Challenger (GO)

Challenger redirects here. For the class of Trainers called Challengers in Pokémon Journeys: The Series, see Project Mew.
If you were looking for the second Japanese opening theme to Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, see Challenger!!.
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Challengers (Japanese: チャレンジャー Challenger) are Pokémon Trainers who can be encountered during certain events in Pokémon GO. Like all Trainer Battles in that game, they use parties of three Pokémon. Research tasks during these events often involve defeating Challengers.

Like Team GO Rocket Grunts, they appear near PokéStops which have an altered appearance in the overworld. Unlike those affected by the Grunts' hacking, PokéStops visited by Challengers do not change color and rotate more slowly.

To date, every such event has featured Challengers that share a unique Trainer class.

GO Tour Challengers

In preparation for the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto, players were invited to enter a Twitter contest to have their Trainer's likeness and battle team used as Challengers during the event. Entries were judged based on creativity and theming.[1]. Defeating these Trainers was integral to progression in the Go Tour Kanto: Defeat all Challengers Timed Research.

CashmereFeline
GO Tour Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Persian Dragonair Ninetales
DieCurryWurst
GO Tour Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Charmander Charmeleon Charizard
enjoyryde
GO Tour Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Snorlax Clefable Wigglytuff
Juanevoli
GO Tour Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Pikachu Pikachu Pikachu
LenTao9
GO Tour Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Geodude Graveler Onix
MalibuLeo
GO Tour Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Gloom Butterfree Victreebel
oneslapguy
GO Tour Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Nidoran♂ Koffing Gengar
Telli997
GO Tour Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Flareon Vaporeon Jolteon

Fashion Challengers

Fashion Week 2021

During the Fashion Week 2021 event, Fashion Challengers appeared in the game. These non-player characters were designed to showcase fashion items available to players and had teams featuring Fashion Week Event Pokémon as well as various Trims of the newly released Furfrou. The Fashion Week Timed Research involved defeating Fashion Challengers.

Cool Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Sneasel Gothitelle
Eccentric Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Gligar Graveler
Quirky Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Braixen Shinx
Rugged Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Kirlia Mienshao
Sassy Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Butterfree Vaporeon
Slick Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Croagunk Obstagoon

Fashion Week 2022

The Fashion Week 2022 event brought back certain Fashion Challengers wearing new outfits. They once again used teams based around Fashion Week Event Pokémon as well as various Trims of Furfrou. This event did not feature encounters at PokéStops, instead battles with the Fashion Challengers were listed as rewards for completing each stage of the Fashion Week Timed Research.

Quirky Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Mareanie Diglett
Rugged Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Blitzle Absol
Cool Challenger
Fashion Challenger
#1 #2 #3
Furfrou Frillish Croagunk

GO Gym Trainers

In preparation for the Pokémon Go Tour: Johto, players were invited to enter a Twitter contest to have their Trainer's likeness and battle team used as Challengers during the event. Entries were judged based on creativity and theming.[2]. Each team was meant to represent the Type favored by one of the Gyms of the Johto region and would appear to participants in the appropriate order. Defeating these Trainers was integral to progression in the GO Tour: Johto Battle Challenge Timed Research. After completing all the Research tasks, players were given the option to continue encountering the Gym Trainers or to have them stop appearing in order to focus on collecting Pokémon.

Robbenprinz
GO Gym Trainer: Flying
#1 #2 #3
Hoppip Gligar CrobatShiny
Alehouhou
GO Gym Trainer: Bug
#1 #2 #3
Parasect Scizor Heracross
Leon9715
GO Gym Trainer: Normal
#1 #2 #3
Eevee Jigglypuff Rattata
Brissete
GO Gym Trainer: Ghost
#1 #2 #3
Gastly Misdreavus Gengar
Terureruru
GO Gym Trainer: Fighting
#1 #2 #3
Mankey Machoke Hitmontop
Balthazarpokemom
GO Gym Trainer: Steel
#1 #2 #3
Forretress Steelix Skarmory
Absolfairy
GO Gym Trainer: Ice
#1 #2 #3
Dewgong Lapras Sneasel
Robbenprinz
GO Gym Trainer: Dragon
#1 #2 #3
Kingdra Dragonair Dragonite

Challengers

Known simply as Challengers, these trainers appeared during the 2022 World Championships and used a party selected randomly from the Pokémon used by the winners of the Pokémon GO Regional Championships. During the event, Timed Research involved players encountering Challengers.

Challenger
#1 #2 #3
NidoqueenNinetalesLickitungAzumarillSwampertSableyeMedicham
WalreinRegisteelDeoxysCresseliaScraftyStunfiskMandibuzz
DiggersbyTalonflameTrevenantAraquanidGreedentObstagoonSirfetch'd

In other languages

GO Tour Challenger

Language Title
Japanese GO Tour チャレンジャー GO Tour Challenger
Mandarin Chinese GO Tour挑戰者 GO Tour Tiǎozhànzhě
French Adversaire du Circuit GO
German GO Tour-Herausforderer
Hindi GO Tour चैलेंजर GO Tour Challenger
Indonesian Penantang Tur GO
Italian Sfidante del Tour GO
Korean GO Tour 도전자 GO Tour Dojeonja
Brazilian Portuguese Desafiante do GO Tour
Russian Тур GO: Противник Tur GO: Protivnik
Spanish Latin America Rival del Tour de GO
Spain Rival del Tour de GO
Thai ผู้ท้าชิง GO Tour Phuthaching GO Tour
Turkish GO Tur Meydan Okuyucu

Fashion Challenger

Language Title
Japanese ファッションチャレンジャー Fashion Challenger
Mandarin Chinese 時尚挑戰者 Shíshàng Tiǎozhànzhě
French Adversaire fashionista
German Fashion-Herausforderer
Hindi फ़ैशन चैलेंजर Fashion Challenger
Indonesian Penantang Fashion
Italian Sfidante alla moda
Korean 패션 챌린저 Fashion Challenger
Brazilian Portuguese Desafiante Fashionista
Russian Модный противник Modnyy protivnik
Spanish Latin America Rival a la Moda
Spain Rival a la moda
Thai ผู้ท้าชิงสายแฟชั่น Phuthaching sai Fashion
Turkish Modacı Rakip

GO Gym Trainer

Language Title
Japanese GOジムトレーナー GO Gym Trainer
Mandarin Chinese GO道館訓練家 GO Dàoguǎn Xùnliànjiā
French Dresseur d'Arène GO
German GO-Arenatrainer
Hindi GO जिम ट्रेनर GO Gym Trainer
Indonesian Pelatih Gym GO
Italian Allenatore della Palestra GO
Korean GO 체육관 트레이너 GO Cheyuggwan Trainer
Brazilian Portuguese Treinador de Ginásio GO
Russian Тренер Гима GO Trener Gima GO
Spanish Latin America Entrenador de Gimnasio GO
Spain Entrenador de Gimnasio GO
Thai GO ยิมเทรนเนอร์ GO Gym Trainer
Turkish GO Spor Salonu Eğitmeni

Challenger

Language Title
Japanese GOチャレンジャー GO Challenger
Mandarin Chinese 挑戰者 Tiǎozhànzhě
French Adversaire
German Herausforderer
Hindi चैलेंजर Challenger
Indonesian Penantang
Italian Sfidante
Korean GO챌린져 GO Challenger
Brazilian Portuguese Desafiante
Russian Противник Protivnik
Spanish Latin America Rival
Spain Contendiente
Thai ผู้ท้าชิง GO Phuthaching GO
Turkish Rakip

References

Related articles

Non-player characters in Pokémon GO
Professor WillowBlancheSparkCandela
Team GO Rocket • • RhiMateo
This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.