Pokemon Moon - The Dynasty

[Abe Sargent]

Hello folks!


One of the things I like to do with the next gen Pokemon game releases is that I to keep everything from spoilers and then play the game fresh, without any major knowledge of what is going on. That way I can approach the game fresh and clean.

Today Pokemon Moon and Sun were released. Given that before, I have done my first dynasty here with you folks, I felt that made a lot of sense moving forward for Moon as well!


(For example, check out white here) Pokemon White – The Dynasty! - Front Office Football Central (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=80839)

I have plugged in my 3ds and it's charging. Ready to rock?

[Abe Sargent]

The only research I will ahead of time is on starters.

So who do I like?


The options are going to be…

Rowlet – Starts out grass flying, which gives you a very compelling set of types. But will finish with grass ghost. That’s bizarre to say the least. Can it learn the HM Fly before moving it over? That would be nice. Hmm, I don’t see it listed on bulbapedia. Let me check elsewhere, can’t find the info anywhere, one way or the other.

Plusses and Minuses –

- Getting two pertinent types on a starter like fly and grass is strong
- Rowlet swaps flying for Ghost later, which is not the best type, and you would lose Same Type Attack Bonuses (STAB) for having a move hit with the same type as the Pokémon. I don’t want to weaken flying attacks I may have early. This is especially true considering that attack is its strongest stat
- While they will occasionally mix these tendencies up, grass is not normally a type that competes with powerful Pokemon later in the game, especially with legendary Pokemon. I think Verizon was the only commonly available grass type legendary.
- Grass owns seas and lakes and those areas of maps, and does well in caves as well, where you tend to face a lot of water or ground/rock Pokemon, all of which grass is super good against.
- Flying tends to be good in the forests and such, against the many grass and bug foes you encounter.
- One of the roles I like my party to have is a harasser Pokemon, who puts you to sleep, paralyzes, poisons, etc. It’s good for capturing Pokemon, as well as fighting folks. Grass is often good for that role (Bulbasaur was a good harasser with Sleep Power and similar moves available which you could combine with its attacking stuff)
- The flying/grass type is weak to four types of attacks where it will take double damage - flying, fire, poison, rock, and it takes four times damage from ice attacks. It’s only strong against fighting, water, and grass attacks. Grass ghost on the other hand is weak to dark, fire, flying, ghost, and ice, totally immune to normal, fighting, and strong vs ground, water, grass, and electric. So on defense, it improves with it’s final evolution
- It’s doesn’t look bad at it’s final evolution, but the earlier ones aren’t my style of looks





Litten – Litten is an odd kitty. It starts out fire for itself and the first evolution before moving to dark/fire, like

- Fire by itself is resistant to a full 6 types, and weak to just three – water, ground, and rock
- When fully leveled into fire/dark, it’s weak to fighting too, and immune to psychic.
- It leans towards attack as well
- It looks cool, especially the final evolution
- Fire does well in forests against both bugs and grass, but is weak in mountains, caves, or on water, where your foes tend to be rocks and water
- There is often a ton of competition for fire Pokémon later on. This is particularly true for legendary pokemon, where Entei, Ho-Oh, Moltres, Victini, Heatran, and such are all running around.


Poplio – Begins with just water, but when it levels up to its final evolution it gains the fairy type later, which is pretty unusual.

- Water by itself is weak to just two types and resistant to four.
- At it’s final evolution, it’s weak to three, immune to one (Dragon), and resistant to 6 more. That’s a pretty good chunk of attacks.
- Unlike the first two, it’s strongest stat is special attacks
- It’s always vital to give a Pokemon the HM Surf. It’s good for a water starter to have that ability later on.
- Like fire above, water is a hotly contested spot with legendaries a-go-go often grabbed before the final battles, from Kyogre to Suicune.
- The addition to fairy later in interesting
- It’s not my favorite looking Pokemon I’ve ever seen

So what to do?

I know this is a Hawaii themed Pokemon region. Will it need a lot of surfing and have a ton of areas you need to surf to get to? If so, Litten is the weakest – you either want a sweeper for those areas with Rowlet or a surfer with Poplio. That’s how you play Gen 3 well, to take one of those, because of the vast swatch of areas you have to surf through and in.

I also like the randomness of those options as well. I feel like Litten is just another fire starter. We’ve had every fire starters gain another type later – Charmander, Fennekin, Tepig, Torchic, and Chimchar. Three of those gained fighting, one psychic, one flying. Only Cyndaquil didn’t gain any types later. And dark makes sense. We’ve had fire/dark Pokemon before. It’s just another pokemon.

Which leaves me the bizarre shift from flying to ghost in Rowlet or the water to fairy of Poplio. Not sure, both types have gained other types as well as fire, but these are weird shifts.


I don’t know why, but these three odd secondary types (Dark, Fairy, Ghost) make me feel like this is going to be heavy on the spirit world. So let’s go with….

Rowlet

[Abe Sargent]

I get a message from Professor Kukai from the Alola region.

He welcomes me, shows me a map of the islands, I am a dark skinned female girl with the name Ysabel

I’m on my way to the region. We fly over from Kanto. I watch a video of a small blonde girl almost captured by some toughs, before escaping due to the power of a hidden pokemon.

We arrive in the town. My mother has a meowth with her as a companion. The meowth awakens me. I awaken, head downstairs, and Prof. Kukai is there with my mom. We are cousins apparently. Kukai took some Alokan Pokemon and defeated the gym leaders in Kanto with them, and thus smom wanted to move here ever since. We have island Kahunas as the pokemon trainers here. The one in nearby Iki Town is the one who gives away starters.

I grab my purse and hat and head out with Kukai.

I move through Route 1 and The prof talks to some folks on the way and shows off the area to me. You’ve got a trainer here with a differently colored Meowth that the one we brought from Kanto.And we arrive at Iki Town.

We are on Melemele Island, and this is the heart of the worship for the Pokemon that protects this island. Tapu Koko. There are nearby ruins for Tapu Koko. I head out there to find the Kahuna while Kukai stays in town to make sure they don’t miss each other.

I do some exploring, I arrive at the ruins to see that same small blonde girl that was fleeing before with a bag that she is talking to, about to head in. I arrive to the ruins and the Mahalo Trail. I keep moving and chase the blonde owoman. A pokemon jumps out of her bag and starts being attacked by a flock of Spearow. I run up.

The woman implores me to save her pokemon. I run up, and cover her pokemon and it shields me from the flyers. Another pokemn flues over to rescue us as we fell down a cliff, and then disappears. Return the pokemon to the lady, She gives me a stone, the Sparkling Stone, as thanks. She doesn’t even introduce herself, but says her and the Pokémon she has are a secret. I walk them back to town. She is apparently Prof. Kukai’s assistant, Lillie. The Kahuna returns. Hala is his name. It was apparently the islands guardian that saved us in the fall. Tapu Koko. Kahuna Hala pulls out the three startersm abd U choose Rowlet


There is a ceremony to make sure that Rowlet also chooses me back. It chooses me too.

Meet:


Nicknamed “Feathers”:

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/7/74/722Rowlet.png/250px-722Rowlet.png

[Abe Sargent]

I get a Pokedex from the Prof, a Trainer Passport,

I head home

Before I do, I run into someone who wants to have a battle. Hau, with Popplio. Hau is the grandson of the Kahuna Hala. After I defeat him in battle, my sparkling stone shines. Hala asks to see it. This stone was given to us by Tapu Koko. I loan it to Hala for now. There is a festival tomorrow here in town.

We head home and I show mom my new pokemon. Feathers!

The next day…

At home, Prof Kukui is here again. We head out for the festival. We head to Route 1 first though. He takes me to some grass to check it out. He captures a pokemon in front of me to show me how. He gives me 10 Pokeballs and 5 potions. He leaves me to Route 1!

Before I move three steps we hit our first pokemon here, it’s the same type he just captured, a woodpecker like Pikipek. I use a Pokeball and….capture it.


Meet our new bird friend…



Pikipek!


I name her Peckers.


http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/june_14_assets/pikipek.png

[Abe Sargent]

I find a Caterpie as well. I name him Burr.

Then I hit another new Pokemon, Yungoos. I hit it a few times with Tackles and then PokeBall heads out and….




http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/f/fe/Yungoos.png/250px-Yungoos.png


Yungoos is a normal Pokémon. I name it Chomp Chomp.



I head back home to rest up my party. We are ready to head back out.

I run into my first trainer on the way back up. I lead with level 7 Feathers. He sends out a crazy looking Rattata. i love the new look here. I take it out. Another trainer follows. I lead with my starter as well, and she sends out Caterpie.

The game has a feature where your attacks will tell you before they use them in the attack screen.

Oh and O beat the Caterpie. Level 8. I gain Peck

I find an antidote, and some other minor things.

A third trainer arrives… Yungoos heads out to fight. I take it out and win.

I arrive at town for the festival

[Abe Sargent]

I find Hau, the Prof, his assistant, Lillie, and Hala the Kahuna. The goal of this festival is to battle in the name of the four guardians of the four islands.

Time for battle!

I am facing off against Hau. My mother I cheering for me on the sidelines.

I send out Feathers, he has Pichu at level 6. I finish it off, and then leave out my leader his Popplio. My grass attacks take it out in two turns. We’re level 9 now.

A cry from outside that sounds like Kapu tapu can be heard above the applause for my performance. I am given a Z Ring by the Kahuna. He refined it from the shining Stone I gave him yesterday. I need to collect Z Crystals to make it work.


Four islands, challenge the champions for each one and defeat them. The island challenge is ready.


Everyone leaves and we head home to rest up.

[Abe Sargent]

I check my pokedex to see if Pichu is in the first route. He is not. Lillie arrives and tells me the Prof wants to see me. She also tells me that her secret pokemon is super rare, and that lots of people want to get it, so she keeps it a secret from anyone she doesn;t trust. One of the routes here to the left of my mom’s house is blocked by a Tauros that is not following orders from its owner. I head forward from the house and down and follow Lillie. I run into a trainer who leads with a Pokemon I’ve not seen before, grubbin. I use Peck and is super effective. Bug indeed. Taken down

I explore some more back here. Feathers gets to level 10 with some junks. Then I hit another trainer, with a leading Wingull. That’s the first non-gen 1 pokemon I’ve seen here. I was wondering. Flying is a bad matchup for Rowlet due to the grass type. But I leave it in and use Leafage, my grass attack. Again! I got confused with Supersonic and hit myself. I swap out Burr, which will die quickly. It faints Then I send out Feathers again, this time not confused. Finished it.

Im at the lab without finishing exploring route 1. But that’s okay. We can finish later. We head in. Apparently, there is a pokemon inside of my Pokedex, Rotom. He uses the Rotom to amp up my Pokedex.

For the island challenge, I have to clear seven trials. I get an island challenge amulet to put on my purse that let’s people know I’m on the challenge. The prof tells us about a trainer’s school nearby to check out. There are a ton of pokemon hanging out here, not sure if they’ll be in the game or not – Murkrow, Luvdisc, Snubbull, Poliwhirl and lots more. I was looking for a place here to heal up, but nope. Ah well. Back to finish route 1

Whoa!

I just ran into a Slowpoke, level 7. Hmmmm….

Grass attack Feathers. Yup, lowers it to catchable levels. Ball…..nope. We try again. Ours.

Meet….


Dame Pokesy

[Abe Sargent]

I head home for a quick heal and then back at it. The Taurus is gone. I run into Lillie right in front of a Pokemon Center. She walks me to and through it. There’s a Pokemon store and PokeCafe here as well.

I have a ton of money right now, so I pick up 20 PokeBalls and an Escape Rope

I head to Pokemon Trainers School next. The Tauros is still in the road here, just moved back right past the Trainers School. We getting a quartet of battling with four trainers. And he hooks me up with an EXP Share item as well.

Battle #1 – Metapod. Easy enough. I send a peck attack. Another finishes it before it can harden too many times. Level 11m I learn Astonish and swap out Growl

A bunch of my other Pokies are gaining levels with the EXP Share. There is some grass back here I explore while hunting for the next battler

Wow that is an odd looking Meowth. I knock it down twice and then….capture it.


Meet Whiskers, level 6 Meowth.

http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/aug_11_assets/a-meowth.png


Whoa, that is an odd colored Grimer. It takes a few hits to knock it down and Feathers faints. I send out Chomp Chomp, my Yungoos.

Pokeball #1

Locked it in.

Meet Jelly Baby


http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/oct_14_assets/alolan-grimer.png



I swap it in my party for Burr and send the Caterpie to my box. I head to the PC and get my team healed.

Now a couple of cool things. My Grimer is Poison and Dark together, not just poison. And Meowth is dark. Slowpoke is water/psychic. I leave behind Peckers, my other flyer in storage.

[Abe Sargent]

Back to Trainers School

Battler #2: Leads with Pikipek. I swap out Jelly Baby. We take it out and win.

I find a Quick Claw accessory. I give it to my very slow starter.

Battler #3: She sends out Bonsly, the baby form of Sudowoodo. I use grass attack Leafage. Another follows and its dead.

Battler #4: He sends out a Grimer, level 8. Peck. He poisons me. I finish it, but not before being hurt badly. But Feathers is level 12.

I am given TM 01 Work Up. As a prize. You can use it to give a pokemon Work Up.

Lillie arrives and we are summoned to the office. I head up the school to the office. The teacher wants to fight me, so okay!

I lead with my wounded Feathers and she has Magnemite. I use Astonish. But nope. I am taken out. Next is Whiskers, Bite! Whiskers finishes it. Good job. The teacher is about to send out a Meowth. I don’t have anything good vs dark. I’ll keep mine out. I use scrath. Again. Then I’m ko’d. Next u pis Chomp Chomp the Yungoos. Tackle. It ko’s me in two hits. Jelly Baby is next. Alright Grimer, what do you have? Poison Gas. I poison it. Pound. Dead.

She gives me 5 great balls as a reward for beating her.

I meet Captain Ilima, who will conduct my trial, which is held in Verdant Cavern.

We head out and follow Lillie around the city for a bit. Hala collects his Tauros and the street is freed up.

I head to the PC and heal, and then head back to the school to see if I can find some more pokies in that grass back there.

There is one – Magnemite

Pokeball #1 – Caught!


Meet Magnets, a level 8 Magnemite. I love Magnemites, one of my favorite lightning pokemon. I’ve had their evolutions in my winning team multiple times. Good defense, electric attacks, and the ability to confuse or paralyze. They can be a harasser, defensive stalwart, and sweeper against the right foes.

[Abe Sargent]

I take out about 5 or 6 Meowths, but nothing else jumps out. I head back, heal up, and then move. I have dinner with Hau and Lillie. I’m exploring a beachfront here. Then a shopping district next. I get a Poke Finder. Rotom will help find your pokie.

I found a guy who wants me to show him 10 different types of pokemon, but I don’t have that many yet so I head out. He’s in the tourist bureau. I take some pics with the Poke Finder. I got 797 thumbs up from social media. For my pic fo Pikachu.

I need to get 1500 thumbs up for a goal

I get a Lens Case that has stuff like lens and then a makeup bag for my purse at a clothing store. I pick up a silk scarf accessory. I hand it to Chmomp Chomp to help power his normal moves

I find a little garden with some grass here in the big city and explore. I find a Wingull here. I catch it in one ball and…


Meet Wingers. Level 8 WIngull


I find a second PC deep here and head in. I have my folks heal up. A woman in this PC wants Drifloon.

I overhear some folks complaining about Team Skull in the Marina, so I head over to check it out.

I come across an Abra in another garden. I toss a Great Ball. Nope. It teleports. I find TM 49 Echoed Voice back here. I run into another Abra after. Great Ball again. It breaks out on the final try. Ah well. My next Pokemon is a Pichu in this garden. I use a Premier Ball and…



Meet level 5 Pich, “Spark Rat”.


Feathers is level 14

[law90026]

Love this!

[Abe Sargent]

Thanks thanks!!!!

[Abe Sargent]

I head to the Marina.

I speak with Captain Ilima. Team Skull moves in to attack, ai tag team with Ilima to defend the area.

Grunt – Sends out Zubat. I use Astonish. I uses Astonish back. Leafage follows. I finish it off with Astonish again. Ilima heals muh team. I agree to take Ilima;s trial.

Let’s fight!

Ilima – Pokemon #1 Yungoos, level 9. I swap to the steel of Magnets vs this normal foe. I use Supersonic to confuse it. Then Thunder shock follows. It uses Pursuit. I use Magnet Bomb then Thunder Shock again. He uses Super Potion. Supersonic. He finishes me off with Pursuit again I send out Jelly Baby, the Grimer. Poison Gas. Bite. I finish it off. Next pokemon is Smeargle. I leave out my Grimer. Poison Gas. Bite. He gets a critical hit quick attack and finishes me off first. Next is Feathers. Leafage. Our foe has a super effective attack against me, but he;s almost dead. I use Leafage again. Dead.

Victory. The Trial of Ilima can commence in Verdant Cavern when I want. Cavern is off route 2

Mass transit here is a ferry system, but its down for maintenance right now

I find a third garden and begin to explore here in the city. Another Abra pops out. A third Great ball is thrown. Caught…



Meet “Spoons”, a level 5 Abra


I have enough pokies for the man in the Tourist Bureau, so I head over to check him out. He hooks me up with 10 Ultra Balls. I heal up, make my way to Route 2, and run into Little before I get there. She wishes me luck. Route 2 awaits!

[Abe Sargent]

Route 2 -

Trainer #1 – Gastly. I swap out Feathers for Jelly Baby. Dark owns ghost. Bite. It put me to sleep. One bite when it wakens kills it.

I run into some shaking grass and find a Makuhita. Leafage. I could get a double effective move with Peck, but I want to catch it. Astonish follows. I send a Pokeball and… it escapes. Another. Caught.


Meet a level 9 Makuhita, “Sumos”

Feathers is level 15; it learns Razor Leaf for Leafage.

I take a detour to the cemetery. I’d love to grab a Drifloon here for that person at the local PC.

Cemetery –

Trainer #1 – Pikachu. Razor Leaf. KOd. We are too high a level right now. 15 vs 9.

Trainer #2 – Makuhita. Peck. KOd.

I find TM 100, Confide

Trainer #3 – Diglett. Razor Leaf is super effective. So that’s a quick match


I explore some grass, and I find a Ghastly. Pokeball hits it.



Meet level 9 Ghastly, “Spooks”


I find a Drifloon. Knock it down and…Pokeball snags it first time.



Meet Level 10 Drifloon, “Dr. Balloon”

Anything else in the grass back here?

Feathers to level 16 as I fight some more Drifloons. I don’t come across anything. I head back to the PC to heal up and talk with our Drifloon enthusiast. While heading through some grass on my way to the PC on Route 2, I hit a Drowzee. I toss a ball and…


Meet level 10 Drowzee, “Hypnox”




I heal up and then drop off Meowth. Its superfluous with my Grimer here. She gives me 10k after I show her my Drifloon, and then another 10 Pokeballs and a Premier Ball too

Back to Route 2!

[Abe Sargent]

There are a few buildings back here, like a hotel and a house.

Trainer #2 – I am leading with my Magnemite, have been for a while. He leads with Spearow, which is a good matchup. Thunder Shock. Down bird.

A delibird flies into me on the route and is pulling me towards some berry fields.

I head in, and some Team Skull grunts are harassing the proprietor of the Berry Fields.

Grunt #1 – Drowzee. Thunder Wave to paralyze. Then Thunder Shock. Again. Once more. Done Drowzee.


I get an Oran Berry for thanks. I explore the Fields while Im here and find some more berries here and there.

Trainer #3 – Cottonnee send. Magnet Bomb. Super Effective. Again. Down.


I check out some grass here while I’m in the area.

So, because I’m using Exp Share, I have other Pokies leveling up, like Dame Pokesy and Chomp Chomp. Anyways, I come across a Spearow. I send out a ball….




Meet Level 8 Spearow, not named, have no desire to ever run it in my party

Trainer #4 – Butterfree send. Butterfree dispatched.

Trainer #5 -Cutiefly send. Hmmm. Upgrade of that Sluggin I saw before? Jelly Baby is out first, Magnets was injured. Gone.


I run into Hau near the end of the route. There’s a Pokemon Center here to heal us up. I find someone here that wants to trade my Spearow for their Machop. K!


Meet Level 9 Machop, “Macho”


I buy 3 Heal balls

A lady here wants me to capture a Cutiefly on Route 3 and bring it back to her. Okay

While running to hit some berries I run into another Spearow, and I try to catch it too. I do. I move Feathers back in front of my party

[Abe Sargent]

Captain Ilima is standing in front of the entrance to the Cavern and he gives me the run down on what is awaiting me. The Pokemon in the Cavern are strong. I need to be as well. I cannot leave until I finish my Trial.

I decline, and head back to the PC for some supplies. I buy 20 Pots, 3 Antidotes, 4 Parlyz Heal, 4 Awakenings, 3 each of Burn and Ice Heals. 4 Super Potions

Now I’m ready

The Trial:

What I need to do is defeat three pokemon that lurk here in their dens, then reach the pedestal deep in the cave, and collect the Z Crystal there. There is a Totem Pokemon that leaves here and is more fearsome than all the rest by far. I also cannot catch Pokemon in the Cavern until we clear the trial.

I head in and find a wild rattata. Level 11. Dead and Feathers gains a level – 17

EVOLUTION!!!


Feathers is evolving. It evolved into a Dartrix!

http://www.guiltybit.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/pok%C3%A9mon-sol-pokemon-luna-dartrix.jpg

I move my front Pokemon to Magnets.

I run into another rattata. Magnemite’s steel is great against the normal attacks of this.

I find TM31 Brick Break

While I am exploring a pair of Team Skull Grunts arrive.

Grunt -Out pops Drowzee. Thunder Wave to paralyze. Thunder Shock. Magnet Bomb. Fainted.



I find a giant Raticate. Thunder Wave and such follow. Again, we are looking good with the steel shield.

Three of these creatures are new done. I move Dame Pokesy in front. She just got Confusion from leveling up, a powerful psychic attack.

I move in deeper and find…a pedestal. I take the Z Crystal from it. Gigantic Raticate appears, like three times the size of a normal one, with a flaming shield aura thing around it. Yawn. It uses Tail Whip. Whoa! It summons a level 10 rattata to the field. Now it’s 2 on 1. Confusion. On Raticate. Dark attack on me. Super powerful? Our psychic is immune. These folks are dark. Yawn on Rattata. Water Gun. I am bitten with the big one wakes up. The small one falls sleep

Hmmmm…

I send out Feathers. Razor Leaf. Quick Claw gives it the first move. It hits both foes. The Rattata dies. Razor Leaf again. A few more turns and the Totem Pokemon passes.

Captain Ilima arrives to congratulate me.

I grabbed Normalium Z, it will seriously pump up normal moves. He gives me some great balls and encourages me to catch some Pokes now. Then he heals my team. He invites me to Route 3.

[Abe Sargent]

Alright Cavern, what do you have for me?

Rattata. A Poke Ball later meet..




Level 10 Ratatta, “Pirate Rat”, dark and normal.

http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/sept_6_assets/a-rattata.png


Zubat is next in the queue. One ball as well and….



Meet our level 10 Zubat (not named, no desire to raise a normal Zubbie)


I also run into a Diglett. It summons another Diglett. Feathers levels up and…


We capture a level 8 Diglett, “Steeltoe” it has the Steel/ground type, so it’s different than normal


http://www.siliconera.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/alolan_diglett_thumb.png



I leave and run into Ilima at the opening of the Cavern. The Prof is here, and they open up route 3. I watch the Prof use a Z crystal on a wild Growlithe. It gives you the option of a superpower normal move. Once per battle is it.

I rest my Pokies at the adjacent PC

I went to grab some berries and there was a Pokemon here feeding I’ve not seen before. Crabcrawler. Yawn! It looks like a crab with boxing gloves – water and fight? Water Gun. PokeBall! Captured…




Meet our latest Alola Special acquisition, the level 9 Crabcrawler, “Crabhands”, it’s just fighting, not water.

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wd05gQaPijs/V7fCciiu9XI/AAAAAAAAIsI/NGwRhXtVrOAgoKhDPACMxg7m0t_9HFhTwCLcB/s640/Crabrawler.png


I find a Growlithe. We capture ti after two PokeBalls,



Meet level 9 Growlithe, “Firebite”


Okay, let’s head to Route 3

[Abe Sargent]

I move Magnets to the front. I find a Sharp beak that pumps up flying attacks when wielded.

Trainer #1 – She leads with Petilil. Me Magnets. I switch in Jelly Baby. KOd.

I run into a Cutiefly in some grasses and….a Thunder Wave, and Thunder Shock later, we toss a pokeball. Caught….




Meet our level 11 Cutiefly, we are calling “Buzzers” Bug and fairy.


http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/july_01_assets/cutiefly.png

I put it at 6th in my party. I head back to the PC to heal and see the lady about a Cutiefly. 3k cash is my reward.

I am told that Lillie I lost, so I head out to find her on route 3

I run into a Vullaby out here in route 3. I snag it with a ball, and….



Meet level 11 Vullaby, not named



I head to Melemele Meadow, off route 3, where my Rotom Dex is pointing me to.

I can see Lillie from here. Her pokemon ran off. I head out to save it.

I run into a Petilil here in the flowers of the Meadow. I weaken it and send out a PokeBall to grab it and make it ours. It breaks out. I try again. We grab it this time.


Meet our level 10 Petilil. Again no naming it


I swap Jelly Baby to the front

I find an opening into the Seaward Cave here. I move Feathers front down here. Feathers grows to kevel 19. This cave is big, but I find some Never Melt ice for pumping up Ice movies. I find Kala’e Bay on the far side of the cave. You need surf down there.

I head back and arrive at the Meadow again

Running through flowers I run into a pokemon I’ve never seen before, a Oricorio. I swap out Magnets. Thunder Wave and it’s immune - probably ground. I swap out Dame Pokesy instead. Yawn. After she falls asleep, I toss a ball her way.




Meet our level 9, Oricorio pokemon, “Ms. ‘ , electric and flying types.

https://img.pokemondb.net/artwork/oricorio-pom-pom.jpg


This is the first pokemon I’ve encountered that’s new that doesn’t have any evolutions listed in the Pokedex. Those are often, although not necessarily, pretty good.

Let’s take a look at my party as soon as I’m done with this mission

I get to the missing Pokemon and bring it back to Lillie. Lillie and friend take off, and we arrive on route 3 outside of the Meadow where Hau is. Hau wants to battle after winning his trial. Okay

Hau:

I lead with Chomp Chomp. Hau has Pikachu. Tackle. We get paralyzed. Sand Attack. Tackle. Crit. Dead Pikachu. Feathers is level 20. Popplie is about to head out. I send out Magnets. Thunder Shock. Again. Dead Popplio. And that’s it for Hau.

The Prof arrives as well as we finish the battle. Next I need to do the grand battle vs the Kahuna. Th rest head up, while I head back to the Meadow to make sure I found everything.

I find a Poison Barb back there, a hold item. I also find someone that tells me that Oricorio has a few forms based on the nectar it eats from flowers. I also find a Poke Finder spot and take some pictures. I pos the picture and get 1630 Thumbs up. With 2427 total. I get version two of the Finder now. I can now zoom in on stuff. I zoom in and get 3443 from my zoomed in photo on a Pokemon. Total is 5890. I need to get 10000 total

[Abe Sargent]

Here’s my current party:

Level 17 Yungoos, normal, with Tackle, Bide, Pursuit and Sand Attack
Level 18 Magnemite, steel and electric, with Thunder Wave, Thunder Shock, Supersonic and Magnet Bomb
Level 17 Slowpoke, water and psychic, with water gun, confusion, yawn and curse
Level 17 Grimer, poison and dark, with bite, harden, poison gas and acid spray
Level20 Dartrix, grass and flying, with razor leaf, tackle, astonish and peck
Level 14 Cutiefly, Bug and Fairy, with Silver Wind, Fairy Wind, Stun Spore and Struggle Bug

Now, what’s my type coverage?

There are the 18 types in the game.

STAB is an attack that’s super effective by a character with that type. Ideally, you want to match up STAB with a weakness. Let’s begin with my starter:

Right now, I have STAB attacks against: Rock, Ground, Water. Flying gives me Grass, Fighting, Bug to that list. But I’ll loose flying eventually. And gain Ghost and Psychic.

Now, I don’t like using the same Pokemon from game to game, so I’m not sure I’ll use Magnemite for the game. I also like using new Pokies as well. Now I consider Grimer new for a few reasons. I’ve never, ever in my life run a Grimer/Muk in my party for anything other than leveling up, and more. It’s an Alolan special version of that Pokemon, and this is not something I’ve used, so I feel that Grimer is a solid harasser style Pokemon for me right now.

Grimer gives me STAB against – Psychic, Ghost, Fairy, Grass.

So Grimer adds Psychic, Ghost, and Fairy to the list of those we are good against.

Now I like Slowpoke right now, but it’s not a long term solution. But it STABs Fire, Ground, Rock, Fight and Poison. That adds three more to our list. And Magnemite adds Water, Flying, Rock Ice and Fairy, so you get a few more that way.

Yungoos has done very little. I’m holding onto it hoping it will be the Stoutland of this generation. A major player once evolved, and you could get it really early in the game. It had 490 total skill, the same amount that Alakazam, Altaria, Wheezing and other major players had.

So what types do I not have STAB in my Grimer, Magnemite, Dartrix, Slowpoke combo?

Dragon, Normal, Steel, Electric, Dark.

Now what about the Cutiefly?

It gives me Fairy, which is strong vs Dragon, Dark, Fight, and Bug, good against Grass, Psychic and Dark. So I get two more types covered with it.

Alright, its time to let Yungoos go from my party. For now, I’ll put in that Oricario, because I’ll need flying later when I lose it, and I suspect I’ll eventually drop Magnemite, so having a electric I’ve been working on helps. Plus maybe some of its form changes give me better types.

From the PokeMart here I buy some:

10 Great Ball
20 Repel
1 Escape Rope

[Abe Sargent]

Back to Route 3:

Another Trainer – He tosses out Growlithe. I send out Slowpoke. KO easily

I get a Soothe Bell from a local farmer. It makes the Pokie holding it happier

While moving around in some grass, a Mankey pops out. I toss one ball. No good. Another? That works.


Meet my level 9 Mankey!


I run into someone who wants a Pokeman from Ten Carat Hill called the Ruffneck,


I arrive back at the town, ready to take on the Kahuna

I am told he uses Fighting type to the best. So I move Feathers to the front. Here we go!


Kahuna Hala

I lead with Dartrix. Him with Mankey, level 14. I use Peck. One hit down, KO’d.

The next Pokemon is Makuhita. I leave my guy out there. Peck again. He hits me first and I flinch. Peck again. Almost dead. He uses Arm Thrust. Nothing. Peck. He uses a Super Potion. Peck again. Makuhita faints.

One left. I leave out Feather for his Crabrawler. Peck. Doesn’t even knock him down half, despite super effect from a 20 level to a 15. Astonish. He follows with Pursuit a 2nd time, and a crit. Razor Leaf. Almost mine. Another Pursuit. Astonish. Down. Feathers went from 62 to 24 HP in three battles.

Tapu Koko shouts it’s agreement on my success and prowess.

I get a Z Crystal for Fight Pokies

After battle, he tells us we have cleared all of the trials of Melemele Island. I get the stamp, so that I an control up to level 35 pokemon, and he sets me up to ride his Tauros around the islands as well. Tauros should help us smash through the various rocks that need smashing here on Melemele island.

I also get TM54 False Swipe

I can get to the next island from the Marina. I agree to take Lillie and her Pokemon with me to the next island as well.

[Abe Sargent]

I am exploring Melemele and hit some rocks by Prof’s lab and and I come across Ten Carat Hill. I come across a Roggenrola in here before I can leave. It breaks out of one ball and then….we snag it on the 2nd


Meet my level 12 Roggenrola!

I also find a Carbink in here as well. We grab it on the first Great ball, and meet my level 13 Carbink, “Gemjump”!



Carbinks are a rock fairy pokemon from Gen 6 that is pretty good and doesn’t evolve. Here are the STAB of them:

Rock is good vs Flying, Bug, Fire and Ice
Fairy is known as good vs Dragon, Dark, and Fight

So what does the Bug/Fairy pokemon of Cutiepie give my party that Carbink doesn’t? Nothing really. And Cutiepie is an unknown factor, but I know Carbnk is good and solid.

Tauros has 490 stats. Anyone with 490 is a major power. I have won with Tauros in my final party. Pincer, Heracross and Scyther are 500. All in my final party. Carbink? 500 as well. It’s just as good as those. Also at 500 in Gengar, Golduck, Rapidash, and many other Pokemon with a powerful cachet. So Carbink is no joke as a potential build. I’ll sit on it for not for too long.


I am in the Ten Carat Hill Farthest Hollow after leaving it. I run into a Spinda out here in the grass. Did Spinda get a new type? I knock it down a bit and send over a Great Ball while it’s read and…yup its mine.

Level 13 SpInda Arrives!

Nope, Spinda is still just normal

I find TM 62 Acrobatics. Later on I find that Rockruff as I am exploring…. All level 12.




Here is our Level 12 Rockruff, “Fido”, a rock Pokémon


http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/july_01_assets/rockruff.png


Feathers hits level 22. I finish scouting the meadow and head back to the Cavern. I head home to talk with my mother to repot my winnings. I rest up while here, and now my goal is to hit up the places we couldn’t before with the Taurus rock smash.

I‘m grabbing minor stuff like a Star Piece here or an Ultra Ball there. I find TM 46 Thief in the Verdant Caverns.

I find a trainer on Route 3 behind some stuff and attack. He has a psyduck. My Razor Leaf led Feathers is too much for him by far. I find an Expert Belt held item behind some rocks in the Cave by the Water.


Now that I finished all of the other trainers on Route 3, there is a person here who wants to fight me. He sends out Rockruff, and Feathers uses Razor Leaf. I switch to Jelly Baby for his Slowpoke. Bite. They swap out Feathers and then Yawn. Astonish. I use Awakening to waken Feathers. One more Astonish should finish this guy off. And it does.

I get an item, a Red Card a held item. I find TM 83 Infestation back here by him on RTe 3

I show off Rockruff to the guy back here. I score 3k.

I arrive at the Marina. Time to move on.

Goodbye Malemale Island

[Abe Sargent]

Hello Akala Island

Two ladies named Mallow and Olivia meet us at the Marina here on Akala Islands;s Heahea City. Mallow is a captain and Kahuna Olivia her friend and ally. There are three trials here on Akala Island. One is up on Route 4 by Paniola Town and we can do that now.

Let’s look at some hold items I have that I want to dole out:

I have the Quick Claw, equipped by Feathers.

And that’s it.

I have these that increase the power of certain moves:

2 Sharp Beak, they boost flying moves
Never Melt Ice
Silk Scarf (normal)
Poison Barb
2 Hard Stone



I also have the Soothe Bell, Expert Belt that increase the power of any supereffective moves, and the Red Card, that forces the attacker to be removed from a battle in which they hit the person holding it.

I give the Poison Barb to my Grimer, and Expert Belt to Magnemite


I begin to explore Heahea city. In the tourists bureau I find the name rater and change the name of Ms. To “Ms. Happy”, that’s my oricorio. I find Lillie in the street and talk with her. Her secret Pokemon wants to find the ruins here called the Ruins of Life, where the sacred guardian of Akala Island, Tapu Lele can be found. I agree to escort them, and we can meet up at the Tide Song Hotel to head there, and my Rotom is telling me about a cool building up ahead to explore.

I run into a former Captain in the clothing store who wants me to go on a self-appointed trail on the beach near the Hana Grand Resort. There is a Pokemon there called Pyukumuku. Go, catch it, and come back.

I am given a Rare Candy by a lady hanging out in the street. I head into a nearby Pokemon Center, heal my peops, and look to buy some stuff. There’s a TM Shop here with Light Screen, protect, Safeguard, Aurora Veil and Reflect for sale. I hold off. I do pick up 10 Repels

There’s a Stoutland up ahead blocking the street, much like the Tauros before, and I can’t pass him. I head north instead and run into some folks by a fountain. Dexio and Sina. They are tourists, and Sina wants to battle me. I agree.

Sina – I lead with Feathers, and her with Delibird. This is a horrible matchup for me. Flying is weak to ice, and grass is weak to ice. I am four times weak to Ice. Delibird is Ice/Flying. Well in other places, I assume so here until I know otherwise. I swap to Magnets. Spark! One hit KO. She is about to send out Glaceon, which is the Ice Evee. I send my Grimer, Jelly Baby to handle it. Poison Gas to poison it. Poison Fang. Bite. Bite again…down. But lost like 70% of my hp for my Grimer. Both Jelly Baby and Magnets leveled to 20.

She heals my Pokies as a thanks. Dexio gives us a Zygarde Cube. It’s used to collect cores and cells of Zygarde. They recommend hitting route 4, and tell me they’ll run into me a few more times ( I tell you about people whenever we break way for cut scenes, I know they’ll be important later)

I arrive at the Tide Song Hotel. I talk with some folks, but Lillie missed her meeting and is holding out hope that she’ll be able to find the folks she was supposed to meet with, so I move on to route 4.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 4

Trainer #1 – Feathers vs Drifloon. Astonish. Again. Down.

I run around some grass for a while and find a wild Rattata that’s higher level (14) than the ones from the caves on Malemale. But I skip it for now. Then I find a wild Grubbin, which I do not have. It’s level 11. I swap out Dame Pokesy to put it to sleep. I dispatch a Great Ball and…. Yup.



Meet our level 11 Pokemon, Grubbin, bug, “Smuggles”

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/c/ce/Grubbin.png/250px-Grubbin.png


It has two evolutions listed next to it, so I suspect that it’s this island’s version of Caterpie or Wumple. I decide to send it to a box for now. I find a Lillipup, which becomes the powerful Stoutland late. After conusing and paralyzing it, it’s ours.


Meet our level 11 Lillipup, “Stouty”


I find an odd creature that’s shining, and when I click on it its sucked into the Zygarde Cube, Sian connects me with some info with my Rotom Dex.

Trainer #2 – Munchlax vs Dartrix. He is about to send out Bagon, so I send out Buzzers, who is anti-dragon. Silver Wind. Draining Kiss, dead Bagon. Feathers levels to 23


Trainer #3 – Feathers vs Rattata. It’s not the special one, but the normal one. Done.

I move Jelly Baby to the front.

Trainer #4 – Grimer vs Cutiefly. Poison Fang. Super effective, one hit kill.

I find some berries back here. I also find an Adrenaline Orb, which is a hold item that boosts speed when intimidated but makes wild pokies more likely to call for help.


I arrive at Paniola Town

[Abe Sargent]

I arrive at Paniola Town

I run into Hau and he wants to fight. Okay.

I lead with Jelly Baby. Him with Pikachu. Poison Gas vs his Quick Attack. Bite v his Electro Ball. He is ko’d. He is about to send out Brionne, the eloved version of his starter Poplio I leave in Jelly Baby. Poison Gas. Uh oh, I am getting Z Moved. Breakneck Blitz. Didn’t kill me though. Poisoned. Bite. I’m almost dead. I switch to Ms. Happy. My foe uses Aqua Jet. Air Cutter! Done. We have KOd his starter. Both my pokies level up. I replace Acid Spray with Minimize.

He gives me a Dire Hit post combat. It’s an equip item that hit through auras on Totems and others

This town is layed out a bit like a old west town. I find a PC and heal up. Then post battle I buy 5 net balls, I head to the Paniola Ranch



Ranch Trainer #1 – Grimer vs Carbink. I swap with Ms. Happy. (Rock is strong vs Poison and Fairy strong vs Dark so there’s no angle of attack there). It takes a while, but we finish the Carbink. Magnets levels.

I am invited into a pasture as a Trial Goer. I am wearing the badge. Mallow is here with some Miltank and Tauros. I get Stoutland registered to my ride pager, so I can now call and ride a Stoutland, in addition to Toutus. It can sniff out special items in the dirt. Just press B while riding.

I summon the Stoutland to ride around.

Ranch Trainer #2 – Grimer vs Mudbray. That’s a donkey looking Pokemon. I like it a lot. Poison Gas. Crap it knows Bulldoze and almost killed Jelly Baby in one hit. I switch to Ms, Happy. She;s flying, which should help. I try Air Cutter and it works for normal damage. Again. Fainted Mudbray.

I move Ms. Happy to the front of the queue

I move into some grass here to see what I can see, and here’s a Mudbray! I send out Magents to paralyze it, but it’s immune so it has to be ground. It smashes me hard. I then use Supersonic to confuse it. Magnet Bomb! Great Ball! Captured!!!


Meet our Level 14 Mudbray, Ground only, “Jack” (The name fo a male Donkey is a Jack)


http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/0/09/Mudbray.png/600px-Mudbray.png


I find another Zygarde Cube creature.

I’ve been taking down some other creatures here, led my Ms. Happy. And I’m not seeing me get a good Pokemon from this. The Oricoro seems to be more of a team player type style with Helping Hand and Baton Pass. Nothing good is happening. I don’t see her as something that is giving anything to my team right now, and soon, I suspect I’m benching her.

There’s a building back in the back here. It has a computer and I bench my Oricorio This is a Nursery. They won’t level up, but they will hang out and spawn. She gives me an egg. A nearby person gives me TM10 Hidden Power

Ranch Trainer #3 – He tosses a Sableeye vs my Buzzers, the Cutiefly. Draining Kiss. Again! One more time. Downed Sableeye.

I move Feathers back in front

I find an Amulet Coin and give it to my starter. It increases the cash we make from battles

Brooklet Hill is north and Royal Avenue south…

Feathers levels up to 24 and wants to learn the move Pluck. It replaces Peck. It’s a stronger flying move

Ranch Trainer #4 – Lillipup is out first. I Pluck it. Tackle next. One down. Growlithe is next. That’s fire and that’s not good for my grass starter. I send out Dame Pokesy and Water Gun it. Again! Victory is ours.

There are a pair of Sudowoodo in the south path cutting it off in the road. North it is!


Hello Route 5

[Abe Sargent]

Route 5!

I burn a few pots to heal some of my team

I move Jelly Baby back front

Trainers #1&#2 – Twins, duo match. They have the pink duo of Happiny and Igglybuff. I use Razor Leaf from Feathers while I hop Smuggles in. Jelly Baby and Smuggles are leveled up.

I run into Hau who just lost to some local trainers here. Some annoying dickweed named Gladion is being all annoying. He talks about taking small jobs for Team Skull. And we fight. Out goes Jelly Baby and Gladion’s Zubat. Bite. Down. It’s about to send in “Type: Null”. What’s that? Leave out my pokemon. That is a good looking pokemon. Poison Fang. Again. It’s poisoned by the Fang. Bite. It’s down. My Jelly Baby was taken down to 6 HP. Smuggles wants to learn Bug Bite. It replaces Strong Shot.

A couple of Grunts head up and back his play after his surprise at losing to me, right after defeating Hau. Gladion isn’t a part of Team Skull, and they harass him a bit before leaving. I get some Revives from hau as thanks.

Theres a PC back here and I head to it. Before I do, I run into another twin fight


Trainers #3&4 – I have Smuggles and Jelly baby vs Rufflet and Vullaby. I use Poison fang on one and sub in my starter. They take out my Grimer. Magnets heads out. Spark and Pluck. Rufflet is down. Magnets levels to 22. They blast Feathers with some flying attacks, but he stands. We finish the Vullaby. Smuggles levels.

I heal up at the PC. I get another dire hit here. I have an offer to trade a Pokemon I’ve never heard of for my Lillipup. Okay!


Goodbye Stouty!

Hello….



“Bouncee”, and Bounsweet Pokémon, Level 11, grass type.

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/e/e2/Bounsweet.png/600px-Bounsweet.png


Can Feebas be found in Brooket Hill? That’s the question a researcher is asking me in this PC. Catch one and show it to him for some cash



Trainer #5 – Paras is dispatched. Poison Fang. Super effective one hit KO. The next in Spinarak. I send out Feathers. Pluck. Done.

I head back to the PC, heal, and drop off my Cutiefly. Buzzers has done nothing. At level 20 it’s doing nothing still, low stats, not great moves. Back in the grass, in the midst of a bunch of Pikipeks and Lillipups is this Fomantis. I try to catch it! I poison it and the great ball and….


Yes!



Meet our Fomantis, level 14, grass, I name it “Grassquatch”


http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/0/02/Fomantis.png/600px-Fomantis.png


Back here I find TM57 Charge Beam. Feathers hits level 25.

Trainer #6 – Morelull sent out. Based on the name, I’m guessing Psychic, and I use Bite. Noe. That was not effective. Fairy? How about Poison Fang? Correct, super effective, down. They are sending out Ledyba. I’ll meet your bug with mine and I send my Grubbin. I forgot Ledyba was flying. NM I pull it out and send in Feathers. Pluck. Down.

I find TM 41 Torment by a geyser.

I head to the PC, heal up, and then into the Hill

[Abe Sargent]

Brooklet Hill

I find Lana, Captain of Brooket Hill here. I follow her and…


Trainer #1 – Barboach. Bite. Down. Jelly baby levels to 23. Goldeen next, Feathers sent. Razor leaf kills it.

Huh. Smuggles levels while fighting some local folks with Jelly Baby and gets Spark? That’s a good electric move at level 16. Will it evolve into electric? I swap out Vice Grip for it.

I find Capt Lana here by a small pond thing. She shows me some vigorous splashing near the middle of the pond. My trial: Investigate the splashing and find out what is causing it. She also gives me a Lapras to use to swim out there with the ride pager.

Trainer #2 – Fletchling sent. I use Poison Fang. It’s poisoned and dies.

I move Smuggles to the front. Given the number of water pokies here, I can use Spark.

Trainer #3 – Smuggles the Grubbin vs Poliwag. Spark! It takes two hits, but faints.

I ride out to the splashes and find some other fish swimming in the water. They head south. A wishiwashi is here and jumps out. Spark! Knocked t to red and paralyzed it. Great Ball.

Captured!!


Level 17, Water Pokemon, Wishiwashi, nicknamed “Ms. Guppy”

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/2/26/Wishiwashi-Solo.png/600px-Wishiwashi-Solo.png


No version of Wishiwashi is listed in the Pokedex as a potential evolutionary path. So it’s solo. Some solo waters are powerful, and many are weak (Luvdisc, Barboach, etc). because I only had 5 Pokies in my party, Wishiwashi joins me for a bit.

Even more splashing can be heard now. I go check for Lana. I find lana at a deeper pond. An even bigger bit of splashing it out there. Lapras arrives and I head out. Once again I see five fishes dart away from the splashing. Then I head in and….another Wishiashi. Spark! It calls for help and…..another Wishiashi arrives. I spark to finish off the first.

Smuggles levels up to 17. Spark again. Dead in one hit.

It begins to rain.

Even more furious splashing can be heard elsewhere.

Trainer #4 – Smuggles vs Magikarp. Spark. Magnets level 23. Another Magikarp. Spark.


According to Lana, Within Brooklet Hill lies a legendary pokemon that us the embedment of the sea itself. Kyogre. Another heavy splashing. Raining as well

We arrive at Brooklet Hill, Totem;s Den

The Trial Starts.

Defeat the Totem.

I swim out on Lapras. Thunder cracks the open sea. Lapras is tembleing. Fish are swimming underneat and then…..

I giant fish swoop up from the waves and then attacks. It has Wishiwashis as eyes and teeth and stuff. This is the Totem Wishiwashi.

Spark from Smuggles. It’s paralyzes as well, It uses Soak and turns Smuggles into a water pokemon. A Wishiwashi appears to help. I switch to Feathers. Razor leaf. The small Wishiwashi is using Helping Hand to pump the Totem one’s attack. Razor Leaf again. It’s ability called schooling occurs. An Alomomola arrives. One more Razor Leaf. The Totem is dead and the Almom badly wounded. Level 26 for Feathers. Smuggles level 18. RI try to catch the Alomoloa, but nope, the trial is ongoing. Pluck. Batle concluded. Smuggles level 19, wants to learn acrobatics, a flying attack. I forget bite and swap it.


Totem Defeated! I arrive back at the Captain. I get a Water Z Crystal and a Fishing Rod as well as 10 Dive balls. I head back to the Poke Center to heal.

The next challenge is Captain Kaiwe’s trial in Wela Volcano Park.

[Abe Sargent]

I head back to the Hill after dropping off the wishiwashi I head back to do some exploring and fishing.


I fish up:

Magikarp – captured, level 14 Magikarp
2 Big Pearls
Heart Scale
Magikarp
Goldeen – captured, level 15
Magikarpx2
Pearl
Magikarp


Fishing works a little differently here. You look for rocks underneath the water, and then when you find it, the screen offers you an A prompt to fish. I’m trying to get a Feebas for that scientist. I’m trying out a few different rocks to see what I can see. Jelly Baby level 24

Another rock? Pearl, Karp, Goldeen, Goldeen, Pearl, Goldeen,

Smuggles, my Grubbin levels up and evolves….

It’s now a Charjabug, and that’s not what I was expecting. Here, take a look:


http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/2/2e/Charjabug.png/600px-Charjabug.png



That’s right, after many years of waiting they finally gave us the….Bus Pokemon! I was expecting a flying bug of some sort with the Acrobatics set up a couple of levels ago. But nope, we have an electric bug. It wants to gain charge. I say no and skip it.

I head in deeper to find more fishing stuff. Ill let you know fi I find anything good like a Feebas.

I am running about and hit a Surskit. Great Ball? Caught. Got a level 17 Surskit!

I fish up a wild Alomomola. Dive Ball after poisoning it and….It’s ours!

I give up and start heading out. I hit a Psyduck on the way out. Poisoned, great Ball, and….nope. I try again. Got it.


Anyways, I leave, hit the PC, and head out. I head back to the Ranch and then south…

[Abe Sargent]

The Suduwoodo flee before me and…

I find a Mystic Water down here.

Route 6

Trainer #1 – Dartrix vs Magby. Fire not good. I use Pluck and get burned taking him out. Yungoos? I send in Jelly Baby. Poison Fang slays it.

Trainer #2 – Dartrix vs Sudowoodo. Razor leaf not even half damaged, he uses Rock Throw and smashes me. Hmmm… Razor Leaf again? Flail by it. Feathers is red. Razor one more time. Down. Level 27. Smuggles levels.

Jelly Baby back in front. Level 25. I find a back entrance to Paniola Town back here. Tm88 Sleep Talk is here

I find a some Skull heads attacking this lady with a giant pony, that looks like an evolved form of the one I have. I go help herm, named of Hapu. Drowzee. Bite. Game. We beat them, and they flee. I exchange numbers with Hapu.


Trainer #3 – Grimer vs Cubone. Uh oh. (Ground is very good vs Poison). Bite. Again. Done.

I find a Rare Candy back here. Then a Carbos. I use it increase the base speed of my starter,

Trainer #4 – Grimer vs Oricorio. Whoa, it’s in a cool form as a hula dancer. Bite. Down.

I arrive at Heahea City. I find the Dimensional research lab here and head in. But the prof is not here. Ah well

Someone inside the store, to the west of the Lab, on the 2nd floor, wants me to return when I have completed my challenge. I find and head into Diglett’s Tunnel

Kahuna Olivia is in here exploring. There are a ton of Diglett getting out of hand here. I’m not strong enough yet for here.

I head to the Battle Royal on Route 6. I see Dragion above. I find some Pink Nectar as I explore here. I find something for the ZYgarde Cube back here in the parking lot. I find some stores in the back as well.

Another person in the Thrifty Megamart here wants me to swing by when I’m the strongest trainer in the land. I buy a Strange Souvenir while Im here. 20 Repels too. 5 Timer Balls, 22 great Balls

I head into the dome

The Battel Royale is four trainers fighting. The Masked Royal arrives and tells me about what’s going on. Hau is here too. Sowe are having a four-way withteh MAsekd Royal, me, hau and Gladion

Gladion leads with Null, me with Grimer, and then Rockruff and Pikachu for those. I use Minimize on myself. They are all attacking each other, and I get hit as well. I use Minimize again. Protect from Rockruff. Minimize one more time. Aqua Jet on Rockruff knocks it down hard, Rock Throw on Null, and Pursuit on Rockruff Is about to kill it. Poison gas on all three. Rockruff’s Prtect keeps them up. Poison Gas again. The Brionne and Null take out Rockruff. Poison Gas arrives and poisons Null and Brionne. Battle is called.

Captain Kaiwe arrives and congratulates us. Hau tries to talk some sense into Gladion who is not having it. Gladion leaves. I try another BR while Im here

I enter as Normal rank. I lead with Dartrix. My foes include – Breloom, Flygon, and Archeops. Hmm. I need to be more powerful to play here. Razor Leaf . I get knocked out by Flygon. Magnets heads out. Taken out. Grimer next. They have a Pokémon called Minior I’ve never heard of or seen. I die.

Lesson learned. Come back much, much later.

Route 7 is right behind the Royal avenue.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 7

I do a little exploring, I find a swimmer out on a small lake to the east.

Trainer #1 – Grimer vs Surskit. Poison Fang. The next is something I’ve never heard of called a Dewpider. Water spider? I send out Feathers. Pluck. Yup, super effective.

Zygarde Cube back here.

Trainer #2 – Dartrix vs Alomomola. Two turns later, done.

I run into a Finneon on the waves. Level 17 and….we capture it after dispatching a Great Ball.

Trainer #3 – Dartrix vs Mareanie. Looks really cool, with spikes and tentacles. Razor Leaf. Not super effective. Astonish. Again. Done.


Traner #4 – I send out Finneon to lose, so it won’t suck up my Exp Share XP. Shellder is on the other side. It faints after a few rounds. Next is Magnets. Spark. Again. Magnet Bomb for the win. Next is Corsola. Smuggles levels. I send out Feathers to finish with Razor leaf. Level 28for Feathers. It wants to learn Synthesis, which is a self heal. Okay, I learn it. Magnets level 25 and wants to learn Metal sound. Nah we’Re good.

I find TM73 Thunder Wave

I finish exploring that back section of Route 7, the main route is closed, so I head to the Volcano path to the west.

Wela Volcano Park

I move Grimer in front.

Trainer #1 – Grimer vs Meowth. Poison Fang. I flinch after it bites me. Try again. Down. Jelly Baby levels. Trainer is down, but not before heavily reducing my leader’s HP

I use a potion. Then another

I find a cave that leads deeper into the Volcano area. Someone heals my Pokemon. UI head west and pass some drops and get a Charcoal, a held item that boosts fire attacks. I find path here to another section of the volcano.

Trainer #2 – Grimer vs Kadabra. I use Bite. One hit kill after it failed to hit me with Psybeam. Dark is immune.


I find a Cubone in some grass. I toss a ball and……level 18 Cubone joins my team.

Then I come across a new Pokemon – Salandit. Poison Gas? It uses Dragon Rage on me. Poison doesn’t work. Hmmm… Minimize. Again. It drops my evasiveness with another sapped thing. Again. Again. My foe is using Dragon Rage, Ember and such and missing a lot. Alright, let’s toss Great Ball. Nah. It calls for help and nothing appears. Another ball? Almost! It hits with Ember. Ball #3. Ball #4? Nah. Ot hits with another Ember. 6. Poison Fang? Ball 7? It connects with Dragon Rage and my pokemon faints. I send out Dame Pokesy. Yawn. Dragon Rage on me. Pokeball, it works.



Here’s our new - Salandit, level 17,fire and poison, “Hot Scales”


http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/b/b9/Salandit.png/600px-Salandit.png


I thought it might have been a dragon, but nope.

I find TM 39 Rock tomb back here on the Volcano steppes.

Trainer #3 – Dartrix vs Roggenrola – Dead in one turn. He tosses a Machop. I leave it out and use Pluck. All defeated

[Abe Sargent]

I enter….

Totem’s Den

Captain Kiawe is here and greets me. His Marowak are students of the ancient dances from Alola.

Trial Start

We will be dancing. Find the difference between the two dances. I get it wrong and I fight a Alola Marowak

Bite Super Effective. It uses Flame Wheel. Bite again. Good job Jelly Baby.

I get it right and Marowak attacks too. Bite. It uses Bone Club which is super effective on me. Bite again! Down. Smuggles levels.

Second dance – I figure out what is wrong, and a Hiker Attacks me with his Magmar. Poison Fang. Bite. I miss after he dropped my accuracy with Smokescreen. Bite again. KO’d.

Third Dance – I guessed it right and now….

Totem Saladazzle, the evolved form of Salandit

That is a cool looking Pokemon

Mimimize. He also most kills me. It summons aid. I use a Super Potion. Flame Burst on me. Venoshock with another. Mimimize again. They kill me first. Dame Pokesy next. Confusion on Saladazzle. I a poisoned. Yawn on Salandit. Nope. Confusion again. Venoshock with another. I use a Super Pot on my Pokesy. More battles arrive. A crit takes me out. I send out Finneon. I use Revive on Dame. I use Revive on Grimer. They take me out. Out heads Jelly Baby.

Round two of this guy. I use a Super Potion on myself to fully heal. Super Pot on Damey. Another super Pot on my Grimer. I heal again. I will keep heling until I can use Minimize. Minimize. Crit. Damn. Almost took me down. I use Lemonade. More potions follow. I use X Defense to max my D. I use another pot. Fresh water. Minimize. Super Pot. I was poisoned. Antidote. I use X Attack. Bite. Salandit dies. Saladazze calls and gets another ally. Poison fang. I am poisoned. Sadazzle eats a Petaya berry. Potion. Antidote. Bite. KOd Sadazzle. Level up wo 27. I was poisoned again. Magnets level 26. Antidote. Poison fang. Potion. Bite. KO.

After a long long battle, I defeated the Totem.

I used a ton of items I’ll need to replace. I gain the Fire Z Crystal. And 10 Quick Balls. And I can now ride Charizard.

On my way back down the mountain I run into a Fletchling. One Great Ball later and I’ve grabbed it. Level 16 Fletchling

I head north up the now not blocked route 7. I need to find Route 8 and the Lush Jungle for Captain Mallows trial.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 8

I need to find a Stufful on route 8 and bring it to these scientists in a cubicle.

I run into Colress, a scientist. Out on the road. He believes the bond people share with Pokemon brings out their true powers. He gives me a TM43 Flame Charge for having a good relationship with my Pokemon. (If you never played them, Black and White featured Colress as one of the bosses and leaders of Team Plasma)

I fly to town with Charizard and swap some pokemon. Alright, it’s time to make some changes to my party. Magnemite, I love you, but I’m pulling you. I move you to storage.

I know I want my starter and likely Grimer/Muk for the long trip. I like what the Slowpoke is bringing me right now, with Psychic, Water, and Yawn. I’ve not been using it too much to keep from growing it, but it’s still level 25. What about my Charjabug? The Bus Pokemon I am going to make it my major capture Pokemon right now. I know there’s another level in the Pokedex, so I’ll keep it around. The Electric Bug combo is not bad

With those three, here are my type coverages:

Bug – Psychic, Grass, Dark
Elect – Flying, Water
Dark – Psychic, Ghost
Poison – Grass, Fairy
Grass – Water, Ground, Rock
Flying (right now) – Grass, Fight, Bug
Ghost (Future) – Psychic, Ghost

So I have Psychic, Ghost, Flying, Water, Grass, Dark, Fairy, Ground, Rock, and for now Fight and Bug covered with these three Pokies. 9 of 18 in the future, and 11 of 18 right now. Not bad. Now some types you may never hose. But it’s easy to suss out the major types we need right now, because I need, permanent, answers to Fight, Bug, Fire, Normal, Ice, Dragon, Electric, Poison, Steel types.

What is the best way to get that coverage from my remaining entries? Well, let’s take a look at the chart first


Ground will hit – Steel, Fire, Electric, Poison, Rock – Five types on its own. Four of those – Steel, Fire, Electric and Poison are on that “I Need an Answer” list. So a ground Pokemon that’s strong gets me 4 of those types by itself.

Another interesting one is Fight. Fight hits Normal, Steel, Rock, Ice and Dark. Three of those – Normal, Steel, and Ice are on my “I need” list. Two of those aren’t on my Ground coverage either. If I add a Ground and Fight Pokémon to my roster, then I have just Dragon and Bug that need an answer. That shores up my type coverages nicely.

I drop off Slowpoke. Now that my water Pokemon isn’t getting Surf, I don’t need one necessarily. So let’s untether myself to water, especially since the heavily powerful Surf can be a major player in combat after you get it and now it’s not on the battlefield.

Say hello to my captured Mudbray, named “Jack”. Have I found any other “good” Pokemon that I can take with me for the ride? There are no new Fights I’ve found, other than the weak Crabrawler. I need Normal, Ice, Dragon, and Bug. Both Rock and Fire hose both Ice and Bug. So I could get a Rock or Fire Pokemon that looks good. Rockruff? Salandit? I’m not comfortable enough in either of those to run them. So for now, we’re steering clear of anything else.

Just these four

What I want to do first is to hit the trainers here on Route 8, and then grab stuff from grass, to round out my team.

I teach Smuggles Thunder Wave for Mud Slap

I run into Zygarde Cube stuff

Trainer #1 – Eevee vs Grimer. We each ue use bite. Again. Ko’d.

Trainer #2 – Grimer vs Bounsweet. Poison Fang, dead. Trumbeak is next…I send out Smuggles. Looks like an evolved Pikipek. Spark! Down. Level 24 for Smuggles. Jack is now level 15 ad learns Double Kick.

I run into a level 20 Crabrawler here which is much more powerful than the ones before. I send out Feathers to deal with it. Do I kill or try to capture? Try to capture. Astonish. Again. Great Ball. Captured.


I name my new one “Crabhands”

It joins my party. I move it to front ti get it KOd.

Trainer #3 – Crabrawler vs Miltank. I use Leer. Again. Again. Crabby faints. I dispatch Grimer. Bite. Down

Trainer #4 – Dartrix vs Archen. Razor leaf. Again. Pluck. Down. Jack levels. Shieldon is next. I leave Feathers out there. Razor Leaf. Again. Success.

I find a Pokemon entrer, heal up my Pokies, and drop off Crabrawler

I buy:

2 X Spe Def, 1 X Sp. Attack, 10 Dusk Balls, 12 Super Pots, 7 Antidotes

This guy in here wants to see a Comfey from Lush Jungle.

Trainer #5 – Rockruff vs Feathers. Easy battle.

Trainer #6 – Feathers vs Meowth. Pluck. Crit, defeated.

I find Gladion’s room in a hotel here. He is not pleased by my presence.


I think I have all of the trainer, let’s back track to make sure, and then start exploring the grass. I find a Flechinder flying about. Astonish Feathers is burned. I capture it, level 20 Flechinder, and Jack levels up. He learns Stomp



Here’s a Trumbeak, the evolved Pikipek. Razor Leaf. Again. Again. Synthesis. I capture it with one Pokeball –

Level 19, Trumbeak

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/9/9c/732Trumbeak_Dream.png

[Abe Sargent]

I find some water I missed before and head out to swim. I find a Tentacool back here and….I accidentally critted it, but Feathers gains a level to 30.

Trainers 7 and 8 – Training together. Two Machops vs I have Feathers and Jack. I use Jack’s move, Rototiller to amp up grass moves, and Feathers heals himself. I use Razor Leaf and Bulldoze. Again battle won. Jack levels to 18.

I find a Water Stone back here

I run into another Tentacool. Level 18 and….it breaks out of one ball and…. We grab it with the second.

There is a creature that always skitters away into a hole each time I approach. I circle around behind the hole from the water.

I hit it!

My foe is Wimpod, a level 19 Pokemon that looks like a silverfish bug. My Tentacool uses Constrict. Then Toxic Spikes. It uses Struggle Bug, and I use Acid. Great Ball away. I capture it in one.


This is my Wimpod, level 19, water bug, “Hydrophilia”



http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/a/ad/Wimpod.png/250px-Wimpod.png


Now I am keeping this one in my party. I had to jump through a ton of hoops for it, so I suspect that it’ll evolve into something useful. I go and heal up and drop off the Tentacool.

I head to the Fossil Center here on this route. They want this place to be a real life Jurassic park. I find a Thunder Stone hidden here, but that’s all for now.

I have one final trainer left, who is battling me since I took down the entire route of trainers. She has two Pokemon, with an active Z Bracelet. Wingull is first, and I oved Jack in front for some XP. I swap him for Smuggles. Spark! Winfgull down. Next is Fearow. I leave out Smuggles. Spark again. Z Power is used and….Supersonic Skystrike hits. It takes out Smuggles. I send out Jelly Baby. Poison Fang. Again. Fearow no longer. Jack levels.

I get TM58 Sky Drop as a prize

Only thing left here Is to capture that Pokemon for the researchers in the trailer. I go hunting.

I get back after heading out for a walk to dinner and back. I do have my Pokémon:



Meet level 19 Stufful, fight and normal, I name it “Panda Bear” in homage to my favorite and longest lasting stuffed toy.


http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/8/83/Stufful.png/600px-Stufful.png



I head ack to the researcher and get… 5k cash

Is Stufful good enough? For now? Sure.

I heal up and I head too…

[Abe Sargent]

Lush Jungle

The final of the trials here on this island.

I meet Captain Mallow just inside the Jungle entrance. She is giving me the Mallow Special. I have to find four ingrediants for her – Mago Berry, Tiny Mushroom, RevivalHerb and Miracle Seed. She hooks me up with a Forage Badge to lock it in.

Trial Begins

I pick a Tiny Mushroom from a patch of them, then the big mushroom attacks! Whoa, this is a Shiinotic, a new mushroomish looking thing. Bulldoze. Not very effective. I switch out Grimer. I take it out and we keep on going

I find some suspicious grass and pull it up and face a Fomantis. Pluck. I find a Moss Rock down here for probably leveled up an Evee. I finally find the Revival Herb back here.

A tree attacks me another Fomantis. Feathers is level 31. I find a Mago Berry. I find Poke Spot for taking pics. I upload a pic, zoomed in, of a Paras working. I get another 1288 thumbs up.

I find a Miracle seed beneath a boulder Taurus smashes. I find a Big Root here too.

I head back to Mallow. Lana and Kiawe arrive. The other captains here. Now I have to cook up a storm and lure the Totem out. I start cooking! I crush the various elements.

And…

The totem arrives a Lurantis, an evolved Fomatis is here!

Pluck! It used X Scissor on me. And then summons aid and its a Castform. Pluck. It uses Synthesis. Sunny Day by Castform. Forecast turns it to a fire Pokémon. Pluck Lurantis again. Synthesis again. Weather Ball on my leader is a fire attack that drops me in one hit to 4 hp. Pluck again – nope it kills me first. I send out Hydrophilia. Struggle Bug. It dies. Jelly Baby? Poison Fang. Synthesis. Sunlight fades. Fang again. Synthesis. I use X SP Def. Synthesis again and Sunny Day with Weather ball. X Scissor. Minimize. Super Potion. Another after they crit me. X Defense. Super Pot again. X Sc and Headbutt. They rack up another cirt so I use another Sp. Sunny Day again. Poison Fang on the big bad. XS and…Headbutt, and another crit. I flinch. Another super pot. Poison Fang, Another crit from Headbuth with another flinch. Are you kidding me? Another pot. XS ad Headbuut on me. Sunny Day ebbs. I use Poison Fang. Another P Fang. And….the Totem is down. Just need to finish this off. P Fang on Castform. Again! It uses Headbutt. And gest ANOTHRE FREAKIN CRIT and kos me. I send out Jack to finish this. Headbutt crit and takes out my Jack. Alright Panda bear. Flail. Down. Whew!

I get the Grass Z Crystal and 10 Nest Balls.

The prof arrives, and talks to me and gives me TM 67 Smart Strike. He tells me to get to the lab here.






I head to the nearby PC to heal up. And to stock up for that matter.

3 X Def, 2 X Sp D, 5 Super Pots.


My Team having finished the three trials:

Level 31 Dartrix, Grass Fly, with Synthesis, Razor Leaf, Astonish and Pluck
Level 29 Grimer, Dark Poison, with Minimize, Poison Gas, Poison Fang and Bite
Level 26 Charjabug, Electric Bug, with Spark, Thunder Wave, Bug Bite and Acrobatics
Lev 21 Mudbray, Ground, with Stomp, Double Kick, Bulldoze and Rototiller
Lev 22 Wimpod, Bug Water, with Struggle Bug and Sand Attack
Lev 20 Stufful, Fight Normal, with Leer, Flail, Baby-Doll Eyes and Brutal Swing

I fly to level six on eh back of a Charizard.

I come across Lillie and Nebby using splash. I talk shop a bit and then head into the lab. The Professor Kukui introduces me to hehis wife, Burnet, who runs the Dimensional Research Lab here. Hau runs in as we finish up talking about the secret pokemon, Cosmog, that Lillie has. Burnet tells me about the Ultra Wormhole. Sometimes a hole opens over Alola’s sky and leads to another dimension. According to the Alolan myth, the Ultra Beasts that came through that wormhole fought with the guardian deities of the four islands.

I talk to some of the researchers here for more info. They study the Interdream zone (from Black and White) for info. I talk with Lillie some more. She was found ona beach three months ago by Burnet with Cosmog. She thinks Cosmog comes from the Ultra Wormhole.

Next up is the matchup with the Kahuna here/ It’s in the Diglett Tunnel.

I see the wormhole open like a crack in the sky as I leave for a moment.

[Abe Sargent]

Diglett Tunnel

I run into Oliva just inside again. At the end of this cave is Konikoni City. I need to head there. I find a Fire Stone in here

I run into two Aether Foundation people, and they were hit by team Skull who got the Diglett in the tunnel so riled up.

Trainer #1 – Dartrix vs Roggenrola. Razor Leaf. Done. Mudbray? I leave it out. Razor Leaf. Done.

Trainer #2 – Dartrix vs Machop – Pluck.

I find a Zygarde Cube addition behind that trainer. Then two Team Skull Grunts leap out at me! Hau runs up to help Battle begins…

Grunts have Fomantis and Salandit. We have Pikachu and Dartrix. Razor Leaf. They poison my leader. Pluck. My Grimer is now level 30. They are done. Many of my Pokies level up actually. I get a Max Ether. Hau heals my stuff.


Trainer #3 – Diglett vs Dartrix. Done with a Razor leaf.

Route 9 awaits!

There’s a police station by the entrance.

Trainer #1 (Officer) – Dartrix vs Growlithe. I swap to Jelly Baby. Poison Fang. Bite. I got nailed, and lost around 80% of my hp, but I finish it.

I swap out Mudbray for my #1 spot in case of future fire issues.

This is the shadow of Tapu Lele’s sacred ruins. Memorial Hill is here.

Trainer #2 – Dartrix vs Chinchou Razor that Leaf! Yup!

[Abe Sargent]

Konikoni Village

I start exploring various shops and such. We have an incense stand selling all of the various types of incense.

A TM Shop next to is sells Bulk Up, Venoshock, Double Team, Low Sweep, Shadow Claw, and Dragon Tail, each for 10k. Hmmm.. Shadow Claw is a very powerful physical ghost attack. I have a main Pokemon about to be a ghost Pokémon, with an emphasis on physical attacks. Does that not make sense?

Alright, I buy Shadow Claw. I spend 10k for it. I use it right now to replace Astonish.

A backpacker is selling Heal Powder, Energy Powder Energy Root and Revival Herb


There’s a Pokemon Center here and I head in. A member of the Aether Foundation in there PC wants me to find a Oranguru from Lush Jungle and show it to him.

I get an offer to trade poliwhirl for a Zubat and I take it.


Level 10 Poliwhirl, “Whirly”

I find Eviolite and Pikachu Z Crystal

I head into the shop

I have to go to Memorial Hill instead of finding her here.

Do I want a Plume or Armor fossil? Limit one per customer. I do Armor. For 7k.

One vendor here sells Evolution Stones for 3k each – Leaf, Thunder, Fire, and Water Stones.

The other vendor sells clothes, which we can skip.

I head back out and to the…

[Abe Sargent]

Memorial Hill


This is a place of cemeteries and resting places.


Trainer #1 – Dartrix vs Umbreon. Razor Leaf. It confuses me. Pluck. It uses Baby Doll Eyes to drop my attack. I hit myself. Quick Attack on me, Pluck resolve. I pluck again, and anther confuse ray hits me, Pluck. He uses a full potion to restorer and I hit him. Razor leaf. I hit myself. Razor Leaf. Snap out of confusion. RL again. Synthesis. RL. Confuse on me. RL. I hit myself - RL. Done. Level 32 arrives for Feathers. Jack levels too. I gain a ton of cash 9.2k for it (Amulet Coin doubles money from battles that Pokie participates in).


Trainer #2 – Dartrix vs Jigglypuff. RL. Takes it out hard. I keep it out for Ledian. Pluck. Done.

I find a Cleanse Tag by a tombstone.

Trainer #3 – Dartrix vs Comfey. That’s an odd looking Pokemon. It’s like a vertical Lei. Definitely grass. I use Pluck. It’s not super effective. Synthesis. Pluck. It confused me and I hit myself. It Attracts me. I need a female. Jelly Baby it is. I can’t it wrapped me and I cannot swap out. Pluck. Nope. Pluck….Yup. . I get another sweet 9.2k cash

Trainer #4 – Dartrix vs Ariados. Pluck.

Here in the back are some Team Skull harassars. They stole a Slopoke. I jump over and smash in.

Grunt - Raticate vs Dartrix. Synthesis. It uses Hyperfang. Pluck. HF on me again. Synthesis. HF misses. Pluck. Downed Raticate.

Team Skull flees. And they leave behind the folks they were antagonizing from the Aether Foundation. I have an invitation to head to the Grand Resort post-grand trial

I move Grimer to the front

I come across a Spell Tag by a tombstone in the back.

We hit the back of the area and….

[Abe Sargent]

Akala Outskirts

I find TM 28 Leech Life back here.


Trainer #1 – Grimer vs Staryu. I use Bite. It becomes a grass type after using camouflage. I use bite again. It hits me for some damage first. I level up to 31. The next Pokemonis Gyrados. I swap out Smuggles. Spark. It bites and causes me to flinch. Again. Defeated. Feathers grows to 33. I skip learning Fury Attack.


Trainer #2 – Grimer vs Hariyama. Poison Fang. Crit. It uses Whirlwind. Out pops Feathers. Pluck. Dead.

I run into a Nosepass in the grass. I catch it. Level 22 Nosepass for my team

I run into a Gumshoox, a leveled up Yungoos. I poison it and then it breaks out of one ball but not the next….



Gumshoos, level 22, normal

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/e/e7/Gumshoos.png/600px-Gumshoos.png


I arrive north. Here is a Team Skull lady named Plumeria. She claims to be a big sister to them to keep them together. So she battles me:

Wounded Grimer vs Golbat. Bite. It uses Air Cutter. Again. It takes me out with a crit. I dispatch Smuggles. Spark. It uses Confuse Ray. It this itself. Spark again. I hit it and take it out. Level up. It wants to send out Salandit.

Salandit vs Mudbray. High Horsepower. It poisons me. One hit KO.

Plumera leaves after threatening me.


Ruins of Life

Burnet and Lillie are here and followed me. Lillie heals my Pokemon. This is Tapu Lele’s ruin.

Out from the ruins steps Kahuna Olivia. She is cleaning up the ruins

Battle Time!

Nosepass vs Grimer – Bite. It flinches. Bite. It uses Rock Slide. Bite. It uses Thunder Wave and paralyzes me. Bite. It uses Rock Slide. Paralyzed. Bite. It uses Rock Slide. Crit on me. Flinches me. I’m down pretty low. But this isn’t a Pokemon I care about, sure Super Pot. Rock Slide. Bite. Rock Slide flinches me. Bite. Rock Slide – paralyzed. Use another Super Pot. Rock Slide. Bite. Rock Slide and flinched. Bite Rock Slide and…I take it out. She;s about to send out Boldore.

Boldore vs Mudbray – High Horsepower. It uses Headbutt. My Stamina pumps my def after the hit. High HP again. Headbutt from my foe again. Stamina raises my D again. Bulldoze. Boldore falls. She is about to send out Lycanroc, which I’ve never heard of, so I switch to Feathers.

Dartrix vs Lycanroc. Looks like an evolved Rockruff. Razor Leaf. It uses Z Power. Continental Crush. And that Ko’s my guy. Panda Bear head in. Brutal Swing. It uses Rock Throw. Payback. It uses the same. I use a Super Pot on my Mudbray just before I’m about to fall. Mudbray. High Horse. It uses Bite. And my Stamina hits in. I take it out and level up to 26.

I took out the Kahuna!

I get the Rock Z Crystal. Lillie applauds me. Normally Pokemon avoid the guardians, which makes it odd that Lillie’s Pokémon keeps trying to get to them. Hau arrives to do battle with Olivia and I fly over to the Resort.

[Abe Sargent]

The Hano Grand Resort


On the Hano beach I find something for the Zygarde Cube, I spend some time checking out the Beach and a lifeguard here wants me to be a Pyukumuku chucker. Okay I agree. I find one.


Nope, it’s a Staryu instead. I catch a level 20 Staryu

I catch and toss a Pyukumuku back. Another follows. Level 32 for my Grimer. It swaps Crunch for Bite. Pyux3. X4. X5 x6 finally. I get 20k in cash.

I head out onto the beach and see what I can find in the water. I fight some badguys and find some loot.

Trainer #1 – Grimer vs Wishiwashi. It starts as the more powerful version I fought, not this weak one I have. Crunch. Crunch again. Poison Fang. Done.

Trainer #2 – Dartrix vs Psyduck. Razor Leaf.

I find black glasses on a small isle

Trainer #3 – Dartrix vs Wingull. Razor Leaf. Crit, ko’d. I leave it out for Barboach. RL. Also gone.



Trainer #4 - Dartrix vs Finneon, RL. Attract, can’t attack. Try again. Nope. One more? Again. Nope and nope. I send out Panda Bear. Both ladies. Payback. Again. Defeated. I send Feathers back for Shellder. Razor Leaf.

Feathers is level 34 and…..

EVOLVES


Into a Decidueye.

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/a/a4/724Decidueye.png/600px-724Decidueye.png

It wants to learn Spirit Shackle.


Trainer #5 – Decidueye vs Gyrados. I swap to Smuggles. It uses Leer. Spark. It uses Bite. Dead foe. It levels up to 30.

Trainer #6 – Grimer vs Pyu…. Crunch. It uses counter. And smashes me hard and ko’s me. Hydrophilia next. Struggle Bug. Again. Took it down.

I head back to the main Resort from the beach.

[Abe Sargent]

The person I saved, Faba, is a worker with Aether Collective, and wants to show me the Aether Paradise. It’s an artificial island that is away from alola. I agree to come with him to it. Hau jumps in and wants to come as well. We take a ferry boat to the island.


We get a tour of the area, and look at various facilities for the conversation of Pokemon. Developing new Pokeballs and new tech. You can’t use Pokeballs inside due to a jamming device. And Branch Manager Faba leaves off to meet with the President and an aide moves us. This is Wicke, She shows us around in the big lift. She talks about our journey ahead. We head up for another floor, the main conservatory, and it’s Aether Haven, very natural place for Pokemon. Pokemon targeted by Team Skull are kept here. They also keep pokemon in danger of becoming extinct, like Corsola that is overhunted by a Pokemon called Toxapex.


We head to meet with the President. We arrive and meet with her. President Lusamine. Uh oh! The ground is shaking. My guess a major Skull attack ins about to commence. Let’s see. No. There is a giant great rift with this soft, giant Pokémon that just moved out of it. It looks wrong to Hau, but the President moves to it in pity. We fight the….??? Pokemon. It’s has a major aura.

Grimer? How about some Poison Fang action. Not very effective. Crunch? It uses Venoshock. Crunch again. Too bad I can’t use Pokeballls here. Crunch More with Feeling. It’s down.

It fades in color. And then reality warps for a moment and it disappears.

According to the President, that was an Ultra Beast. It appears to be suffering, as if in pain from simply being here. The President wants to save and love it. She sends Wike to take us to Ula’ula Island

I get a TM 29 Psychic as thanks

[Abe Sargent]

Ula’Ula Island

Hau wants to battle. Okay

Grimer vs Raichu – Poison Fang. It uses Electro Ball. Fang again. It uses Quick Attack. But then it falls. Level 33 for muh Grimer.


Mudbray vs Flareon – High Horsepower – It uses Fire Fang. I knock it to red. Again. It Fire Fangs and burns me. I finish it off. Level 28. For Mudbray.

Feathers vs Brionne. Razor Leaf. It uses Z Power and…Hydro Vortex arrives. RL again. KOd.

Whoa – another Evolution…

Panda Bear is evolving…


It’s evolved into a Bewear!


http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/july_19_assets/bear-770x562.png

It wants to learn Bind…no thanks. I need to get this thing some Fight moves soon. Do I have any TMs I can give it to learn? I give it Brick Break. This replaces its Flail.

I take the ferry back to Heahea City on Akala Island. From here I fly to the Jungle. I had two Pokémon capture request from it. Back to the Lush Jungle.

I’m going to run around for a while and try to catch some new stuff, I’ll let you know when I’ve caught one.

Smuggles levels up and gest the powerful X Scissor move.


I come across a level 19 Comfey. Poison Gas. Great Ball. Great Ball. Great Ball. Great Ball. Got it…



Meet my Level 19 Comfey, fairy, the vertical Lei,

http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/july_19_assets/flower.png


That will satisfy the Level 8 PC guy. I have another request.


I find a level 19 Paras. I capture it and it’s mine too!


Well I ran into the other one – Oranguru. I like it’s look. I toss some balls and I grab it.


Meet “Cadeus” our level 18 Oranguru, a normal psychic addition to the game.


http://st-listas.20minutos.es/images/2013-09/369448/5051973_249px.jpg?1474403005



I get 5k total from my bounties. I buy 12 Great Balls and 10 Super Pots.

[Abe Sargent]

I fly back to Melemele Island to do some surfing around


I find a Barboach and….I capture a level 10 Barboach

I TM 05 Roar.

I’m in the Melemele Sea right now, just south of the mom’s home

Trainer #1 – Finneon vs Jelly Baby. Crunch. Taken care of.

Trainer #2 – Corsola vs JB. Crunch here as well. JB levels to 34


There is a section out here I can’t get too with rocks hiding stuff.


Trainer #3 – JB vs Goldeen. Taken care of

Trainer #4 – JB vs Luvdisc. Poison Fang. Another Luvdisc. Crunch. Done.

I find a rare candy back here

A Luvdisc heads up and…I have a new level 14 Luvdisc!



Trainer #5 – JB vs Wishiwashi – Crunch. Barboach is next Crunch. Done.


Trainer #6 – JB vs Tentacool. Crunch.

I come across some injured Corsola and heal them, their trainers comes back, tells me about mean Pokémon that bites and feed on them, and then gives me a Wide Lens for helping her Corsola.

[Abe Sargent]

Back to Ula’Ula Island, Malie City

Malie City has a very Japanese feel, with Shinto style arches and architecture here.


The Pokemon Center here by the docks has a TM Store with Roost, Smack Down, Aeriel Ace,Facade, Steel Wing, payback, Rock Polish, Bulldoze, Swords Dance, U-Turn and all for 10k each.

Any I need? There are a couple of obscure ones there like U-Turn that have a defiant use in the right party. U-Turn is a powerful bug attack at 70 power that switches the user out after it resolves. So I could smash with one of my two bug pokemon and then swap it for something better (both Smuggles and Hydrophilia are weaker than other options). Swords Dance is a great attack buffer, as it double pumps your attack stat. It’s a great way to start a battle with an attack based leader. Roost is a self-heal for flyers. All good stuff. There are real reasons to use all three of those.

We’re good for now, I want to keep them on my radar, just in case. I pick up 3 Revives.

I find Lillie in the street a few moments later. She tells me t meet up with the prof in Malie Gardens. Alright, I head over…


Malie Gardens

I find Hau just inside the Garden entrance. The gardens are laid out in a traditional Japanese garden manner. He tells me a tea ceremony is happening somewhere, so I head out to look it up. There is a giant sign here that says “Don’t Ride Pokemon”

There are a ton of weeds back here, so I walk around some to see what I can find. I uncover a Poliwag. I have the updated version, Poliwhirl, but not this one, so I try to catch it. I get a crit and accidentally take it out. Ah well.

Here’s an Ariados, level 27 – Caught

I run into some folks telling me about a secret here in the gardens. I do a little fishing here as well. I run into the professor in the middle of the center island by some shops. We tell him about the Ultra Beast and such. Our next Trail is on Mount Hokulani, you can either catch a bus there from route 10. There’s an observatory u on the Mount too I am left here in the Gardens to explore.

Trainer #1 – Jelly Baby vs Raticate. Crunch. Again/ It cruches me back. I send out Mudbray for their Raichu. Bulldoze. Dead. Jack is now level 30.


Evolution Time!!!


Mudbray evolves….




Into Mudsdale.


http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/f/f7/750Mudsdale.png/600px-750Mudsdale.png

Still a ground Pokémon. That’s a good looking Clydesdale.

[Abe Sargent]

I find another Poliwag while running about. I capture it, level 24 Poliwag.

I move Panda Bear to the front of my party to get it some experience. We are taking out some local bugs and then get level 29 on Panda Bear. Grimer 35, and…….



Another evolution as Hydrophilia levels to 30



It evolves into Golisopod, a nasty looking water bug

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/e/e7/768Golisopod_Dream.png

It learns the move First Impression.

It’s a 90 power bug attack that works on the first turn of battle. I need to give this thing a good water attack.

This thing looks like a Gen VII version of Milotic or Gyarados. I was thinking the Wimpod to be more of a Dragon level up, but I’ll take this instead.

Now, given that I have this thing, is my, yet to evolve into its final form, Charjabug worth keeping around? Do I need two bugs?

What types do I lose from my coverage by dropping Electricity?

Electric hates on water (I still have grass with my starter), and flying. So I lose Flying.

But I can get flying hate with rock and ice.

My current uncovered types are Fight, (now) Flying, Dragon, Bug. Well Ice hates on two – flying and dragon. But I don’t have a good Ice option. What I could do is run something like, say, Psychic to Fight. Oranguru looked like a viable option. Let me take a look at my Pokemon Center when I return

Trainer #2 – Panda Bear vs Cleffa. Brick Break for me, Magical leaf for it. Again. Done. Feathers now level 36


Trainer#3 – I send out Hydro… vs Persian. First Impression. It sends out Marowak and I send out nothing. I use First Impression, fails. Sand Attack. Struggle Bug. I use it again and again. So apparently First Impression doesn’t work the first turn of battle vs that creature, just generally. That sucks.


I run into a Masquerain out here, the evolved Surskit. Struggle Bug. 3 Great Balls later I snag it.


Panda Bear levels up and leaves Take Down. I find a Grassy Seed back here. Hydrophilia levels and gest Sucker Punch.

I figured it out. The shape of the water in the gardens is the shape of a Pokemon.


And we have concluded the gardens

[Abe Sargent]

Back to the city and exploring

Lillie says hey. She wants to head to the ruins. But they are deep in large desert. She’s heading to the library first here in Mailie.

My Rotom dex leaps up and I meet a guy named Professor Oak. He tells Rotom to take care of me, and vice versa. He’ll be in the Malie Library as well.

I start talking to a bunch of folks. See if I can get any news or stuff. In the clothing store I find a backpacker who wants me to show him a Togedemaru pokemon around the power plant.

I find someone wiling to trade a Happiny for mu Pancham, which I don’t have, in a fancy restaurant.

I hit up the PC and take a look at other possible Pokies for my Smuggles.

Let me show you some good evidence of what I am talking about:
Stats:

Golisopod, 96 h, 51 Spe Att, 55 Sp Def, 96 Att, 98 Def, 40 speed – has a bad(?) special ability 0 Emergency Exit – leaves when HP is reduced to 50% or less.

Decidueye – 107 jp, 91 ad 83, 104 and 69 with a 71 speed to finish – high level starters are always better, and it’s higher level as well

Grimer – 108 HP, 45/53 SP, 80/45 normal, 41 speed. Not fast, but not evolved yet either, and it’s a bit overwhelmed by the others right now, but will come into its own soon

Bewear – 121 HP, 42/47 SP, 77/58 ATT/D, 47 speed – lower level.

Mudsdale – 104 hp, 48/60 SP, 86/75 Att/D, 44 Spd

Now…

Charjabug – 84 hp, 45/61 SP Atta and Def, 65 Att, 83 Def, 36 speed.

Despite the fact its’ the 3rd highest level on my team and something I have leveled up for a long time, it’s clearly less than the others. Now to compare that the final evaluations of Bewear, Mudsdale, and Golisopod may not be truly fair. Those are final evolutions, and Charjabug has one more to go on the Pokedex sheet. But when does that happen?

And given that I have a bug locked onto my team already, is Charjabug giving me anything anymore?

And given that of the two electric strongest – water and flying, I already hose one of those, it seems like Charjabug may be mostly superfluous, especially since Grime has been my harasser all this time and done that role quite nicely. So I don’t even have an underdeveloped Charjabug paralyzing and keeping things real while I build my forces up.

Given that, here is who I like, generally.

Oranguru, but it’s just level 19, and that’s about it, barring something like Magnemite or Pikachu

Or I could just hope to find something better up here on Ula’Ula. So let’s lean on that. In the meantime I do make that swap, in case it becomes permanent, to begin to work up that Oranguru. But I am very okay with Musdale, Golisopod, Decidueye, Bewear and Grimer *cough* Muk as my core five.

I find the library. Outside, as I talk to Lillie, is Hapu, with the Mudsdale we recused on the previous island. I introduce Hapu and Lillies. Hapu offers to show the way to the ruins for Lillie when she’s ready. The Mudsdale are very good steeds. Hapu and Mudsdale head off.

[Abe Sargent]

Into the Library.

Professor Burnet gave Lillie some thoughts about a book here on old myths and legends of the Alola islands. She is looking for that one. I look out and talk with everyone.



I find a tourist and explain how rides work here and she gives me TM76 Fly. Huh. She mentions how it’s a big deal back in Johto, but not here.

I talk to Prof Oak. He tells me about regional variants. If I can find a local Persian, he;d like to see. Lillie is disturbed by a small purple haired lady who asks her is she is looking for a particular tome. She does. It’s a book called “The Light of Alola” and it states that a single beast appears from the empty sky that broke asunder, and became the moon. The king bowed, and the island guardians fought it, but they lost. Another Beast took the day and became the sun. They brought a new life to Alola and kept island guardians from strife. There are two tones that sing from a flute for Lunala and keep them.

The purple haired one states that this was written by her father, but the book is really, really old. It supposedly belonged to her father. Her name is Acerola. She claims her family used to be royalty here. She had all of her dad’s books moved to the library so they wouldn’t be ruined by Pokemon. She can tell lots of old stories about Alola, for Lillie.

The next trial is an Electric type out on route 10 bus station. They stay here, and I finish exploring the library.

I head out.

Malie City Great Cape

There’s a bunch of grass here I run around in.

Here’s a Trubbish. Level 27. I capture it with one Great Ball.


Trainer #1 – Mudsdale vs Trubbish. Bulldoze. Down. Another Trubbish. Another Bulldoze. Another win in one hit.


I find a bunch of people working on something ahead. I talk to them. They welcome me. This is where they take the garbage from the Alola area and consume them by Muk and Grimer. The President’s Muk once ate 10 tons of trash a day. I am offered a battle with the Muk, and I agree

Mudsdale vs Muk – I am so glad I worked on Grimer/Muk because Muk is very, very pretty here. Scintillating colors. I send a Bulldoze over. It uses Acid Spray back. Bulldoze again! Muk is down.

The father talks his son into attacking as well. His son used to be a trialist as well, but quit early on. Grimer vs Mudsdale. Bulldoze. Done in one hit. He hires his son for the plant after the battle.

He gives me a Twisted Spoon as a thanks. The President is about to retire. I explore out here a bit more

I find a master of Pokeball throws and I learn a new way to throw a Ball. Hello Professor Oak. The Grimer and Muk, according to Oak, are naturalized, not regional. They evolved to eat trash other than sludge and sewer slime. They do not give off a foul stench as they contain their poisons in their body. He gives me a Friend ball.

I head back to the grass for a bit. Is there anything here besides Trubbish? I am using Mudsdale to clean them out when we find them. There’s a Level 24 Raticate. And…..go Jelly Baby! Poison. Captured


I heal up, pick up 10 Great Balls, and then…

[Abe Sargent]

Hello Route 10

An old lady at the front of the route has lost her Stufful. I agree to bring them back if I find one. There are 8 lost.

I walk past a moving tree and out leaps a Fearow. Jack uses Double Kick. Again. I accidentally crited with one fo those and kod it.

Man, stamina is my favorite ability on a Pokémon ever. Each time the Mudbray or Mudsdale is hit by a any attack, it pumps it’s defense. Well I just found out that counts for multi-hit attacks each time. So a double kick, fury attack, stuff like that that have multiple attacks amp my defense more. That’s awesome.


I capture the next level 25 Fearow I come across

I run around in the grass first, but other that Fearow, there’s nothing here I chaven’t seen before thus far. I’m taking them out and getting solid Xp. Take Fearow, for example. It’s leveled up and in the mid 20s level wise.

I find and grab five of the Stuffuls before I hit the first trainer

Trainer #1 – Jelly Baby vs Steenee, is that an evolved form of that Bouncee I had earlier? HMmm. Let’s try Poison Fang to take it out. Yup, super effective, one hit ko.

Trainer #2 – Grimer vs Poliwhirl. Crunch. It uses Body Slam on me first. Crunch again. Done.

There is a women here healing Pokemo in the middle of the route. I grab her aid

Stufful #6 & 7

Trainer #4 – Grimer vs Growlithe. Crunch. Completed.

Level 37 for Grimer fighting Fearow int eh weeds and from the trees.

I run into some Team Skull Grunts at the Bus Stop at the end of the route. Battle begins with this dopes.

Grunt #1 – Grimer vs Golbat. Crunch. Again. Grunt done.

Grunt #2 – Grimer vs Raticate. Poison Fang. Hyper Fang won’t take me down. It’s poisoned from the hit. I swap in Hydrophilia. Hyper Fang again, nothing on me. Struggle Bug. Bug is good vs dark if you’ll recall. Down.

Grunts flee. Kukui the Prof arrives and talks about TEMA Skull negatively. I head back for healing and to check in with my Stufful. I think I’m missing one.

Correct, still missing one according to her.

I find it behind a tree. She gives me a Never Melt Ice as thanks as well as 15k in cash.


Back to the bustop

We wait for the bus and the Exeggutor Express arrives and takes us.

[Abe Sargent]

Mount Hokulani


The Professor, Kukui is in front. I run to him, and since this is the 2nd tallest mountain in Alola, ou can see a lot stretched out from here. The tallest is steep, jutting majestic peak called Mount Lanakila, which you can make out towering above the clouds. That’sa sacred spot, the closest you can get to the legendary Pokémon of Alola, said to be the moon incarnate.

There’s where Kukui wants to establish a Pokemon league for this area. He wants to get everybody who finished their island challenges up there to battle to become the island challenge champion. He wants to get their own version of the Elite Four and their own Pokemon League, which Alola doesn’t have. He wants to show off Alola local trainers and Pokémon to the rest of the world

There is a Pokemon Center here I head into. There are the various vitamins here for 10k each – Carbos, HP Up, Zinc, etc. They raise your base stat, so when you level up, you may get some better results. I always like to give at least one of each to my starter when I find them. I buy 11 Ultra balls.


I am at an observatory, so I head in.

Here is a man at front called Molayne who greets us. He used to be the captain here, but no longer. The captain here is Sophocles, I have to face Molayne to prove I’m worthy.

Grimer vs Skarmory – Grimer is a bad toss vs Steel. Dark is half effective vs Steel but poison won’t touch it at all. I switch to …whoa. I have a lot of bad tosses here. Feathers is grass vs flying. Normally I’d run either Jack here, but flying is immune to ground, or Panda Bear, but fight is rough vs flying. Bug of hydrophilia is bad vs flying as well. I have no safe Pokémon. Might as well tough it out with Grimer. Crunch. It uses Air Cutter. Again. It uses Metal Claw. Again. Air Cutter. Taken down.

Feathers vs Dugtrio – Razor Leaf. It uses Sucker Punch and badly damages me. Ghost is weak to ghost. Again. Our foe uses a Max Pot to heal. But I crit and take it out.

Jack vs Metang – High Horsepower. One hit ko. I make 6k from the match

Oh, and he and Kukui appear to be related as well and voyaged together. Kukui leaves to get Hau.

I head into the observatory after healing at the PC

Observatory –

They give me a comet shard as I enter. I head deeper and deeper into the observatory

I find Sophocles back here.

I am to summon the Totem Pokemon, and then prove my strength to it. He whipped up a device to call the Totem anytime he wanted it. Can of like a dog whistle that only some animals can hear, the device works on totems. This is the first time he’s tried it out, so…

The power goes out. Trial Start –

In order to open the door, please respond to this audio quiz.

What sound to you hear? Pokemon Center. Correct!

As soon as the door opened, a Pokemon heads in. We are facing a Grubbin of the wild kind. Crunch. Down. Door closes again. 2nd Audio clue. It’s the Rotom Dex. Correct! Door opens. Charjabug here. Crunch. It uses Vice Grip. Poison Fang. Down. Door closes again. Audio #3 – I get the answer wrong. I get it right time 2. Charjabug again. Poison Fang. It uses Mud Slap which is super effective. I use PF again. I miss. It hits me. Once More. Downed.

Grimer levels up and…


He evolves!!!




Meet Muk!

http://images.techtimes.com/data/images/full/275792/pokemon-sun-moon.jpg



It wants to learn Venom Drench. Opposing Pokemon are drenched in a liquid that lowers their attack, sp attack, and speed if they are poisoned. So I can poison, and then drop their ability to hurt me. This is not bad. I do have Minimize which I like, but only had 10 moves and just makes it hard to hit me. Which would I rather have? Minimize.

Final audio questions. I get it right


The Totem is arriving and…

It’s here. Say hello to the final evolved state of Charjabug – Vikavolt. It looks cool. Go Muk! Poison gas. These battles sometimes take a while, let’s start out right. It calls an ally after smashing me and a Charjabug arrives. They have an ability called battery that amps up an ally. Minimize. It uses Spark again. And we are paralyzed for Thunder Wave. Minimize. Spark and,,,,kods my already wounded Muk. I send out Jack, which should be an obvious win. Immune to electric attacks and can super powerful hit them. Bulldoze them both. Vikavolt apparently has levitate and can’t be hit by ground moves. Annoying. Stamina hits. They use string shot to slow me down. Stomp on Vikavolt. It uses charge. Strong Shot again. Stomp again. More stamina rise. Vice Grip too. Vikavolt falls. Jack levels to 34. Feathers levels to 38. High Horsepower. Charjabug falls. I beat them easy with Mudsdale.

Molayne is here saying hello to Sophocles. I get Electric Z Crystal, and conclude the trial. Normally the island kahuna appoints captains, but there are some unusual circumstances on this island, and so Molayne appointed Soph. Molayne gives me a Steel Crystal Z too. The Prof forgot his mask, and I can take it to him at Malie Garden. It’s the wrestling mask.

I heal up at the PC. And I move Muk back now that he’s leveled. I ptu my big water bug in that spot.

[Abe Sargent]

I walk down the mountain…

Trainer #1 – Hydrophilia vs Clefairy. First Impression. Not that effective. Struggle Bug. Agai. Once more. I need a good water attack for this thing.

I find a bunch of grass to the side. In there….

DITTO!

We catch it with 3 Great Balls, and we get a level 25 Ditto to our team.

I find TM 72 Volt Switch. I find a Skarmory here. I flee from it with Emergency Exit after three failed great Balls. That’s annoying, I move my guy from the front.

I fight 3 Dittos before I find another Skarmory. Panda Bear brick breaks it twice, but gets a crit to take it out accidentally. Dang gone it! I go heal and return.

I find a rare candy

Trainer #2 – Panda Bear vs Boldore. Brick break. Again. KOd. Geodude next. Brick break. Whoa, geodude has a cool look here. It uses Smasck down. Again! Down! PB levels ro 34. I find a heavy ball.


In some grass later on down the road I find isomething cool. A Pokemon called Minior. Like a like spikey ball thing. I use Baby-Doll Eyyes and drop its attack it uses swift on me. Hmmm. I need to do it. I think it’s either steel or rock, so I use Take Down It takes about 2rds orf its life off, but it’s not effective. It changes form to ice. I toss a ball. I start with Great. But this might be an Ultra one. Nope. Capture it in one go. Panda Bear levels.


Meet our Minior, Rock Flying, “McStars”


https://img.pokemondb.net/artwork/minior.jpg




This one has Stealth Rock, Swift, Ancient Power and Self Destruct.

Trainer #3 – Panda Bear vs…..Passimian, never seen it before but it’s a big Monkey with a rock or ball. Brick Break? Normal. It uses Scary Face Take Down. I er…umm…take it down. He’s about to send out Oranguru. I send out Hydro… First Impression. Super Effect and dead Pokémon.


Whoa! I find a Beldum haging out here in the grass. I us Take Down. It uses recoil on me from take down, and is damage dot about 75% of its health gone. So, I toss a ball or three its way. Of the Ultra persuasion. Now Beldum, especially one leveled, has a low catch rate. I’ll let you know If I snag it. 9 Ultras? Nope. Ten? Nope. 11? Nope. And we had 3 Beldum trying to be caught, as it summoned aid twice. So I’m not doing that again.

Oh and level 35 for Panda Bear

Feathers level 39. I am very impressed with Bewear, which is a very rough and tough Pokemon. It plays well. I head back to the PC for healing. IU buy 20 Ultra Balls.

I find a guy who wants to face me since I took out the trainers on the Mount.

Hydro vs Absol. First Impression. One hit ko.

He gives me TM 95 Snarl. Bus ride down!

[Abe Sargent]

I return to the city. I heal up and the Prof wanted to meet up in the gardens again so I swing over.

The prof is being harassed by Team skull. Kukui brags he can take out both of them in 4 turns. Someone walks back behind them and tells them to make it three on one. This is Guzma, the boss of Team Skull. He talks some trash to the Prof. He says they are fellow rejects who could never become captain. He wants to crate new traditions in Alola for people like himself and Kukui. Kukui pushes Guzma to battle me. He challenges me with questions about why and what I’m doing.

Skull Boss Guzma:

Golisopod vs Golisopod. Mine’s level 35 vs his at 31. Sucker Punch. Struggle Bug. He uses Swords Dance twice. Struggle Bug. Razor Shell but it. Not very effective. SB again I damage it by 50% and it leaves and out comes Ariados. Sucker Punch. It uses Fell Stinger. Mine bounces and I send out Feathers. Pluck. It uses Sucker Punch and that’s super effective. Ariados falls. Out comes Golisopod. Razor Leaf. It uses Sucker Punch. Then it falls. Hydro levels and wants to learn Iron Defense. I swap it for Sand Attack. We win. And we get 7200 cash

Guzma rants and flees. The Grunts follow. I get some praise from local. I get a Z Crystal for my starter. I give the mask back to the prof. Lillie and Acerola arrive from the Library. Kukui is heading for Mount Lanakila. The next trial is up route 11 through Tapu Village. I go heal.


TM time –

I give Cadeus, my Oranguru Psychic, and replaces Stored Power.

I need some good water and capturing moves. Level 36 with Panda Bear, she learns Hammer Arm. I go and pickup TM 59 Brutal Swing.

Route 11

Trainers 1 and 2 – Tennis players They send Herdier and Flechinder. I have Panda Bear and Hydro…Hammer Arm on Herdier, and Sucker punch on Fletch. SP and HA both work, and the Herdier is out. We finish it next turn. Game.

I find TM 74 Gyro Ball here

Trainer#3 – Panda Bear heads out. Stufful on the other end. That’s kinda sad. Won’t stop me from Brick Breaking his face, but it’s still sad.

Trainer #4 – Hariyama vs Panda Bear. This is not good. I am weak to fight with my normal type. I try anyway He uses Belly drum I takedown. Brick Break to win it. Done. Feathers is level 40.

There is a woman here who will hear your Pkies. Panda Bear is level 37 now. As is Hydro

I run into a lady on the route, and she looks at my Zs. What I face up ahead is a ghost trial

[Abe Sargent]

Route 12

Hapu and the Mudales are behind me coming up the hill. I gree them. She gives me a Mudsdale for a ride pager. I need to fo through here to get to Tapu Village. I mount a Mudsdale

There are a bunch of rough rocks ahead I have to gallop to make it through. I charge up the range.

Trainer #1 – Panda Bear vs Tirtouga. Hammer Arm! Payback. Done.

In the grass back here I find a Torkoal. I capture a level 28 Torkoal


Trainers 2& 3 – I send out Cadeus and Feathers. They have Pancham and Krokorak. I pull my psychic Cadeus for Muk against two darks. Razor Leaf takes down the Krokorok. Muk level 40. Itwants to learn gunk shot but nope. We take out Pancham this round.

I find a few Zygarde Cube objects back here

I find an Alola Geodude in the grass and try to catch it. I grab it and it’s ours. Our level 29 Geodude is rock and electric. Check it out!

Trainer #4 – Feathers vs Cranidos. Razor Leaf.

Trainer #5 – Feathers vs Porygon. Razor Leaf. Crit. His next is Magneton. Panda Bear! Hammer Arm, ko in one shot.

Feathers gets level 41. Panda bear rises to 38.

Trainer #6 –

Mudsdale vs Ledian. Stomp. It uses Light Screen. Crit, down

Mudsdale vs Pinsir – Stomp. It uses X Scissor. High Horsepower. It uses CS again. Again. It uses Z Power and….Savage Spin-Out, It drops me to red despite my defense gains from my ability. I take it to red too. Super Pot. XS Again. I use Stomp. XS again. I take it out. Level 38 for my jack and Hydro

I get TM 77 Psych Up from him post defeat.

[Abe Sargent]

There are two places on this route I want to explore –

Secluded Shore –


This is a Slowpoke preserve protected by a ranger.

Trainer #1 – Jack vs Alomomola. High Horsepower. It uses protect. Again. It uss Protect. Again. It uses water pulse. Bulldoze -protect. Bulldoze. Down.

I move Cadeus to the front.

Trainer #2 – Cadeus vs Whiscash. Psychic. It uses Magnitude. I use Nasty Plot to raise my Special attack twice. Mag again from my foe. Nasty Plot again. Mag again. Psychic. Done. I It’s about to send out a Pokemon I’ve never haerd of scaled Sandygast. Now I was going to leave Cadeus out here with the bonuses and finish it off But gast I s like ghost. Ghost is good vs Psychic. But you know what? Let’s do it anyways. I have a dark attack in case it’s really a ghost. It looks like a sand castle. I try Feint Attacks and yup, super effective. It puts me to sleep It uses Sand Tomb. I use Awake. FA Again. It uses bulldoze. It kos me. Ah well. Next is hydro and First Impression. Finished off

I head to 13 to see if I can find some healing

Route 13 – I run into Hau in front. He beat Sophocles too. Gladion emerges from a building nearby. He tells us that Team Skull is looking for a Pokemon called Cosmog. It has the potential to summon a powerful Pokemon. It would be a disaster for Alola if it happened. He tells us o keep Cosmog safe from Team Skull and protect it. And with that Gladion heads away

I find a moon stone. No PC here I head back to the Shores after I charizard and heal and then run back

I head onto the water - Just the one fishing nothing major out here to speak of.

The next area is..

Blush Mountain

Trainer #1 – Cadeus and Psyduck. Nasty Plot. It uses Aqua Tail. NP again. AT from Psy. Psychic. KOd. It’s about to send out Fearow. Psychic. He uses Assurance, super effective. KOd.

I run about the grass here. There’s something I’m trying to catch up here. Cadeus levels to 32 and wants to learn instruct. Nope. I find a Sun Tone back here.

The power plant is here. I head inside and talk to everyone. I find Prof Oak here with a Lure bell for me and a TM 67 Embarge is found as well. I head back out. I have a quest to find a pokemon here from earlier, so I see if I can.

The first new Pokemon I run across is Elekid at level 28. A snag it and welcome to the club!

About 25 creatures alter I finally find my charge – Togedemaru. It’s a spiked up small little thing. I can’t poison it. So I harry it to lesser life and then capture it on the first Ultra Ball.


Meet our latest addition, the spiky, steel electric rodent Togedamaru, ie this generations Pikachu

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/5/5a/777Togedemaru.png/600px-777Togedemaru.png


I fly back to the city to heal up and get my Togedammaru checked out I get 10k

[Abe Sargent]

Route 13 –

Route 13 is basically an oasis.

There’s a hotel here I check out. There’s an abandoned Pokemon in the guest room, but it won’t come with me


I do a little fishing. Nothing special arrives. I find a Team Skull Grunt on guard outside of an RV. I load up a camera at a view finder place. I submit a pick and I get 1447 more thumbs up. I’m at 8600 and I need 10k for the next level

Someone said the answer for the desert maze is 2-1-4-3


North is a barricade that I Can’t pass until I get the ghost trial completed

West to


Tapu Village

It’s raining. The Ttapu appeared here to protect Mount Lanakila and thus the city was named

I find Hau. There is an Aether House in front that’s supposed to be where the captain is. Construction works in the road are making the League facilities. North from here is the league, and I can’t get tehre. I talk to some folks here about Tapu Bulu, the islands guardian here. There is an abandoned site that is now overrun with ghosts.

There’s a PC here

I heal up and ask around.

I buy 11 Ultra balls.

I have a guy I here willing to trade my Haunter for his Graveler, which is good if I want a Gengar.

Okay, I just got asked the most high question ever. You know how often people who are high ask very odd but deep questions sometimes? Here we go, from a lady in the PC:

“You know how some Pokemon can steal HP from, others with moves like Absorb and Mega Drain? Do you think it tastes different depending on the species of Pokemon they steal it from?”

And you are, ladies and gentlemen.

There is some grass here I run around ion to see if I can hit anything good.

How about this Snorunt? It’s level 30. I snag it with one Great Ball.


What about this level 30 Pelipper? Does it count too? Yup! I capture it with one Ultra Ball after it’s wounded.

I try a few more. Oh, Absol! Level 30, joins our cause. It took 5 ultras, but its mine!

Muk levels to 42. I head back to the PC and heal up and purchase 5 Super Potions, 10 Greats, and 10 Ultras.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 15 –

There is a trail guide at the front who wants me after I beat everyone on route 15

I arrive at the Aether House. Hau is here as well. A couple of kids arrive. They are protecting this house when Acerole is out. I face an Elekid with Muk. Crunch. Down boy. Acerola comes in the door.

Captain Acerola awaits. I expect ghosts. So I move Feathers to the front. As a ghost, well, ghost is weak vs ghost, so there’s that. She tells me the trial will take place at the abandoned site at the supermarket.

I head outside. I find Lillie being accosted by Team Skull. We fight.

Grunt – Feathers vs Drowzee. Razor Leaf. Pluck. Done.

Grunt flees, lillieis happy again. Acerola arrives and I follow her to the trial site.



Route 14

Trainer #1 – Togedemaru vs Feathers. Shadow Claw. Down. Is end out my Bewear for their Gabite. Take Down. Down and out.

We ge to the abandoned site

The time has finally come. Its full of ghosts. I have to find the Totem, and then snap its pic with the PokeFinder. It likes to play hide and seek, and mess around. If I take pictures of other ghsots in here it’ll come out to get its picture taken as well.

Trial Begins!

The abandoned supermarket lays out before me, with disused shopping carts and overturned display counters.

A conveyor belt is moving by itself all of the sudden. I fire up the PF. I find a Ghostly above it and snag a pic. It attacks me then! Go Feathers. Shadow Claw. Pokemon down.

A shopping cart starts shaking all on its own. I grab my handy Rotom Dex and load up the PF and…above it is a haunter. Which attacks. Shadow Claw! Critted and killeded

I see a Pikachu running in deep. As I near it, I see that I was wrong, it’s a Pikachu doll that is moving by itself. PF loaded up and….I snap a Gengar. Shadow Claw. One hit ko. Panda Bear is level 40 now.

I find a locked door that just clicked open. I head in. My Pokefinder loads up on its own in this closet looking thing. I see a creepy Pikachu puppet here. Whoa. It’s a Totem Mimikyu. Looks odd.

Shadow Claw. It hits me, and then I hit it. It’s disguise served as a decoy, but that disguise is now gone. I took 70% of my health in damage and am facing a Haunter and Mimikyu. I was hoping to hit fast, but that didn’t happen. I die.

I send out my other good pokemon for this, Jelly Baby. Dark is good vs ghost. I begin with Minimize. The mimikyu uses an attack called play rough/ Then the Haunter tries to put me to sleep but misses. Minimize again. Mimic is used. Hypnosis works this time and I’m asleep. I use X Sp Def instead. Sucker Punch misses and Mimikyu hits evasiveness lowered with Minimize. Awakening used. They miss me with one attack and land another. I use Poison gas. Mimikyu poisoned. However, was holding a Lu Berry, eats it and is cured. Poison gas again and this time it sticks. I use a Super Pot. I get hit badly again. I’m in red twice in a row. So I use a Hyper Potion to heal me back to full use Minimize after they miss with the big guy. They miss again. Minimize. They miss. Minimize. The Mimikyu also minimizes. I am fully evasive. I use crunch on Haunter. One hit ko. It calls an ally, Gengar arrives. I crunch it. It’s dead. Jack is level 40 now. Then their Totem dies from poison. Hydro gets level 40 too

We defeated the Totem!

A picture was added to my PF. I head back out and speak with Captain Acerola. I get the Ghost Z Crystal. Trial Complete! I also snag 10 Dusk balls for catching Pokies in that building

[Abe Sargent]

Route 14 Again =

I finish up the route while I’m out here.

Trainer #2 – Mudsdale vs Pyukyumuku. I use Bulldoze, it uses gastro acid. High HP. It’s down.

I find TM 3- Shadow Ball out here in the ruins of a lighthouse.

Trainer #3 – Mudsdale vs Feebas. High HP. Done. For Gyarados I switch to Cadeus. Actually, it probably has bite or crunch. That was a bad play. Psychic. Twister. Psychic. Aqua Tail. Psychic. Fainted.

Back to the PC for healing.

Back to the Supermarket!

I move Jelly Baby in front

I walk into a Haunter. I can’t do nothing to do. Crunch kills. I use Poison Fang, but that won’t do much. I send an Ultra Ball. Caught, level 30. I can trade it laters

Here’s a Klefki. Poison Gas. Nope. Steel and Ghost is rough for my team to hurt at all. We inadvertently kill it.

Golbat. Level 29. Caught.

Another Klefki. Hmm… I send Cadeus over. Normal, Fight, Poison won’t work, and Ground, Dark are took Feints Attack. Psychic. With a crit, that knocks it to half. Ball? Nope. And it uses a bit of self heal. Psychic. Ball of the Ultra Persuasion? Yup! Caught me a Klefki

Where there was a door back here before it’s now gone.

Jelly Baby now level 44. Jack and Panda bear 41. I start to retreat.

I can tell the Mimikyu is here, I can see it on my PokeDex as well as having fought a Totem of it here, but I don’t like it. It looks unappealing. I don’t need to waste 30 minutes trying to find it or anything

I will try to capture this second Haunter that appeared though, one to trade, and one to keep. I catch it with one UB


I head back and heal up

[Abe Sargent]

Route 15

I find some Team Skull folks harassing Hau and the Captain. Plumeria is here with them as well. Here we go!

Plumeria:

Oranguru vs Golbat – Psychic. It uses Confuse Ray. I almost take it out. Feint Attack. It poisons me. I hit myself. I use Antidote. Poison Fang poisons us again. Just for Psychic to take it out. Another P Fang and….It’s gone. Hydro levels and wants to learn Pin Missile. Do I give it it? Yes, I replace Struggle Bug with it. Cadeus faints due to poison.

Mudsdale vs Salazzle – High Horsepower It uses Toxic. Poisoned. It avoids our attack. Again! Ember. High HP takes it down fast and hard.

They took something, and they tell me to return it, to meet with the boss at their base in Po Town. Hey took the Pokies from the children, but Cosmog survived. They tell me to find a guy with a kimono on this route for a way to Po Town.

I get a rare candy.

Trainer #1 – Mudsdale vs Sandshrew. This is an ice looking this. I use Double Kick. Yup, fight is good vs ice and wins. Feathers heads out vs Marowak. Razor Leaf. Nope. How about Shadow Claw instead. Yup, that’s it. It falls.

There’s a small patch of grass here that I run through to see what I can see. How about a Slowpoke?

I head back to the PC for healing and…

I trade a Haunter for a Graveler. “Veler.” And….it evolved into a Golem!

I go take a look at it. Rock and Electric, it has Thunder Punch, Self-Destruct, Stealth Rock and Smack Down,

Now a Golem is a very respectable end-game Pokemon. It’s not the best out there, but it’s fine. While Rock and Grass are the worst types defensively – each has 5 weaknesses, more than any other type, and either 3 strengths for grass or 4 for rock, the combo of Rock + Electric shores up some weaknesses, namely Bug, Flying.

I explore and there’ s need for rock smashery on the sea in Route 15 bay.

I talk to the guy they mention. Mr. Grimsley He flips a coin and I call it. I win the call. He agrees to give me Sharpedo’s info for the Ride Pager.

So It looks like Sharpedo is the rock-smash at sea type, like Tauros on land

Riding a Sharpedo is like riding a Jet Ski

Trainer #1 – Oranguru vs Vulpix. It’s snowy ice looking. Psychic. Feint Attack. It uses ESP on me. Feint Attack. Down. Haunter is next and I send Jack. High HP. It uses Sucker Punch on me. It has levitate and is immune to ground attacks. Suck. I have fight and normal too, immune to those as well. I send out Jelly Baby. It uses Confuse Ray. Crunch. I hurt myself. Crunch. It uses Shadow Ball. Down. Wigglytuff. Poison Fang. Super powerful one hit ko.

I find TM93 Wild Charge.

Trainer #2 – Tentacruel vs Cadeus. This will be fast. Psychic. Super Effective vs poison, down. Jack is level 42. Feathers levels and wants to learn Leaf Blade. I swap it for Razor Leaf


Trainers 3 &4 – Cadeus and Feathers vs…Golduck and Slowbro. Leaf Blade and Feint Attack. Golduck down, Slobro used Disable. Shadow Claw instead. It’s down. Panda Bear level 42.

Trainer #5 – Feathers vs Luvdisc. Leaf Blade. Cadeus levels to 37. Corsola is next. Leaf Blade. Alomomola. Leaf Blade. Three attacks, three takedowns. Hydrophilia levels to 43

[Abe Sargent]

Route 16

I head to a PC here. Someone here is paying good money for a Mimikyu. I buy 11 Hyper Pots.

I find a great TM81 X-Scissor. I use it right now. I give it to my Golisopod and replace Pin Missile with it. It’s one of the most powerful bug attacks out there.

There’s a little cubicle her I step into and here is Sina and Dexio, the pair I ran into earlier. Sina starts talking to me about the Zygarde;s collecting. The Reassembly Unit is a device that work with Zygarde to assemble and create that Pokémon. I learn about the Zygarde Cube separations and assembly process. Zygarde has 100. Depending on the number I have, it’s shape will be different. If Zygarde is suppose to maintain order in Kalos region, why is it here in Alola? They don’t know, but they think it’s an interesting question.

So basically, I have a few options with Zygarde here. I can make a Zygarde from the cells I already have and get that forme. I can add cells to a Zygarde I already have. I can break down my Zygarde instead.

I have at least 10% of the cells, so I assemble….

Zygarde 10% forme




Dragon, ground

http://serebii.net/pokemon/zygarde10.png


This is my first legendary in this run through. Now I have a ground-only Pokémon, so swapping to Zygarde from Mudsdale makes sense long term, likely. Adding Dragon to ground only gives you two more weaknesses (you were already weak to ice) – fairy and dragon. But gives you a way to handle Dragons and that;s not bad.

Let’s take a looksee proper

I add Zygarde to my party for Cadeus.
Zygarde – level 30, dragon ground, with the moves, dig, land’s wrath, bind and safeguard, with 72 hp, 83 speed, 48 Sp att, 60 sp defe, 74 att, and 56 def. Not bad for 30 levels in. Land’s Wrath is a gound move with 90 strength that physically smashes. It’s a physical attacker.

Mudsdale at level 43 – 140 hp, 68 sp att, 82 sp def, 66 speed, 121 att, 107 def. So Mudsale is a physical specialist as well, with slower speed,. By the time Zygarde gets to level 40, it’ll far surpass Mudsdale from multiple vectors, as we can already see. But Mudsdale does not suck. Plus, I’ve had a legendary in every party ever. Wouldn’t it be nice to go the distance without one once? And I’ve already invested time into Mudsdale as well


I stick with what I know and Mudsdale

[Abe Sargent]

Ula’Ula Meadow -


This place is a boardwalk with tons of flowers and such

I take pictures of a ledian flying around and submit it for 1300 more likes. We hit 9.9k

There are glowing sparkles coming from some flowers. I head down to investigate.

Trainer #1 – Feathers vs Oricorio. This is a different forme of Oricorio. I’s red with a flamenco dancing pattern. Fire? I use Shadow Claw. We take it out, no probs

In the flowers I find a red flamenco Oricorio and I try to catch it. I have three Ultra Balls go the last and not get it. Two others miss entirely. #6? Nope. Not poisoned, red, and almost dead. Then it dies. Ah well. Feathers to 45

I find Red Nectar in the flowers. That’s the shiny.

Trainer #2 – Cadeus vs Torkoal. Nasty plot. It uses Curse. Nasty Plot. It uses body slam. Psychic. Torkoal taken down. I stay out for Seaking. Psychic. One hit kill. Leafon? Yup. Psychic. It uses Giga Drain first. One kill with Psychic. He gain a level and it 38.

Nasty Plot is no joke as a move. Don’t ignore something like that early on to turn your creature into a powerful sweep regardless of type advantage.

Trainer #3 - Cadeus vs Sneasel. Now this is not a good matchup. Dark is immune to Psychic. I pull Cadeus for Panda Bear. It uses Ice claws. Brick Break. Down. My foe is about to use a Pokemon I’m not familiar with – Komala. I leave out Panda. It’s a koala bear. I try takedown. It avoids the attack. It slams me. Take down again? Normal attacks usually get through most types,. And my Bewear is a normal type too, so I get the STAB bonus with take down. It avoids it again. It is ghost? I try a brick Break. That his super effective and killed it in one shot. So I must have just gotten unlucky. Jack levels to 43

I head out to run around some flowers and I find a new Pokemon – Ribombee! I switch to Jelly Baby and poison. It’s using bug attacks and looks like a flying bug, so that’s safe assumption/ It uses Silver Wind. It annoyingly using Draining Kiss. It’ll be hard to capture that way. I use minimize to make it harder to hit me. I capture it!


Meet our level 33 Rimombee, it’s the evolved version of Cutiefly


http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/e/e4/743Ribombee.png/600px-743Ribombee.png

Still a fairy and bug Pokémon


Off this route is the Lake of the Sunne. I check it out. It sort of ruined nothing right now, but with the feel of power and authority.

I head into the temple here and explore. I find TM03 Payback

I head In deeper, And deeper. I’m out on th other side and there is a plateau here and dias. Nothing up here but a huge altar to the sun.

I return.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 17 –

I find a Team Skull Grunt just inside the route He tells me he’s not good in battling, but no one fights him when he’s in Team Skull. He doesn’t battle me.

Trainer #1 – Feathers vs Hariyama. I’m immune to its fight and normal moves. So I use Pluck. I can take this slowly. It uses knock off and knocks off my Amulet Coin. It holds a Flame Orb and becomes burned. Hmm. Pluck. I finish it. Alakazam is next. Do you know who is good against Psychic? That’s right, ghost is! Shadow Claw!It uses trick. It switches items with me and I get the Flame Orb. I ko it. And gain a level.


He gives me the Flame Orb

I go heal at a PC and return to 17 after I buy 10 Ultras.

There are a few houses here and I check them out and talk to everyone.

Trainer #2 – Feathers vs Team Skull Salandit. I am weak against both types with Feathers. I move to Panda Bear. Brick Break! Again! Down.

I slide Panda Bear to the front

Trainer #3 – Rattata vs Panda Bear. Brick Break. Done. Raticiate? Hammer arm. Done.


In the grass here I find everyone’s favorite Panda fight Pokemon. Not Webear or Stufful but Pancham. If they are here I’d like two. One for me and one to trade. I catch it with one Pokeball. Still a fight Pokémon. I find another a minute later. Caught

A giant door to a facility is guarded by Team Skull here.

I approach. They fight me.

Grunts #1 & 2 – Drowzee and Haunter vs Panda bear and Jelly Baby. Payback on Drowzee. Crunch on Haunter. Both dead in one turn from the super effective attacks that dismantle them.

They flee and the door Is still closed. An older man walks behind me and tells me heading into Po Town might not but smart. I am ready! He gets me in.

Welcome to the overtaken Po Town. I They taunt me that this gate is not coming down inside. I have to sneak around and find another way in. I find one under a hedge.

I fight…

Grunts # 3 – Spinaray vs Panda Bear. Take Down! It uses Sucker Punch. Done

Grunt #4 – Grimer vs Panda bear. I swap to Jack and sweep. I move Jack to the front.

I suspect my key three for Po here are going to be Cadeus (Psychic is strong vs Poison), Jack (Ground is strong vs poison) and Panda Bear (fight is strong vs dark).

I head into a damaged Pokemon Center and Team Skull turned it into a club with a DJ here.

I leave and find a Zygarde Cube items, and then hit four different Grunts. I am skipping them for the most part here, because they are the same, and such. I head to a door at a mansion nd head in.

[Abe Sargent]

Shady House –

I find a Grunt right inside -

Grunt #1 – Mudsdale vs Zubat. Stomp. Dead.


Grunt #2 – Mareanie vs Jack. Bulldoze, done.

I head east out a door and there is a harden in this house I find an Ice stone. That looks like a new form of evolution stone. Maybe it’s a way to evolve ice Pokémon from the past, like Glaceon?

I head back into the Shady House and keep exploring

I find a bedroom back here and….

Grunt #3 – Jack vs Haunter. I send Jelly Baby out. Confuse Ray. Crunch. Shadow Ball to me and I hurt myself. Crunch. KOd.

They tell me they have ben collecting all of the Bug Z so their leader would be the best bug fighter. I head east. East again.

The secret Team Skull password is written on the wall – Tapu Cocoa. Rare Candy back here too

I finish the maze-at-times first floor and head up the 2nd

The place is so disheveled that we have maze-like properties, like the candelabra on the stairs smashed there from above that cuts off one way to go. Stuff like that

Grunt #4 – Jack vs Wimpod. Stomp. Done. Drowzee? Feathers. Shadow Claw! Done.

I keep exploring and find in a back children’s bedroom Tm36 Sludge Bomb.

In the next room I find some girl members arguing about clothes, they attack me as I enter.

Grunt #5 – Jack vs Rattata. Double Kick! Done.

Grunt #6 – Jack vs Raticate. Double Kick! Done.

Bedroom #3 features


Grunt #7 – Jack vs Fomantis. Stomp. Don. Level up for the Jack sir.

I find an Iron back here and use it on Feathers, nope, It won’t have any effect according to the game. Who could use some more defense? Golisopod. It wouldn’t with Mudsadle, Muk or


I head outside after giving the secret passcodes. It;’s raining.

Grunt #8 – Jack vs Golbat. Stomp. It uses Mean Look, Stomp once more. It uses an absorbing style move to pump itself. Doesn’t matter, it’s down

I sneak back inside a broken window.

I head into the major back room.

Here is Guzma, the leader of Team Skull. I want the Pokemon they stole from that little girl, and I want it now!!!

Battle with Guzma

Mudsdale vs Golisopod – Stomp His Golisopod is now level 37. He uses Razor shell and tears through me. I try High Horsepower, which is not effective, but my best move. It activates his emergency exit and out pops Ariados. High HP aging. I just KOd it. Feathers is now 47. Now that Golisoopod is about to pop out, I shift to Feathers. Leaf Blade! Down!

We win. I get 8k in cash

I get the Pokémon back for the kids. Guzma is pissed, and Team Skull evacuates. I find a Bug Z Crystal back here before I head out

I run into the person who helped me to get in earlier, the older man. He heals up my Pokemon, and doesn’t want to fight with someone taking on Team Skull. Acerola runs but behind him, this is her Uncle Nanu. He stays here to look after the Pokemon that Skull hurts.

[Abe Sargent]

I leave Po Town and head back to Route 17

Whoops – I missed a Trainer here - Jack vs Charjabug. High HP. Done. Muk! I use High HP again. Done.

I also find a PP Up I missed as well

I return to Aceola in her home. While we were gone, Lillie has disappeared. She left with Plumeria of Team Skull after they threatened her Pokemon Cosmog. Gladion rushes in and verifies that Lillie who took Cosmog. Then he’s [hissed and fights


Mudsdale vs Golbat. Stomp. It uses Air Cutter. Stomp. It uses Acrobatics. Stomp. Acrobatics again. It’s down.

Sneasel vs Bewear. Brick Break! It uses Feint Attack and then bites it.

Type: Null vs Bewear - I leave this out for. Hammer Arm! Done.

We win. Gladion apologizes, that as mean of him. He has to get Cosmog from them ASAP. We’ll leave from the Ferry Terminal. I am ready to go now.

We move to the docks. Gladion and I are waiting on Hau to arrive. Then Nanu arrives. Complains about Team Skull. He is the island Kahuna of Ula’ula apparently, and wants a battle. Okay1


Nanu –

Sabeyey vs Mudsdale – High HP. It uses Fake Out – we flinch – Again. Done.

Krokorok vs Bewear – Hammer Arm. It uses swagger. We manage to attack, but the attack misses. The Swagger causes you to be confused and get a swollen attack to smash yourself. HA again. Our foe uses Earthquake. It connects and slays our foe.

Persian vs Golisopod – First Impression. It uses Fake Out and we flinch. X cissor It uses Power Gem. It’s super effective. We are too with the big attack Again! Our foe heals with a Pot. We slayit and our Goli is leveled.

All done

He heals our squad, connects me with the Dark Z Crystal, and then I finish my Grand Trail for Ula’Ula Island. Hau runs up as we finish the battle and Nanu heads off. Apparently, they were taken to Aether Paradise, the island. Which makes no sense to me at all

We arrive at Aether Paradise’s Harbor/.

[Abe Sargent]

Aether Paradise Harbor –

Trainer #1 – Oranguru vs Dugtrio. Feint Attack. It uses Earth Power. Again. It uses Mud Bomb. Again. It uses Dig. Again. Down. Our foe is about to use a Sliggoo. I send out Muk. Crunch. Down. Victory

Trainer #2 – Oranguru vs Herdier. Psychic. It sues Work Up. Again. KOd. Feathers vs Lumineon. Leaf Blade. Done.

I move Feathers in front

Trainer #3 – Shelgon leads. Leaf Blade? Not very effective. It uses Dragon Claw. Shadow Claw? KOd. Next is Trumbeak. I send out Muk. Poison Fang. KO!

Trainer #4 – Leads with Parasect. I use Pluck. Done. Next is Drifblim, which is a ghost. I’ll stay out and Shadow Claw it/ KOd. Vibrava is the final. I remain. Leaf Blade. Ko again. All done

I find a Rare Candy. T<06 Toxic, a few X items, and more.


Trainer #5 – We are facing just Primeape. Pluck. KO.

I head to the elevator with Gladion and Hau. But outsiders an;t use it to head to the lower levels. We go up instead.

We find Faba, Aether Branch Chief. Gladion accuses him of knowing why we are here and everything that happens at Aether. Faba agrees to a battle:

Faba - Hypno vs Feathers. Shadow Claw. Down. One hit.

Jack levels up and learns Earthquake.

Faba is very surprised at the loss. To a child especially. Again, Gladion speaks accusingly. If you are looking for Cosmog, it might be downstairs. Hau presses and he says that experiments are held down there that tear the boundaries of the world apart. Faba agrees to give us a rife and sends us down the lift.

Down we go

[Abe Sargent]

Gladion mentions things look the same, although its only been two years. It’s like a secret hideout. There are two labs up ahead. Secret Lab A and B. Gladion is knocking out A, we take B.

I head through a door. Into a room with three people.

Trainer #1- Feathers vs Muk. I switch to Panda Bear. It uses crunch. Not very effective, barely bothers me. Brick Break. It uses Screech. BB. Down.

Trainer #2 – Feathers vs…Magneton. Shadow Claw. It uses Flash Cannon. Shadow Claw. I lost around 50% of my health, but it’s gone.

Trainer #3 – Feathers vs Porygon2. Leaf Blade. It uses Signal Beam. I use Synthesis. Recover by my foe. Leaf Blade. KO. Feathers levels and wants to learn Feather Dance…do I want that? Nah

They give up some info – Cosmog is the key to opening the Ultra Wormhole. Gladion tells me he his what his mother made him to be, just as Null was made in Lab A.

Secret Lab B

Scientists A & B – Feathers and Raichu (from Hai) vs Vanillish and Machoke. Leaf Blade, we take out Machoke. Vanillihs freezes and badly damages Feathers. I send out Panda Bear. Vanillish falls to Raichu and my Brick Break.

The Scientist mentions that Lab A has the battlers who battled that uncontrollable Pokemon. They refuse to tell us where Lillie and COsmog are. We split up and look around for clues.

Rotom Dex is telling me to do all of the research we can, we are unlikely to come back here again.

I read information on the Ultra Wormholes, Ultra Beasts, and Cosmog, who is a type of Ultra Beast, from the dimension of Ultra space across the wormhole. When placed under stress, it reveals the power to create and open those wormholes. They are working ona device to harness cosmog’ power
‘Looks like Faba sent us down here to keep us from finding out anything major, knowing tis a dead end



I head into Secret Lab A on my way back to the elevator. I look at some deleted files. I am reading control logs for the creation of Type: Fulls tp fight the Ultra Beasts. They were failed, and changed from Type: Full to Type: Null. I head to the elevator and head back up.

[Abe Sargent]

We return to Faba’s office, he is not here, and a bunch of other Aether employees are.

Employee ! & 2 – Mudsdale and Pelipper. We have Raichu and Feathers. Leaf Blade. Thunderbolts. We kill both in one turn.

Gladion won as well. The various employees flee.

And now it’s time…

Wicke is here. She heals our Pokemon. Wicke thinks Lilllie is with the President. The doors have been locked to her place. We head out

In front of us is Faba and a bunch of employees.. Faba misdirected us to gather up proper defenses to stop us. I help out Gladion

Employee 3 & 4 – Oranguru and Golbat vs Magmar and Electabuzz. Nasty Plot. Elect used Light Screen. Poison Fang on Elect. Confuse Ray by Magmar on Golbat. Psychic. Magmar uses an electric attack on Cadeus. Cadeus is confused now. Psychic and takes down Magmar. Psychic again! Cadeus hurts himself. Feint attack. KO.

Next I help Hau

Faba and Employee #5 – Oranguru and Raichu vs Slowbro and Ledyba. Nasty Plot. Thunderbolt is deep on Slowbro, Light Screen, and Yawn from their SB on my Cadeus. Psychic on Ledian. Bug Buzz from Ledian. Cadeus finishes Ledian. Headbutt from Slobro, we fall asleep. I use Awakening med. Slowbro is finished by Raichu. Next is Bruxish. A nasty looking fish. Psychic! It uses crunch on me and kos me with a crit. Go Goliscopod, Hydrophilia. First Impression. That was super effective. Huh. Next is Hypno. X Scissor. KOd Hypno


We win!

We get the key from Faba, and open a secret door into an odd place. A secret yard and area,, with a bunch of team Skull thugs, and in back is their leaders.

The foundation and Team Skull were working together.

Next I do a little exploring here. It’s like a giant village here.

Grunt #1 – Oranguru vs Golbat. Psychic! One hit KO.

Grunt #2 – Oranguru vs Raticate. Yuck. I send in Panda Bear. Brick Break after it uses quick attack. Who still has quick attack at level 38?

Grunt #3 - Refuses to fight me because I’m winning and he doesn’t fight fights he can’t win, he’s n dummy

I run into Gladion having just lost to Guzma. Guzma used to respect Gladion, going so far and soming over to Team Skull and rejecting his mother.

Guzma –

Oranguru vs Golisopod. Nasty Plot. It uses First Impression, which kods me. Feathers. Leaf Blade, it uses emergency exit and flees. Out pops Masquerain. Pluck. It uses an air attack (acrobatics) this first and Kos Feathers.

Muk vs Masquerain – Crunch. It uses Bug Buzz. Again. More Bug Buzz, and we ko the Masquerain, after taking 2/3rd life loss from it.

Muk vs Golisopod – Crunch. It hits with First Impression and….that’s it. Muk is down.

Bewear vs Golisopod. Takedown. We hti first and it’s down. Bewear levels.

Bewear vs Pinsir – Takdown. It uses Brick Break and knocks me about 50% down. The recoil hurts me too. This guy has one more Pokémon left after pinsir, and I have two after Bewear. Takedown. It uses Brick Break again, knocks me to red. I hit, KO it, and the die to the recoil.

Mudsdale vs Ariados – Earthquake. Taken care of.

Victory!

We had four ko’s each on that one. Close.

[Abe Sargent]

Given how close that was, I hand out some items – Bug Z to Golisopod, Soft Sand to Mudsale, and Twisted Spoon to Oranguru and Fight Z to Bewear

I head into a fancy mansion

Beyond is a fancy state room with Lillie and the President Lusamine here. Lillie spins and is surprised to see me. Lusamine is disappointed that I cavort with someone like Lillie. Lillie talks down to President Lusamine, calling her Mother! Lusamine rejects the claims of motherhood, stating she has no real children. “How will you save Cosmog Lilliie?” She’s not a warrior, she doesn’t have a bunch of Pokemon, and she’s only stolen from others to get what she has. Lusamine is going to sacrifice Cosmog to summon an Ultra Beast. It doesn’t matter, Lusamine is going to force Cosmog to open the Gate against it’s will, and to control that gate.

Lusamien flees down an elevator to get stuff ready. I chase.

We are in a giant room with various Pokemon captured in these stasis cells. I see a Starmie, and there are others I can’t make out yet from this distance. Lusamine tells me to come this way.

I can see a Pikachu, a Slowpoke, and others. She brags about her collection, and they will all be here forever. It would not be right to contain the Ultra Beast in these stasis cases. She is going to let it out and ravage Alola. Hau pops in with Gladion and they run up to support Lillie and me. Gladion tells her again to listen to him one last time and not to open the Ultra Wormhole. She won’t be chastised.

The daughter who stole her Cosmog and the son who stole Type: Null will not be listened to by her. They are not worthy. Lusamine was able to open the Ultra Wormhole once just using gases they’d extracted from Cosmog. Now it’s captured in this energy sucking crate. How many more Ultra Wormholes will she be able to open up?

Lusamine triggers it.

Cosmog’s cube is flowing and a wormhole opens. Out comes an Ultra Beast much like the one we fought off before. Multiple wormholes are opening in various parts in Alola, with Ultra Beasts coming out of them.

Near Melemele’s Mahalo Trail – The Kahuna is attacked by this Ultra Beast. Another arrives, the legendary guardian. Other island facing off against Ultra Beasts.

Guzma arrives and moves to catch this Ultra Beast. Gladion makes a run for the Ultra Beast. This is what Null was made for. Hau takes Guzma, me the president, and

Lusamine –

Oranguru vs Clefable – I need to sweep these people. Lusamine has a very full party (5 of 6). I use X Sp Def. She uses Moonblast. Nasty Plot. She lowers my accuracy. Nasty Plot. Moonblast again. Psychic. Down.

Oranguru vs Lilligant – Psychic. She uses Petal dance. One hit smash.

Oranguru vs Milotic. I use Hyper Potion to heal. She uses Safeguard. Psychic. Hydro Pump by her, and then she is almost taken out. Feint Attack. She uses Flail.

Oranguru vs Bewear – Hyper Potion. It uses Take Down. Super Potion. It uses Hammer Arm. Hyper Pot. It uses Take down. Alright, time to stop wasting pots. Am I faster than the Bewear? One psychic ends this. Psychic. Yup, dead Bewear.

Muk vs Mismagius – Crunch. It uses Mystical Fire. Super effective, one hit ko

“All that I want is my precious beast! I don’t care about any of the rest of you!”

Man she is a pill

The Ultra Wormhole begins to collapse. They have developed a Beast Ball that should capture the Beast. As the wormhole collapses, Lusamine is pulled in, with Guzma. She was not displeased with tis, she turned and smiled and waved as if she was winning by this development

Lillie breaks the containment energy box that Cosmog was in. It has changed forms into something different. Time to leave. We head back, and run into Wicke on the way back out. Gladion mentions that they might be able to reach other words if they had the legendaries from here on tehir side.

We get some beds and rest from Wicke here.

[Abe Sargent]

The next day

Wicke arrives and takes me to Lillile. She has changed to travelling gear, and we are ready to head out. She wants to head out, stop, letting others fight her battles for her. Gladion finds an object called the Sun Flute downstairs. Along with the Moon Flute, they are supposed to be able to called up the legendary local Pokemon. She was looking to add legendaries to her roster here. I am given a Master Ball as well. Gladion is staying behind to clear up Aether Paradise. Here’s Hau, Gladion can get us to Poni Island next.

I do some exploring here before I head out and find some minor items like Full Heals and such

As I leave here is an update on my current list of Pokemon:


Level 50 Decidueye, aka Feathers, ghost/grass, Shadow Claw, Synthesis, Leaf Blade, Pluck, 146 hp, 125 special attack, 114 spec def, 143 attack, 94 d, 99 speed.

Level 50 Muk, aka Jelly Baby, dark/poison, Minimize, Poison gas, Poison Fang, Crunch, 176 hp, 90 sp at, 124 sp def, 139 attm 86 def, 85 speed

Level 48 Mudsdale, aka Jack, ground, Stomp, Double Kick, earthquake, High Horsepower, 159 hp, 77 sp att, 94 sp def, 139 attack, 122 def, 77 speed

Level 48 Bewear, aka Panda Bear, normal/fighting, Brick Break, Payback, Hammer arm, Take down, 192 hp, 70 sp att, 72 sp def, 129 att, 101 def, 85 speed

Level 47 Golisopod, aka Hydrophilia, Bug/Water, X-Scissor, Iron Defense, First Impression, Sucker Punch, 143 HP, 80 spec att, 84 spec def, 154 attack, 155 defense, 71 speed

Level 44 Oranguru, aka Cadeus, Psychic/Normal, Feint Attack, Nasty Plot, Quash, Psychic, 145 hp, 88 spec attack, 112 spec def, 7 1attack, 94 def, 84 speed.

And there we go!

I run into Gladion in the decks. We head out to Poni Island!

[Abe Sargent]

Seafolk Village

We arrive at Seafolk Village, a fun looking towne of boardwalks, and touristy stuff. There’s a lot of nature and such as it’s not heavily populated. Gladion heads off, and my Rotom Dex is all a twitter.

I start exploring and taking to everyone I hit I get a Magmarizer and Electrarizer. I am also given an Aerodactyl by someone who is looking to give it some exploring. It’s highly leveled up at 40. I could slide it in for Cadeus if I wanted. But I don’t need a flying Pokemon in my party anymore to know and learn fly. It has roar, agility, ancient power and crunch. Meh. We’re good

If I made this switch, I would still be able to handle fight with its flying attacks, and I’d add in Bug, Flying (Rock) and the only type I wouldn’t have covered is Dragon. But, on the other hand, It’s stats aren’t amazing. The problem with Aerodactyle has always been that it’s weak to many different types of attacks. There are 18 types out there, and that’s a pretty big chunk of vulnerability. Most Pokemon have attacks outside of their oeuvre. Take Mudsale who has a normal and fight attack, or Oranguru with a dark one etc. You are weak to Rock itself, which is totally weird, luckily you are weak to fight and strong to fight, so fights neutral, weak to Steel, Water, Electric, Ice, and so on.

Meh

More exploring follows

I come across Lillie and some locals interacting. We are approached by a man with a Pelipper who introduces himself as chief of the seafolk, We’re here to visit the kahuna. Little Hapu’s place may be of help. Only house standing on Poni. She’s the one with the Mudsdale, if you’ll recall.

I eat at a local seashop. Someone in the grey fishhouse, wants oto see a Aloan Raichu. I find a lucky Punch to up Chansey’s crit ratio.

I find TM 91 Flash Cannon here.

I fish up a level 35 Magikarp. That’s big.

Get ready! Hydrophilia got to level 48 and finally got a water move – Liquidations. It replaces Iron Defense.

I find someone on the planks wanting to trade a Steenee for a Granbull. I have none though

I hit a Pokemon Center. In here I find a odd person. A man who wants to teach Dragon Ascent to my Rayquaza.

There’s also a lady who can teach Draco Meteor. I spend 30k on 20 Hyper Pots, and there is a TM Shop here with – Calm Mind, Blizzard, Hyper Beam, Solar Beam, Thunder, Sludge Wave, Fire Blast, Giga Impact and Stone Edge. Do I want any?

Sludge Wave is powerful. It this every Pokemon, like earthquake, and has a strong 95 strength power backed by a 100% accuracy. And that seems good at first. But as you just saw, my Muk is a physical attacker, and this is a special attack. Now consider my current Poison Fang. It just has a 50 strength. So I;m willing to pop it out anytime. But I don’t know that Sludge Wave is the answer with its 10 pp as my only poison attack.

What else is out there? How about this Poison Jab I have? That should work. Crunch is 80 strength too, like P Job, so they are good together. I still would like to give my Oranguru a powerful normal move. I could pick up Hyper Beam, the most powerful attack in the game at 150. You also skip your next turn when you use it though. Or you could grab Giga Impact instead, although that’s a power attack instea.d

Many of those are top end Pokémon attacks. Thunder, Fire Blast and such.

While I;m thinking about it I head back to some places I needs a Sharpedo to explore before. Maybe I’ll find a TM that’ll work down there somewhere. I find TM 80 Rock Slide on a beach in the Melemele Sea. I find a small cave off that Sea and head into the basement of Ten carat hill. I find TM64 Explosion down here

I decide to pick up some TMs as well. At Konikoni Island I buy:

Bulk Up, Double Team, Dragon Tail, Low Sweep and Venoshock, for 50k total. In Heahea I buy Light Screen, Protect, Safeguard, and Reflect for 10k each. I don’t drop the 30k on Aurora Veil

[Abe Sargent]

Poni Wilds

I run through some grass over and over again to see what I can run into. Anything new and exciting? Do many Pelippers count?

Trainer #1 – Muk vs Garbodor. That’s funny. Crunch. It uses protect. Crunch. It uses Gunk Shot. Crunch again. Actually, no he’ll probably use Protect again, Poison Jab. Gunk Shot, nah. Jab. Gunk Shot again. I take it out. I send out Mudsdale to deal with a Pokemon called Toxapex. Looks like an evolved Mareanie. High HP. Super Effective, done.

Trainer #2 – Oranguru vs Skarmory. Nasty Plot. It uses Agility to increase its speed. Feint Attack – it uses Steel Wing. Wow that is not working, even with the NP bonus I barely scratched it. I need a new plan. I sub to Mudsdale. Skarmory was always a weakness fo my team if you’ll recall. Double Kick. Again? This is going to take turns and turns. Luckily we have Jack’s stamina pumping his defense each time Skarmory hits. Again. Again. Again. Once more. Skarmory is down. I leave out Mudsdale for Sharpedo. High HP. It uses Poison Fang and it poisons me. Its down. We win. Tough battle

I see a roil in the ocean and head out and I find a level 40 Wailmer. I poison it. It uses rest. I accidentally kill it. Sucks. I find a Dusk Stone here in the water. I find a Tentacruel. I am now the proud owner of a level 41 Tentacruel.

I go get healed up, I’m not in a great way

I run into a level 42 Granbull here! I try to catch it because I can trade it after I do. 2 Ultras later it’s mine.

Trainer #3 – Oranguru vs Parasect. Nasty Plot. It uses spore. Sleep sets in. Awakening. It uses Growth. Psychic. Fainted. Golisopod vs Ribombee. Liquidation. KO. Cadues level sup and wants to learn Future Sight. That would be cool. Lead with it turn one, Nasty Plot turn two to amp your Special Attack and then it resolves. It’s a 120 power but only resolves two turns alter. I pull quash for it


I grab another GRannbull on my way over so I’ll have one of my own.

Trainer #4 – Muk vs Oricorio, with a Japanese fans stance, and purple colored. Crunch. It uses Air Slash. I take it out with a super effective move and Muk levels up.

Muk wants to learn Belch. Nah

I find a rare candy. From the grasses a blue Gastrodon emerges. Let’s try to capture this level 42 majesty. That thing hit my Muk hard, so I try to Minimize a few times while the poison is doing its job. I get it on the first Ultra Ball.

Back to town for healing, I buy 20 Ultra Balls for 16k. Time to swap that Granbull. I send her a level 42 Granbull for her Steenee

Level 42 Steenee, “Stena” grass, – the evolved form for Bounsweet, and there is another level higher


http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/oct_14_assets/steenee.png

It came with a Grass Z Power. I take the Z Crystal from it.


As I head out to the next place, I hit a level 43 Exeggcute. Captured with one Ultra Ball.

[Abe Sargent]

Ancient Poni Path –

Hello Lillie and Hapu! They are chatting away here. According to Hapu there Is no kahuna on Poni. Hapu agrees to escort us to the ruins. As Hapu heads off, an older lady walks up and introduces herself as Hapu’s grandmother. I hand over my ride pager to her. She adds MaChamp to my Ride Pager. He can move obstacles in my way.

We are to go the Ruins fo Hope where Tapu Fini lives, the guardian of Topi Island.

Huh.

I just remembered that I forgot to go to the desert in the previous island where the ruins were supposed to be there, they were locked off until I won my third trial, and then I got caught up in the Team Skull plotline.

While I’m here, let’s do a little exploring. But then I’ll head straight back

I head inside Hapu’s house. I just found a Zygarde core, different from the cubes we were finding. I can now teach my Zygarde some moves. There’s a Miltnk here in the house that heals your Pokemon.

Trainer #1 – What is that? That is an awesome looking pokemon. He has a pokemon called the Turtonator. Looks rock ish? I try crunch. It uses Flamethrower. Poison Jab. Done. My foe is about to use Dramp, another Haven’t seen. I swatch our Decideueye. That’s not a bad looking Pokémon either. Sort of like a Catoplepas. Leaf Blade. Not very effective. It feels grass ish. How about Pluck. Nope. It uses Dragon breath. My main is almost kods and paralyzed. Hmmm. Shadow Claw. Nope, doesn’t work at all. Is this a normal dragon? It’s immune to ghost attacks and using dragon ones. Pluck? Nope, paralyzed. It uses ESP and kos me. Annoying. Golisopod. First Impression. We took it out. It levels to 50.

I find a place called Poni Grove behind some ruins, but I can’t go forward until I’m a champion, so I return.

Poni Breaker Coast –

Trainer #1 – Mudsdale vs Sandshrew – High HP. Down. Geodude next. High HP. Graveler next. High HP. It uses Self Destruct. I switch Bewear and hit their Vulpix. Hammer arm.

I find TM79 Frost Breath

There are some statues that flank an exit. I head over to heck it out. Back here is the Ruins of Hope. Well I’m here, let’s finish it.


Ruins of Hope –

Lillie is here. She wants to go into the ruins to heal her Cosmog. There is a legend that the guardian of Poni can heal and repair any damage to Pokemon. Lillie is going to lean on that as a hope for her own Cosmog.

I head into the cave system here.

Thre are a ton of heavy stones we have to move with Machamp to open the path. First room cleared

We arrive eat this odd room with an alter, leaves and Hapu up on top. Lillie and I move up. These are the sacred ruins. She releases her Poemoan to see if they will summon the guardian. Energy is radiating from Hapu and a stone in front of here. She grabs it, and the light fades, it looks like she has just been appointed Kahuna of Poni. Hapu’s grandfather was chosen for the kahuna, and it is in her line.

She begins to talk of Lunala, to whom tribute is paid. She wants the legendary Pokemon to help her get to the world of Beasts for her mother. Hapu agrees to help. Tapu Fini and Hapu tried ot fight a Ultra Beast that came to the island, but lost. There is a ceremony held at the altar, that uses the two flutes. Lillie shows Hapu the Sun Flute. The other is supposed to be on Exeggutor Island, according to Hapu. It’s an uninhabited island off the coast of Poni. We head back to the village to get there.

I am taking a diversion

First, I am checking places that I noted you needed a big boulder moved earlier, such as Diglett Tunnel and Lush Jungle. I head out

I find TM61 Will o Wisp outside of the Diglett Tunnel. In the Lush Jungle I find rare Candy, TM53 Energy Ball, and TM 86 Grass Knot. I find a Flying Z Crystal outside of Ten Carat Hill. I fly to the Ruins fo Life. They are laid out basically the same as the others, after I push aside the various blocks. Then I fly to the desert entrance on Ula’Ula.

[Abe Sargent]

Haina Desert

I come across a Dugtrio. Level 30. I try to capture it. Two ultra balls later it’s mine! Then we hit a level 30 Sandile. 1 ultra ball and it’s ours.

It’s a amze hre, and I’m trying to suss it out. I just found some Pshic Z Crystal though. Thanat’s nice

I am at the ruins of abundance. I head in. Again, I need the Machamp here. The altar in the back is the same as the others

I head back the desert. I saw a TM I was unable to get to, and I want ot try and get it. Got it, TM85 Dream Eater.

I fly back to Seafolk Village

Lillie and Hapu are talking and basking in the warmth of camaraderie. She wishes us luck. We head over to the Chief of the Seafolk. We let him know that Hapu is the new kahuna here, He knows the flute is supposed ot be there on the island as well. There’s no captain here on the island.

We head out to sail there on his vessel.

Exeggcutor Island

The Chief of the Seafolk drops us off. It used to be a trial site long ago. Lillie is looking around and there is something up in a palm tree really tall. It’s the tree itself. The Exeggcutor is a huge palm tree here.


Poison gas. It uses Wood Hammer, which doesn’t do much on Muk. It uses Psyshock, and Muk is immune (dark). Let’s try to capture it. It breaks out of the first Ultra ball. Another Wood Hammer. From both recoil and poison, it’s already in the yellow. And we get it with our ultra ball!


Whoa, it has a type change. It’s grass/dragon. Here I’ll show you:

http://2.media.dorkly.cvcdn.com/64/33/d4513642b67ef09ce1dbe203fec6942b.jpg


It starts to rain. There’s a nearby cave we head into. We talk. A lot. Nothing plot related. The sun arrives and with it a rainbow over the island. There is an altar on top of a huge rock. I grab the Moon Flute there.

[Abe Sargent]

We head back to Poni

The altar we need to blow the flutes at through the Vast Poni Cavern. On the road to the Cavern are 6 Team Skull Grunts.

Grunt #1 – Fimantis vs Muk. Poiso Jab. Ko.

Grunt #2 – This one has five Pokemon. Gotta play the long game. Muk vs Salandit. I switch to Mudsdale. It uses Nasty Plot. High HP. One hit ko. Their next threat is Raticate. High Horsepower! Fainted. Haunter is next. Hmmm. Decidueye. Go! Shadow Claw! One hit KO again. I leaeve out my starter for Mareanie. Leaf Blade! Done. Golbat is next. Oranguru. Psychic. Done.

Victoire!

Plumeria walks down from a cliff. Plumeria apologizes to Lillie for how badly she treated her, even though it was on the President’s order.s We agree to do get the President and Guzma back. Plumeraia gives us poison Z crystal. I hand it to Muk immediately.


Vast Poni Canyon

As soon as I enter the overland area, we talk with Hapu and Lillie. Hapu wants to see my famed prowess, and this is my Grand Trial:

This is her first Grand Trial

She has four Pokemon.

Muk vs Dugtrio. I send out Mudsdale which has type advantage over them, and they use a Sandstorm ability to shift the weather patterns. High Horsepower. They use Earthquake. Our attack misses. Again! Hapu withdrew Dugtrio and sends out Flygon, which, due to levitate is immune. Annoying. Stomp. Earth Power is used against me. I am down badly. I use Hyper Pot. Earth Power again. Each time they use this attack me defense rises if you’ll recall. Stomp Earth power a third time. Hype pot. My foe uses Earth Power. Stomp. EP again. Hyper, EP. EP from them. Double Kick from me and,,,Flygon is done.

Feathers vs Gastrodon. Leaf Blade. One hit ko, Gastordon as a water earth, is four times vulnerable to grass.

Mudsdale vs Dugtrio. Hyper. It’ll be hard to take out this Pokémon with any of my other stuff. Earthquake by my foe. High HP. We connect and take it out.

Golisopod vs Mudsdale. I thought about leaving out my Muddy vs hers, but nah. Liquidation. Here comes her Z Power – Tectonic Rage! It’s not very effective. Liquidation. Good bye Mudsdale.

All completed. I get 15k for the win, btw.

We have completed our fourth and final Grand Trial. I get the Ground Z Crystal.

The Canyon will be a tough road, and there are trainers who come here to battle and train, so it will not be an easy journey.


There is a statue in front of the entrance to the canyon. Lillie heals my team.

[Abe Sargent]

Trainer #1 – Bewear vs Torkoal. Hammer Arm. Nope, not enough. They use Heat Wave. And that’s almost a ko, knocks me to red. Wow. Take Down. Nope, just in the yellow. They tame down. I send out Hydrophilia. Liquidation. Torkoal is out. I stay out for Arcanine. Liquidation again. One hit ko.

I head back outside to get healed from Lillie and back in.

Trainer #2 – Bewear vs Whimsicott. Take Down. It uses Tailwind. It uses Mega drain to my Brick Break. Fainted.

I come across a level 44 Boldore as I move around the cavern. I am going to try and take it down. I capture it on the 2nd toss.

I find TMs for Return and Frustration…. Hmm…

It replaces Take Down for Bewear and Future Sign for Oranguru

Trainers 3 And 4 – Bewear and Decidueye vs Ninetales and Sandslash. These are the Aloan versions made of ice. Shadow Claw and Brick Break. They use attacks like Icicle Speak and they concentrated ice attacks and took out Feathers,. I send out Mudsdale. Brick Break and High HP. We take out Ninetales. Sandslash follows. We get 12k in cash

Trainer #5 – Bewear vs Archeops. Hammer Arm. It uses Acrobatics. KOd me. I send out Hydro. Liquidation. It uses Dragon breath. One hit ko. I leave mine out for Pampardos. Same attack, same result.

The cave system is meandering in and out of the hills up here. I find some grass outside and explore. I find a Lycanroc here. It uses rock slide. I think this is the evolved version of Rockruff. We capture it on the 3rd ultra ball.


Here’s our level 44, Lycanroc, rock:

http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/sept_20_assets/lycanroc_midnight_form.png


I head back out for more healing from Lillie and then back into the breach. I’ve been fighting the Pokemon here because they are mid-40s in level, so there is a lot of value is taking this stuff down for the Xp

[Abe Sargent]

Trainer #6 – Bewear vs Starmie. Hammer Arm. It uses Psychic. It avoided my HA. It uses Psychic again and I’m down. Feathers is next. Leaf Blade. It uses Psychic again. LB takes I t out in one hit. Hydro vs Talonflame. Liquidation. It hits me hard and I run with Emergency Exit rather than hit it. Muk is next. Poison Jab vs Acrobatics. I’m burned. Again. Acro again, Poison Jab finishes it, and burn. Who do I dispatch for Shiinotic. Never heard of it, can’t tell by the name. I kee out Muk. Oh, this is hat big mushroom thing again. I remember it now, I fought one once before in the Jungle once. Jab here too, it goes first and…..one hit ko Muk for the win.


Trainer #7 – Feathers and Lilligant are tussling. Pluck. It uses Quiver dance. Pluck again. It confuses me and I smash myself. Pluck. It heals with Syntehsis. I take it out with Pluck. It’s about to send weavile. Jack heads out. High Horsepower. It uses Night Slash. It’s down.

I find Tm 99 dazzlig Gleam behind a bunch of boulders and rocks.

Lillie catchses up to me as I head to a vast bridge. As she rushes across the bridge, a bunch of Murkrow fly down to attack her, but she rushes across. Lillie heals my peops

Back into the cavern on the other side.

In the grass outside one of these caves I am hit my a Machoke. Csptured with one Ultra ball, level 44 Machoke joins my team

What is that?

While running around for some Zygarde Cube creature, I hit sme grass, and here Is a levle43 Pokemon I’ve not seen yet – Jangmo-o. Let’s see if we can capture it. It uses Iron Defense. Then Screech. Tehn Dragon Claw. It gets a crit and ko’d Muk. Jack heads out. 2 Ultra Ball and it’s ours.

It’s a dragon pokemon, with two level ups. Huh. Level 43. “Heartstomp”

Has Work Up, Screech, Iron Defnse and Dragon Claw.

http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/sept_6_assets/jangmo-o.png

Looks like this generations Dragonite, Salamance, Garchomp, etc.

I replace Cadeus with it, to giv e it some experience.

[Abe Sargent]

Trainer #8 – Bewear vs Muk. Hammer arm. It uses Knock Off. Brick Break. I am poisoned. He ends out Magnezone. Hammer Arm! It uses Electro Ball. Brick Break. Electro Ball. BB done.

Trainer #9 – Feathers vs Persian. Leaf Blade. It uses Taunt. LB takes it out. Honchkrow next. I send Hydrophilia. Liquidation. KOd.
I go get healed by Lillie and ehad back in.

I am crossing another bridge and come across a lady with some paint on her hair and face trying to take my picture. This si Mina, and she is the captian of Poni. She gives me Fairy Z. She heads off.

Trainer #10 – Feathers vs Pangoro. Leaf Blade. It uses crunch which is super effective, leaf blade again and it falls. Feathers is elvel 55 now
I swap Pluck with Brave Bird. Basically a flying version of Take Down – flying attack, lots of recoil damage for you

I cross a 4th bridge, and then walk down a big giant tree.

Stats on – Heartstomp – 98 hp, Sp Att 47, Sp Def 46, Att 60, Def 60, Speed 49

Heartstomp gets to level 44 annd levels up

It’s not a Hakamo-o

http://www.pokemon-sunmoon.com/media/uploads/oct_14_assets/hakamo-o.png

It learns Sky Uppercut – I replace Screech.
Post Evolution it’s 109, 65, 69, 80, 84, and 68 and it’s Dragon/Fighting

So I headed for food andleft for around 20 minutes, and I was playing while I walking and returing. I took out four trainers, and we got Heartstomp to level 45 and it evolved again

It’s now a Kommo-o

http://i0.wp.com/www.nintendo-insider.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/kommo-o-image.png?resize=500%2C500

At level 45 its 129 hp, Sp att 99, sp def 102, att 114, def 118, and 87 speed

It’s clearly in competiion with:

Bewear – Level 55, 219 hp, Sp 79, sp def 85, 147 att, 115 defm and 97 speed

You can see that soon my new draong fighting Heartstomp is going to outclass Bewear everywhere but HP. It’s already better at special defense and defense and sp attck 10 levels lower. It’ll clearly be faster in a few levels. The only place Bewear is better is hp and attack. It’s stats are more well rounded.

And Bewear is normal and gives me a nice, generic normal attack, but not something I need. But this Kommo-o is type coverage, as a Dragon, and adds another layer of STAB stuff, and can fight Dragons. I honestly thought I was gioing to send back Oranguru for this, but it looks like I;m recalling Oranguru for Bewear.

Now it’s sad to lose Bewear. I thought it was my guy. But This is clearly a better choice alrady, and it will qiuckly grow into a major power.

[Abe Sargent]

Trainer #15 – Heartstomp vs Machamp. Clanging Scales. It uses Submission and almost takes me out. (Clangign scales lowers your d after you use it). I use my Z Power. I take out Mr Machamp. Level to 46.

I find a rare candy back here and then a TM35 Flamethrower.

While surfing for stuff, I hit a Golduck. Level 44. Just caught it with one Ultra ball


I run into a Sabeyeye in the caves, level 42 I try to catch it! One Ultra Ball and it’s ours! Heartstomp levels up

I head to the PC with my Ride Share PokeUber. I heal up, swap out bewear for Oranguru, buy 50 Ultra Balls, 15 Max Potions.

Do I want to learn Draco Meteor in the local PC? It’s a 130 power, 90% accuracy, and 5 pp. I’m good for now I think

Let’s go get that legendary!

We step through a tunnel flanked by statues. Out pops Lillie. We are near the altar, and she heals my force. There is a stone monument in front of me. Faint letters can just barely be made out here.


Ahead lies a sacred ground of trials. None who do not take part in its trials will be allowed to walk upon this earth

This seems like the edge of a tiral site. I head in

Trial Start

As I walk through this hallway, a Jangmo-o dives at me. Go Heartstomp! Dragon Claw! Super effective, one hit kill.

I find TM 02 DragonClaw under a big hill

Another form flies down at me as we move on. This is a Hakamo-o. Clanging Scales! Down.

Seems like we have a Dragon area here. I move Muk to the front.

I take the Z Crystal here…..we have a totem:

It’s a Totem Kommo-o. So what I just evolved. Mine is two levels higher, but their’s has the Totem power. (It mentons its stats improve a bunch when the Totem aua ignites) I try to move first. Poison Gas! It uses Sky Uppercut, called a Hakamo-o ally, and then s poisoned. Minimize. Sky Uppercut comes my way. Minimize. Sky Uppercut Misses. I use Poison Z Power forAcid Downpour attack. Sky Upper comes my way. We take about half the bar off their Totem, and it’s almost down. I use Poison Jab on junior. We avoid both Sky Upppercuts. I take out the little one, poison kills the big one, and that’s game. Jelly baby levels to 58.

We defeat the totem. We gain the Z Dragon Crystal.

[Abe Sargent]

I head through this vault. The Altate o the Mone is here. Both Hapu and Lillie come through. All seven trails are cleared Lillie heals us. Hapu talks us up a bit, and we are about to move up.

The number of stairs her eto get o the altar is incredible

Lillie is confident, Hapu as well. Lillie takes her position.

I reach out and blow the flute. The Sun and Moon flutes play.

The altar shifts. Cosmog flies out A portal has been made. Out comes the bat looking legendary pokemon from the cover of the game. Thsis is Lunala. But it looks like Cosmog evolved into the Lunala. Lunala agrees, opens a great wormholes, grabs both of us,and flies us into the Ultra World

We arrive at Ultra Space an odd looking cavern ish thing. It’s very beautiful. Lunala has to stay behind. Just Lillie and me.

I can see some Ultra Beasts floating overhead. We also see Guzma up on a boulder. Guzma tells us we are stupid for coming here. He couldn’t catch an Ultra Beast with the Beast Ball. He tells Lillie that her mother has gone loopy, but she still runs forward to find her

Lusamine is ahead. She is totally in love with this Ultra Beast she calls Nihilego and the world.

“Who told you that you could come here, to the perfect beautiful world of my beasts and me?”

Again with the loopy.

She refuses to return to our world. And she is in really antagonistic place, “If you are not beautiful enough to be worthy of my love, then I don’t’t need you.”

For the first time, Lillie properly rants back. Pokemon and people aren’t things. She is pissed at me so…


She releases a creature from a Beast Ball, and it merges with her. Aether President Lusamine is aprt of a dark Pokemon meld.

Battle begins.

Jelly Baby vs Clefable – Poison JabSuper Effective, almost dead. It uses Mud Slap back and knocks my accuracy.I I use Minimize. It heals with Moonlight. I use Minimize again, Moonlight from it to heal, again. Mini once more. CLefable uses Cosmic Power to raise def. P Jab. It’s poisoned. It can’t hit me. Poison Jab. Down.

Jelly Baby vs Milotic. Crunch. It uses Hydro Pump and hits. Crunch. It uses Recover and heals. Crunch. It uses Recover. I ko it.

Jelly Baby vs Bewear - It’s about to send out a type disadvantage, but with my max evasiveness, I stay out. P Jab. It misses. It uses Pain Split. P Jab. Poison Gas. It uses Pain Split. Jab. Split. Jab. Hammer Arm, avoid. Jab. Take Down, misses, poison kills it.

Jelly baby vs Mismagius. Crunch. One hit ko – super effective. Heartstomp levels.

Jelly Baby vs Lilligant. Poison Jab. Super effective. She misses me, and I miss her. Jab again. She ises Leech Seed ad misses. I miss her. Jab. She uses Teeter Dance. I am confused. Jab reslves and she goes down.

And that’s how a Muk just swept Aether President Lusamine without using any heal or X or other items.

Angry at her loss, the President moves to attack us, Lunala pushes her back. The Pokemon around her returns to the Beast Ball. Lillie runs to her. She is out. Unconscious? Coma? Dead?

[Abe Sargent]

The area begisn to vibrate and destroy. The Ultra Beasts are moving towards us. Lunala protects us and transports us all back, even Lusamine. She appears alive. Guzma loads her up on the Mudsdale. Lunala wants to keep on traveling with us. But not with Lillile. With me. To fight, to capture, and to train.

I don’t know what Lunala will be. I keep Muk in front

Our foe is level 55. I use Poison Gas. It uses Moongest Beam. Not very effective. I poison it. Minimize. It uses Night Daze. Minimize. It uses Night Daze and we avoid. Mini. It uses Moongeist Beam and we max evasiveness. I start tossing balls. It uses Cosmic Power to raise its stats. It uses Shadow Ball and misses. I almost capture it once. We caught it on the 6th ball, as it was red and poisoned/


Lunala, level 55, psychic ghost, With Moongeist Beem, Cosmi Power, Night Daze and Shadow Ball, and the Shadow Shield ability, 221 hp, 172 sp att, 139 sp def, 130 att, 104 def, and 128 speed

I send it to the box.

Lillie heads off to help her mother. Nanu is here. There is a final trial with the four kahunas normally, but now we have a Pokemon league, over on Mount Lanakila.

I head over with Nanu.

[Abe Sargent]

We arrive at Tapu Village.

Hmmm….

I ony have 17 Crystals. Who am I missed? I have fight, normal, water, dragon, fire, grass, rock, ground, electric, steel, ghost, bug, dark, fly, psychic, poison, fairy. So I am missing Ice.

I went back to everything I know about, so I don’t think we have any outstanding places to find it. Ah well, I was hoping for a complete set.

I move Heartstomp to the front to get it some experience.

Mount Lanakila

There is a large lift here, and Gladion arrives coming down it. He thanks me for helping Lillie and his mother. He wants to fight in thanks, with noholds barred, and I am happy to accept!

Let’s do it Gladion

Heartstomp vs Crobat. I Z Power Devastating drake. It uses Acrobatics fight, which is super effective. That’s why I was hoping for a one hit Z Power. Here we go. Devastating Drake! Knocks it to yellow, after I was hit to red. Clangign Scales, It gets Acr off again. KOd me. I send out Cadeus to finish tis. It’s super effective. Psychic. It uses Cross Poison. Then bites it.

Oranguru vs Silvally – No cluse what this is from the name. Is this an evolved Null? So cool. Nasty Plot. It crunches me, and that;s super effective. N P resolves. Hyper Pot. It uses X scissors, another super effective attack. Alright, I’m not surviving this with pots. I use X Def. Both of those attacks were physical. I take 40 from an XS and Hyper Pot. VS. I use Nasty Plot. Crunch. My defense fell from the Crunch. Psychic. It uses XS again. Hyper Pot. Crunch by it. Psychic. Crunch again, Psychic this and takes it out.

Oranguru vs Weavile? Do I want type disadvantge with Dark fighting with the dark moves? I can’t Psychic it. I got this, yup, Return. It uses Night Slash. Gets a crit, and breaks my X Def.

Jelly Baby vs Weavile – Poison Jab. It uses an ice attack. Jab again Ice Shard again. KOd Pokemon again

Jack vs Lucario – High Horsepower. It uses Aura Sphere. One hit KO with the super efcive attack.

I’ll take it.

Lillie is looking after their mom at the Foundation right now, and wanted to send her hello. She gave Gladin some items for me like healing stuff. Hau is woring to strengthen himself as well. I head back for healing

I walk to the metal platform and we rise up the mountain.

I think this is going to be more like traveling than hitter a lot of trainers. I see no trainers up here yet.

So it may not be a true victory road like other games where you have the top of the top trainers in the game there, that was probaby the 15 or so we hit over in Poni.


I find a ice Sandshrew, level 42. We catch it!

Alright I make it inside of a cave. I hit a Sneasel in here. Let’s try to catch it. It’s level 44. One Ultra Ball later it’s ours!


I find TM 13 Ice Beam back here in the cave on an alterate path..

In this complex is the large Ice rock that you can use to evolve Evee into Glaceon.

This dungeon is all about fight – it’s all dark or ice, both weak to fight. So Iam Sky Uppercutting my through it. I find the Ice Z Crystal here.

[Abe Sargent]

I leave the cave and arrive in an area much like the clearing I started with another platform heading up. I head up another platform to another section of the Mountain There’s a Pokecenter in front, so I run over and head in

There is a Move re learner here. She takes Heart Scales in exchange for relearning a move. I teach Oranguru Instruct. This will give it the ability to force someone to use the same move they used last time. I replace Feint Attack with it.

I check my other Pokemon to see if there is anything they could use.

Heartstomp?It can relearn A bunch of junk, and Protect, and Oh, Outrage. Outrage does 120 damage, 100 accuracy, does it for 2-3 turns in a row, and then becomes confused. It’s a major player for a dragon. That’s not a bad addition. Clanging Scales is my current Big Dragon move, with 5 PP, 110 power, and reduces my defense after being used. I could see me swapping Scales of Outrage. A lot. More damage, more PP, and more smashery. Let’s use a Heart scale to swap.

Golisopod? Good stuff includes Swords Dance, Razor Shell, a water attack, and Iron Defense. I don’t life Sucker Punch, but the others are fine.

Mudsdale? Nah

Feathers? Yes. Spirit Shackle, replacing Shadow Claw. It’s stronger, with fewer PP.

That’s it

I give Feathers a special Z for it that pumps Spirit Shackle. I had kept Shadow Claw when getting Spirit Shackle,, because 70 vs 80 want’t worth 10 vs 15 pp. But then the Z Crystal came later, after I had made that call. Well, now we can go back

I buy:

10 Full Restore for 30k
10 Revive for 20k


Ready?

[Abe Sargent]

I talk to some local folks here. Professor Kukui called up everyone who had passed all of the trials or or been a captain and brought them here.

I find another Z Core and I;m told I now have 50% of them Z cells and cores and can get another form.

As I move up the paths, Hau rushes up.

He has cleared his trials. He wants to fight me for the right to be the first to face the new Alola Pokemon league.

Jack vs Raichu – High HP. Raichu uses Psychic. It’s immune? Is Alola Raichu flying? Thats annoying. Stomp. Psychic again. Psychic, takes me out. Feathers get him. Spirit Sackle. It uses Psychic against me for a crtical hit. We take out Raichu. Feathers levels.

Hydrophilia vs Flareon – Liquidation. It uses Flare Blitz. KO.

Hydrophilia vs Komala – I can’t remember what it was. X Scissor. It uses Wood hammer. Emergency Exit, I send out Heartstomp. Sky Uppecut is super effective. He pulls back for Primarina, and my SU connects and it not effective.

Heartstomp vs Primarina – This is his evolved starter. Z Power Devastating Drake. It uses moonbalst and salwys me before I can off my attack.

Muk vs Primarina – Poison Jab. One hit ko.

Muk vs Komala – Crunch. Ko.

All done.

He gives me 3 Max Rvives and wishes me luck. I go heal again. My team heading to the final stand:

Level 57 Decidueye, “Feathers”, Ghost/Grass, Synthesis, Leaf Blade, Spirit Shackle, Brav Bird, holding Decidium Z, with 165 hp, 111 speeed, 141 sp att, 129 sp def, 162 att and 106 def

Level 59 Muk, “Jelly Baby”, Dark/Poison, Minimize, Poison Gas, Poison Jab, Crunch, holding Poison Z, with 206 hp, 99 speed, 104 and 145 spe att/def, ad 163/100 att/def

Level 57 Golisopod, “Hydrophilia”, Bug/Water, X-Scissor, First Imrpession, Sucker Punch, Liquadation, golding Bug Z, with 172 hp, 85 speed, 96/101 sp att/def, 185 att, 187 def

Level 57 Mudsdale, “Jack”, Ground, Stomp, Double Kick, High Horsepower, Earqthauke, holding Soft Sand, with 187 hp, 90 speedm 91/111 sp at/def, 164 att, 144 def

Level 52 Oranguru, “Cadeus”, Normal/Psychic, Instruct, Retrun, Psychic, Nasty Plot, holding Psychic Z, with 171 hp, 104/131 sp att/d, 87 att, 113 def and 10 speed

Level 49 Kommo-o, “Heartstomp”, Dragon/Fight, Outrage, Sky Uppercut, Iron Defense, Dragon Claw, holding Dragon Z, with 141 hp, 96 speed, 107/111 sp att/d, 127 att, 130 def

Hmmm

It’s time. I load up my TMs. I want to give Muk Toxic. Toxic kills more quickly than Poison gas, can only be used on one target, not multiple ones, and has just 10 pp. But I;m noo longer hubnting pokemon. I need posion to slaw. So I replace it.

Anything else? I don’t like Sucker Punch on Golisopod that much. Know what would be cool on it? Skill swap. The one that swaps your abilities. Giving a foe Emergency exit would be awesome. I don’t have it as a TM though. That would have been amazing. What else can I think of?

Double Team? Swords Dance?

I fly to the Malie PC and head in. I buy TM Swords Dance, and use it to replace Sucker Punch

I fly back to the PC. We are good

[Abe Sargent]

We head up and up and up.

Hello Professor Kukui. He once took Alola pokemon to the Indigo league and defated them, and now he is doing the same in building that infrastructure here. Alola leaders shouldn’t have to go elsewhere.

Once I enter, I cannot return. It’s time.

I enter and the Prof gives me a lowdown. I have four paths. There is a symbol above each door, and I check them out. I suspect they are:

Fighting
Rock
Ghost
Flying

Of those, I have STAB aginst:

Fight – Oranguru. I also have a really good flying attack with Decidueye.

Rock – Everything. Decideee’s grass, Mudsdale’s ground, Kommo-o’ fight, Golisopod’s water, Just don’t send out Muk.

Ghost – Decidueye’s Ghost, Muk’s Dark.

Flying – Zero Stabs.

So I want to – sweep Ghost with Muk, Sweep Fight with Oranguru, Blow fhtrough Rock with whatever I want do, and then just muscle through Flying. Flying is the hardest. I have my starter, Golisopod, and Kommo-o weak to flying. And Mudsdale can’t touch them. So I need to Muk it up.


I move Muk to the front, and insyead to use Muk to sweep. Oranguru is a solid backup plan.

Here we go!

Hello Kahili, who was once champion of the island challenge.


Kahili, Elite Four:

Muk vs Skarmory. This is the worst matchup for my team, if you’ll recall. I lead with X D. My foe uses Spikes. Minimize. More Spikes. Minimize. Spikes more. Don’t swap, or you will take a ton of damage. Minimize. Our foe uses Steel wing and misses. Crunch. Steel Wing connects Now I’llneed a bunch of Crunches, but they work. Crunch. Steel Wing. Crunch. Full Restore pot used by more foe. Crunch. KO. Muk levels to 60

Muk vs Mandibuzz. It’s a dark flyer, so I am leaning on poison here. Poison Jab. It uses Punishment. Not very effective. Another Jab. It misses. Jab. It’s red and poisoned. It uses Flatter. It increases my special attack but confuses me. It dies to poison.


Muk vs Toucannon. Never heard of it. Looks like the fully evovled form of Pikapek. Super Potion. I am still confused, might as well heal. Z Power is used. Supersonic Skystrike launches. Hits for a bunch. Hyper Pot. It uses Beak Blast but misses. Toxic. I am still confused and hit myself. Toxic. I poison it. Poison Jab. I hurt myself with my confusion. It finally manages to land a beak blast. Hyper Pot. Jab. I get burned. It is kod by poison.

Muk vs Oricorio. Toxic. It uses Feather dance. My attack falls. I use Burn heal. It uses Teeter Dance. Confuses me. Jab. Jab. I snap out of confusion. KOd

Muk vs Crobat. Crunch. It uses upper Sonic to confuse me. Manage to land crunch though. Swift from my foe. Crunch. Crunch. It hits with Swift. Crunch. Uses a Full restore on me. Crunch. Swift connects. Crunch. Swift hits me. Crunch. Crobat falls.

We win

I get 11k

Healing – I use – Pots of the normal state to heal Muk, I use Ether to restore 10 pp on crunch

[Abe Sargent]

Alright, let’s do that again. I head to Ghost


Hello Acerola! Welcome back! Time for us to battle:


Acerola –

Muk vs Sableye. I use X Sp D. Confuse Ray comes my way. Minimize? Shadow Claw from my foe. Mini works. Again. Shadow Claw again. I hurt myself. Again. S Claw. I break out of confusion. Minimize. Hyper Pot. Confuse Ray again. Minimize. Shadow Claw. Alright it works and we are set up. Crunch. Again. She uses a Full Restore. Snakp out of confusion. Again. Confuse Ray again. Crunch gets through and Sableeye is done.

Muk vs Palossand. Huh. Looks like that pile fo sand evovled into a huge sand castle. Crunch. Super efficteve, Iron Defense from my foe. Crunch. I hurt myself from confusion. Earth Power. Hyper Pot. My foe uses Earth Power and misses. Crunch. My foe uses a full rstore. Poison Jab. Not effective. Crunch. Earth Power misses. Crunch. Crunch. KO. Muk levels to 61

Muk vs Froslass. Crunch. Confuse Ray from my foe. Hit myself. Crunch. Muy foe misses with blizzard. I connect and one hit ko her.

Muk vs Dhelmise. Whoa that looks cool. It’s like a haunted anchor. Crunch? Snapped out of confusion. Slam misses. Crunch. KO.

Muk vs Drifblim. Crunch. Amnesia from my foe. Crunch. KO

And I get 11 k defeating here

Two down.

The next is fight. I move Oranguru to the front. I heal Jelly Belly, and I;m out of Crucnhes, but no need to pop another Ether or Elixir now.

[Abe Sargent]

The next is fight. I move Oranguru to the front. I heal Jelly Belly, and I;m out of Crucnhes, but no need to pop another Ether or Elixir now.


Hello Kahuna Hala! Welcome!


Hala’s fighters:

Oranguru vs Hariyama. I lead with X Def. Fake Out uses. Nasty Plot. My foe uses Knock Off. Super Effective. A crit with that will take me out. Hmmm… Nasty Plot. Close Combat. His defense and special def fell. Hyper Pot. Knock Off again. Psychi. One hit ko

Oranguru vs Primeape. Psychic. It uses Punishement. Gets a cri and Oranguru is done. Ah well. Too many random dark moves on their fighters. I send out Feathers. Brave Bird. It uses Outrage. One hit ko. I take a bunch of recoil.

Decidueye vs Crabominable. Upgraded Crabhamer? Hyper Pot. Ice Hammer. That’s game. Crap. Who’s next? Muk. Toxic. Poisoned. It uses Z Power. All-Out Pummelling. One hit KO on Muk. I have lost have my force already. Not looking good here. Mudsdale? High HP. I get it off first, and we lower it badly before another one hit ko drops my team. Go Hydrophilia? I use Max Revive on Muk. Close Combat. Not very effective. Liquidation! It uses Full Rstore. Again. He withdraws my foe for…

Golisopod vs Poliwrath – Revive on Feathers. Waterfall. Revive on Oranguru. Waterfall, drops me below 50% and I send out Feathers to finish this - Leaf BladeOne hit kp

Muk vs Crabominabe. Toxic. Close Combat almost kills me in one hit. Dang. Strong to heavy guy there. Jab. KO.

Oranguru vs Bewear. Z Power shattered Psyche. One hit ko.

And we are done. Harder than it should have been due to a certain Crab.

11k for winning

[Abe Sargent]

I revive Jack, and heal my Pokies. Because Jack gets his defenee pumped, I move him to the front for the next battle.

Hello again Kahuna Olivia!


Olivia’s Rocks

Mudsdale vs Relicanth. Yuck. Water. High HP. It uses Yawn. We’ll fall asleep next turn. Stomp. She uses Full Restore. Awakening usesHydro Pump by my foe. Like I said, yuck water. High HP? Hyper. Hydro Pump by my foe. Hyper. Hydro, Hyper, she misses with Hydro and there’s my opportunity. Earthquake. It uses Yawn. Goodbye Relicanth.

Mudsdale vs Carbink. High Hp. It uses Reflect. I go to sleep. Awakening. She uses Full Restore. High HP. Moonblast. Earthquake. Moonblast. Hyper. Moonblast. Earthquake. Their REfelct weas off, tus letting my attacks do fulldamage now. KOd Carbink.

Mudsdale vs Probopass. HighHP. Sandstorm. Earthquake. KO.

Mudsdale vs Lycanroc. HighHP. It uses Rock Climb. Confuses me. High Hp gets through, Earthquake. Snap out of confusion, and bring it down. KO. Jack levels to 59

Mudsdale vs Golem. Earthquake. Steamroller by my foe. Earthquake! Victory!


We defeated Olivia. Another 100k is mine.

I save, heal Mudsdale,and head down.

[Abe Sargent]

I head to the center and float up. Now I don’t know what the Champion will have to beat. So I move Muk to the front, as it’s my strongest Pokemon.

The professor arrives to face me.

Muk vs Lycanroc. Minimize! It uses Stone Edge and hurst me. Hyper. IOhits with Edge again. Hyper again. It misses with Stone Edge. Minimize. Stealth Rock, yuck. Stone Edge. Toxic to poison it. Hyper. Stone Edge. Hyper. Crunch. That;s not going to hurt me much, even though it mademy Def fall. zMinimize. Crunch again. Max evasion. Poison Jab. It uses a rock attack and hits. I ko it with Poison and Jab. He wants to send out Snorlax. Now, I can swap my STAB dragon, or leave out a damage, weakened, low PPP MUk that has max vasion. Nah

Kommo-o vs Snorlaw. Sky Uppercut! It uses Body Slam. Uppercut again! KO.

Golisopod vs Ninetales. Liquidation. It smashes me hard I send back Jelly Baby. Hyper on Heartstomp. Toxic? Uses Blizzard and hits. KOds JB. Do I rish Kommo-o? dragon is weak to Ice, Iceis weak to fight? That may come down to speed and who goes first. Mudsdale. X Se Def. It uses Blizzard and connects. Hyper. My foe uses Safeguard. High HP. They miss with Blizzard. High HP. They hit with Blizzard. KO.


Mudsdale vs Braviary. It already fought through one type disadaantge. Hyper. It uses Whirlwind to blow ou Heartstompe, who takes damage from the stones. Sky Uppercut. one hit KO with Brave Bird. Mudsdale back out. Revive Muk. Ailwind. Stomp. Brave Bird uses again. Stomp. It uses whirlwind and blows me away agin. Muk arrives. Hyper on Muk. Brave Bird again. Hyper again. He uses Full Restore. Toxic. Use my final minimize. Whirlwind and blows out…Feathers. Nope. Type disadvantage massively. (Grass vs flying). Hyper heal Mudsdale. Brave Bird, ko, yadda yadda. I send out Mudsdae. Again. Stomp. Brave Bird. Stomp, recoil, and poiosnfinish it off this turn.

Mudsdale vs Incineroar – Final evolved form of the fire starter. This is the first time my Jack had actually had type advantage this battle. High HP!Takes it to red. Then they follow with Z Power. Inferno Overrdrive. SO long Jack. Nice kowing you. Golisopod go. Liquidation. He uses a full restore. Once more! He gets his move first, Fire Blitz, and kods me. I have two Pokies left. Oranguru is bad vs dark, so I send Muk. Toxic. Fire Blitz, one hit ko on me. He dies to the poison.

Oranguru vs Magnezone. The Final Battle! I use X Sp D. he uses Thunder Wave to paralyze me. I use Max Revive to have a backup plan. Who’s good vs steel, electric and a floating pokemon? Heartstomp. Thunder shock next. I use Full Restore. Nasty Plot. Thunder Wave. Paralyze again. NP. Thunderbolt. NP works. Full Restore. Thunderbolt. Psychic. Thunder Wave to paralyze. Psychic. I can’t move. Mirror coat. Psychic? Yup! Thunderbolt from it. Psychic. My foe uses a full restore. Psychic. I use the Full Restore this time. Thunderbolt. How about Psychic again? Thunder Wave. Psychic? Thunderbolt from y foe and…Psychic resolves and ko.

We defeat the prof!

I got 14k cash

I am the first ever champion of the Alola Pokemon league!

My six Pokemon are – Oranguru, Muk, Decidueye, Kommo-o, Golisopod, and Mudsdale.

[Abe Sargent]

The elite four come upto greet me. We hed to Ikki Town for celebrating!

Here are Hau and Lillie, the hakunas, Hapu, captains and friends from all over, both professors, and more. My mother and her Meowth are here as well. Acerola, Olivia, etc, We have fire dancing, hula dancing, and more. Everyone is dancing around. Nanu is watching from above. Fireworks follow.

Lillie wants to slip out and visit the Ruin s of Conflict. Sure. She remineces a bunch about our adventures. We arrive at the altar, and Lillie invokves Tapu Koko.

The statue of Tapu Koko warms, and I touch it. It birates nad Tapu koko arrives. It moves to fight me, level 60 Poemon. I was unabelto save anywhere after the battle win, so this isi all unsaved. Annoyingly bad game design there,

Anyways, I use Crunch. Again. It uses Electro Ball. Hyper Pot. Minimize. Electro ball from my foe. Minimize, TK misses. Mini ahain. Misses. Hyper. Misses. Crunch. I will tell you if my foe hits. Ever. Ultra Ball? This will take a while. No status effect, and just late yellow hp. Not red and something like sleep, poion, or paralyze. I need to get lucky to grab this thing. With my luck I’ll toss all of the Ultras I have, and it runs out of PP and kills itself.

In the first 20 balls, it goes all the way to the end three times before popping out. I try a Dusk Ball instead. We are indoors. I pop a few more.

I finally caught it. I started with 23 Dusks and dropped to 10, and I used about 30 Ultras. So that’s a lotof misses.

Tapu Koko, fairy, electric Pokemon.

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/d/d0/785Tapu_Koko.png/600px-785Tapu_Koko.png

A Z Crystal shatteds to the floors. It’s Tapunium Z. We head back to the festival (still no chance to freakinng save!) They are about to begin battle royals, with the masked guy and others fighting.


I send out my Pokemon for inspection so everyone can see.

[Abe Sargent]

I send out my Pokemon for inspection so everyone can see.

The next day…


We run into Hau. So I run out. (Again without saving the freaking game) to the local Marina. Lillie and Kukui are here too. Looks like Lillie is heading to Kanto. She gives me a PokeDoll. Until later Lillie

Lot of crying and stuff

More Cut Scenes, yay! We’re heading home and talking to my mother, and waving goodbye to people.

I saved the game.

I awake at my mother’s house. Hau visits. I get an Incindium Z from Hau who won it and some other stuff from his grandfather. And Primariam Z. Hau wants to visit Kanto soon to vivist with Lillie.

There’s a Battle Tree on Poni Island for training, Hau recommends I check it out.

As I leave my house a stranger hands me an Enigmatic Card. Tells me to look at it secretly. It’s a request for my to meet up at a guest room at the motel on Route 8

I buy 11 Hyper Pots, 5 Full Restore

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s pause and do my review of the game, really briefly

I’m not 100% sure yet, I;m still thinking But this might be my 2nd favorite Pokemon generation game. No one beats 4. I’m considering others as well. But why do I like it so much?

Well there are a variety of things Of the core handheld games, it’s the one furthest from the basic structure games. No Pokegyms, no badges, no TMs, no TM Slave, none of that. In fact, I liked the lack of an Elite Four a lot too, and I wished we didn’t add that bit at the end.

You could have added it in Moon 2.. I also felt this was the 2nd best way they’ve ever shown the bad guy team (Gen V was my fav, with Team Plasma). At first you think that Skull is nothing but pebbles to step over and the obligatory bad guy needed to drive the story, but then the switch is flipped a bit. That’s was not bad.

I loved the Aloan variants on pokemons. I would have loved to have seen more. This game felt very inspired, both by the Hawaii motif, as well as season 2 of the anime out on the orange island, with different colored pokemon, the crystal Onix, the pinkan island and such. You didn’t have the traditional gyms and are doing surfing contests and such instead. I felt like there was a real influence of the Orange Islands, which have never appeared in a game, in Alola, which I appreciate.

The game had a good pace, character, and more. So I liked it.

And I would never have thought that Muk was going to wind up as my MVP of this game. As I have mentioned before, I really like a harasser Pokemon. I’ve gone the distance with Pokemon like Victreebell or Magneton as my harassers. And Muk played that role nicely. With poison, minimize, and two different STAB attacks, dark poison Muk was awesome in that.

[Abe Sargent]

Back to the game. Remember that guy in the thrift store that told me to come back after I was champion? I do, and he wants me to hunt down the Evee owners of each Evee evolution on the island that are old trainers from decades ago, and face each of them in turn, in revenge for beating him when he was a young trainer.

I swing by the fossil park to make my shield fossil a Shieldgon, and then I swing by the motel room and meet with an international police agent named Looker. Looker as his boss, Anabel, are here (Anabael, one of the names I use a lot in video games, how funny is that) They work in a UB Task Force in the international police. Looker asks if we encountered UB Symbiont. They say that UB-01 Symbiont is Nihilego. I did come into contact with it.

The incident that Ms. Lusamine caused resulted in other Ultra Beasts to get released as wel.. They have confirmed another, and reports of other sightings are pouring in. They are dangerous beings whose powers exceed the boundaries and logic of our world. And they were rudely dropped here on our world. They will be both combative and wary. Anabel, Looker are looking for investigating their ecology, protect people from harm from any, and protect them if possible, and destroy them if needed. Are they destructive beings? No one wants to take them out. That requires someone to catch them. They do not have the battle power for that. But…..I do.

They want me to help them out. I agree. I have to fight Anabel to prove I;m worthy.


Anabel vs Ysabel

Heartstomp vs Alakazam. I swap Muk. My foe uses Psychic, which doesn’t work. CrunchOn hit ko..Muk levels to 63

Muk vs Mismagius. Crunch! Our foe uses Thunderbolt. With paralysis. One hit ko.

Kommo-o vs Snorlax . Sky Uppecut. Yawn by our foe. Again!Ko. Our Dragon falls asleep.

Muk vs Salamance. Toxic. Dragon Claw by our foe. We hit paralyzes. Again? KOd Muk. I sen Hydrophilia. First Impression? Nope. My foe is flying too. Mudsdale. Stomp. Dragon claw from my foe. Stomp again. Hyper Pot. Third Dragon Claw from my foe, but again, it’s bumping my D. Stomp. Stomp. Ko.

Mudsdale vs Weavile. High HP Night Slash hits me. Again! Night Slash? Hits High HP takes it down.

Anabel falls.


I make 13k

They want me to visit the secret labs in Aether Paradise. Okay! Ms. Wicke is secretly a double agent with them.

I go hunting for my first Evee user, the Vaporeon user, who always wanted to be a teacher. I head to the school to find her upstairs.

Vaporeon vs Feathers – Leaf Blade. One hit ko done.

I make 11k.

[nilodor]

How'd you decide on sun vs moon? I've been leaning sun but might just wait until next year and get the 3rd edition on the new nx system.

[Abe Sargent]

How'd you decide on sun vs moon? I've been leaning sun but might just wait until next year and get the 3rd edition on the new nx system.

I thought the bat-creature looked cooler!

In order to prevent myself from doing to much research on a new generation, and thus ruining the experience of playing it, I don't figure out which Pokémon are in which game and then make that choice. Do I want Seveiper or Zangoose? Do I want Beedril or Buttterfre. Do I want Ice Vulpix or SAndshrew? I didn't know those differences in this game until I began to play. I wanted freshness

[Abe Sargent]

Hello!

Hope your day is going well!

I just finished the main story line and Champion for Ultra Sun, and wanted to share my final party that finished it with y'all.

As a reminder, I try to win with a different group of 6 Pokemon each time.


1. "Whiskers", Incineroar, Fire/Dark, Level 68, knows Darkest Lariat, Flare Blitz, Flamethrower, and Outrage. Holding Amulet Coin. This was my starter. Stats are 222 HP, 185 and 132 Attack and Spec Attack; 158 and 142 Defense and Sp. Def, 131 Speed

2. "Gemmy", Carbink, Fairy/Rock, Level 63, knows Moonblast, Reflect, Power Gem, Sandstorm Holds Rockium Z. Stats are 162 HP, 85 and 76 Att and Special Att; 215 and 216 Def and Special Def, and 107 Speed. Carbink was the 2nd longest with my club after I grabbed it in on Island 1


3. "Cha", Hawlucha, Flying/Fight, Level 72, knows Swords Dance, False Swipe, Flying Press and Aerial Ace. Holdings Fightinium Z, 226 JP; 192 and 132 Attack and Special Attack, 14 and 123 Def and Spec Def, 191 Speed. 3rd longest on my team, was received via trade and thus he gained a ton of levels even when not fighting, and was the highest level player on my team as a result.

4. Naganadel, Dragon/Poison, level 68 Knows Toxic, Nasty Plot, Poison Jab and Dragon Pulse. Holding Poisonium Z. Stats 204 HP, 131 and 229 Attack and Spec.Att; 128 and 119 Def and Spec Def, 214 Speed. This is an evolved version of an Ultra Beast named Poipole in the game. Mine is a shiny one I got as a purchase gift as a level 40 Poipole.

5. "Ironclaw", Metagross, Steel/Psychic, Level 61. Knows Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Meteor Mash, and Hammer Arm. Holds Steelium Z. 189 HP; 205 and 139 Att and Spec. Att; 202 and 115 Def and Sp. Def. 123 Speed. This was the final addition to my party after I captured Beldum on teh 3rd isle.


6. Zeraora, Electric, Level 67. Knows Plasma Fists, Thunder Punch, Close Combat, and Thunder Wave. Holding Electrium Z. 222 HP, 180 and 194 Att and Sp Att; 125 and 130 Def and Sp. Def; 231 Speed. This is a legendary Pokemon that replaced the Pichu - into Pikachu that I was developing into the Electr/Psy version of a Raichu here on Alola. I don;t rename mythics.


There you are! Muh team has STAB on every type save for Ground and Electric. I had my starter and lead off with the Amulet Coin, and as you can see, he's a bit of a sweeper who tries to get in some quick one hit KOs where he can.

Glass Cannons can fall, and Carbink was a discovery on this run, and I really enjoyed it as my defense Pokemon that was dropped to Reflect, have some tough to stop Defense, and was a real problem for folks. There were entire battles where i left out Carbink the entire time (such as the Flying Final Four) and never needed to heal it. It could take a Z move, a crit, an effective attack and just take a fifth of it's life, and it's often losing maybe 10-20 hp off other attacks. And then just Moonblast and Gem my way to victory.


Hawlucha was a strong flyer/fight and added some good type coverage early, and was never in the conversation for coming off my team.


Neither was Poipole, who was an Ultra beast.

Metagross is the first time I've finished the game with him, he's a 3rd gen pseudo-legendary Pokemon, and he's the only one who's not a Dragon or Lizard.

Here are the behind the scenes stat totals for my pokemon:

Metagross is 600 total stats which is shared with Dragonite, Tyranitar, etc.

500 for Hawlucha, which is the same as Alakazam, Gengar, Pinsir, Scyther, etc.

Carbink is at 500 as well.


Nagandalal is 540 which is the same as the Gyradaos and similar high-evolution Pokemon such as Milotic, Blissey and Snorlax.

600 for Zeraora and all starters get to 530.

So I had 600, 600, 530, 500, 500, and 540 in my final party, which is good statistically. Sure, I could have pushed and likely had more, but it worked very fine, and I won in around 45 minutes against the Final Four, and didn't need an X item nor any Max Revives.


So the roles I gave them were Att specialist, Sp. Att specialist, Harasser, Defender, and the general starter sweeper.


My favorite Pokemon this run was Carbink, by FAR. It was awesome.


I always try to unearth a few nice choices that no one would have thought about going the distance but does very well in that role.


The Gens these were made for were Gen 7, 6, 6, 7, 3, and 7 respectively.


I've never had a Metagross this early in a game, so I embraced it. Typically you get a Beldum late, or after you win in Gen 3. I liked it, but it never felt as Game Over, where's my Garchomp, Salamance, etc.

I was developing a Larvatiar into a Tyranitar, but I realized that would be silly when I got my Beldum. I had Dark and Rock already, so what was I investing my time into that for?

[Abe Sargent]

Pictures of my winning 6, in case you care, in the order listed above:

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/pokemon/images/b/bb/727Incineroar_SM_anime.png/revision/latest?cb=20170628035802

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/f/fa/703Carbink.png

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/4/44/701Hawlucha.png

http://pm1.narvii.com/6874/6f1eade202fd0253d657d76ace654ae5bc963c6er1-258-298v2_00.jpg - Mine is black and yellow as a shiny Pokémon.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/poohadventures/images/b/b7/Rebecca_Metagross.png/revision/latest?cb=20130814184055

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/a/a7/807Zeraora.png