@JTE As you walk out of Backwater-With-A-Reseach-Laboratoryville to start your journey you are immediately greeted by hardened trainers desperately trying to be beat by the level 2 caterpillars. One of them begs you to not let your starter evolve so they can lose to you later.

Trainer battle misère would make for a very interesting concept if you give the players parties and items not of their own choosing.