Pokémon Trainers of Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Part 4: Church of Seiros)

(Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3)

Welcome back to this thing I’m apparently doing, where I create Pokémon teams for all the characters of this other game I really enjoyed, which has loads and loads of characters. We’ve covered the titular “Three Houses,” so part 4 (of 5, although 5 will be a pretty short one) is for the characters who are part of the Church of Seiros, the dominant organised religion of Fantasy Europe, which has worked with the nations of the continent to maintain peace and order for a thousand years (to greater or lesser degrees of success). As part of that effort, their headquarters, Garreg Mach monastery, plays host to the fantasy RPG school where all the kids we’ve met so far are studying, theoretically ensuring that the young nobles of the rival countries are all friends with each other and might be less willing to start a massive bloody war. Fingers crossed on that one.

Rhea

• Archbishop of Garreg Mach monastery, which basically makes her the Fantasy Pope
• Wise and mysterious mentor figure
• Kind and nurturing to those in her care, but has a worrying tendency to go extremely “Spanish inquisition” on rebels and heretics
  • Might somehow turn out to be the villain
• Really likes Byleth for some reason she seems unwilling to explain
  • Strictly speaking this is probably a good thing but it still feels ominous
• She is perfect and I am terrified of her

Favoured types: Dragon, Fire, Ghost
Most of my reasons for the Pokémon I’ve chosen for Rhea are pretty spoiler-heavy.  Let’s say that dragons and fire both have religious significance in this world, and that reverence for the dead is important for Rhea, and leave it at that.

Disfavoured types: Dark, Bug, Normal
Rhea has a very Knight Templar attitude to anything she perceives as dark, evil or heretical.  Her extremely high station also means she sometimes has trouble connecting with the day-to-day lives of ordinary people.

Partner: Reshiram
She’s the Pope.  She gets to have a holy white dragon as her partner; I think that’s fair (if you’ve played the whole game you will recognise… additional reasons… for this choice).

Other Pokémon: Dragonite, Runerigus, Golurk, Ninetales (Kantonian), Charizard

Runerigus and Golurk both relate to some tricks she’s got up her sleeve for the second half of the game.  In a way, so do Charizard and Dragonite.  Ninetales has mystic powers and a vengeful bent that suits Rhea’s darker side.

Seteth

• Rhea’s adjutant
• Not clear what his job actually involves
  • I assume a lot of paperwork, he seems like the type
  • Also sometimes teaches command skills and lance combat, but that seems like mainly a side hustle
  • He can ride a wyvern, so as paper-pushers go he’s pretty badass
• Initially very suspicious of Byleth, critical of Rhea’s decision to hire a random twenty-something mercenary to educate the cream of the continent’s nobility
  • which… well, fair; you kinda have to give him that
• Gradually defrosts
• Officious and somewhat haughty, but even-tempered and dutiful
• He is perfect and I love him

Favoured types: Flying, Dragon, Water
Seteth’s default class is wyvern rider, so Pokémon that can fly alongside him are appealing, as are powerful Dragon-types.  He loves fishing, and the ocean has a significant place in his backstory.

Disfavoured types: Dark, Ice, Normal
Dark because Seteth is very forthright and devoted, Ice mainly because it’s the best way to kill a flying dragon-like creature in Pokémon, and Normal because… well, he’s a lot of things but normal is not one of them.

Partner: Salamence
Salamence is a terrifying badass flying mount that can dive-bomb enemies or sway battles with its imposing presence alone.  It’s also a Pokémon that understands the value of effort and perseverance, from its evolution from Bagon and Shelgon.

Other Pokémon: Flygon, Wishiwashi, Gyarados, Unfezant, Archeops

Seteth likes Pokémon that are good in the air and also have powerful attacks and a sense of antiquity, majesty or dignity about them.  He’s actually very bad at fishing and probably catches mostly stuff like Magikarp and Wishiwashi, but also has the patience to unlock their potential.  Meanwhile Flygon, Unfezant and Archeops help him control the skies.

Catherine

• High-ranking holy knight with a magic sword
• Noble birth, but no longer seems to be associated with her family
  • Might have committed some kind of heinous crime in her youth?
• Extremely loud and uncomfortably badass
• Seems to be devoted to Rhea personally, more than to the religion she represents
• Often blunt and tactless, not very socially adept, but super dedicated and heroic
• She is perfect and I love her

Favoured types: Steel, Fighting, Electric
Catherine owns a legendary magical sword called Thunderbrand, so she has an affinity for Electric-types.  She’s extremely dedicated to training and fighting, and sees her work as a knight as the only life she’s fit for.

Disfavoured types: Fairy, Poison, Psychic
Catherine prefers a straightforward, uncomplicated fighting style, and doesn’t like Pokémon that rely on mysterious powers, poison or other kinds of trickery to win.

Partner: Zeraora
It seems only right that Catherine should have a legendary Electric Pokémon as her partner, and Zeraora has the right kind of in-your-face beatdown energy to match her fighting style and personality.

Other Pokémon: Lucario, Perrserker, Electivire, Passimian, Dracozolt

Catherine likes Pokémon that are aggressive and use their offensive presence to dominate a melee.  I chose Lucario for its association with things ancient and sacred, Perrserker for its in-your-face attitude, Electrivire for its electrical abilities and pure strength, Dracozolt for its combination of strength, awkwardness and sheer enthusiasm and Passimian for its boisterousness and strong teamwork.

Manuela Casagranda

• Former diva who sang opera in the capital of the Fantasy Holy Roman Empire, now teaches at fantasy RPG school and runs the infirmary
• Is usually hung over, never tidies up her quarters, sleeps with a different man every night and hates all of them afterwards
• Nonetheless maintains impeccable standards of personal glamour
• Age listed in official monastery records as “secret”
• Personal life is a shambles, but I think education might genuinely be her calling
• She is perfect and I love her

Favoured types: Fairy, Dragon, Electric
Glamour and personal charisma are very important to Manuela as both a performer and a teacher, and Fairy and Electric are both flashy and sparkly elements.  Manuela’s faith is very important to her, which also fits with Fairy, and with Dragon as a “sacred” Pokémon type.

Disfavoured types: Steel, Ground, Psychic
For a teacher, Manuela isn’t much for academics and study.  She’s also bad at frontline combat, despite being pretty enthusiastic about it with the right incentive.

Partner: Altaria
A graceful, holy songstress that’s above it all – Altaria is something of an aspirational Pokémon for Manuela.  Its fighting style (discounting Mega Altaria, anyway) is also a good fit for hers as a utility-focused White Mage.

Other Pokémon: Aromatisse, Primarina, Boltund, Dedenne, Dragalge

Aromatisse and Primarina are glamorous and elegant, and Primarina in particular is a good Pokémon for an opera singer.  Dedenne and Boltund are adorable Electric-types (and there’s probably some way to broadcast a mediaeval radio show with Dedenne’s antennae).  Dragalge is here because she needs one Pokémon to match her mood and demeanour while hung over.

Hanneman von Essar

• Former noble from the Fantasy Holy Roman Empire; renounced his house and status to become an academic
• Researches Crests, which are magical… talents/properties/star signs… conferred by some quirk of genetics and passed down mainly through major noble families
  • Most of the noble kids have one of these
• Nerdy and obsessive; most excited when talking about his research
• Bickers with Manuela constantly
  • Very judgey towards her for being untidy, disorganised and on occasion downright slovenly
  • She thinks he’s cold, distant and pompous
    • Frankly she’s not wrong
  • I think I kind of ship them???
• He is perfect and I love him

Favoured types: Psychic, Electric, Fire
Hanneman is intellectual and obsessed with research and study.  He’s also particularly adept with fire magic, and uses mysterious machines in his research.

Disfavoured types: Grass, Normal, Dragon
Hanneman doesn’t like the nobility and isn’t exactly a religious person, but doesn’t really fit in with commoners either.  He’s also an indoor kid and not good with nature-y stuff.

Partner: Sigilyph
Magical glyphs and symbols are the focus of Hanneman’s research, and ancient mysteries are also something he’s very invested in (I feel like he also has a bunch of Unown that hang around his office, but Unown is so terrible I didn’t want to saddle him with one for his team).

Other Pokémon: Bronzong, Magnezone, Camerupt, Claydol, Rotom

Hanneman’s research uses arcane devices to investigate things that are beyond the rest of the technology of this setting, hence Rotom and Magnezone.  Bronzong and Claydol are Pokémon that he’s picked up in the course of his research into the origins of magic and Crests.  And Camerupt is just really good at blowing things up from a very long range.

Shamir Nevrand

• Mercenary knight from a distant country on the other side of Fantasy Ireland
  • Currently works as Catherine’s partner
  • I extremely ship them
• Her country was at war with the Fantasy Holy Roman Empire not so long ago, but she seems pretty over it
• Stone cold “one shot, one kill” badass
• Probably knows six ways to kill a man with her left pinkie
• Reticent to talk about her personal life or feelings, but seems to genuinely like fighting for a cause and teaching the kids
• She is perfect and I love her

Favoured types: Dark, Steel, Ice
Shamir is a cold, calculating and ruthless professional killer who values pragmatism and efficiency, and certainly doesn’t care about fighting a little dirty.

Disfavoured types: Bug, Poison, Fairy
Shamir hates poisonous things, especially poisonous bugs like spiders and scorpions.  She also tends to be disdainful of idealism, optimism and pretty things.

Partner: Absol
Shamir is arguably the biggest edgelady in the cast, so she needs the edgiest Pokémon ever designed, Absol.  Absol’s Super Luck auto-crit playstyle also fits Shamir’s one-shot-one-kill sniper assassin schtick.

Other Pokémon: Weavile, Glalie, Stunfisk (Galarian), Skarmory, Inteleon

Shamir is a sniper, so she gets the sniper Pokémon Inteleon.  Stunfisk is a bear trap, which can hold enemies in place for her to dispatch at her leisure, and Skarmory is similarly good at laying spikes and running interference.  Weavile is an efficient, stealthy and vicious murder-weasel, and Glalie is honestly just the edgiest other Ice-type I could think of.

Cyril

• Servant and all-purpose dogsbody to Archbishop Rhea (reminder: is the Pope), squire to Shamir
  • Somehow does all the chores in the entire monastery without breaking a sweat
• Is from Fantasy Mongolia; originally came to Fantasy Europe as a prisoner of war and was basically adopted by Rhea
• Very serious and jaded for a 14-year-old
  • The students love him, but most of them are way too privileged to “get” his whole deal even slightly, even some of the commoners
• Loves his job, devoted to his boss, never complains about having to do 50 teenagers’ laundry with one hand while chopping firewood with the other
• Actually owns a little portrait of Rhea that he carries around with him, which is weird but very sweet
• Extremely smol
• He is perfect and I love him

Favoured types: Flying, Normal, Ground
Flying for his preferred combat style (Cyril is most likely to enter an air cavalry class) Normal for his low-born origins and Ground for his endurance and fairly extreme work ethic.

Disfavoured types: Electric, Psychic, Ice
Cyril is very bad at magic, and although he’ll apply himself to just about anything, he’s not fond of intellectual stuff.

Partner: Gliscor
A Flying Pokémon that’s good at fighting up close, harassing and making hit-and-run attacks, Gliscor is a good fit for Cyril’s preferred fighting style.

Other Pokémon: Mudsdale, Noivern, Staraptor, Ambipom, Conkeldurr

Cyril likes aggressive Flying Pokémon like Noivern and Staraptor, hard workers like Mudsdale and Conkeldurr, and multitaskers who can help him with his six million different chores like Ambipom.

Flayn

• Seteth’s little sister
  • Is obviously lying about this
  • Flayn point-blank refuses to disclose her age but she’s clearly at least 20 years younger than Seteth, and Rhea sometimes hesitates before calling her Seteth’s “sister”
    • My working theory when I was about 1/4 of the way through the game was that she’s actually Rhea and Seteth’s secret love-child
• Not actually a student, just kinda hangs out with you and the other kids
• Very proper and etiquette-conscious, but it doesn’t come across very naturally
  • Scratch the surface even slightly, and she’s a bubbly, independent and fun-loving kid who just happens to have been raised in an Enid Blyton novel
• Compassionate, friendly, determined and a kickass White Mage
• Weirdly not smol, despite being the most physically tiny character aside from Cyril
  • Probably because she’s always trying to act like a middle-aged clergywoman
• She is perfect and I love her

Favoured types: Water, Fairy, Ghost
Flayn is cheerful and likes pretty things, but she also has a very serious, reverent and religious side.  Water, the sea and fishing are important to her, just like they are for Seteth (who is definitely her brother, stop asking questions).

Disfavoured types: Dark, Steel, Rock
Flayn is bad at frontline fighting on account of being a tiny child, and has very strong opinions about good and evil.

Partner: Milotic
Milotic is peaceful, magical, elegant and serene.  You can maybe debate the degree to which Flayn succeeds in being all of those things, but they’re certainly qualities she aspires to.

Other Pokémon: Azumarill, Kingdra, Dhelmise, Jellicent, Ribombee

Azumarill is a bubbly, happy Water Pokémon with hidden depths of power.  Kingdra slumbers at the bottom of the sea for years at a time, which Flayn empathises with because of reasons.  Dhelmise and Jellicent are spooky sea ghosts, but also kinda fun in their way.  Ribombee is a great healer and light, bubbly and cheerful.

Alois Rangeld

• Another knight who works for the Pope
  • Just this guy, you know?
• BFFs with your dad
  • Your dad is not happy about this
• Wildly and unjustifiably optimistic about everything
  • For instance, was the reference on your job application
• Jolly, kind, generous, supportive, just an all-around really nice guy
• Has extreme dad joke skills
• He is perfect and I love him

Favoured types: Ground, Rock, Bug
Ground and Rock are good types for people who like tanky and physically strong Pokémon.  Honestly I don’t quite know or understand what it is about Alois that says “Bug-types” to me, maybe something in his jolly demeanour and constant dad jokes, but I also really like the particular Bug Pokémon I’ve given him, so I’m keeping it.

Disfavoured types: Ghost, Psychic, Water
Alois is afraid of ghosts and sea travel (to be fair, with all the armour he wears it’d be pretty difficult to swim; he does like fishing though, so maybe he just needs the right Pokémon to ease him in), and is a bit rubbish at magic and research.

Partner: Heracross
Heracross is incredibly strong but also incredibly gentle and docile, which fits Alois perfectly, and I can imagine Ash’s Heracross from the TV show being extremely fond of dad jokes.

Other Pokémon: Golem (Kantonian), Crustle, Forretress, Armaldo, Quagsire

All of Alois’ Pokémon are physically powerful or have strong defences, but are also even-tempered and mostly pretty gentle.  Crustle and Forretress are good at holding the line, while Armaldo and Golem are good at striking back, and Quagsire is just very, very chill, all the time.

Gilbert Pronislav

• Annette’s deadbeat dad, high-ranking knight
• Used to work for Fantasy Prussia, but screwed up something important and now works for the Pope as penance
• Very Catholic
  • Catholicism doesn’t even exist in this world but Gilbert is still extremely Catholic
  • Is a SINNER who never deserves anything good or happy ever again
    • Unfortunately this apparently includes any kind of relationship with his daughter
• Kind and dutiful, but also extremely serious about everything, all the time, and very stoic
• I get the impression Gilbert is, like, the fandom’s unquestioned least-favourite character, so maybe this is controversial but:
• I don’t hate him
• Seriously he’s fine
  • Dude’s had a lot of life in which to screw things up and he’s doing his best

Favoured types: Steel, Ground, Rock
Gilbert is possibly the tankiest character in the game, rivalled only by Dedue and maybe Edelgard.  He likes Pokémon types that are associated with impenetrable physical defence.

Disfavoured types: Ice, Dark, Fire
Like a lot of other knightly characters, Gilbert hates deception and dishonour, so Dark-types are a poor fit for him; he’s also extremely bad at (and vulnerable to) magic.

Partner: Aggron
Aggron is a towering wall of steel that will smash your face into the ground if you get too close; coincidentally, this is also what Gilbert is.

Other Pokémon: Steelix, Sudowoodo, Marowak (Kantonian), Nidoking, Falinks

Gilbert generally likes physically tanky Pokémon like Steelix, and would do well in the “shield wall” fighting style that Falinks is based on.  Sudowoodo is also tanky, and works as a reference to his hobby of wood carving.  Marowak is for the people whose memory he fights for, and Nidoking is for his past service to royalty.

Jeritza von Hrym

• Mysterious masked man
• Supposedly a teacher at the monastery; not readily apparent what, whom, when or why he teaches
• Doesn’t like you
  • Honestly, doesn’t really seem to like anyone
  • Not clear how or why he got into education
• Has a weird droning voice like he’s half asleep and seems kind of vacant
• Wants to duel Byleth and isn’t super clear on whether or not he means “to the death”
• If you get to know him later, it turns out he has a huge sweet tooth, which is honestly kind of adorable
• He is… something, all right

Favoured types: Dark, Ghost, Electric
It’s hard to explain much about Jeritza without dropping some major spoilers, which in principle I’m trying not to do.  He’s a cavalry/Black Mage hybrid who mainly uses lightning spells, and he’s into some crazy dark magic stuff.

Disfavoured types: Dragon, Grass, Water
Dragon because he has a pretty strained relationship with faith and sacred things, Grass and Water because he doesn’t have much respect for the natural order.

Partner: Darkrai
Yep.  Jeritza’s into some serious Dark-type $#!t.

Other Pokémon: Houndoom, Bisharp, Zebstrika, Dusknoir, Luxray

Jeritza favours aggressive Pokémon with a dark or even cruel side, like Bisharp and Houndoom.  Zebstrika and Luxray are wild and fierce Electric-types, and Dusknoir has powerful abilities related to death and the dead.

Right; that’s almost everyone. All that’s left is the characters from the “Cindered Shadows” DLC story: the secret fourth house, the Ashen Wolves, who are up next week!