Pokemon Master: Red

Name: Red
Moniker: None
Region: Johto (Originally from the Kanto region)
Role: Pokémon Master/Battle Legend
Type Specialty: None


BACKGROUND

Every once in a great while, a trainer arises from out of nowhere and ascends the ladder to stardom in the trainer world, becoming a true Pokémon Master and something that few other humans could ever hope to be in their long struggles through life. One such person is Red, a trainer known by everyone in the Kanto region as well as most of the world for his efforts in not only becoming the Champion of the Indigo League but completely and utterly destroying Team Rocket. When Red first became a trainer, he merely did what other trainers did and collected powerful Pokémon, battling and earning Gym Badges in the Kanto region. In addition, however, Red bravely faced the hordes of trainers belonging to the nefarious Team Rocket, a dark organization that was at its peak when Red first came into contact with them. Aside from wiping the floor with most of the grunts and defeating their efforts in both Celadon and Saffron City, Red battled against the likes of Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket, defeating him not once or twice but three times, the final one earning him the coveted Earth Badge and forcing Giovanni to retire in the hopes of becoming stronger than ever someday. After dissolving the otherwise impenetrable Team Rocket, Red went on to beat the Indigo League's Elite Four and defeated them, only to come across the current Champion, and long-time rival, Blue. Sadly for Blue, his reign as Champion was short lived as Red managed to defeat him and become the Champion of the Indigo League. However, after this victory, Red vacated his position and left it open for Lance to claim, disappearing into the mountains of the Kanto region. No one is quite sure where Red is to this day, but many suspect that he is constantly training at the very peak of Mt. Silver, the largest and most dangerous area in the entire Johto region to train. While his rival Blue has managed to keep himself busy acting as the new Gym Leader of Viridian City, Red has not made any sort of contact with his family for years and many fear that he may never come back, though the reason why is likely something that only Red knows. Regardless, it can be said that Red has accomplished more than most trainers could ever imagine and is certainly a trainer worth respecting and envying in any right. For those lucky enough to see him, let it be made clear that he is not the kind of opponent any trainer can face in battle; only the strongest and greatest of trainers will ever be able to make a dent in the otherwise near-perfect team this Pokémon Master possesses.


BATTLE STRATEGIES

Red is known to go completely offensive with his Pokémon and wastes almost no time with status conditions and heckling in most cases. While this doesn't give him much in the way of attack options in many cases, he is nonetheless a dangerous factor regardless, as his Pokémon are all armed with a lethal variety of powerful attacks and are truly among the most powerful members of their species. Red does not believe in holding back and will brutally assault anyone and everyone that dares to challenge him to battle. Aside from brute force, the only thing that Red takes advantage of is the fact that his favorite training spot, the peak of Mt. Silver, is constantly enveloped in snowstorms; this in turn grants the same basic principles as Hail, in turn making the Blizzard attack three of his Pokémon know almost impossible to dodge under normal circumstances. There might not be much to say about what Red is capable of, but the fact that he almost never loses in battle only attests to the extreme power and experience he has under his belt. Battling against him might be an honor, but even the bravest should make sure to check their courage before making a bold challenge, lest they find their entire teams devastated within only a few short minutes of battling.


PRIMARY POKEMON

Pikachu: This strange creature was the very first Pokémon that Red ever obtained and likewise is the most powerful member of his team; although it may seem weak considering it is unevolved, the Light Ball that the creature is holding makes it a dire threat that can deal massive amount of damage despite its small body. In battle, this beast will generally use its Fake Out and Nuzzle attacks and Charm technique to disrupt the opposition before relying on its devastating Thunderbolt and Thunder attacks when far away from the opposition and its Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Brick Break and Volt Tackle moves when the opposition is close enough for them to connect, further relying on Light Screen and Reflect techniques to set up a walls to reduce damage from attacks against its team. This wee beastie might not seem like a threat to most, but after watching it literally run circles around one's Pokémon and electrocute them at the same time, it is unlikely that either side of the battlefield will be laughing very hard.

Charizard: This monstrous creature is among the strongest of Red's Pokémon and is definitely not something that trainer wants to fight without a significant type advantage. Up close, this beast will generally rely on its Slash, Wing Attack, Dragon Claw, Fire Fang, Shadow Claw and Dragon Rush moves and especially its Flare Blitz attack to deal immense damage, though this is used sparingly as it also damages Charizard with every use. Most of the time, this beast will prefer to stay far way and attack from afar with Air Slash, Fire Spin, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Heat Wave, Solar Beam, Rock Slide, Focus Blast and Dragon Pulse attacks, but in emergency situations, it can further employ the devastating Blast Burn attack to decimate the opposition, a Will-O-Wisp technique to weaken them slowly and reduce their ability to effectively deal damage with physical attacks, and Belly Drum and Dragon Dance techniques to maximize the effects of its physical attacks. This creature may not be as sturdy as other Pokémon in Red's team (though its held Focus Sash, Salac Berry, Charti Berry, Charizardite X or Charizardite Y items can heavily assist it), but in terms of offense alone, it is definitely among the fiercest.

Blastoise: This monster turtle may not have as much offense strength or speed (though this is helped out by the Choice Scarf it holds) as Charizard, but it is still a major threat as its defenses are high enough to make it extremely difficult to damage. This beast will often times forego any physical contact (aside from the occasional Fake Out and Aqua Tail attacks) and instead choose to attack from afar, using devastating Flash Cannon, Rock Slide, Focus Blast, Whirlpool, Aura Sphere, Earthquake, Dragon Pulse, Dark Pulse, Water Pulse, Surf, Hydro Pump, Ice Beam and Blizzard attacks (with many of these attacks potentially being powered up by its Rain Dance technique) to deal immense damage while its devastating Hydro Cannon attack can effectively decimate any opponent with a single, well-placed shot and its Aqua Ring, Iron Defense and Yawn techniques can give it a tactical edge when needed. This titanic beast is extremely hard to take down even with powerful offenses (especially taking into account its held Zoom Lens, Leftovers, Custap Berry or Blastoisinite), so patience is highly recommended in dealing with it as well as extremely high defenses if at all possible.

Venusaur: Though this beast might not have the type variety possessed by other teammates, it is still a devastating force as a result of its Leech Seed, Toxic, Synthesis, Ingrain, Amnesia, Roar, Protect, Substitute, Sleep Powder and Sunny Day techniques (the latter of which is instrumental if Red wants his Venusaur to use its Solar Beam attack). Once the opposition has been put to Sleep, this creature can easily utilize its Venoshock, Sludge Bomb, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Power Whip, Leaf Storm (complimented by a held White Herb), Bulldoze, Earthquake and Giga Drain attacks to deal massive damage and keep itself healthy at the same time, while a powerful Frenzy Plant attack can be additionally employed if the opposition is too strong defensively to be taken out easily otherwise. This creature might not be as forceful as many would otherwise think, but its capacity to deal immense damage and heal itself at the same time, combined with its potential held Big Root, Salac Berry, Grassium Z and Venusaurite items, nonetheless makes it a devastating opponent to go up against.

Snorlax: This monster really doesn't have a whole lot to offer in the way of mobility but is nonetheless a devastating wall that should be approached with great caution at all times. From afar, this beast will rely on Shadow Ball and Blizzard attacks to slow down the opposition and deal major damage, while up close it can equally prove to be a nightmare with its Crunch, Body Slam, Return, Heavy Slam, High Horsepower, Seed Bomb, Earthquake, Wild Charge, Double-Edge and Giga Impact attacks. If needed, this beast can even utilize its Rest technique to recover its energy, which is further helped out by a Snore attack that enables it to defend itself while it’s sleeping and other moves like Toxic, Protect, Rest, Counter, Recycle and Protect. This brute may not seem like anything to fear, but in regards to its massive HP reserves, decent defensive (helped out by its Amnesia technique) and offensive stats and the Quick Claw, Sitrus Berry and Life Orb items it holds on a regular basis, this is definitely one brute that few trainers will ever be able to overcome without experiencing a great deal of pain in the process.

Lapras: Though it might be the weakest member of Red's team out of water, this  creature is by no means a weak link in the chain and is in fact one of the stronger fighters on his team. After setting up with moves like Rain Dance, Confuse Ray, Rest and Sleep Talk, up close, this creature will rely on its Ice Shard and Body Slam attacks to flatten the opposition and potentially even incapacitate them. Once the opposition has been softened up, this beast will rely on its Psychic, Blizzard, Thunderbolt, Thunder, Ice Beam, Waterfall, Surf, Hydro Pump, Brine and Megahorn attacks to deal immense from afar. This creature might not have the sheer offenses possessed by Pokémon like Charizard, but it has relatively high HP and defensive stats overall (not to mention a held Sitrus Berry, Damp Rock, Bright Powder, Normalium Z or Psychium Z for assistance), so dealing damage to it, especially enough to actually knock it out, will not be an easy task in any case.

Machamp: While maybe not the most expected Pokemon to see on Red's team, his Machamp is still a force to be reckoned with and can prove to be more than a physical nightmare to have to deal with. While the monster will generally employ its Superpower attack to make the most of its type assignment in close-quarters, this creature is also skilled in attacking from afar in order to disrupt and confuse the opposition, attacking at a distance with Hyper Beam, Earthquake and even Fire Blast attacks. This monster still might be mostly muscle and not much else to speak of, but its penchant for using projectile attacks to trip up targets that think they know what to expect from it can make it a dire threat and worth taking out as soon as it hits the battlefield.

Arcanine: While Red usually prefers to use his Charizard as his go-to Fire-type in battle, this fluffy canine can still do in a pinch and prove to be a hot contender to have to deal with. In terms of offense, this creature will generally rely on its Heat Wave attack from a distance and Crunch attack up-close to deal damage, but it is also built to be a real heckler, using its Will-O-Wisp technique to burn opponents before utilizing its Roar technique to swap them out, trying to inflict crippling Burns on every single opponent it can before it faints. This alone an make this animal a monstrous threat, and a target worth taking out quickly, even if its decent defenses and HP reserves might result in one or two of your Pokemon potentially getting burned in the exchange.


RESERVE POKEMON

Espeon: This creature is almost never seen in battle these days, as it is rumored that Red treats it more like a pet than anything else, but it can still apparently fight surprisingly well when needed. While it might only have Swift and Psychic attacks as its primary form of offense, this beast is still able to make itself a nuisance as a result of its Accuracy-lowering Mud-Slap attack and its Reflect technique, which can help shield both it and its allies against physical blows. It is likely that this creature is a serious opponent despite its limited move variety, but since Red is almost never seen using it, no one is truly certain.


OVERALL DIFFICULTY: 6/5

To say the least, challenging Red in and of itself is a foolish venture, as his Pokémon are truly among the most powerful in the world and he has spent many years perfecting his battle style to the point where there truly are no weak points or errors that can be taken advantage of. The fact that almost no one that knows Red has seen him in years makes it a bit difficult to gauge just how powerful he is, but the few rumors that come here and there more than demonstrate his expertise in battle. It is still a mystery if Red will ever return home and give up his life as a trainer, but today, that does not seem like a likely outcome. Red has remained virtually undefeated his entire life, and the few defeats he has met have only helped to make him stronger than ever before. Trainers, look alive and prepare for the worst when this young man appears; you may be more likely to find him first than him finding you, but even then, things are unlikely to go so well. Only those that can best Red can consider themselves true Pokémon Masters, and by the looks of things, that probably means that we may never see another trainer like Red until the day he dies.


REWARDS FOR DEFEAT

Defeating Red offers nothing outside of a monetary award, though anyone that can beat him is rightfully deserving of the title of Pokémon Master.

Professor Wormwood