Pokémon Trainer

 

(click to show Brawl trivia)

Pokémon Trainer might be the most interesting character in Brawl. The straightforward design of all three Pokémon would make them slightly unbalanced alone but perfect when restricted to a team. However, the difficulty in switching combined with the subpar Charizard and even worse Ivysaur holds Pokémon Trainer back.

That’s changed in Balanced Brawl. In addition to faster switching, Ivysaur now gets a vertical boost from using down aerial; this helps recovery and can even help approach when its defensive playstyle can’t cut it. A few other Ivysaur buffs put it in a good place, Charizard is really bulked up as the team’s anchor, and even Squirtle sees some small improvement.

Check Pokémon Trainer out, and you might now find one of the most fun characters also one of the most competitive.

Balanced Brawl Bonus: Teamwork

  • Pokémon Change is now significantly faster.

Other Major Changes: Squirtle

  • Water Gun now has significantly more pushback.

Other Major Changes: Ivysaur

  • Ivysaur now gets a noticeable momentum boost upward when using his down aerial.
  • Down aerial now hits much harder, about double damage.
  • Bullet Seed’s initial hit can no longer be escaped via SDI.
  • Back aerial now does about double damage.
  • Down smash now hits much more favorably.

Other Major Changes: Charizard

  • Charizard now has 7% heavy armor on his glide similar to Snake’s Cipher.
  • Glide attack is now a significantly better kill move.
  • Jab combo now links properly.
  • Back aerial now does more shield damage with the first hit and is more powerful with the sweetspot.
  • Forward smash and down smash now kill better.
  • Forward aerial’s no flinch hit now does 2% more damage.
  • Down throw now launches at a lower angle.

Full Technical Change List: Pokémon Trainer

  • Pokémon Change: loads new Pokémon much faster

Full Technical Change List: Squirtle

  • Water Gun (charged) hitbox 0 properties: Base Knockback (0 -> 20)
  • Pokémon Change: entrance animates at double speed starting on frame 1

Full Technical Change List: Ivysaur

  • Down smash hitbox 0-4 properties: Damage (8 -> 9), Base Knockback (40 -> 60)
  • Back aerial frame 4 hitbox 0-3 properties: Damage (2 -> 4)
  • Back aerial frame 13 hitbox 0-1 properties: Damage (3 -> 5)
  • Back aerial frame 13 hitbox 2-3 properties: Damage (2 -> 4)
  • Down aerial hitbox 0 properties: Damage (8 -> 14)
  • Down aerial hitbox 1 properties: Damage (10 -> 16)
  • Down aerial: no longer disallows sideways movement on frame 3-40
  • Down aerial: adds 0.70 to horizontal momentum and sets vertical momentum to 1.70 on frame 13
  • Down aerial: interruptible with ledgegrab, special moves, and footstool on frame 29
  • Down aerial: interruptible with air dodge and double jump on frame 37
  • Bullet Seed initial hitbox 0-2 properties: SDI Multiplier (1.00 -> 0.00)
  • Pokémon Change: entrance animates at double speed starting on frame 1

Full Technical Change List: Charizard

  • Glide (mid-flight): full 7% heavy armor
  • Glide attack hitbox 0-1 properties: Knockback Growth (85 -> 100), Base Knockback (65 -> 80)
  • Jab 1 hitbox 0-3 properties: Knockback Growth (100 -> 125)
  • Jab 2 hitbox 0-1 properties: Base Knockback (40 -> 60), Knockback Growth (50 -> 0)
  • Jab 2 hitbox 2-3 properties: Base Knockback (25 -> 45), Knockback Growth (50 -> 0)
  • Forward smash frame 11 hitbox 0-3 properties: Damage (17 -> 19), Knockback Growth (98 -> 105), Base Knockback (40 -> 28)
  • Down smash hitbox 0-3 properties: Knockback Growth (75 -> 90)
  • Forward aerial hitbox 100/200 properties: Damage (2 -> 4)
  • Back aerial frame 7 hitbox 0-3 properties: Shield Damage (0 -> 10)
  • Back aerial frame 10 hitbox 0 properties: Knockback Growth (30 -> 45)
  • Down throw throw box properties: Angle (* -> 40)
  • Pokémon Change: entrance animates at double speed starting on frame 1