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Overview
Trainer Rank is the story-driven progression system in Pokemon Pokopia. There are four Trainer Ranks in total, and increasing your rank is the only way to open the green gates scattered across the map that block access to new areas. Unlike Environment Level, which is raised by befriending Pokemon and improving habitats, Trainer Rank advances exclusively through completing the main story and its Important Requests.
How Trainer Rank Works
The only way to increase Trainer Rank is to progress through the main questline by completing Important Requests as they come up. These requests originate from key characters like Professor Tangrowth and other Pokemon encountered throughout the story. After completing enough Important Requests, the game pauses to notify you that your Trainer Rank has increased.
Trainer Rank does not increase from general activities like crafting, building, or befriending Pokemon. It is purely tied to story progression. Players cannot grind their way to a higher rank; they must complete the specific story milestones in each area.
Green Gates
Green gates are shuttered barriers found throughout the map that block access to new areas. These gates will not open until your Trainer Rank reaches the required level for that specific gate. When you approach a green gate and your rank is high enough, the gate opens and your current rank is displayed on screen.
Three green gates exist in the Withered Wasteland: one on each side and one high on a hill behind the Pokemon Center. Additional gates are found in other areas, all leading to new regions. The only way to check your current Trainer Rank is to approach a green gate and attempt to open it.
Rank Progression
There are four Trainer Ranks, with the first three corresponding to new area unlocks and the fourth indicating completion of the main storyline.
Rank | How to Achieve | Areas Unlocked |
|---|---|---|
Trainer | Starting rank. Granted at the beginning of the game. | |
Great Trainer | Complete the "Yawn Up a Storm" Important Request in the Withered Wasteland and meet Kyogre. | Bleak Beach and Rocky Ridges (both accessible through green gates on either side of the Withered Wasteland) |
Ultra Trainer | Complete the main story quests in both Bleak Beach and Rocky Ridges. | Sparkling Skylands (accessible through gates in multiple areas: far right of Bleak Beach, far right of Rocky Ridges, or behind the Withered Wasteland) |
Final Rank | Complete all main story quests across all four story areas. | Endgame content and post-game features |
Important Requests
Important Requests are the main story quests that drive Trainer Rank progression. They are distinguished from regular Pokemon requests by their special icon in the quest log. Each area has Important Requests that must be completed before the player's rank advances.
Key Important Requests by Area
Area | Important Request | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
Yawn Up a Storm | The main quest in the starting area. Completing it leads to an encounter with Kyogre and raises the player to Great Trainer rank, opening the gates to Bleak Beach and Rocky Ridges. | |
Time to Party! | Involves helping Chef Dente and DJ Rotom throw a party. Requires gathering ingredients, recruiting Ludicolo, and cooking curry with five Pokemon. Completing it triggers the Volcanion encounter. | |
Main story quest | Completing the Bleak Beach storyline alongside Rocky Ridges raises the player to Ultra Trainer rank. | |
Final area quests | Completing all main quests in the final area raises the player to the highest rank and unlocks endgame content. |
Seeing the Credits
To see the game's credits, the player must accomplish two things: rebuild the Pokemon Center in all four story areas (Withered Wasteland, Bleak Beach, Rocky Ridges, Sparkling Skylands) and raise Environment Level to 5 in each area. This requires both story progression (Trainer Rank) and habitat/environment work (Environment Level), making both systems essential for completing the game.
Relationship to Other Systems
System | Relationship to Trainer Rank |
|---|---|
Separate progression system raised by befriending Pokemon and building habitats. Both Environment Level and Trainer Rank must be progressed to complete the game and see credits. | |
New crafting recipes and materials become available as players access new areas through Trainer Rank progression, but crafting itself does not affect rank. | |
Building the Pokemon Center in each area is required for credits, but building activities do not contribute to Trainer Rank. | |
Pokedex | The Pokedex notifies you when your Trainer Rank has increased. New areas unlocked by higher ranks contain new Pokemon species and habitats to discover. |
Tips
Focus on Important Requests to progress the story. Regular Pokemon requests and habitat building improve Environment Level but do not affect Trainer Rank.
If you are stuck at a green gate, check if you have uncompleted Important Requests in your current areas. The gate will not open until the required story milestones are finished.
Approach any green gate to see your current Trainer Rank displayed on screen. This is the only confirmed way to check your rank.
Both Bleak Beach and Rocky Ridges unlock simultaneously at Great Trainer rank. You can explore them in any order, but both must be completed to reach Ultra Trainer rank.
Sparkling Skylands has gates accessible from three different areas (Bleak Beach, Rocky Ridges, and behind the Withered Wasteland), giving multiple entry points.