How to Become a Pokémon Master

Welcome, friend! Are you ready to become a master Pokémon trainer? If so, you've come to the right place! Everyone has the power to become a Pokémon player, but becoming a Pokémon master takes more than just a game cartridge. To reign victorious over any opponent, you must be willing to immerse yourself in the world of Pokémon. You must possess the knowledge, skills, and strategy of a true Pokémon expert. I, TattooKitty- Ace trainer and Pokémon extraordinaire- am here to help you on your journey to stardom. So, grab your Pokémon and let's go!

Before you can even begin your training, you must decide which game format you want to play. Pokémon is both a card game (TCG) and a video game (VG). Although the basic underlying concepts of the characters are the same, mastering one medium doesn't necessarily make you an expert in the other. Although both formats require excellent strategic skills, each has its own specific rules.

While the card version requires you to create a deck of 40-60 cards that can beat any opponent, the video games force you to create 3-6 member teams. Because my forte is the video game version, this article will address how to be a successful Pokémon trainer rather than a master deck creator. If you are interested in more information on Pokémon TCG, check out the links at the end of this hub.

In order to become a master trainer, you need to raise strong Pokémon. The best way to make your Pokémon fierce is to battle. However, you need to understand what your Pokémon are capable of as well as any moves your opponent might have. The easiest way to gain this knowledge is to STUDY!

All Pokémon trainers must read to succeed! Pokémon books, game guides, and online resources can help you better understand the strengths and weaknesses of all the different types of Pokémon. Knowing which moves will work best against an opponent can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Not to mention, being able to remember the stats of every single species of Pokémon is a triumph in itself!

Although learning to battle effectively is a vital part to becoming an excellent trainer, making friends is even more important. Even if you buy every single game available, you won't be able to collect every species without trading. In fact, some species of Pokémon will only evolve when traded holding a specific item. Currently, there are 649 different species of Pokémon. With more sure to come, it's important to make friends with lots of trainers!

For those hard to find Pokémon, you may transfer over Pokémon from your previous adventures, OR you can use the Global Trade Station to trade with trainers from around the world. Making the right connections will prove useful, as a large network of resources will ensure you'll be able to get the specific Pokémon you need to complete your collection!

Also, make sure you treat your Pokémon with care. Prevent them from fainting in battle, heal status problems quickly, and give your Pokémon treats from time to time (i.e., Carbos, Hp Up). If possible, expose you Pokémon to Pokérus (a beneficial virus which causes them to level up quickly). Although you can receive Pokérus by battling infected wild Pokémon, your trainer friends may also be able to pass it on to you. Pokérus will fade after a while, however, you can keep it around if you leave an infected Pokémon in your PC box. I highly recommend doing so! For more info on Pokérus, check out Bulbapedia (link below).

Finally, remember that a good Pokemon trainer is also a good Pokemon breeder. The reward for leaving the right Pokemon at the Day Care Center is finding an egg! I suggest finding yourself a Ditto because it can create eggs with almost any Pokemon (excluding legendary Pokemon, of course). Once you perfect the genetics, you can create hatchlings that are born with the moves you want!!

If you ask me, the most difficult part of becoming a master trainer is anticipating what an opponent will do and initiating a preemptive strike. Like the game of poker, Pokémon takes strategy, skills, and finesse. In order to give yourself the advantage in any battle, you must create a well-rounded Pokémon team.

In addition to having many types of Pokémon on your team (i.e., fire-type, dragon-type), you must also possess a variety of moves. Each Pokémon has the chance to learn a multitude of different moves, however, they can only retain 4 moves at a time. Thus, it's important to be very particular about which moves you want your Pokémon to know! Understanding what move and ability combinations work best will guarantee that you're prepared for anything your opponent may bring to the battle.

In order to become a true Pokémon master, you must live by one important rule- never give up!!! If you end up blacking-out, learn from your mistakes and try again! Don't use cheat codes or other cheating devices to gain an upper-hand. Those items will only take away from your ability to win fair-and-square! Your battle experiences, whether for better or worse, will help you recognize where both your defensive and offensive techniques are lacking.

By fine-tuning your team, you will become a more successful trainer. For optimum training, try battling people outside of your comfort zone. Take on trainers in the single-battle and double-battle modes. Challenge friends and fellow Pokémon fans to experience battling trainers of different skill and strategic levels. Then, when your confidence level reaches an all-time high, try your luck at the Pokémon National and World Championships!

When you are victorious, take the time to bask in the light of triumph. Analyze your moves and take note of the key factors that helped you win. Then, enjoy a break with some of the additional activities available throughout the many towns and cities of each region. With so many mini-games, challenges, and eager trainers, the world of Pokémon is bubbling with opportunity for fun ;)

No matter how skilled you become on your journey, don't forget that there is always room for improvement. If your entire team reaches level 100, don't stop there- start a new team and keep battling!! Soon enough, a new version and/or region of Pokémon will come along. You must keep your Pokémon teams ever vigilant for the new rivals, gym leaders, Elite Four competitors, and master trainers ahead! Hope to see you at the 2011-12 Pokémon World Championship in Waikoloa, Hawaii.

Best of luck and Togekiss-es to all- TattooKitty ;)

I was really lucky to have been able to participate in the 2010 Pokémon VG World Championship in Waikoloa. I didn't even know the world championship existed until three weeks before it was to occur. Imagine my delight when I found out that it was going to be held on my hometown island! Usually, large events are held on the islands of Oahu or Maui yet, by some miracle, the championship was only going to be a two hour drive away! Taking it as a sign, I began to train.

On the day of the championship, I was both nervous and excited! When I entered the Pokémon area at the Hilton Waikoloa, it was jam-packed full of Pokémon players and fans. Although I had trained hard, I could tell that I was surrounded by Pokémon masters. Despite my fears, I turned in my entry form and prepared for the first round of battling. Ten minutes into the qualifier, I was enjoying a victory. Eliminating my first opponent was an AMAZING feeling! Quickly, the attendants directed me to the second round battle area.

My heart filled with euphoria as I walked up to my next opponent. I don't recall his name, but I remember his wonderful accent. That spirited young man from England took me out in less than five minutes! With just his Togekiss and shiny Kyogre, he eliminated me for good. After the battle, I shook my opponent's hand and congratulated him. I was bummed yet impressed by his skills. We chatted for a bit and he confessed that he had paid over $7,000 to come to Hawaii for a chance at Pokéfame. Considering the fact that I had only paid about $50 in gas, the loss was a bit easier to take. I wished him luck and left determined to try again some day.

Since that weekend, I've been honing my skills. I can't wait until the Pokémon World Championship returns to Hawaii in 2012. This time around, I'm hoping to last a bit longer...mwahahah!!