A more minor change for USUM to start- the plot advance trigger in SM was in front of the Magikarp, while the one for USUM is in front of the Wailord. Thankfully, the fact that your next plot flag is marked on the touch screen helps, especially when you're doing what I'm doing and playing both.
Not that I imagine that comes up often...
There is a change here for Mina- she asks if we found anything useful, rather than whether we found Hapu. We weren't looking for the kahuna for any reason other than she knew information we might find useful, so it makes sense that it's more important to consider whether the information we got is relevant rather than whether we got said information from the right person.
USUM has Mina explain what Poni was doing to maintain the Island Trial tradition, simultaneously answering not just that question, but also the question of why Nanu seems so jaded with his job. He's literally doing the work of two men here, and also in the traditional order of Melemele > Akala > Ula'ula > Poni, having a second boss that's the same as the last one would no doubt be dull.
Especially when you remember what comes afterward.
Now Hapu can actually do things suited to Poni Island rather than having the guy on the furthest island do it in between spying on Team Skull and naptime.
This comes straight from SM, but because Mina doesn't mention Hapu's grandfather, it kinda comes out of nowhere a bit.
Anyway, Ailey needs her Moon Flute, let's get going.
In order to get to Exeggutor Island, Seafolk's chief remains required. USUM seems to have decided that he gets his "standing on top of the Wailord" bit as well as Mina, rather than Mina replacing him entirely. At that point, I'd probably replace Mina's introduction with something more fey, like having the camera pan and have Mina suddenly appear once a camera obstruction moves over her.
He does not repeat the information we learned about the Seafolk in SM. As a matter of fact, Mina now being more involved in doing her job as Trial Captain kinda muddies the Seafolk lore, since it implies Mina is a permanent resident of Poni, and thus Seafolk Village is a more permanent residence than SM implies.
Unlike SM, the captain doesn't comment about anything potentially getting in his way about ferrying people to Exeggutor Island. To be fair, part of his objection in SM was about not getting direct permission from an Island Challenge official, and Mina is here to provide that here.
And at this part of the conversation, Mina does something profoundly upsetting to the SM plot, and kicks Lillie out of the trip.
Yeah, remember that moment Lillie got to express her desire for self-improvement and fuel the semi-romantic overtones pervading her story? Yeah, USUM decided that wasn't important.
Exeggutor are easy to see coming and aren't exactly hard to counter. It's not like we're sending her without me.
Lillie is trying to develop self-reliance after having it stamped out of her from a young age. Yes, we are keeping her open to letting herself be helped by her friends, but her coming was important. It pushed her out of her comfort zone.
And the worst part is, they force you to go along with it.
At least the Lusamine de/re-railment makes some tangible amount of sense, both terms of how this would impact the family dynamic and why TPC might have second thoughts about the original portrayal. I don't have to like it, but it follows its own logic. I refuse to dignify this with the same sentiment.
"I've got this" feels just OK enough to accept, but I still feel dirty about it.
Oh come on, I won't be gone that long.
And besides, I could always commission you a group shot later.
You can even see Lillie's empty spot in the Magikarp boat.
Exeggutor gets a bit more of a panaround in USUM, as well as a redesign to accomodate the lack of Lillie. Not sure it really needed to show off the Moon Flute pedestal.
We can also see three Exeggutors- real ones- shaking vigorously in the rain here. I'd almost accept this as a good reason to leave Lillie, if this was normal behaviour. As we'll see, though, these Exeggutor are distressed.
The odd thing about this is, USUM does play with this line later. Let it be said this won't be the last time we visit Exeggutor Island.
You are the worst on multiple levels. Just going to leave me to it?
...Apparently he is.
And to think I liked you in SM.
At least someone's worried about the Exeggutor. And when I'm praising Rotom for empathy...
You need to head around and talk to each Exeggutor.
This will trigger a battle sequence against a Pinsir, which is implied to be the issue.
According to the Pokedex, Pinsir is 1.5m long (4'11''), while the Alolan variety of Exeggutor is 10.9m tall (35'09''). It kinda feels more like this is interpreting Pinsir as being closer to the size of lice than of humans.
One of the three Pinsir is level 43, and the other two are 42. They are otherwise standard random encounters (well, OK, they're also shiny-locked). As it turns out, Pinsir learns a move at level 43- Thrash- which changes the moveset slightly.
Embarrassingly, this is the move that replaces X-Scissor, leaving Pinsir with no STAB.
Nemo handled himself just fine for a Pokemon weak to Fighting.
By "waving happily", they mean the sort of gentle swaying you'd expect from a normal tree when it's windy. Hardly vigorous enough to be dangerous.
Yes, you do have to fight all three.
This confused me in the moment- Nemo is normally immune to crits. I had forgotten, or perhaps overlooked, that Pinsir has access to the Mold Breaker Ability, which makes it impossible for Pinsir to be stopped by Abilities. I guess I wasn't expecting Battle Armour to count.
When you help all three Exeggutor, one will wander closer to the Moon Flute. This is mandatory to collect it.
The cave, and its Big Pearl, are both still here.
The Prism Scale has been replaced by a Revive, and we can see the reason for our diversion- the path up the Moon Flute has been blocked by trees. And also a cliff, it looks. Either way, we're not going through there.
The Exeggutor gives us a boost to make it up.
Treasures over here- come to think of it, I'm actually surprised there aren't any Zygarde Cells here, but there is a Totem Sticker. You'd think it'd be switched.
It's worth mentioning that the 100th Sticker is postgame locked. I'm not entirely sure why they didn't put it near the Move Reminder and not where it is, but I do know why they were at a bit of a crossroads on the subject- the rewards for collecting all 100 Totem Stickers are the two Totems we have yet to fight, and obviously they can't give us those until after we fight them.
Anyway, time to finish this "Trial", I guess. They do know the fun part of the Trial is fighting the Totem and not the token puzzle on the way there, right? Especially this is pushing the limits on an acceptable "puzzle".
Just saying, Po Town was a better Bug Trial than this could ever be.
If you might recall, Lillie didn't play a part in getting the Flute she has, either. I feel like you should at least give her that.
Oh, now you're just being petty. Did someone on the design team just have it out for Lillie personally?
We also lose the "maybe it may not be much, but at least we did it" element, although thanks to the Ultra Recons, we are more certain it does something.
I'll take your word for it. Although that one that lifts you up sticks around- it's not just a PP Up and a Totem Sticker we might need him for.
The chief even repeats his dialogue about the Exeggutor liking us if we decide to go back. Regardless, there's some new Pokemon to mention.
As previously alluded to, this is the only place to find the Exeggcute family in USUM. The heightened levels make it harder to catch one with Sleep Powder, but otherwise it just makes it slightly harder to justify putting one on your team. I am planning on putting one on Ray's team, though.
Their encounter rates were also nerfed to 20% each, to make room for finding wild Pinsir (to justify the sequence we just did) and the new Pokemon.
Said new Pokemon is the Grass/Flying type Tropius. The only Grass type added to the Alola Pokedex, Ailey wishes this thing was a touch more usable. With a statline boasting only slightly-above-mediocre bulk and far worse offensive stats (you're working with 99/83/87 on defence and 72/51 Special offense), Tropius can hardly do what it has well. And then you notice it gets zilch for Special coverage, and only slightly better than zilch for Physical, at the cost of losing out on Grass STAB. It should be thankful it comes with Leaf Tornado and Air Slash, because it sure doesn't have anything else.
Tropius's Abilities are Chlorophyll (doubles Speed in Sun) and Solar Power (gives x1.5 Sp. Atk in Sun, but deals 1/8 damage per turn while the Sun is active). The fact that Solar Power self-harms is its own can of worms, especially since it wasn't given to anything actually dangerous in its debut generation, but neither of these Abilities really puts Tropius in its element. They certainly help, but being in Sun also exposes it to Fire moves. Its HA is Harvest (50% chance of recycling a consumed Berry, 100% in Sun), which at least does something without sunlight.
Anyway, the Team Skull event changes relatively significantly, due to the changes in Guzma's departure. The same stuff happens, which is unique among the events in this update, but there's plenty of modified dialogue therein.
First of which: they know about the Ultra Wormholes. This is mainly because we're a bit more open about the UB situation in USUM, although I don't think these guys were necessarily in the loop.
They also change the justification for the fight to be more "testing us" and less "trying desperately to get us to talk even though we're more than willing". Only slightly less stupid, but this is mostly because Team Skull barely counts as a speedbump under the most generous definitions.
Her lead is now Ekans, if this changes anything about your strategy.
Glad we got that straightened out.
There are two battles with a female Team Skull Grunt with a single Ekans before now (one of which was the Diglett's Tunnel encounter). It's possible this is a repeat encounter.
The first line wasn't changed, despite the context shift (and it manages to work in this new context as well). The second line, however, is a clever change, if a minor one- they now declare that their power level is 500%, and not just 200%. Finally, they're all giving it their all instead of 40% each.
Same deal with a single Trainer with 5 Pokemon being used in place of a Horde Battle. His lead being Fomantis also means you only slightly need to rethink who you use as your own lead.
The new lineup. In sum total, Salandit and Haunter were replaced with Ekans and Houndour. Skull continuing to not offer much of a threat.
And once again, the Golbat manages to be the only thing that gets a swing.
...Not sure what you're planning on doing with that, but you do you.
The change to 500% does humiliate them more in the aftermath.
I do appreciate Plumeria's point against them being in our way addressing the fact that hey, our objective is to help Guzma (indirectly), so could we please be left to do so?
I'm strangely comforted by the fact they didn't touch this one. This feels like something it would've been easy to include in the general softening of Lusamine as "not that big a deal".
They also keep this one about Guzma's motives, and Lillie's counterargument.
What they changed here was changing the fact she only lavishes love on the worthy to her choosing to be the arbiter on what counts as a good deed. Which fits the changed characterisation, and is also in and of itself a genuinely reprehensible character trait that one should be critical of. It does, however, change the context of Lusamine treating Guzma well because Guzma was useful to her. This new characterisation offers no inherent justification for Lusamine treating Guzma well, implying that she did so out of the goodness of her heart. This changes the dynamic of Guzma a bit, although not necessarily as significantly as Lillie gets hit by the change.
Lillie's motivation for finding Lusamine changes from her sense of closure to her trying to hammer home the "people are supposed to help one another" moral. See above about the change hurting Lillie most.
This is a slight tweak in grammar, the primary purpose being to flow from the previous sentence. But this also implies a cause and effect in that our helping-Lusamine is a necessary part of saving Guzma, when all we need to do to accomplish that objective is bail them and run.
This only gets weirder the second time around. Particularly since the "Lusamine isn't as evil here, just misguided" conflicts with the vague "you're like her, but for good" tone of this observation.
Despite calling out the grunts for not letting us get on with something we were going to do anyway, she herself asks us directly to save Guzma here. In SM, this line was "Bring Guzma back, if you can. I know you have no reason to help, but no one can make up for what they've done if they're gone"- still a request to save Guzma, but the emphasis is put on why we should be doing so.
She does comment on Guzma's own foolhardiness that got him into this situation, but her choice in phrasing does some weird things when you try and compare it to Guzma's situation both before and after Skull.
This line replaces Plumeria commenting "we're special after all, for standing up to Aether. Look after Lillie" entirely. I really miss that bit. Still, though, Plumeria got plenty.
Those two lines are kind of hilarious put together. Another thing Plumeria loses from this conversation- in SM, this was intended to help her come off as apologetic for her behaviour. I suppose I got my hopes up from her continuing to have her "I don't really deserve to be forgiven" opening.
Her ending speech is all identical, except for of course changing "Z-Ring" to "Z-Power Ring." I bring this up mostly because I'm moderately amused by a slight edit they had to make to compensate- in SM, these two sentences were written on separate lines. In USUM, they had to get rid of that line break, because the sentence "That's one special Z-Ring you've got there" just barely fit the textbox, and making the word "Z-Ring" longer ruined it.
This is still here. The full heal is a bit more relevant, but mainly Lillie still commenting on Team Skull being "not that bad" rings differently with the weirdness of their villainy, and Lusamine's, being treated as they are.
Unlike SM, Lillie doesn't go ahead. This doesn't meaningfully change the next event, but it really does make me feel worse about the fact that she didn't get to join me on Exeggutor Island.
I'm still not sure why you ever were.
Anyway, Vast Poni Canyon at night strikes me a lot differently. Probably because all the cave of the insides is brought outside, and the canyon in and of itself is pretty oppresive in that light (or lack thereof).
Anyway, talking to Hapu.
And right away, the impact of the Exeggutor Island change jumps off the textbox. Lillie doesn't feel accomplished despite the job having been done. She's not alone on that one.
Hapu gives the same lesson, despite the fact that us going on ahead without Lillie to accomplish Lillie's desires is kind of the thing we're criticising Lusamine for doing.
Also, you know, Lillie already using "people in Alola help each other" on Plumeria literally right before this.
It sure as hell isn't the kindness of anyone else. Considering the fact that Lillie isn't smiling right now. Also feels slightly weird for a character that isn't Lillie to be describing why Lillie likes me.
You might recall that, in SM, this was instead Hapu gearing up to challenge us to the Grand Trial.
That's because we're not fighting Hapu in USUM here. The Ultra Recons would like to speak.
A valid lesson, but the consequences of your failure to take matters into your own hands are too far reaching for a change of heart to work as you have in mind.
You haven't learned how to battle. And even if you had, Poipole is the worst possible choice to fight Necrozma with.
Don't you just love the fact that Phyco is talking about if "I" am strong enough, when it is Soliera who does the fighting? He can't even do his own schtick right!
Dulse: We have been betrayed by Lusamine... And now we are expected to put our faith in a child like you next? Even if we are still weak, we have also learned to do battle with Pokémon... We should be the ones to resolve the situation with Necrozma ourselves! I will defeat you, and we will handle things with our own power this time!
Dulse doesn't meaningfully change from Phyco, but there are two significant improvements here, as is the norm. First of all, Dulse's objections to having us help are framed in the context of us being a child, giving him a more valid objection to our help than just that of self-reliance. Second of all, Dulse is actually the one fighting.
This Poipole has gained two levels and has not changed its stat distribution or learnset in any way.
I was about to say that we have gained more than two levels, but Justy was level 43 when we fought Soliera in Lusamine's Mansion. I did keep Justy benched for most of Poni because his level was that much higher, which is the reason for the discrepancy, but still. There goes my point.
(The worst part is, Ray doesn't get the chance to make this joke either. He does get one better, though.)
I will give you points for a strategy. Just as long as you successfully land Toxic, Necrozma will go down.
Bulldoze showing its age. Justy wishes it had Earthquake.
Oh, that was convenient!
No. No. I can't even try to sugar-coat it. Poipole isn't even supposed to be a particularly defensive Pokemon.
If you're wondering what Ray did, might as well bring it up now rather than in the bonus- he brought the new Exeggutor. It's not the reason why I named him Gary, but calling something as goofily giant as that something common like "Gary" is kinda hilarious now I see it in context.
I'm still not sure why Dulse uses those and Soliera doesn't.
Here Gary is firing off Psychic like he's the Kantonian variety of Exeggutor.
Another thing Dulse did that Soliera probably ought to have considered. Seriously, what's up with that?
Not 100% sure why I clicked Sleep Powder- probably also a misclick. It did, however, give me cause to show off the real reason I'm showing this:
Isle Avue is great, isn't it? Gary, as a Dragon type, is capable of learning the move Draco Meteor, and here it is in action! It's one of those moves that's very fun to click.
And it sure got the job done this time!
It's what I got from the Island Challenge.
It's a cultural handshake! Wonder what the equivalent is for the Ultra Recons.
The kahunas were probably the people Ultra Recon should have been asking the whole time. But Lusamine was the most technologically advanced of the people in Alola, and that's what the Ultra Recons are used to relying on.
Hapu boldly claims that we will be able to offer assistance. While yes, this is something the Ultra Recons needed to accept, it's not really explained why this should be considered different to the same offer provided by Lusamine that she subsequently "went back on". Honestly, I'm not even convinced what Lusamine did was inherently wrong- we're mostly yelling at her because we don't have faith she'll succeed, and that's backed up only by the fact we beat her in a boss fight (something that was optional to accomplish).
What do you mean "in spite of"? You'll throw yourself on our generosity "because of" your shortcomings.
...Let's hope we can back this one up...
First, though, we've got a canyon to go through. Plenty of training to get in before fighting Necrozma is necessary.
Lillie's role as portable healing stop remains identical, although telling her that she'll be contributing this time feels so dirty.
She said "I'll do my best" in SM. Just one more punch to the gut for this update.
You don't need any help from me.
Hapu has an amazing line that she didn't say when talking to the Ultra Recons, but one I wish she did, because it's much more relevant.
Phyco's line is also new. Although I'm not convinced Phyco's really learned here, just browbeaten into accepting.
Dulse: Can we not stand up against the long history of a region like Alola, where the culture of Pokémon battling has had so long to develop?
Zossie: Mm-hmm. The people of Alola get along and get to know each other through Pokémon battles.
Hapu: Greetings. I am the kahuna of this island, Hapu. You are from the beasts' world, are you not? We in Alola have long lived together with our Pokémon, being aided by them to survive. If you are in some sort of trouble, then we will gladly come to your aid however we can.
Dulse: That is most generous of you... When Necrozma comes, then... will you battle it?
Zossie (overworld): I wonder if a Trainer would even be able to befriend a beast like Necrozma...
It goes without saying at this point, Dulse really was the one they wrote first. Dulse actually acknowledges the fact that we're so much better at battling because we're building on the shoulders of giants- the Ultra Recons don't have anything to draw on to understand battling, and are thus doomed to fall short when compared to people that have been doing Pokemon battling before they developed the combustion engine.
...SwSh introduced a coal Pokemon with the Ability "Steam Engine", but other than that, I'm not even 100% convinced the world of Pokemon had a combustion age.
The TM back here. SM already had its freebie Wild Charge TM, though, so this is just a nice bonus for whatever physical attackers can't make do with Thunder Punch. USUM has Thunderbolt, too, which makes Special Electrics much more tempting.
Next time: The final Trial.
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