Editing Pokémon Trainer (SSBB)

Pokémon Trainer is ranked 29th on the tier list, placing him in the E tier. Pokémon Trainer's individual Pokémon have their own merits, and the variety in choices helps in preventing hard {{B|counter|matchup}}s. Pokémon Trainer, however, suffers from severe afflictions that no other character has to deal with. The first is the stamina mechanic, which over time will weaken the Pokémon currently in play, forcing players to either endure significant handicaps, or swap to another Pokémon they may not want to use. The incentive to switch is made even more problematic by the down time between switches, which can give their opponent a free hit or make the player give up an opportunity to capitalize on an opening. Additionally, when a Pokémon is KO'd, the player is forced to send out the next Pokémon in the lineup. The inevitable switching from this and stamina leads to two more issues: it prevents the player from only using the Pokémon best suited for the matchup (for example, against {{SSBB|King Dedede}}, the player will not be able to just rely on Squirtle, and will have to use the other Pokémon, who are hard countered by Dedede), and it forces players to learn three vastly different characters, thus significantly discouraging usage and hindering development with the character. Moreover, the Trainer's Pokémon have their own significant weaknesses. While Squirtle is often considered to be a potentially viable character due to its good mobility, attack speed, and air game, it has difficulty at KOing opponents; Charizard has the killpower Squirtle lacks, but suffers from slow aerial movement speed and laggy attacks; and Ivysaur is terrible overall because of its abysmal air game, [[tether recovery]], and slow KO moves.

Pokémon Trainer's unique ability to be three characters in one allows for many different positive effects. For instance, the three separate characters can be used together in conjunction for a powerful effect, especially since altogether the Pokémon Trainer has nine special moves, if Pokémon Change is excluded. Since all the Pokémon have varying weights and sizes, certain Pokémon can be switched to during opportune moments. For example, if the Pokémon has high damage, Charizard can be switched to since it has a higher weight. Squirtle and Ivysaur both are excellent at racking up damage, and the high damage opponent can then be KO'd by one of Charizard's high knockback moves. All of the Trainer's Pokémon experience [[type effectiveness]], however. The invincibility granted by [[Pokémon Change]] can be used to avoid attacks on the ground, such as Final Smashes, or cure status ailments. However, Pokémon Change happens automatically after a Pokémon is KO'd. If the player wants to switch back to the Pokémon they were just using they must endure 4+ seconds of Pokémon Change to get back to that last Pokémon in use, and this can be a hindrance, as not all frames of the move grant invincibility, leaving the Pokémon being brought into battle somewhat vulnerable at the end of the move's duration. Also, the move cannot be used in midair or while invincible. Certain Pokémon are bad for certain situations, either forcing the player to use the wrong Pokémon for certain bad situations or go through multiple Pokémon Change uses. Also, after 1 minute and 20 seconds, stamina is brought into play, significantly weakening a Pokémon's moves.

What the entire team shares as a strength is a strong grab/throw game, though each one has different ways of implementing it. Squirtle's grab has roughly average range, but its strength is in grounding an opponent in their shield with an overwhelming attack rate before rushing in for a grab. From there, it has a KO option and excellent setup options with decent damage all around. Ivysaur does things differently by focusing more on tricking the opponent into a grab; Ivysaur has one of the best [[pivot grab]]s available and will often have retreated to the edge in the process, and from there has the option to use its powerful back-throw for a KO (or up-throw, should the match-up recommend it). Charizard's long neck can outgrab most of the characters in the game due to owning the second longest non-tether grab range in ''Brawl'' (second to {{SSBB|King Dedede}}), giving it good stage control options. It also has the option to grab-release, since the spacing will become perfect for a down-tilt , and potentially a KO.

The three Pokémon all share the same damage meter, but they each have their own individual {{B|Stamina|stat}} stat, which makes the Pokémon weaker the longer it has been in action. It is possible to choose which Pokémon the player begins the match with. By selecting the Pokémon of the player's choice on the portrait (not the icon), the player will start with that Pokémon. Selecting Pokémon Trainer himself makes the starting Pokémon randomly chosen. In battle, the cycle of Pokémon switching goes in the order: Squirtle, Ivysaur, Charizard. If a Pokémon is KO'd, the next Pokémon in the line will be summoned on the [[revival platform]].

Whichever Pokémon is currently battling will have its picture shown in the bottom of the screen, next to the damage percentage and the series logo. The picture then changes to the newly sent out Pokémon's portrait upon switching. If Pokémon Trainer is defeated when there are two or more people/teams still Brawling on the stage, he will remain on the stage, covering his face with his hand.

Pokémon Trainer says a special catchphrase as he withdraws the Pokémon currently on stage. His three possible catchphrases are "Get back!", "Good job!", and "Amazing job!", depending on the amount of time the Pokémon has spent on screen. Pokémon Trainer also says a catchphrase when he releases a new Pokémon from the [[revival platform]]; his three possible catchphrases are "Go, _______!", "Hang on, _______!", and "Just a little more, _______!" This references what Trainers say when sending out Pokémon in the ''Pokémon'' series games, and just like in those games, the phrases are dependent on how much damage the opponent has.

*{{Sm|Coontail|USA}} - Although better known for his commentary, Coontail was also known as a high-level Pokémon Trainer player. However, because he lived in the incredibly strong [[New York/New Jersey]] region, he was never able to gain strong results using the character even in local tournaments.

*{{Sm|TheReflexWonder|USA}} - Played Pokémon Trainer along with {{SSBB|Wario}} throughout his competitive ''Brawl'' career. The only Pokémon Trainer player ever to achieve significant results with him on a national level, including a 9th place finish at {{Trn|WHOBO 4}}, and used him to dominate low tier events. Reflex is credited for reversing many negative opinions regarding the Trainer's low-tier viability.

Due to the Pokémon Trainer's stamina and forced switching mechanic, which required players to learn three vastly different characters to play the Trainer (thus making the Trainer require drastically more work and effort than any other character to learn and master, for no greater reward), the Trainer has always been an extremely unpopular character in tournaments. Besides the absurd learning curve, the stamina and forced switching mechanics directly brought the Trainer's potential down, and made matchups much harder than they would be otherwise. A significant example is King Dedede, a character Squirtle would go even with or win the matchup against as a solo character, but because of the forced switching to Charizard and Ivysaur, who are hard countered by Dedede, the Dedede matchup turns into a hard counter against the Pokémon Trainer. The Pokémon Trainer was brought further down by one of his required Pokémon, Ivysaur, being widely considered as a strong candidate for worst character in the game if it was a solo character.

The emergence of TheReflexWonder's tremendous success in his region with the Pokémon Trainer marked a bit of a reversal in the community's view of the Pokémon Trainer, however. Many players additionally began thinking that Squirtle was a character with high tier potential as a solo character. As a result, the Pokémon Trainer rose five spots on the third tier list to 27th, formally being out of the low tiers, and in the fourth tier list, he would rise three more spots to his peak at 24th. Beyond that point, though, with the Pokémon Trainer's practically nonexistent tournament results outside TheReflexWonder, general consensus became that TheReflexWonder's anomalous success with the Pokémon Trainer was entirely due to his own incredible abilities as a player, rather than the Pokémon Trainer having unrealised potential. This view was further supported by the fact that TheReflexWonder achieved greater success in tournaments with Wario than he did with the Pokémon Trainer. In addition, Pokemon Trainer was still weighed down by Ivysaur, which as a solo character remained one of the worst characters in the game. This resulted in the Pokémon Trainer falling four spots back down to 28th in the fifth tier list. Since then, the aforementioned view of TheReflexWonder has remained strong, and no other Pokémon Trainer player has achieved significant tournament success. This resulted in the Pokémon Trainer hovering between 28th and 29th right above the low tiers on each subsequent tier list.

Pokémon Trainer is searching for two Pokémon, {{SSBB|Charizard}} and {{SSBB|Ivysaur}}, which are identified when he shows Lucas their cards. He and Lucas set out to find them. Outside of an old temple, they survive a brief encounter with Wario. After venturing deep into the ruins, finding Ivysaur, and battling and capturing Charizard, Pokémon Trainer and Lucas fight a giant monster named [[Galleom]].

In The Subspace Emissary, Pokémon Trainer starts with only {{SSBB|Squirtle}}, later gaining {{SSBB|Ivysaur}} and then {{SSBB|Charizard}}. When only Squirtle is available, attempting to use the [[down special]] will have no effect, and the Trainer in the background will merely "flip" a Poké Ball in his hand twice.

===[[Congratulations_screen#Super_Smash_Bros._Brawl|Congratulations Screens]]===

*After clearing Classic mode and gaining the player character's trophy, in the screen that follows before the roll-call (showing all one's previously collected character trophies), the player may notice that the Pokémon Trainer is the only misplaced character in the line-up, always appearing at the end, after {{SSBB|Sonic}}. This is probably because the Pokémon Trainer isn't exactly a fighter; additionally, the individual Pokémon's Trophies are not shown.

*If all lives are depleted, Pokémon Trainer will remain on the field, holding his head and hat down in defeat. The pose resembles poses that other Pokémon Trainers would use when they were defeated in some of the console ''Pokémon'' games.

*There are unused animations for Pokémon Trainer jumping, falling, and landing, likely meaning that he was originally intended to follow his Pokémon through levels in The Subspace Emissary, rather than [[Space Jump]]ing as he does in the final game.

*Pokémon Trainer is one of only three characters in ''Brawl'' who cannot use their [[down special]] move in midair, the others being {{SSBB|Peach}} and {{SSBB|Donkey Kong}}.