Pokémon Sun & Moon Essentials Guide – Part 1

SPOILERS AHEAD

Over the past few weeks, several anonymous sources have been leaking details about the upcoming Nintendo 3DS games, Pokémon Sun & Moon. As usual, we won’t be sharing any images, but we have been keeping track on any and all details about the game. Below is a compilation of information we’ve previously reported on and some new ones as well – all in one place for your convenience! Anything related to the plot of the game will be “highlight to view” – Read at your own risk.

Pokémon


Version Exclusives

  • Pokémon Sun: Turtonator, Alolan Vulpix, Alolan Ninetales, Passimian, Lycanroc Midday Form, Solgaleo, UB-02 Expansion, Braviary line, Carracosta line, Whimsicott line, Rampardos line
  • Pokémon Moon: Drampa, Alolan Sandshrew, Alolan Sandslash, Oranguru, Lycanroc Midnight form, Lunala, UB-02 Beauty, Mandibuzz line, Archeops line, Lilligant line, Bastiodon line

Alolan Forms

  • Alolan Rattata & Alolan Raticate // Dark/Normal-type
  • Alolan Raichu // Electric/Psychic-type
  • Alolan Meowth & Alolan Persian // Dark-type
  • Alolan Grimer & Alolan Muk // Poison/Dark-type
  • Alolan Diglett & Alolan Dugtrio // Ground/Steel-type
  • Alolan Marowak //Fire/Ghost-type
  • Alolan Geodude, Alolan Graveler & Alolan Golem // Rock/Electric-type
  • Alolan Sandshrew & Alolan Sandslash // Ice/Steel-type
  • Alolan Vulpix // Ice-type
  • Alolan Ninetales // Ice/Fairy-type
  • Alolan Exeggutor // Grass/Dragon-type

New Pokemon (Not Officially Revealed in Pre-Release Promo)

  • Trumbeak & Toucannon // Normal/Flying-type
  • Crabominable // Fighting/Ice-type
  • Mareanie & Toxapex // Poison/Water-type
  • Dewpider & Araquanid // Water/Bug-type
  • Shiinotic // Grass/Fairy-type
  • Salazzle // Poison/Fire-type
  • Golisopod // Bug/Water-type
  • Dhelmise // Ghost/Grass-type
  • Cosmoem // Psychic-type
  • Marshadow // Fighting/Ghost-type

Pokémon Evolutions

  • Rowlet –lvl. 17–> Dartrix –lvl. 34–> Decidueye
  • Litten –lvl. 17–> Torracat –lvl. 34–> Inceneroar
  • Popplio –lvl. 17–> Brionne –lvl. 34–> Primarina
  • Pikipek –lvl. 14–> Trumbeak –lvl. 28–> Toucannon
  • Yungoos –lvl. 20 at Morning–> Gumshoos
  • Grubbin –lvl. 20–> Charjabug –lvl. up at Lectical Cave–> Vikavolt
  • Crabrawler –lvl. up at Ula’ula Snowies Summit–> Crabominable
  • Cutiefly –lvl. 25–> Ribombee
  • Rockruff –lvl 25 at Morning–> Lycanroc Midday Form (Sun Version only)
  • Rockruff –lvl 25 at Night–> Lycanroc Midnight Form (Moon Version only)
  • Mareanie –lvl. 38–> Toxapex
  • Mudbray –lvl. 30–> Mudsdale
  • Dewpider –lvl. 22–> Araquanid
  • Fomantis –lvl. 34 at Morning–> Lurantis
  • Morelull –lvl. 24–> Shiinotic
  • Salandit –lvl. 33 female–> Salazzle
  • Stufful –lvl. 27–> Bewear
  • Bounbsweet –lvl. 18–> Steenee –lvl. up with Stomp–> Tsareena (Steenee learns Stomp at lvl. 29)
  • Wimpod –lvl. 30–> Golisopod
  • Sandygast –lvl. 42–> Palossand
  • Type: Null –lvl. up with Friendship–> Silvally
  • Jangmo-o –lvl. 35–> Hakamo-o –lvl. 45–> Kommo-o
  • Cosmog –lvl. 43–> Cosmoem –lvl. 53–> Solgaleo (Sun Version only)
  • Cosmog –lvl. 43–> Cosmoem –lvl. 53–> Lunala (Moon Version only)

Note: All Pokémon not listed DO NOT evolve

Ultra Beasts (Highlight to View)

  • Ultra Beasts are Pokémon that came from from an alternate dimension called the Ultra Space via Ultra Wormholes
  • UB-01’s true name is Nihilego and is Rock/Poison-type
  • UB-02 Beauty’s true name is Pheromosa and is Bug/Fighting-type – exclusive too Moon version
  • UB–02 Absorption’s true name is Buzzwole and is Bug/Fighting-type – exclusive to Sun version
  • UB-03 Lighting’s true name is Xurkitree and is an Electric-type
  • UB-04 Blaster’s true name is Celesteela and is Steel/Flying-type – exclusive to Moon version
  • UB-04 Blade’s true name is Kartana and is Grass/Steel-type – exclusive to Sun version
  • UB-05 Glutton’s true name is Guzzlord and is Dark/Dragon-type
  • Necrozma is Psychic type and does not have an Ultra Beast number or code name
  • Necrozma has an incredibly odd Pokédex entry compared to the other Ultra Beasts that suggests it came to Alola from the Ultra Space back in ancient times and has been residing underground on Earth ever since. Ultimately its considered a regular Legendary Pokémon, not an Ultra Beast
  • In some cases multiple UBs exist and can be caught: 1 Nihilego, 2 Buzzwole/4 Phermosa, 2 Xircutree, 4 Kartana/2 Celesteela, and 1 Guzzlord

Characters


Returning Characters From Past Games (Highlight to View)

  • Protagonist Red from Gen I
  • Rival Blue from Gen I
  • Salon Maiden Anabel from Gen III
  • Rival Wally from Gen III
  • Champion Cynthia from Gen IV
  • Agent Looker from Gen IV
  • Elite Four Grimsley from Gen V
  • Team Plasma Boss Colress from Gen V
  • Professor Burnet from Gen V
  • Prof. Assistant Sina from Gen VI
  • Prof. Assistant Dexio from Gen VI

Trial Captains, Totem Pokémon & Kahunas (Highlight to View)

  • Ilima – Normal-type Trial Captain // Melemele Island // Totem Alolan Raticate (Moon) or Totem Gumshoos (Sun)
  • Lana – Water-type Trail Captain // Akala Island // Totem Wishiwashi
  • Kiawe – Fire-type Trial Captain // Akala Island // Totem Salazzle
  • Mallow – Grass-type Trial Captain // Akala Island // Totem Lurantis
  • Sophocles – Electric-type Trial Captain // Ula’Ula Island //Totem Vikavolt
  • Acerola – Ghost-type Trial Captain // Ula’Ula Island// Totem Mimikyu
  • Mina – Fairy-type Trial Captain // Poni Island
  • Final Trial is centered around Dragon-types but has no Trial Captain // Poni Island // Totem Kommo-o
  • Hala – Fighting-type Kahuna //Melemele Island
  • Olivia – Rock-type Kahuna // Akala Island
  • Nanu – Dark-type Kahuna // Ula’Ula Island
  • Hapu – Ground-type Kahuna // Poni Island

(Highlight to View) Elite Four

  • Hala – Fighting-type
  • Olivia – Rock-type
  • Acerola – Ghost-type
  • Kahili – Flying-type

When you defeat the Elite Four you ultimately become the Champion, but one of these trainers will challenge you for the title immediately after and acts as a “Champion Battle”

  • Professor Kukui (Challenges you after you first defeat the Elite Four)
  • Rival Hau
  • Rival Gladion
  • Kahuna Hapu
  • Aether Foundation’s Faba
  • PokeStar Ryuki
  • Team Skull’s Plumeria
  • Trial Captain Sophocles
  • Former Trial Captain Molayne

Post Game (Highlight to View)


  • Battle Tree
  • Rematches
  • Assist Police in tracking down the escaped Ultra Beasts
  • Defending your Champion title from Challengers
  • After beating the main story line a portal appears that allows you to switch between alternate realities and changes some things in game such as Pokémon encounters
  • Usual complete Pokédex, capture legendaries/Ultra Beasts, explore region, etc.

Other


  • The starters are not shiny locked, however there is a lengthy cute scene that makes soft resetting a pain
  • Legendaries, Ultra Beasts, Cosmog, and Magearna are all shiny locked
  • Apricorn Pokéballs from Gen II are back
  • Wonder Trading is back
  • The Daycare is located on Akala Island, however, unlike past generations, the Pokémon you leave in the daycare will not level up. They will only breed and lay eggs
  • Using the Island Scanner you’re able to catch starters from previous games
  • You are able to customize the way you throw Pokéballs into battles from 7 different choices: Normal style, Elegant style, Reverent Style, Smug Style, Left-handed Style, Passionate Style and Idol Style
  • You get the Zygarde Cube to collect Zygarde Cells on Akala Island. You use a special room to turn them into 10%, 50% and Complete Form depending on how many Cells you have
  • The small island to the southeast of Poni Island is full of Alolan Exeggutors
  • You can buy the Strange Souvenir from Pokémon X & Y in a tourist shop

Part 2 of our Leaks Compilation will be posted tomorrow and features info about new moves, new abilities, and more!

T MINUS THREE DAYS UNTIL POKÉMON SUN & MOON!

t minus 8 days for europe sorry ’bout it

Supporters

Help support our work by becoming a Patron on Patreon! Swadloon Platoon members and above will be added to our site supporters list!

780 thoughts on “Pokémon Sun & Moon Essentials Guide – Part 1”

  1. If it weren’t for the fact that I want a good Porygon-Z for competitive battling pre-bank, I would totally put one on my first run-through team. Damn double item trade…

    Reply
  2. Ugh legends, etc, are *still* shiny-locked? e3e I mean i should have seen it coming but i thought, if GF was doing a lot to make hacking perfect IVs less common and such, surely, *surely*, they would stop shiny locking pokemon to prevent hacking those my godddd. Ah well I guess it’s not that big a deal, but I really wanted to SR for shiny Lunala.

    And it sounds like cutscenes for choosing starters keep getting longer smh. Even if you aren’t trying to get a shiny, seeing gender and nature (and to a lesser extent, characteristic, since you can always IV grind later) is gonna be a nightmare.

    Excited for a lot of the other stuff tho. I just have major beef with those two aspects of the games as of late.

    Reply
  3. I still think GF should just say F*K it and do an event for legit 6IV Dittos that would just make an effort to get people to breed the right way

    Reply
  4. nuzlocke not going as well as i planned. Just finished the first gym, and my treeko died, but my lombre – ‘Bad Hombre’ was a beast

    Reply
      • Spoiler

        They do, which may be annoying to some, but it feels better implemented than Megas last Gen when like three characters a game used it

        Reply
          • Yeah but you know the feature is poorly implemented when you see it like twice

            Even having the E4s, evil team admins, and rival using them sooner would be good. ORAS was on the right track but still had far to go

          • It also bothered me how only 3 or so trainers used them in X&Y. Everyone else in the region was like “what is mega evolution???” And I’m just like, you literally have an entire gigantic tower devoted to mega evolution. How is this a secret? How is it JUST now being explored by a child?

          • Actually, they seem to know of it, but not very much of the actual process

            Which is dumb because the most prolific trainer in the region has one and the media would be all over that like Earthen when people insult Ground

          • Another reason I hate Diantha. She’s just hoarding this great power and doesn’t seek to educate or tell anyone about it, nor does anyone ask her. The XY plot is so poor

          • Tbh I understand Diantha not wanting the media all over her and her Gardevoir’s lives, but at least let Sycamore study her for a while seeing as they’re friends and he’d get conclusive data

          • I mean maybe she did and he wants data on more Mega Evolutions?

            In which case it’s poorly explained and should’ve been elaborated on

          • Personally I thought it was implemented fine for what Megas were supposed to be and the way they were advertised. It made sense to not have just anyone using them.
            Granted the E4 should have definitely had them (maybe in rematches, if they actually did rematches)

  5. It’s question time

    If you were a Pokémon based superhero, what would your name be and what Pokémon would you be your motif (based off of the Hoenn Ranger Easter eggs as well as Gligar man)

    Reply
  6. The special souvenir still irks me, what pokemon is that?? ?

    Also what type do you guys think the former trial captain specialized in?

    Reply

Leave a Comment