Pokemon: Team Vandal Grunts

Team Vandal is the villainous team of the Yeolde Region, with their gimmick being that they LARP as the bandits, orcs, and monsters that the heroic trainers must overcome along their adventures. In fact, they aren't evil at all. Team Vandal plays a big part in the main plot of the region, but doesn't actually have any agency in the villainy going on behind the scenes – all of the Pokémon they steal, trainers they attack and suspicious activity they get involved in is simply them following orders to act like antagonists for heroes, like you. Defeating them won't earn any scorn like it would for Team Rocket or a group like them, instead Team Vandal grunts will be overjoyed to lose battles to you so they can shower you with EXP and send you on your way towards the next challenge. It's all a part of the festivities.

I wanted to try and make them look kind of half-hearted with their costumes. With at least some modern apparel visible in their designs. After all, building a full set of authentic medieval armor is expensive! So just do what you can and hope the trainers don't notice your blue jeans, football pads or hooded sweaters. Also unlike a lot of other evil teams, Vandal grunts don't really cling to any particular Pokémon types, because they're all just regular trainers playing a role instead of together due to idealistic beliefs – so every grunt will have a radically different team from the next, with all 18 types represented by Team Vandal at some point in your journey. You're just as likely to find good old fashioned rattata and zubats with them as you are growlithes and goldeens, for example.

Enjoy!