The Pokémon series has a familiar and reasonably predictable plot in each of its games. Fans know about the Gym system, the regional evil team, and the ultimate challenge awaiting them at the end, the Pokémon League. Throughout their journeys, players meet a parade of NPCs, friends, and foes alike, who help and challenge them into becoming the very best, like no one ever was.
These characters appear sporadically throughout the story. They can be helpful and, at times, annoying, but their presence is ultimately appreciated because they enhance the gaming experience, making the Pokémon world feel alive and more dynamic.
10 Palmer
After the player becomes the Pokémon League Champion, they get access to the Fight Area in the northernmost part of Sinnoh. They meet Tower Tycoon Palmer, Barry’s father, who’s very similar to his son in both appearance and behavior.
In typical Pokémon fashion, Palmer’s relationship with the unseen player’s father mirrors the player’s dynamic with Barry. Palmer is a welcome and thoroughly entertaining late-game addition, thanks to his loud and impatient personality. Furthermore, he has an excellent team that includes a Milotic with Marvel Scale and a Dragonite with Multiscale, making things extra challenging.
9 The Team Galactic Commanders
Team Galactic is one of the best villainous teams in Pokémon, thanks in large part to the three colorful Commanders that fight the player at numerous points in the game. Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are not only tremendously fun but also somewhat threatening.
They pose no challenge whatsoever, except perhaps Mars and her Purugly during their first battle at Valley Windworks. However, they still provide plenty of color to the game, allowing their personalities to shine through during their interactions with the player. Their animation during battle is also amusing, especially Saturn’s, with his hand on his waist and overall expression of rehearsed detachment.
8 The Elite Four
The Sinnoh Elite Four can be pretty tricky to navigate in Pokémon. Aaron, Bertha, Flint, and Lucien live up to their title as the four most challenging opponents in the Sinnoh region, only bested by Cynthia herself. Their type specialties are also very inspired, and it remains the only Elite Four with Bug and Ground-type Trainers.
Despite their limited role in the story, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl succeeded in giving a real sense of dread to the Sinnoh Elite Four. Their rematch battle is sure to make players tremble a bit, and their short lines of dialogue will make the encounter even more memorable.
7 Professor Rowan
The Regional Professor is a staple of the franchise. They kick off the player’s journey by providing the Starter Pokémon, popping up occasionally to offer advice or encouragement.
Rowan isn’t the most hands-on Pokémon Professor, and his role in the story feels somewhat diminished this time around. However, his dry, borderline stoic personality and confused expression make him stand out above all other Professors. He’s not a know-it-all like Oak or a suave lothario like Sycamore. Instead, he’s just an older man trying his best to study Pokémon and finding it very hard to do.
6 The Gengar-Loving Game Director & The Game Director
One of the most elusive accomplishments in any Pokémon game is completing the living dex. In previous generations, players needed to catch at least one species of Pokémon and register their data on the Pokédex to get a cool reward. Nowadays, it’s just necessary to see every species of Pokémon, at least for the Regional Pokédex.
Once the player sees all 151 species in the Sinnoh region, they can travel to Valor Lakefront and meet the Game Directors–one of which is Junichi Masuda himself–inside a hotel room. After exchanging pleasantries with the player, the Gengar-loving Director will gift them the Catching Charm, while Junichi Masuda will give a certificate. The National Pokedex does require the player to catch at least one of each species. Meeting those criteria will result in the Gengar-loving Director giving players the coveted Shiny Charm, while Junichi Masuda will produce a second certificate. That alone makes them among the best NPCs in the entire game!
5 The Underground Man
Pokémon‘s Sinnoh Underground can be pretty hard to navigate, but it’s so worth the effort. While in there, players can dig for treasures, build secret bases, and visit the Pokémon Hideouts, where elusive and exclusive Pokémon roam in the overworld!
All that becomes possible thanks to the kind and helpful Underground Man in Eterna City. The man will provide the necessary tools for players to access the Underground and build their secret base. He will also offer tips and words of encouragement, which are always welcome! The NPCs in Pokémon are usually super friendly, but the Underground Man goes beyond simple kindness. He’s a literal game-changer!
4 Riley
Throughout the game, players must pair with three different NPCs to navigate specific locations. Cheryl is the player’s companion in Eterna Forest, and Mira is the partner in Wayward Cave. However, Riley is by far the most memorable of the group. Players meet him while exploring Iron Island, teaming up with him to discover the mystery in the mine.
Riley offers insightful commentaries about Pokémon, their relationship with humans, and why it’s crucial to treat them with respect. He also provides some interesting backstory about the mine while helping the player battle the many trainers in the cave. Before parting ways, Riley will give a Pokémon Egg from which Riolu will eventually hatch. Lucario is one of the strongest non-Legendary Pokémon in Sinnoh, and this egg is the only way of getting it in the games. Thanks, Riley!
3 Barry
Rivals are crucial in any Pokémon game. They provide some challenges during a journey, even if they have become increasingly weaker through the years. Luckily, Barry wasn’t nerfed for Brilliant Diamond & Shing Pearl, although he wasn’t buffed either.
Still, Barry remains one of the funniest parts of the Gen IV games. Intense to the point of annoyance, Barry is always in a rush, often bumping into others while he sprints around the region. Barry gets plenty of moments to shine throughout the story, and while he mostly remains friendly, he’s still a rival to the player. With an instantly memorable personality and a team full of Sinnoh superstars, Barry is one of the best rivals in the franchise.
2 Cyrus
Cyrus is a standout in the franchise due to the sheer scope of his plans. Previous antagonists tried to conquer a region via petty thefts, but Cyrus blows them out of the water with his ambitious agenda. He wants to destroy the universe and remake it according to his vision, deprived of any emotion or spirit. Now, that’s evil! However, Cyrus can also be fair, and he gives the Master Ball to the player, a crucial artifact to catch Legendary Pokémon.
A good villain can elevate an otherwise simple story, and Cyrus is as good a villain as Pokémon has. He might never reach Ghestsis’ levels of absolute cruelty, but he’s still a compelling and intriguing character and a worthy opponent for the Gods of the Pokémon universe.
1 Cynthia
Without a doubt, Cynthia is the best Pokémon League Champion ever. She has a balanced and terrifying team sure to wreck the hopes and dreams of many players. Her Spiritomb is a nuisance, her Milotic an absurdly bulky tank, and her Garchomp an all-around menace ready to end entire careers with one sweep from its sharp claw. Many fans feared the remakes would nerf her, but to everyone’s surprise, the opposite happened, and they buffed her instead, making an already worthy foe even more challenging.
Beyond her role as a fearsome opponent, Cynthia’s shadow looms large over the game’s plot. She helps the player several times throughout the story and even gifts them a Happiny egg. Cynthia is always helpful while remaining threatening, an admirable feat for a character with only a few appearances.
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