[Sword & Shield] Rivals

[Meadow]

What kind of rival(s) are you expecting to see in Sword and Shield? And how would you like to see any rivalries play out?

Do you think it would be interesting if there was no main rival at all?

 

[colours]

Would be ok with no main rival, although admittedly it would be a bit boring. Something has to fill in that rival gap after all even if it's not a rival themselves.

Also, I'm in the minority that generally doesn't really care for asshole rivals anymore. It's likely that we're probably never going to get into that archetype again, so at the very least someone like Barry/Hau is a rival that's actually fun to have. The thing with those two is that they aren't 100% friendly all the time; they still have the goal of kicking the player's ass and wanting to surpass them as a true rival should, they're just nicer about to varying degrees. If that's the closest we're going to get to "asshole" rival, then so be it and I accept that.

 

[Meadow]

Also, I'm in the minority that generally doesn't really care for asshole rivals anymore.

Haha, same with me! xD

Just some food for thought... What if we start out with another "friend rival" like Barry/Hau, but then midway through the game, this rival has some sort of falling-out with the protagonist that causes them to become an enemy of sorts? :o

 

[colours]

Haha, same with me! xD

Just some food for thought... What if we start out with another "friend rival" like Barry/Hau, but then midway through the game, this rival has some sort of falling-out with the protagonist that causes them to become an enemy of sorts? :o

Something like that would be really cool, actually! They have a falling out with the protag, going so far as to kind of join the evil team and then have to face off against the player. They'll probably be friends with the protagonist again by the end of it all, but I think the brief period of the rival basically being an enemy of sorts is something I wouldn't mind at all. :P

Basically someone that's more of Gladion's kind of personality but less edgy would work.

 

[AveeVaporGlitch]

Would be cool if we don't get specific rivals but if the game is the focus of sports rivals for each event. Really hope the league is the entire game and not just some thing only you seem to care about. Having people you meet enter the league like in the anime would to me make the league concept way more interesting

 

[Meadow]

Really hope the league is the entire game and not just some thing only you seem to care about. Having people you meet enter the league like in the anime would to me make the league concept way more interesting

I definitely agree with you, and I think this would actually make a great topic for another thread! (Which I'll go ahead and create right now!)

But yeah, it would be really cool if you end up facing off against your rival within the League itself! That'd surely make your rivalry feel impactful. :D

 

[mishy.]

We haven't faced our Rival in the league since .... first generation, so I would actually love that idea a lot!

Overall though I would love to see a rival who is more rival than friend at the beginning (rather than one of those friendly rivals) but somehow play the sword and shield titles into it later with development. I don't even know if this makes sense or anything but I think it'd be more interesting than the full on brash or rude rival or the fully friendly rival we've been getting every generation?

 

[mysticalflute]

I think I'm one of the few that are over asshole rivals. People make the argument all the time about how fun it was to kick their asses, which, I guess I agree with but on the other hand for me, running into them at all kinda brought down my entire mood. Sometimes I found them more annoying than the Grunts, honestly.

One thing I want from the rival though, is for them to pick the starter stronger against yours. That was such a weird choice in SM.

 

[Fletchling]

I would really enjoy rivals in similar vein to what Cheren and Bianca did for their games — represented the truth and ideals theme perfectly. I'm over assholes, and I think gf is too..

 

[Yue Han]

I would quite like a Gladion type rival. Someone that's not arrogant for the sake of it but a tad obnoxious for (arguably) valid reasons you later learn. Not all about friendship and love, but also not all 'SMELL YA LATER LOSERRRRRR'.

 

[thedestinedblade]

I don't particularly care for a-hole rivals either, but I just wasn't a fan of Hau. I'm not really sure what I want from a rival (aside from actually being a challenge) at this point. :laugh-squinted:

 

[Pepperton]

I definitely hope there's at least one rival. I think my favorite dynamic is when there's one main rival and one other rival who isn't directly in your journey's path but you do intertwine with them every so often, a la Wally.

 

[Pig]

You know, I'm team "I don't think Blue was that much of an asshole, he just treated you like you two were childhood friends in a competitive way."

Silver was an asshole though, there's no getting around that. Straight up abused pokemon.

That said, I'm still down for the more present rivals/friends, see Bianca and Cheren, where they're actually around and don't just show up like "I came as soon as I heard [evil team] was here, but it looks like you got it, MC!" Or the ones that don't know anything about them. For some reason that's stressful for me to read. "I've been hearing something about this evil group I just watched you fight 20 feet away and waited until you were done to come talk to you, but I don't know anything about it, and I'm going to stay out of it."/"I thought I heard about evil team being here, but I guess they're gone?"

For once I'd like rivals with sense.

 

[Iceshadow3317]

I think Bianca and Cheren was the best type of rival and would like to see that again. However, I would prefer if the female was far more competitive than the male for once.

2 main rivals seem to be the way to go, and then maybe a 3rd like N.

 

[Meadow]

^ Ohhh, if we had two main rivals, maybe one of them could utilize a fast, offensive Pokémon team while the other would use a bulky, defensive team.

That'd suit the motif of swords and shields!

 

[L'Belle]

I think Bianca and Cheren was the best type of rival and would like to see that again. However, I would prefer if the female was far more competitive than the male for once.

2 main rivals seem to be the way to go, and then maybe a 3rd like N.

Agree with this 100%. Friendly rivals are turned away for being bad, but Friendly and competitive can go hand in hand, as seen by Cheren. Bianca was also a wonderful character, and actually quite relatable. I'd like to see something similiar to them.

 

[Hyzenthlay]

Bianca and Cheren were my ideal rivals! With Cheren being the more competitive one, the rival you have to look out for, and cheery Bianca doing her own thing but showing up for a battle now and then. Both add to the story. Being a rival doesn't mean they have to be a nuisance—as much as I actually like Blue. xD

Also, your main rival should definitely be a threat! Where if you came across them with a team of injured Pokémon, you'd think, "Noooo, I'm doomed!!"

So, what if there were two rivals, and you had a falling-out with the Cheren-type one, who starts mixing with the wrong crowd? So it's up to you and your friend to get them on the right track! Then, in the end, you work together to fight against the evil team. :D