Pokemon Alola Bonus: Normalium Z

Before Ailey starts her Trial, I think Nephenee deserves to show off her special mechanic. You can trim Furfrou with this Beauty in the Hau'oli Salon.

There are nine possible haircuts for Furfrou. The first three are fairly simple, and this is because unlocking them is based on the "style" mechanic of Lumiose City. Later games didn't bother with that bit, and all Furfrou forms are available immediately. They're all purely cosmetic.

We might as well use a trimmed Furfrou at least once.

I was never one for dog grooming, but you know, it's a neat thing. Even if it does mean the devs did not want to deal with Furfrou in the new games (and with good reason, honestly).

I went with Kabuki.

Anyway, with that business taken care of, Ailey's turn to complete the Trial of Captain Ilima is now.

This is a change that appears surprisingly infrequently across the series, although it is not new to SM: Version-exclusive boss fights! Sun and Ultra Sun (Bethany and Ray) fight Yungoos and Gumshoos, but Moon and Ultra Moon fight Rattata and its evolution Raticate instead. The various consequences of this are version-based, not time-based, too.

The noises the Raticate makes are also different to Gumshoos.

The only change to Ilima's preamble before the Trial for the Ultra games is that he will mention that there are eight Trials, not seven like in SM. USUM does, indeed, add a formal Trial where none existed in SM.

I'm also somewhat intrigued by the fact Ilima knows of all the Trials. There's some interesting lore surrounding the last few that feel like they might not fit in here, although perhaps you think otherwise.

The actual solution to the Trial is the same between all versions, no matter whether you're in SM or USUM, fighting Gumshoos or Raticate.

Rattata, as a Pokemon, is kinda worse than Yungoos in every way. It doesn't get Strong Jaw like Yungoos does, instead having the useless Gluttony Ability, and its Dark typing exposes it to Bug and Fairy weaknesses, and a crippling x4 weakness to Fighting moves. Statwise, Rattata are overall faster than Yungoos, but lose out on Atk and kinda lose the bulk argument too- although this is a much closer one.

The warmup Rattata also seem to have lost their potential for Atk investment in USUM, and know Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, and the Fang move the matching Yungoos had.

Basilissa and Moss can easily dispatch them.

Although Moss did wind up facing a Super Fang. Categorically not lethal, but still kinda hurts.

It gave me an Oran Berry as proof of concept. Small comfort.

Ailey's options for Brick Break. Neo is not exactly a choice, although it is not weak to Dark moves.

The Team Skull event plays out identically, although they reference being at the beach instead of the Berry Fields. Incidentally, if you recognise them, they'll be impressed you saw through the fact they're completely identical.

You mean you had to learn how to do that? Swagger is a status move that applies +2 Atk to the opponent, but also lands Confuse while it's at it. Since Confusion damage takes your Atk stages into account, a Swaggered Pokemon can be quite terrified of its own Atk stat, although with only a 33% chance of actually hitting itself, do you want to take the chance they succeed at hitting you back?

It's a nice option, though.

Basilissa also picked up this one. Glare is a Normal type move with 100% accuracy in this game (up from 75% and 90% in the past) that applies the Paralysis status to the target. It stole the spot of "best paralysing move in the game" from Thunder Wave in XY, and it makes an Intimidate-using Ekans a surprisingly good Pokemon for catching things.

Alolan Raticate (Ultra Sun): It has an incredibly greedy personality. Its nest is filled with so much food gathered by Rattata at its direction, it can't possibly eat it all.

The non-Totem Raticate went with Focus Energy, Tail Whip, Super Fang and Tackle, as well as the Gluttony Ability. This guy is helpless against Ghosts, despite the fact that Raticate's whole thing is having coverage against them. Come on, man, the Gumshoos had that figured out.

Annoyingly, I don't believe I have this guy's investment.

Ah, Headbutt. Normal Physical 70 BP, and with a 30% chance of causing the target to flinch. Furfrou may not have a lot going for it, but being a Normal type, moderately fast and knowing this move at a low level combine to truly make it the kind of thing that is utterly annoying to fight if you don't happen to have the stats needed to outclass it. This is the reason Furfrou is worth keeping on hand for this phase of the game.

As it happens, Nephenee defeated Raticate in two blows.

Team check:

Callie's leading, but not to wipe them out immediately. Dark resists Dark, meaning Foul Play isn't the delete button it's been on everything else. Reflect is the move I want her to bring.

Basilissa's main jobs are applying Intimidate and Glare. Anything else it can manage is a bonus.

Moss finds herself grateful that Totem Raticate didn't pack its HA Thick Fat. Probably because, at this stage of the game, Thick Fat is a counter to Litten and only Litten. Well, and Growlithe.

Nephenee may just be the Pokemon who finishes what Callie and Basilissa start. If not, she'll come pretty damn close.

I think she's just here for EXP. I have no earthly idea what possible use she could have over Anna, although Tickle is far better than anything Anna has. Even if Neo can't do damage to Raticate.

On hand in case Nephenee doesn't make it.

The Totem's Den looks rather different under the moon as opposed to the sun.

Now then... there's something amusing about this cutscene.

It's exactly the same as the Gumshoos cutscene... down to making the same noise Gumshoos did when it roared.

That noise being Gumshoos' cry.

This presumably escaped the developer's notice because Totem Pokemon do not actually make their cry when the fight starts, like other Pokemon would do in this animation. Presumably, their opening cutscene is supposed to be enough. Still, though. Oops.

Totem Raticate, in Ultra Moon, has the Gluttony Ability, which it has absolutely no use for (Pecha Berries can't "trigger early"), and the moves Super Fang, Bite, Fury Swipes and Scary Face. It has, at least, learned a damaging move of both its typings. The fact this is considered praiseworthy is its own topic. Statistically, I'm told it has a Modest nature (the worst possible nature, since it raises Sp. Atk and lowers Atk), flat 0 IVs, and a 100 Atk EV investment. Running the numbers, 100 Atk EVs and a -Atk Nature breaks even. I'm a little weirded out by these numbers, but whatever, we get the gist.

Callie's Contrary is also a bit useless to it on Raticate. The ally Rattata can Tail Whip it for extra Defence, but what's Speed going to do for her?

Well, OK, it is currently the slower one...

SM uses a special camera angle for this first call for help you see, but USUM uses the same camera angles they use for the rest of the game.

Anyway, the Rattata summon has the Hustle Ability, giving it the Atk boost at the cost of accuracy, a Timid Nature to offset that attack boost, and the moves Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack and Pursuit.

Hm, I now have Reflect, but Callie is not staying in long here, and probably won't do meaningful damage.

The little... savour the glory of a properly used Pursuit attack. Pursuit has a special exception to the rules of priority: Normally, all Trainer actions, such as switching and using Bag Items, happen at the beginning of a turn, no matter what priority moves are being used during it. Pursuit is the only attack that can go before Trainer actions- but it only does so if its target is switching out.

It was not a KO, but it is allowed to be. For its purposes, however, it might as well have been: I'm not sending Callie out again in this fight, and that's more or less the same thing.

Ironically, it probably would've been better off had it saved its attacking move for the Pokemon that planned on continuing to be in the fight.

Proof of concept: Intimidate hits both opponents in an S.O.S. Battle. This Ability isn't exactly small potatoes in Singles play, but its utility in Doubles cannot be understated.

Intimidate + Reflect works wonders.

...And it had a plan for that.

Fortuntely, I think I can still take a turn in here.

As soon as Rattata's gone, you're a sitting duck.

Oh come on.

Basilissa survived by the skin of its fangs.

Now then, time to teach an old dog new tricks.

Well, that'll counter the Paralysis...

Not that Rattata planned to make use of it.

...Nephenee oneshot.

This is one good dog.

Oh my, so scary. Whatever will I do.

That is a little more worrying. Nephenee already has Fur Coat, though, so it's just fine with this situation.

And hey, if the opponent's too stunned to move, what does it matter that the shields are down?

Look at those margins. Nephenee humiliated them.

And a nice benefit to using a three-Pokemon switching strat? Three Pokemon got 100% EXP out of that.

Ooh, always nice to have more of that. Although Nephenee will always be better at capitalising.

I think we had a good chance to see a Furfrou in action, all right.

The animation for getting the Z-Crystal is the same for Bethany and Ailey, but I got a few different frames- namely a cooler pose in the initial grab, the crouching bit in the middle, and the brief frame of the Z-Power arrow flaring over you when you strike the pose.

Darkium Z is still saved for its normal location in Sun. That will not be the last Trial with a dual-typed Totem.

Rotom has a few bits where it can ask questions about plot events as well as general questions. It had a sense of tension I rather lacked.

...Oh, you shouldn't have! Roto Loto threw up some Bargains! I don't know when I'm using these, but I do know there's plenty of shops on the next island I do intend to have a Bargain up for to peruse liberally.

As proof of concept, Nephenee will keep her Kabuki Trim when placed in the box, but it will automatically revert to its normal appearance as soon as it is placed back in the party. It will also disappear after five days. So, you know, the annoying parts about having a groomed dog in real life.

Ailey's Pokedex evaluation. There's quite a few more empty spaces around here. Also we can see a Pokemon SM hasn't met at all, between Buneary and Magnemite. That's an SOS-exclusive encounter we can go look for now, but I don't want to. Take solace- it's not very good until it evolves, and it can't evolve now unless you try far, far harder than really necessary. It can wait.

One thing I will show about the Pokedex while I'm in here, though, is that Pokemon that have multiple appearances, like Furfrou, can be made to appear in any appearance you have seen in your Pokedex by toggling it in the Appearance section. This will also include it on the overview screen here-

And on the Alola Pokedex screen, too. Most forms will be doing the same pose, though.

If you were curious, this is what an empty page looks like. Anyway, Ailey's potential HAs:

• Moss's HA is Intimidate. If you have played any competitve Pokemon in the official format, you know Litten gets Intimidate. Similarly to Long Reach Rowlet, Intimidate Litten is Event only.
• Usagi's HA is Limber (prevents paralysis). Of all the Abilities I want to have, Limber Buneary is among them. It's like the only one of its three Abilities that really does something. We're yet to see if I'll wind up switching to it, though. Note that Run Away does change to something "better" on evolution.
• Callie's HA is Infiltrator (attacks bypass Screens). Fitting for its gimmick, but not particularly useful to it, and almost certainly inferior to Contrary.
• Anna does not have a HA. Pokemon with an Ability that defines how it is used in battle rarely get opportunities to possess a different one.
• Neo gets Technician (boosts power of moves with 60 or less BP). It's a tough choice between Soundproof, Filter and Technician, but Technician doesn't make a good enough argument to win out over the cost of going for it. Plus, I don't think Neo learns the right moves to exploit it properly.
• Nephenee does not have a HA. Note that, as far as I can tell, the fur-trimming is not a function of Fur Coat (as evidenced by the fact that there's another Pokemon that has it), but clearly it was considered "close enough". Not like Furfrou would turn down Fur Coat.
• Basilissa gets Unnerve (prevents opponents from eating Berries). The designers seem to think this Ability is good. I'll believe it when I see it. ...Although ironically, Basilissa would've liked to be able to turn off Raticate's Pecha Berry, but not at the cost of Intimidate.

Anyway, Noah's turn to take a crack at Raticate. Because it's version-exclusive, all four of my Trainers have different versions of the Normal Totem fight.

So much for using Brick Break on a x4 weakness.

PRNDL's job is to be a Steel type. That can inflict Paralysis. Really, I think it's won this fight on that fact alone.

Mio has something even better up her sleeve. Those Rattata will rue the day they evolved the Dark typing.

Daj's Growl might be good to have, but it's no attacker yet.

Eunie is also offensively useless against Raticate (Normal/Dark is immune to both Ghost and Psychic), so it... probably won't last long. Unless they forgot to pack Bite.

If Mio has to tag out, Crunch is who she tags into. Here's how a real Hustle Rattata hits hard.

Look on the bright side: It is physically capable of doing something! Not that Rattata and Raticate have Special Attacks for Confide to weaken, but Melia is, strictly speaking, not dead weight. Twitching weight, maybe. Or even vegetative.

Raticate has the same Pecha/Gluttony set it does in Ultra Moon, what's changed are its investments (it has the random Nature and Atk IV Bethany's Gumshoos did), and a different set, Tackle/Bite/Tail Whip/Scary Face. Fury Swipes and Super Fang were huge improvements, but it's not really wanting in its SM appearance. Well, maybe an Ability that helps it, but that's got less to do with its choices and more to do with being a Raticate.

Now then, slide the PRNDL lever down to D...

It has Bite, so that will probably still sting...

90% accurate. And yet I still think of it as 100%, like it was before XY. Every time I get the 1 in 10...

Random Nature and Attack IV, Hustle, Tackle/Tail Whip/Quick Attack/Focus Energy. If Raticate was down, it and Misdreavus could be mutually walled. Although putting myself in that situation would be ludicrously boring.

Gotcha.

Now, PRNDL probably could get up to mayhem, but that has an equal chance of being on the receiving end of quite a lot of damage from Bite. Plus, I thought Rattata still has Pursuit- nope that was a USUM addition.

Why are you preparing? You're always preparing! Just go!

It's not Intimidate, but it gets the job done.

...Apparently. Daj really needs the evolution to look as good as it gets.

Now then, it's Mio's turn to show what Popplio brings to the Moon party.

In addition to taking a good hit.

That might sting if it works out- that bypasses Growl's Atk debuff.

Disarming Voice is also multi-target! A multi-target Special move SE against the Totem and its minion? That's what you call super effective.

Razzly's Struggle Bug could do the same thing, but Mio's more likely to survive.

So much for Focus Energy.

Disarming Voice does suffer a 25% attack penalty when used against multiple opponents, but I don't think that'll secure the final blow in a single hit.

PRNDL gets a Screen! I'm not sure when it's using it, but it's got it.

What do you mean, you're outspeeding? I guess Scary Face can even push past paralysis. To be fair, paralysis is just -2 Spd stages...

Power of Torrent! Sadly, also not enough to secure the KO, and with Scary Face in mind, I lose next turn.

Looks like it's Crunch Time.

Even after Intimidate and with the resist in mind, Crunch took similar damage to Mio. It's a bit frail.

But it can hit them where it counts!

Considering how Ailey's run went, I find it hilarious Crunch wants to learn Pursuit, and even more hilarious I turn it down. AI opponents just don't switch often enough for Pursuit to be worth it. Besides, Rattata already has Bite.

...You know, both Sun and Moon defeated their Totem with the unevolved form. That's cute, although certainly won't be continued- both games have Totems that are single-stage Pokemon, as well as Totems we cannot catch until after the Totem battle.

Honestly, never seen the male Trial Complete before. It is the same as the girl's, but there was doubt.

Noah's HAs:

• Mio gets Liquid Voice (turns any sound-based moves into Water-type moves). Sounds impressive, until you realise that this doesn't actually give Popplio as many options as it sounds, and even robs it of the very thing we just saw Disarming Voice pull off on Raticate. Event-only, same as Rowlet and Litten.
  
• Crunch gets Thick Fat (halves the damage taken from Fire- and Ice-type moves). Pretty useful, especially compared to Gluttony and Hustle, but Rattata was always early utility anyway.
• Daj gets Rain Dish (passively heals for 1/16 HP every turn in rain). Better than Keen Eye, but loses out to its new Ability. Consequence of being the one introduced first.
• PRNDL gets Analytic (gets a 30% attack bonus if it is the last Pokemon to act in a turn). Magnemite is arguably one of its better users, as a mixture of both being good and being slow, but it's not really slow enough that the damage bonus is reliable. And even then, you're giving up Sturdy for it. It's a tough call, but probably the right one to pass it up.
• Melia gets Magic Guard (renders it immune to all passive damage). Oh... Magic Guard is an awesome Ability. Abra continues a semi-tradition we've been seeing so far of not actually being a good user of it, but this is mostly because it's so frail it only really needs one good attack to finish it off anyway. Magic Guard is still incredibly useful to it, purely because some of those passive damage causes can get on its nerves, and its other two Abilities aren't exactly winning awards. I may wind up switching this one... but at the same time, Melia is also only on the team because it's Shiny...
  
• Eunie doesn't get a HA. Aside from Bronzor, it took them until Gen 8 to give a Levitate Pokemon more than one Ability. It really sells the whole thing about how Levitate feels more important than it really is, because of how the "grounded" mechanic feels so important.
• Ethel, a Zubat I caught and intend to use that just happened to skip this fight, gets Infiltrator. Since its own Inner Focus is pretty bad for it, this one is better, although suffers from a lack of Trainers who really think to exploit screens of their own. Besides, you might as well save catching a Zubat for after the first Trial anyway...
  

Time to go back to Sun and fight D. Gumshoos again. I was getting sick of rat mafia.

Finally, something that can use Brick Break.

Sirehound is identical to Mio, on account of the lack of new USUM mechanics to diversify the two's respective tricks yet, but since Gumshoos doesn't suffer quite so hard thanks to Disarming Voice, Sirehound's just here for Baby-Doll Eyes. Anything for Atk downs.

I wish you had Bug Bite. Actually, I think she learns it next level- so all I need to do is take out the Yungoos.

Penny continues her job of being very confusing to use and also slightly annoying to classify as "good" or "bad". It's certainly weird.

Finally, a fourth team member! Fist Jr. and his wee pal Slappie are going to be essential to getting Ray past this fight, and more than justifies its continued usage on the team. USUM also makes life better for Crabrawler as well as Grubbin! Sadly, its giant fists cover its face on the status screen in both games.

I don't, technically speaking, have the Totem Gumshoos's investments at hand. The Totem stat investments are provided only in a reference document by speedrunners, and they only documented Ultra Moon's investments because Ultra Moon is the faster speedgame. I'm going to assume that Gumshoos has the same Nature/IV/EV combo Raticate does in UM- not that it matters this early anyway. It's Pecha and Adaptability, same as in Sun, but has the moveset Super Fang/Bite/Tackle/Scary Face. It rejoices, for Tackle is the move that finally justifies the Adaptability ability!

Now to see how well that works out for it.

Look into Popplio's eyes. Because both the visual effect eyes and Ray's eyes scare me.

More than that one, anyway.

Leer, Tackle, Pursuit and Odour Sleuth, Stakeout for the Ability. Stakeout and Pursuit kinda feel counter-productive, but what do I know?

Disarming Voice, used on Pokemon that aren't weak to it. Also I think Mio is Modest and the Sirehound is Bold, which isn't helping.

Water Gun was a better bid.

Nailed it! Veeka, you know what to do!

...Just to be safe, Baby-Doll one more time.

Good, called it right.

Now then, who needs a chunkin'?

Rock Smash has earned a reputation of being a bad move, probably because it was only 20 power on its first introduction, but I always knew the move as it appears in DPPt on- 40 BP, 50% chance of dropping Defence by 1 stage, and introduced at a point in the game when you're using 40 BP moves regularly. This thing is powerful in this environment.

But with the -1 Def secured, there's one move we really need to wind up using.

Because that was the move we were supposed to be using. Everyone else just had other ideas.

At least someone's learning Pursuit here.

...No, Crabrawler, this isn't your introduction trailer.

Four different Trials, four different Trial Completes. And only one team member in common. Now this is an early-game with variety.

You didn't have to humour him, Ray.

Ray's HA's:

• Sirehound is the same Pokemon as Mio. Next.
• Veeka doesn't get a HA. Anyone starting to wonder if maybe its evolution has either Levitate or a defining Ability?
• Penny gets Rattled, which increases its Speed stat when hit by a Bug, Ghost or Dark move. Good for Ghost and Dark, since this Meowth resists those types, while Bug is making the most of a weakness. Speed is a stat it has in no short supply, though.
• Fist Jr. gets Anger Point, which raises its Atk to +6 (regardless of its current value) if it is hit by a critical hit. It's an Ability that's more of a plus than something essential, particularly on a Pokemon who's probably losing if it gets hit by a crit, and it having better choices seals the issues with it.

Next time: Scaling the mountains and searching for Lillie.