The Badge System

[Magmar]

(From the gym obstacles thread)

Most of the first gyms were kinda lacking... Especially when you realize that their line-up is, in the grand scheme of things, pretty pathetic. They could have had some sort of puzzle to make it so that trainers who start their journey at the opposite side of the world have some sort of reason to think of these gyms as more than a quick badge. (Assuming that in the pokemon world, there are trainers who start over in, say Saffron City or Canalave City, and that it is pure co-incidence that we start in the town we do.)

This post made me think a bit. In the grand scheme of the pokemon universe, do you suppose gym leaders must use different pokemon for different trainers? I mean, assume a trainer grows up and starts off in Fuchsia City. Maybe they start with a higher level pokemon so that they can face Pokemon close to home. Are the three starters standardized, or do folks in other towns start with Gastlys and Tangelas? It would explain why there are so many trainers around cities with only pokemon that seem to be native to that area. It would also explain why there are mad lame trainers all around the cities who have local pokemon with lousy movesets. They are new trainers and this is also why they are broke. Hmm.

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

I am certain of it, I think depending on your own skill trainers use different kinds of Pokémon. It is their duty to test your skills and determination, not to steamroller you without giving you the slightest chance. I'm not sure whether that would be a law though (thus a "must").

I think there are no Pokémon types new trainers have to start with. The lucky ones who know a Pokémon professor or live in a town where one dwells will get one of the common known starter trios. But I'm sure trainers could just receive any Pokémon as a gift (as was e.g. seen in Pokémon Yellow where Gary started with Eevee and the player with Pikachu) or could just buy one if they can afford it (like in the casinos). I'm sure some trainers will also just befriend a random low-level Pokémon by giving it food or playing with it.

[Jeff]

It could be that, say, all trainers in Kanto go to Pallet Town to start off. But I'm with Alex, I think if you challenge a gym leader with no badges, they'll go easy on you since they're your first real test, and if you have 7 badges and go up against one, they'll go all out. When it comes to starters, I think there are people who are tasked with finding pokemon that are strong, but easy to train, to give to new trainers. The professors are naturally in this group.

[Heald]

It doesn't make sense that from Pallet, you're meant to do all the gyms in order, because the very first gym you actually come to is Viridian City, which is obviously the strongest of the 8 gyms, and, luckily for your PC in the games, it just happens to be closed because the gym leader is out trying to take over the world, otherwise he would hump your Squirtle, Rattata and Pidgey in a heartbeat.

Imagine the next kid from Pallet to get there just a few days after you and Gio does happen to be in...

"Go Level 6 Charmander!"
"Go Level 45 Nidoking!"
*RAWR*

[Lady Vulpix]

It could be that, say, all trainers in Kanto go to Pallet Town to start off. But I'm with Alex, I think if you challenge a gym leader with no badges, they'll go easy on you since they're your first real test, and if you have 7 badges and go up against one, they'll go all out. When it comes to starters, I think there are people who are tasked with finding pokemon that are strong, but easy to train, to give to new trainers. The professors are naturally in this group.
My thoughts exactly. Which would explain why in GS/HGSS the Kanto gyms have much stronger pokemon than in the previous games.

[Blademaster]

Exactly. The Gym Leaders no doubt gauge your skill by how many Badges you have/what Pokemon you use and then proceed from there.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

I always imagined them to have a giant roster of pokemon (literally a shelf or something in their gym) ,non-evolved, first stage, second stage pokemon etc. to choose from. Then they see their opponent, 'check' them out and decide what level they on. Or they just take a gamble with their first pokemon and then raise the levels.

Dunno. Gymleaders are mighty powerful in my eyes, so easy ones like Falkner also have giant bird pokemon of l.50, but don't use them on you since you're a rookie in GSC.

That's why I love HGSS where you can re-challenge the leaders later.