Ranking Pokémon Masters from Least to Most Impressive
Lance (Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, Green / Gold and Silver)
Depicted at one end of a battlefield, Lance, the renowned dragon-type trainer, doesn't quite live up to the hype in the original games, including Gold and Silver. Despite being the first champion, his team, which comprises of two Dragonairs and a Dragonite, doesn't quite measure up to other trainers. His roster, filled with creatures that only seem dragon-like, lacks diversity due to the limited availability of dragon-type Pokémon in Gen I.
However, in his subsequent appearances, Lance has adorned his team with Pokémon like Salamence and Garchomp during the rematch battles in HeartGold and SoulSilver. Yet, Lance's specialization often leaves him vulnerable to opponents who can exploit his dragon team's weaknesses, an issue that affects many top trainers.
Wallace (Pokémon Emerald)
Wallace, the regal king of the Hoenn region, is seen striking a pose in a verdant pathway. His water-based team, however, doesn't quite impress. An electric-type Pokémon, like Raichu, could easily decimate his team. While Ludicolo and Whiscash provide some diversity with their secondary grass and ground affinities, a quick switch to a flying- or grass-type Pokémon would swiftly handle these two.
Despite his impressive style and iconic partner Pokémon, Milotic, the vulnerability of Wallace's team to electric attacks is a glaring weakness.
Iris (Pokémon Black 2 and White 2)
Iris, seen proudly holding a Pokeball with her Axew, also suffers from the common pitfall that besets specialist Champions. Despite her dragon-type team being more balanced than Lance’s and more formidable than Wallace's, four out of her six team members are extremely vulnerable to ice moves. The inclusion of Aggron and Lapras in her team is an intriguing choice, but neither boast dragon-type attacks. Therefore, a team that can be largely defeated by a single attack type doesn't quite make the cut for top-tier Champions.
Alder (Pokémon Black and White)
Alder, positioned in a battle stance in a ruin, is not a specialist trainer but his team heavily favors the often-underrated bug type. Half of his team comprise bug-type Pokémon, while the other half, including Vanilluxe, Druddigon, and Bouffalant, seem a tad random. Alder's team lacks adequate type coverage and doesn't have many moves to counter a fire-type sweep, except for Bouffalant's ground and rock moves.
While bug-type Pokémon, like the Beautifly in my team, are charming, they come with many drawbacks. They are not particularly strong and have numerous counters, making them unsuitable for a competitive team without strategic planning. While Alder's intention to highlight the underrated is commendable, his team is an easy target for opponents.
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