• Our software update is now concluded. You will need to reset your password to log in. In order to do this, you will have to click "Log in" in the top right corner and then "Forgot your password?".
  • Forum moderator applications are now open! Click here for details.
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.

4th Gen Cynthia or Lance?

KirbyRobot

Hey look, it's Robotic Kirby!
13
Posts
8
Years
Cynthia all the way. I remember when i originally played platinum. I couldn't get past the second elite four member, and I had to get my friends Lv100 Staraptor just to beat her. When I got to Cynthia, I was shaking. The Staraptor saved me, but barely. I honestly shouldn't have tried so many times, I should've just restarted my game and prepped my team. But, here I am today, and I know the elite four, and I have a balanced team. Let's hope it can handle Cynthia & the elite four.
 

27thColt

The Collector
114
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Sep 3, 2023
Cynthia is way more epic. Lance did have the dragon thing going, but there weren't a lot of Dragon types that he used. All it was was 2 Dragonites (Oh sorry, 3 Dragonites cus GF had to be asses to us), Aerodactyl, Charizard, & Gyarados. It was just a cheap trick of spamming with Dragonites too make it so we could never win.

Cynthia's had diversity. Granted it is something that pretty much everybody has except for Lance & Steven, but her diversity was a real challenge. Spiritomb, Roserade, Togekiss (or Gastrodon), Milotic, Lucario, Garchamp.

She would start out with Spiritomb witch had NO weaknesses at the time, so trying to beat that early one was annoying. Her Roserade in Platinum could poison you to death (like Gardenia's Roserade but on STEROIDS). Then you have either Gastrodon or Togekiss. While Gastrodon didn't really stand out for me, it does have a huge range of moves that could take you out like Earthquake & Sludge Bomb. But the Togekiss was just a special sweeper. Lucario was the physical sweeper in the team. The fact that there were only 2 fire types in DP adds to how hard it was to take down Lucario and Roserade. Milotic was there to stall her opponents with Aqua Ring & Mirror Coat forcing you to spam healing items until she sends out the beast that is GARCHOMP. It got STAB from Dragon Rush & Earthquake, and then she has two other powerhouse moves on her set which are Giga Impact and Brick Break/Flamethrower. Don't forget that Sitrus Berry also.


Another thing that supports my opinion of Cynthia is the leveling of the whole game. I am talking about the level of the pokemon. While it does not really make a difference, because any fight will be hard because it is expected you will always be a few levels lower, it does give an effect on the battle. Higher levels at the end of the game will give an illusion that the player worked harder. This could really be just because DPPT are just longer due to pacing than HGSS's main game but it gives a sense of an intense battle because it is two experienced players.

Look at the end levels of RSE, you have Steven/Wallace packing level 55-60 pokemon. Then you got Cynthia rocking the level 58-62 (Yes, Garchomp was level 62). After that, you have HGSS & GSC with only 48-50 pokemon. Both are equally hard, but on seems stronger than the other. Cynthia.

Thats my reasoning.
 
895
Posts
9
Years
  • Age 33
  • Seen Apr 22, 2018
I'm going to be blunt: I hate Cynthia.

I hate that she was given such a blatantly cheap, overpowered "perfect" team. I hate that she was stuffed into every single DS era main series game while other, perfectly good characters were left to rot. I hate that, instead of being a good or even interesting character, she's instead, a bland Mary Sue with perfect supermodel/Barbie doll looks who always says the right things at the right time and doesn't have any flaws. I hate that the fandom blindly worships her and uses her as a stick to beat other Champions with. I hate that both GF and the fandom hold her up as the "ultimate" Strong Female Role Model and use her as a stick to beat other female characters with.

Sure, you could argue that Lance is a Gary Stu, but he actually showed character progression going from RBY to GSC. He went from being a bratty, overconfident Elite Four member:
"Ah! I heard about you, Red! I lead the Elite Four! You can call me Lance the dragon trainer! You know that dragons are mythical Pokémon! They're hard to catch and raise, but their powers are superior! They're virtually indestructible! Well, are you ready to lose? Your League challenge ends with me, Red!"

"That's it! I hate to admit it, but you are a Pokémon master!"
To being a gentle, humble Champion:
"I've been waiting for you. Gold/Kris! I knew that you, with your skills, would eventually reach me here. There's no need for words now. We will battle to determine who is the stronger of the two of us. As the most powerful trainer and as the Pokémon League Champion… I, Lance the dragon master, accept your challenge!"

"…It's over. But it's an odd feeling. I'm not angry that I lost. In fact, I feel happy. Happy that I witnessed the rise of a great new Champion!"

Sure, his team isn't as good as Cynthia's, nor is he anywhere as difficult to battle, but having a tough team doesn't mean jack if there's no character to go along with it...

... which is why Blue is still the best Champion. :P
 
1,415
Posts
15
Years
  • Seen Jul 2, 2023
I like Lance better, though I think Cynthia has the stronger, more balanced team. I suppose Lance has nostalgia on his side for me, and I have many memories of standing before him and reading through his dialogue. I agree with BettyNewbie's comment about Lance's character progression, and I think that's an important element for me as well; while I felt so-so about him in RBY/FRLG, I really began to like him, and in some ways respect him, by the time he became champion in GSC/HGSS.

That being said, Cynthia is important in that she is the first female champion, and I was pleased to see some semblance of gender balance (not much, but a bit) in the champions once she came along. Aside from that, though, I never really found her that memorable. Again, perhaps nostalgia clouds my vision (I think I took a liking to Lance in gen 2, and that carried into gen 4), but Cynthia as champion felt a bit like a forced move from GameFreak to me. (Then again, as female champions go, I like Cynthia much more than Diantha in the newer games, so she's probably somewhere in the middle of my champion list.)
 

Synerjee

[font=Itim]Atra du evarinya ono varda.[/font]
2,901
Posts
11
Years
Cynthia. She was, in my opinion, the toughest champion to beat. Lance is cool as well, but I prefer her a bit more. With her well-balanced team and her badass battle theme, it's almost a given who my favourite is.
 
1,544
Posts
14
Years
Lance by miles for me, he's my all-time favourite Champion. There's something about his character that's so intriguing, and I love his involvement in-game at the Rocket Hideout and meeting him at the Lake of Rage.
 
12,103
Posts
18
Years
The obvious choice for me is Cynthia. She had a diverse team, and is just a more interesting character than Lance. Plus, she's adorable n_n
 

Sun

When the sun goes down...
4,706
Posts
10
Years
  • Seen Jan 20, 2017
Cynthia, as Sansa Stark noted, she has a more diverse team. She gave a real challenge during my very first battle with her!
 
64
Posts
8
Years
Definitely Cynthia, challenging team, awesome battle music, actually did something in the story and besides lance is easy, when you have a high level piloswine.
 
6,282
Posts
14
Years
  • Age 31
  • Seen yesterday
I love Lance but I gotta go with Cynthia on this one. She is a fantastic champ. She's tough man, I had a hard time with her a couple of times in playthroughs. I also like how diverse her team is.
 
Back
Top