4th Gen Stat Trainers

I didn't actually realise there was a fan term for them, but Bulbapedia tells me otherwise. Just in case nobody else knows what I'm talking about.

DPPt did something a little different. Instead of giving us just the rivals for major NPCs and leaving it at that, they gave us five special trainers - Cheryl, Riley, Mira, Buck, and Marley - who would team up with you for an area of the game to resolve a personal problem, kinda like a sidequest, with only Cheryl's being mandatory for game progression in DPPt, with Riley and Buck being made mandatory for Platinum to tie into the game's main story. However, many players may have missed one or more of them in that first run through.

So, which of these five trainers was your favourite, and why? Did you meet them all? Would you like to see more "stat trainers" like this in future instalments in the series, or are you happy with the direction the games are taking by trying to give rivals and recurring NPCs more plot integration? Lastly, in hypothetical DPPt remakes, how would you like to see these five included - would you like to see them as they were, or with expanded roles?

My favourite was probably Cheryl, I don't usually enjoy traversing the forest area in the games, cause of the various status conditions that often get inflicted. But with Cheryl healing up your Pokemon, it made it a hell of a lot easier. I'd like to see these characters return in the DP remakes too, cause training on Iron Island with Riley was fun too.

I liked Riley's team and design the most.

I'd love to see all these trainers remade with updated teams perhaps. I think it's a cool idea to have unique trainers relating to specific stats.

Cheryl was incredibly useful - it goes from "oh god yet another forest where I can't possibly afford enough Antidotes if I'm going to try and catch things" to "woo, double battles!".

Riley was probably my favourite due to his style and use of Lucario. Buck is a close second because I liked the increase in families in DPPt but he also prevents you getting all the items (less of an issue in Platinum as you have to go back anyway) and Marley gets points for having an Arcanine. I have absolutely no opinion on Mira, but any free healing in an otherwise tedious cave is fine by me. I think her Kadabra's speed makes it easier to escape from wild battles too.

I'll be honest, the first couple of times I played Diamond I didn't meet Marley, and a few times after failing to find Gible in that cave I stopped bothering to see Mira either (I never knew about the 2nd entrance). I think I only found Marley when the Oak's Letter event happened for Platinum. Riley I didn't find til post-game in my first go through Diamond as well, as for some reason I hadn't bothered to go both directions inside Iron Island.

I've only experienced with Riley and Cheryl so far, but I think they're all awesome since they do team up with you in Battle Tower multi battles. Riley is definitely the general fan fave due to his resemblance to Sir Aaron coupled with having a Lucario as his partner Pokemon, but I like Cheryl and her Chansey as well for healing you after every battle.

Riley is favorite stat trainer, I really like his style and personality. He also have you a Riolu egg, which evolves to one of my favorite Pokemon.

Not a stat trainer, but I just wanted to post about this because it was kinda cool.

Just did the double-battle with Dawn in Veilstone City and honestly, it was as if I was controlling both players. I sent out Rotom who OHKO'd a Zubat, next turn her Clefairy used Explosion, finishing off the Galactic Croagunk and other Zubat whilst obviously not harming Rotom. Then, for the piece de resistance I decided to attack her Prinplup directly - Shock Wave activated Torrent and Prinplup OHKO'd the Galactic Stunky with Bubblebeam.

Obviously, not being a stat trainer the selfish girl didn't heal me.

I guess if i were to try link this back into this thread...any of you guys ever pulled off any accidental (or intentional in the case of my Shock Wave gambit) combos with the stat trainers?