How I’d change Pokémon Trainer to make them a bit deeper

[Perkilator]

I’m sure this topic has been done to death in some fashion, but here’s how I’d change Pokémon Trainer to make the three playable Pokémon they have feel less cramped in moveset:

The Pokémon
I would change their down Specials to moves they can learn in the games.

: Bubble; traps opponents in a giant yet frail bubble.
: Sleep Powder; lets out a large mass of powder that puts nearby opponents to sleep.
: Rock Smash; it’s old down Special from Smash 4.

The Switching
The Pokémon switching mechanic would be similar to ’s Ink Refill; by pressing B and the Shield button at once.

To switch from to , you press B and the right Shield button. To switch from to , you press B and the left Shield button.

The Classic Mode routes
The Trainer themselves would keep their Classic Mode route. However, all three Pokémon would get their own Classic Mode routes as well.

Spoiler: Squirtle: Go Away, Gunk!

(Fights characters with an ink or water motif, all of which are team battles with Mario)
Round 1: (team battle w/) on Peach’s Castle 64 (Castle Theme (Super Mario World) / Fortress Boss (Super Mario Bros. 3))
Round 2: x8 (team battle w/) on PAC-LAND Battlefield (Yuga Battle (Hyrule Castle))
Round 3: x4 (team battle w/) on Wii Fit Studio (Super Hoop)
Round 4: (team battle w/) on (Dragon Roost Island)
Round 5: x8 (team battle w/) on Moray Towers (Inkoming!)
Round 6: (team battle w/ and ) on (Delfino Plaza (Remix))
Final Round: Marx (team battle w/)

Spoiler: Ivysaur: Dude, Where’s my Sun?

(Fights against characters with a dark motif mostly on dark or night-themed stages)
Round 1: on (Snowman)
Round 2: on Brinstar (Dark World (Brawl))
Round 3: on Fourside (Riders of the Light)
Round 4: x3 (one of them breathes fire) on Luigi’s Mansion (Lost Painting)
Round 5: (Dark alt) on (Celestial Valley)
Round 6: Dracula
Final Round: (team battle w/ and ) on (see ’s Classic Mode route)

Spoiler: Charizard: Champion of Flames

(Fights medieval-themed characters)
Round 1: x8 on Find Mii (Find Mii / Find Mii 2 Medley)
Round 2: on Hyrule Castle 64 (Overworld Theme - The Legend of Zelda (64))
Round 3: on Princess Peach’s Castle (Fortress Boss - Super Mario World)
Round 4: (free-for-all) on (King Dedede’s Theme (Brawl))
Round 5: (team battle w/) on Dracula’s Castle (Out of Time)
Round 6: (horde battle) on Arena Ferox (Battlefield) (Attack - Fire Emblem)
Final Round: Rathalos

 

[latsmash]

Whenever a character uses the shield + B input, it's usually reserved as an extra feature for making said character's gimmicks more fluent. Pokemon Switch is not only PT's entire gimmick, but also an already good move in of itself. I do like the idea of bringing back Rock Smash and utilizing Bubble though.

 

[Janx_uwu]

This sounds really cool, maybe they could do it in a future smash game. It doesn't sound like too much and could make each Pokemon more true to the games. However my only problem with it is that it's giving considerable buffs to an already really good character(s), so as long as there's some counterbalance on some of their other moves I would be happy to see it in a future Smash title.