A Pokemon GO guide to Battling Fashion Challengers

With the recent release of Pokemon GO's Fashion Week, many players may find themselves having to battle a new type of trainer called a Fashion Challenger. Due to their recent addition, many players may be unaware as to how or why they should even bother challenging these trainers.

Here's a quick guide to the new Fashion Challengers in Pokemon Go.

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What are 'Fashion Challengers' in Pokemon GO?

Fashion Challengers are a new type of NPC trainers that players can battle through the duration of the Fashion Week event. They function similarly to Team GO Rocket Grunts or the GO Tour Challengers introduced in the Kanto Celebration. Players can find these trainers at Pokestops and will be challenged to a battle by one whenever they spin a Pokestop they inhabit.

Challenging these trainers is crucial to completing the timed special research given to players for the event. Players looking to complete the special research will have to battle these Fashion Challenger trainers nine times in total. This event also lasts for a week, so it is imperative for players to get these battles done as fast as they can.

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Defeating the Different types of Fashion Challengers

Pokemon GO's Fashion Week is also incorporated to celebrate Pokemon GO's 5th Anniversary (Image via Niantic)

There are five different types of Fashion Challenger trainers in Pokemon GO. Each of these different types have their own unique Pokemon teams to fit Pokemon GO's Fashion Week theme.

• Cool Challenger Trainer - Furfrou, Sneasel, Gothitelle: This is a very poorly balanced team with 2 of the Pokemon on it having a distinct weakness to Fighting type attacks. Pokemon GO players with Machamp or Conkeldurr will easily sweep the first two Pokemon.
• For Gothitelle, Bug, Dark, or Ghost type moves work best. A Pokemon like Heracross with strong Bug type attacks as well as Fighting type attacks will be the best type of Pokemon to bring to this fight.
• Eccentric Challenger Trainer - Furfrou (Star Trim), Alolan Graveler, Blitzle: Another team with a very apparent weakness. Furfrou actually stands out as the Pokemon that will give the most trouble in this fight.
• Both Graveler and Blitzle are Electric types and are weak to Ground type attacks. A powerful Ground type Pokemon like Swampert or Excadrill could easily sweep this fight with Earthquake.
• Quirky Challenger Trainer - Furfrou (Matron Trim), Braixen, Shinx: Again, a team with a common weakness to Ground type attacks with Furfrou being the standout Pokemon from the rest. Excadrill may not be the best choice for this fight due to Braixen's Fire type moves, but Swampert covers this concern by resisting Fire type attacks. Bring Swampert with Earthquake for this fight if you have one.
• Sassy Challenger Trainer - Furfrou (Dandy Trim), Butterfree, Vaporeon: A pattern with these teams in Pokemon GO is that a common weakness is shared by at least two of the Pokemon on these teams; this team is no different.
• Butterfree is a Bug and Flying type, and Vaporeon is a Water type. Both of these Pokemon are weak to electric type attacks. Furfrou is on every team and has no means of concerning trainers as it will always consistently be there. Simply bring a powerful Electric type Pokemon like Jolteon to the fight and sweep through the team.
• Slick Challenger Trainer - Furfrou (Diamond Trim), Croagunk, Obstagoon: Another team with a critical Fighting weakness. The Pokemon that could provide the most difficult for this battle is Croagunk as its Poison typing gives it a resistance to Fighting type attacks.
• Gallade is the best Pokemon to bring to this fight as it is a Psychic and Fighting type. Psychic type attacks are super effective against Croagunk, while Fighting type attacks are super effective against Furfrou and Obstagoon.

In summary, Pokemon GO's Fashion Week revolves around these new trainer fights and can be very rewarding to players looking to complete the special timed research given by the event. Pokemon GO players will find these fights worth doing due to the rewards given by the battles and missions that incorporate them.