Pokémon Generation VIII Trainers – Complete List

 

Pokémon Generation VIII launched Worldwide on 15th November 2019 with the games Pokémon Sword and Shield. The expansion sets Isle of Armor released in June 2020 and Crown Tundra in October 2020. These games are all set in the Galar region. Legends Arceus was released in January 2022 and is set in the past in the Hisui region. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl were released in November 2021as remakes of the Generation IV games Diamond and Pearl and are set in the Sinnoh region.

See also: Generation VIII Pokémon Complete List

 

What are Pokémon Generation VIII Trainers?

Pokémon Generation VIII Trainers are those trainers that are found in the Generation VIII games – Pokémon Sword and Shield, Legends Arceus and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Pokémon Trainers are people who capture and train Pokémon and then compete to become a Champion. Along their journey they compete with other Pokémon trainers. 

 

Trainers are grouped into different classes depending on their ability. There are a total of 26 different Trainer Classes introduced in the Generation VIII games. The majority of these are generic trainers that are not individually named but are known by a descriptive noun e.g. Café Master or Postman. They can be found in many different locations where they challenge the player to a match.

More experienced Trainers become Gym Leaders and these Trainers are named. In the Generation VIII games Sword and Shield and Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl there are eight Gym Leaders.  Legends Arceus is set in the distant past before the introduction of Gyms so does not include Gym Leaders.  

The Elite Four are four very experienced and strong Trainers. These Trainers are also given names. Once the Elite Four are defeated, the player can go on to battle the Champion who is the generally the last Trainer to defeat the Elite Four. In Sword and Shield there is no Elite Four but instead the player has to take part in the Champion’s Cup and become the winner before taking on the Champion, Leon. In Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl the Champion, Cynthia is faced after defeating the Elite Four. There is no Champion in Legends Arceus but players face a final battle with Arceus. 

Team Yell are malevolent Trainers that are led by boss Piers. They work to make Marnie the Pokémon Champion, believing that she will gain publicity for their home town, Spikemouth. 

 

Pokémon Generation VIII Trainers – Complete List

Champion (Sword & Shield)

Leon

Favoured  Pokémon Type – None
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Champion (Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl)

Cynthia

Favoured Type – None
Stadium – Battle Tower

 

Generation VIII Trainers – Champion’s Cup Opponents (Sword & Shield)

Semi-Finals

Marnie

Favoured Type – Dark
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Hop

Favoured Type – None
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Interruption

Bede

Favoured Type – Fairy
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Finals (Pokémon Sword)

Nessa

Favoured Type – Water
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Bea

Favoured Type – Fighting
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Raihan

Favoured Type – Dragon
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Finals (Pokémon Shield)

Nessa

Favoured Type – Water
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Allister

Favoured Type – Ghost
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

Raihan

Favoured Type – Dragon
Stadium – Wyndon Stadium

 

Generation VIII Trainers – Elite Four (Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl)

Aaron

Favoured Type – Bug
Stadium – Pokémon League Building

Bertha

Favoured Type – Ground
Stadium – Pokémon League Building

Flint

Favoured Type – Fire
Stadium – Pokémon League Building

Lucian

Favoured Type – Psychic
Stadium – Pokémon League Building

 

Generation VIII Trainers – Gym Leaders (Sword & Shield)

Milo

Location – Turffield Gym
Favoured Pokémon Type – Grass
Badge – Grass Badge

Nessa

Location – Hulbury Gym
Favoured Type – Water
Badge – Water Badge

Kabu

Location – Motostoke Gym
Favoured Type – Fire
Badge – Fire Badge

Bea (Pokémon Sword)

Location – Stow-on-Side Gym
Favoured Type – Fighting
Badge – Fighting Badge

Allister (Pokémon Shield)

Location – Stow-on-Side Gym
Favoured Type – Ghost
Badge – Ghost Badge

Opal / Bede

Location – Ballonlea Gym
Favoured Type – Fairy
Badge – Fairy Badge

Gordie (Pokémon Sword)

Location – Circhester Gym
Favoured Type – Rock
Badge – Rock Badge

Melony (Pokémon Shield)

Location – Circhester Gym
Favoured Type – Ice
Badge – Ice Badge

Piers / Marnie

Location – Spikemuth Gym
Favoured Type – Dark
Badge – Dark Badge

Raihan

Location – Hammerlocke Gym
Favoured Type – Dragon
Badge – Dragon Badge

 

Generation VIII Trainers – Team Yell (Sword & Shield)

Piers

Role – Team Yell Boss
Favoured Pokémon Type – Dark

Team Skull Grunts

Role – Work for Team Yell

 

Generation VIII Trainers – Team Galactic (Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl)

Cyrus

Role – Team Galactic Boss
Favoured Pokémon Type – Dark

Mars

Role – Team Galactic Commander
Favoured Pokémon Type – Poison

Jupiter

Role – Team Galactic Commander
Favoured Pokémon Type – Poison

Saturn

Role – Team Galactic Commander
Favoured Pokémon Type – Poison and Psychic

Charon

Role – Team Galactic Commander
Favoured Pokémon Type – Charon does not battle

Team Galactic Grunts

Role – Work for Team Galactic

Generation VIII Trainers – Named Trainers

Adaman
(Diamond Settlement – Legends Arceus)

Role – Diamond Clan Leader
Preferred Pokémon – Eevee and Eeveelutions

Avery
(Isle of Armor – Pokémon Shield)

Role – Minor Gym Leader
Favoured Pokémon Type – Psychic

Barry
(Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl)

Role – Minor Gym Leader
Favoured Pokémon Type – None

Beni
(Legends Arceus)

Role – Galaxy Team Member
Favoured Pokémon Type – None

Peony
(Sword and Shield)

Role – Gym Leader / Champion
Favoured Pokémon Type – Steel

 

Trainer Classes

Complete list of all new Generation VIII Trainer Classes in alphabetical order

Bandit
Cabbie
Café Master
Clan Leader
Colleagues
Champion
Daring Couple 
Dojo Master
Dojo Matron
Elite Four
Ginko Guild Member
Gym Challenger
Gym Leader
League Staff
Macro Cosmos’s (Workers)
Master Dojo Student
Medical Team
Model
Music Crew
Pokémon Wielder
Postman
Security Corps
Survey Corps
Team Galaxy
Team Yell Grunt
Warden