>>49621179The games make a big deal about Hop’s inferiority complex and why he keeps losing to you, when the game lets you catch fully evolved trademons in the wild and in Max Raids, and this guy is still using Dubwool and Pincurchin.
You have all of these trainers losing the Gym Challenge when they can just go into the Wild Area. Hell, even outside the Area, the game gives you access to so many Pokémon that are stronger than the gym coming up. Hop lost to Gordie or Melony while he ignored the Sawk/Throh, Seismitoad, Gurdurr, Falinks, Togedemaru, Perrserker, Pawniard, Solrock/Lunatone, Bronzong, and Sandaconda/Hippowdon (for Gordie). Even before that, on Route 6, he has Heatmor, Durant, Hawlucha, Dugtrio (for Gordie), and Drednaw. Hell, he could have gone to Route 9 and caught himself a Gastrodon, Jellicent, Pelipper, Octillery, or even a Pyukumuku.
When I saw Hop finally changing his team up, I was like, “Yes, he’s learning!” But the game makes that out to be the bad or wrong choice, and he ends up just using his usual team again with Snorlax and Cramorant put in.
Hop is so focused on beating Leon that he ignores everything the game gives you to help you on that goal. This is the kid who used five Pokémon in his battle with you in the Champion Cup when he has over a dozen by this point, and he uses Dubwool and Pincurchin over Boltund or Toxtricity.
