design within the world of Pokemon. Provided that you are going to design a trainer character, what do you think what makes this character a competent trainer?

I'm specifically using the word "competent" rather than "strong" in here, because I'm not asking one's idea of designing a Champion/E4 level character, but just a normal trainer that is worthy enough to be a trainer.


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Really, I personally do not think anybody should be a trainer. Although I'm personally fine with the world setting of there is no restriction of beginning as a trainer, hence anybody and everybody is allowed to be a trainer. But since the nature of Pokemon battle is competition, very obviously the rules of natural selection is applicable, so only the ones that are "suitable" to be trainer should become trainers.

At the very least IMO, a person must be knowledgeable and skillful enough about his/her specialized field in order to accomplish such specialized job. It is just the same as real world, how you can expect a person with no knowledge of rocket science to build a rocket that carries people to outer space? And how you can expect a bookworm that never physically trained their body to win a marathon competition? IMO the exact same logic goes to trainer of Pokemon world.

 

[skyradiant]

I guess competency would just mean being aware of type matchups, so not doing stuff like using Tackle on a Gastly or Thunder Wave on a Geodude.

 

[Steel_Justice]

Being aware of every aspect of your own Pokemon is one. Knowing your own Pokemon's gender, ability, type, current and possible moves and evolutionary development should be basic for every trainer especially if trainer has a Pokedex which seems more detailed and powerful in the anime than the games. Ash not knowing his own Pidove is female in inexcusable since he could have scanned it with his pokedex (which seems like the stat screen we see if Paul is any indication) to find out and he's got many chances to do so.

Drive and setting specific goals is another thing I say makes a competent trainer. The initiative to do something specific to improve one's self and Pokemon. For instance trying to catch a specific Pokemon or teach it a specific move. Ash and co are a bit too laissez faire imo in this regard.

 

[CrystaI]

Ah, I wanted to add one character trait about competent trainer, which is diligent and assiduous, willing to put continuous effort into training the Pokemon. As the word of "training" means to practice, exercise, and be educated in order to prepare for specific event, hence any lazy people that doesn't have determination to continue a task for a prolonged period is not competent to be a trainer.

 

[Steel_Justice]

A competent trainer should also be prudent and have a sharp mind. While one cannot be prepared for every possible scenario on the spot a person can try to cover as many bases as they can foresee and now they will face. A sharp mind is crucial in the ever changing environment in battles, contest and many other scenarios. The ability to quickly assess a situation and adapt is imo what separates good trainers from bad ones in the midst of combat. Standing around with a slack jaw going "oh noes I didn't see that coming I'm completely screwed now" won't win you any battles soon.

A competent trainer should also have a plan to defeat an opponent at any moment even if you don't know what they're bringing to the table it's good to have a base strategy to work off of. Assuming you'll win against your opponent because your bond with your pokemon is strong is pretty ignorant and short sighted since it in a way assumes your opponent doesn't share the same closeness with their Pokemon. Such an assumption can easily be one's undoing.

 

[Icarus Frond]

I imagine Pokemon battling to be analogous to boxing: the Pokemon are boxers, and the Trainer is the boxing coach. The Trainer must be excellent at coaxing out the best performance from each Pokemon. He must also be able to motivate his Pokemon to train hard and to push beyond the pain of each match.

 

[Envoy]

To be able to train Pokemon competently.

 

[LordSeliph]

Knowing the ins and outs of both the Pokemon, and oneself

 

[italicizewafer]

Skilled leadership.

6 pokemon probably don't listen especially if you like to trade...

 

[CrystaI]

This is another afterthought of mine about Pokemon Trainer after another discussion of Ash Ketchum.

This is already a general knowledge within the fandom and of course within the Pokemon World as well, that Pokemon Trainer is person who catches, trains, cares for and battles with Pokémon. Despite that there exists a variety of trainer classes within the game, but still the basic things they do as a trainer is still the same, which is to catch/train/care for/battle with Pokemon.

Therefore other than skills and knowledge related to battle, trainer will also require many other skills and knowledge. In order to take care of the Pokemon including their daily living needs, trainer will require breeding skills and knowledge, not necessarily needed as there exist Pokemon Center but the best is possess some basic medical knowledge, not necessarily up to the level of telepathy but at least able to comprehend the basic emotions of one's Pokemon. And in order to catch a Pokemon, very obviously one needs knowledge about the respective Pokemon, if one doesn't possess Pokedex one then need to learn these in advance, but not including Legendaries and Mythicals as those are too rare where information is so scarce where not even veteran will know its existence. In order to train a Pokemon, very obviously not only one requires to know the practical training methods of how exactly to train Pokemon, but also requires to knew the characteristics of one's Pokemon in order to train efficiently and "correctly", say for example Slowpoke is just like its name suggested that it is slow it has no speed, one shouldn't train it to become a speed attacker hoping it could take initiative and disturb the opponent using its feet, because it was not born with such talent to do such trick.

And then these are skills and knowledges not directly related to Pokemon, but still it should consider as part of the requisites of being a trainer. Provided that one is going on a journey to collect badges and participate in Pokemon League, then obviously one should need survival skills and knowledge, knowing where to head to without help of compass and navigator even one is loss in the wild, knowledge of where to take shelter when sun goes down or when weather went bad, what is edible and where to look for food if running out of stocked food in one's backpack, etc. Though, this will not be necessary if there exist transportation to take the trainer to next destination within a day's time. Since battles between trainers is like a greeting yet interaction between trainers, hence social skills should also be part of the requirement. Unless, the trainer has a manager on the side where he/she is responsible for all the public relations.

To put it in short, if one just rethink again what is the job of being a Pokemon Trainer, one will then notice battle related skills and knowledge is not the only requisite to be a trainer, there are so many other requisite as well. Hence being a competent trainer requires one to be a multi-skilled all-rounder knowing things from many different departments. Being a trainer is not just being a battler and fighter, but also being a breeder, a coach and instructor, a watcher and observer, also being a communicator.



......And then this is another doubt from me which probably will never ever be answered. Ash Ketchum which is just excel in battling but short in other skills, or maybe it is just that we don't see it because his companions helps him too much in all the works other than battle activities, can he still be called as "competent"? Just then once again I doubt will he ever succeed in becoming a Pokemon Master, if he can't even accomplish the basic trainer activities on his own.