Montabi Trainers
Pick your leader, survive the grid, and unlock every playstyle as you rank up.
Every Montabi run is led by a Trainer on a 3×3 tactical grid. You command the Trainer plus two active Montabi in turn-based fights where positioning, deck synergy, and leftover action points (AP) decide whether you clear the node or lose the whole expedition. If the Trainer falls—like a chess king—the run ends immediately, so your leader’s kit is not cosmetic flavor; it is core risk management.
This hub collects every trainer guide on the wiki. Use it to compare unlock requirements, decide who to learn first, and jump to deep dives on Student, Fighter, and Chef.
How trainers fit a run
A standard expedition begins on the city map: you choose a Trainer, draft one of three random starter Montabi from your unlocked roster (there are 22 starter lines, each with its own deck and evolutions at level 5 and level 10), then push through battles, shops, cafes, and events until you confront the X Gang. Between fights you may tame wild Montabi with biscuits after victories, swap team members, and evolve companions to draft new cards.
Combat alternates between playing cards from each Montabi’s personal deck and using Trainer-specific tools. Unspent AP can carry over within a fight when the rules allow it, which rewards planning two turns ahead instead of dumping every point immediately. Row and column attacks mean a Trainer who can reposition allies or enemies changes who eats damage—not just how much.
The three trainers at a glance
| Trainer | Unlock | Role on the grid | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student | Available from your first run | Repositioning and support | Safer learning curve; strong with mobile Montabi like Tonkey |
| Fighter | Rank up progression | Frontline stances and Resonance | High reward if you protect your leader while she pressures the front row |
| Chef | Rank up progression | Flavor tags that buff or weaken card effects | Excellent when your Montabi decks want consistent stat swings |
None of the three is a strict “easy mode—once difficulty spikes, but reviews and early player reports often highlight Student and Chef as forgiving ways to learn AP carryover and team buffs, while Fighter asks you to treat the Trainer as part of your damage plan.
Unlock order and account progression
You always start with the Student. Fighter and Chef unlock as you rank up through repeated runs and milestones on your save—not by finding hidden NPCs. That means your first several hours will naturally teach repositioning before you experiment with stance dancing or flavor cooking. When a new Trainer unlocks, replay earlier routes with a different starter trio from the random draft; the same Montabi line plays differently under another leader.
Pair trainer research with our Tier List Hub—especially starter rankings that account for run RNG (you only see three options per run) and synergy notes for pairs like bleed (Ruffin) plus movement (Tonkey).
Trainer death and team construction
Because Trainer death ends the run, defensive cards, taunts, and front-row Montabi are not only for absorbing boss hits—they protect your win condition. Cafes and healing events matter more on Fighter routes where you may stand in harm’s way. Student players often win by never letting the leader sit in a threatened column; Chef players win by flipping Flavor windows so bursts land when enemies are vulnerable.
When building around a Trainer, think in three layers: (1) what the leader does every turn, (2) which two Montabi decks supply your win condition, and (3) how evolutions at levels 5 and 10 change those decks mid-run. Biscuit taming adds a fourth layer—flex picks that answer a specific elite fight even if they are not your long-term favorites.
Where to go next
- New to the game? Read Student first, then browse Getting Started when that guide is expanded on the wiki.
- Want aggressive tempo? Jump to Fighter after you unlock her.
- Prefer setup and scaling? Open Chef and cross-check synergy tiers.
Montabi launched August 6, 2026 on Steam/PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch as a single-player creature-collector roguelike deckbuilder from Mankibo, published by Akupara Games. Trainer choice is the fastest way to make that loop feel distinct run after run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common Montabi questions.
Which Montabi trainer should I pick first?
Use Student on your first runs. She is unlocked from the start and teaches repositioning and AP planning without forcing you to keep the Trainer on the front line.
How do I unlock Fighter and Chef?
Both unlock through account rank progression as you finish runs and hit milestones—not through a one-off quest. Keep playing Student routes until the game adds the other leaders.
Does trainer choice change my starter Montabi pool?
Your roster grows from unlocks and biscuits, but each run still offers three random starters from what you have unlocked. Trainer pick changes how you use those decks, not which lines exist in the game.
What happens if my Trainer is defeated?
The run ends immediately, similar to losing a king in chess. Protect your Trainer with positioning, heals, and front-line Montabi even when a Fighter wants to brawl.
Are trainers tied to multiplayer modes?
No. Montabi is single-player only; trainers are solo run modifiers and combat controllers on the 3×3 grid.