Time to go dungeon crawling. We're going to see a lot of Trainers. This'll be good EXP.
I thought Bethany was going to get a new team member, but the typing turned out poorly enough that I wound up giving him to Ray. Still, though, there's multiple options in here.
...Looks like the same statues around the Lake of the Moone. Not that this gets me any closer to an answer.
One more for the pile.
Well, glad you were looking through Lusamine's old stuff for cool stuff too. Surprised there aren't any TMs in there- I guess Psychic was enough for her.
Don't worry- you don't have to follow me so thoroughly. Perhaps it'll be better if you wait for when I find the good route.
"Save". Sure. I'm all in for Nebby, though.
...Honestly, I think these two should be switched. USUM's non-committal line feels more fitting for her non-committal opinions of Lusamine in SM, while her "I'll save Lusamine" attitude in SM fits her wanting to save Lusamine in USUM.
Lillie's full healing is going to be freely available, and every time she does it, she names your first party member by species name. I've got some charming ones out of it, but it gives me a bit of a jolt every time she does it. I think it's because I'm so used to calling Minior "Sturm".
You can say that one.
...The wind is not a mechanic. Trainer danger wouldn't become an element until Legends Arceus, and even then, it's a mechanic that ought to stay out of the main series.
If your team is already fully healed, Lillie says something else. This seems to be one of her cutscene lines, though.
First step in, and already we've got a Veteran. Really setting the tone right away.
Well, if someone isn't having a good time. Or perhaps has had a very bad time and is compensating. Anyway, the investment between SM and USUM can get significant here. For convenience's sake, assume that if I leave out something of IVs, EVs, Natures or moves, they are flat 15s, 0s, Serious or default, respectively.
31/15/15/15/15/31 IVs, Heat Wave and Body Slam for moves. And I imagine that Drought Ability is locked too. In SM, this guy is a soft Sun team. He has two Pokemon with similar typings in USUM, but doesn't use a weather there.
Sturm's plan here is to Calm Mind and really show off the power of Core Form. If I even get it.
Torkoal is not really pushing me that direction.
Just casually oneshotting a bulky (if Specially frail) mon in one Power Gem with my weaker form.
His second Pokemon is SM's encounter with Arcanine. This one is 31/15/15/15/15/31 and carries the moves Fire Fang, Extreme Speed and Retaliate. A lot of nice options for leveraging its Physical power, although its Fire STAB is relatively weak and it has no coverage.
Despite hitting Physically (ie not covered by Calm Mind), I'm still running Meteor Form.
...OK, you are definitely overcompensating for something.
Beheeyem (Ultra Sun): With its psychic powers, it rewrites its opponents' memories. You, too, may have already had your memories rewritten.
In USUM, his team is Beheeyem and Banette. They have a lot more investment this time, with Beheeyem running 30/15/15/30/15/30, 252 Sp. Atk/Spd, Modest Nature and Psychic, Signal Beam, and Shock Wave, while Banette has 30/30/15/15/15/30, 252 Atk/Spd, Adamant Nature and Sucker Punch/Phantom Force. These two are pretty slow, so the Speed shouldn't be too bad, but consider this a warning.
...Well, she's right here...
Next up, at the top of the hill, is this Backpacker. I usually hit her immediately, but it turns out she walks back and forward if left to her own devices.
Perdy is only in this thing for the thrill, so her single Pokemon has no investment.
Whimsicott in SM and Spinda in USUM. I am amazed it took this long to find someone with a Spinda. She's the only Trainer with a Spinda across both games.
There's something about that line combined with that dialogue that makes is sound more like she's asking us not to hurt her.
I came from Japan, but I've heard good things about Spain.
Right, we've gotta get rid of these Tauros rocks and-
Oh yeah, should probably mention this one now. The caves have random encounters, levels 41-44, and Bethany's team is lower levelled than that. Repels don't work. In both games, the only things you can find inside are Golbat and Boldore at 30%, and Dugtrio and Carbink at 20%. Carbink can still call for help and summon Sableye, but otherwise nothing new in the caves. The new stuff is on different tables.
At any rate, there's a hole to crawl through for a litter item behind the Tauros rocks. It changes between SM and USUM, for reasons I'm not quite sure on. Since vitamins are buyable, I kinda think this is a downgrade.
Hidden Nugget up here, past Perdy.
And a Max Potion behind these big rocks. Neither of these change.
The next Trainers to encounter is a teamup of two Ace Trainers. I show them in both SM and USUM because they changed the idle animation- in SM, they're locked into a "prepare to bounce" animation, while in USUM they sweep the area in front of them by doing arm stretches. The extra personality works out for it.
Alola has an active volcano and a shared hiking/bus trail. Not sure a rugged canyon really matches up for danger.
The specific combination of two Ace Trainers teaming up in a Double Battle has gone by three names across the series: Cool Couple in FRLG, Double Team in DPPt and HGSS, and Ace Duo for XY, ORAS and here. They're also not as common as I remember (two in FRLG, three in DPPt, HGSS and ORAS, and one each in XY and here)- maybe I'm just remembering a bunch of singular Ace Trainers who fight you at the same time.
In both games, they run Ninetales and Sandslash as an Ice team. In SM, they have a 31 in their dominant Attack stat and the moves Dazzling Gleam, Ice Beam, Ice Shard, Hail for Ninetales, Icicle Spear, Metal Claw, Slash, Hail for Sandslash.
In USUM, their IVs got switched to 30 in their attacking stat and Speed, they lost Hail from their movesets, and Ninetales got its HA Snow Warning. Doesn't look like she has an Icy Rock, but it does make sure they don't waste time trying to get this hail out. That Sandslash may or may not have Slush Rush for USUM- I'd believe it, but I've no evidence for it.
(I'm mainly showing Ray's shot because I love this image of two Totems towering over them.)
Ooh, this battle had something amusing happen here. First of all, Flambebe is using its Fire move on Sandslash for the x4 hit, and Jigsaw is planning to use its Flash Cannon on Ninetales for the x4 as well.
But the EXP from taking out Sandslash got Jigsaw to level 41, and I had to drop Flash Cannon for Dragon Pulse without losing Draco Meteor. I'll probably reteach Flash Cannon later once I'm sure on which move I want Jigsaw to have long-term, but for now, I'd like both.
This demonstrates a minor mechanic, used only in in-game Double Battles, that I'm only mostly sure works like this in every game it might be relevant- the move you ordered is the move that will be used, even if the Pokemon no longer knows it when the time comes to perform it. This is mainly a mildly amusing quirk of the four moveslot limit than something you can genuinely work around, though.
...The Altar is some kind of hardcore tourist destination? That strikes me as tasteless.
Two of you can't even agree on that. Depends on whether you can say both of those are things that happen.
There's a way to avoid these two, just go around down below. In USUM, they can catch you at the extremes of their stretching animation, but it's free in SM.
Now then, time to leave the canyon.
There are a number of outside sections in between the caves. You can Glide away from these places, and also the tall grass has different encounter tables to the caves. Only one set of tables for all the grass, but there's some lovely stuff on offer here.
Also these. These are also nice.
On the subject of things that aren't new, we have Lycanroc at 20% in both games. Whether you find Midday or Midnight depends on your time of day, not version- so Sun players can acquire Midnight and Moon players can acquire Midday here. You won't get Accelerock or Counter from them, though- you'll probably be better off with whatever Rock you're using already for Moon.
At 10%, regardless of time of day, SM players can find Murkrow here. Outside of Poke Pelago, this is SM's first chance to get a Murkrow- they were moved back to Hau'oli Cemetery for USUM. This does deprive you of Prankster Haze and Nasty Plot Honchkrow, but the moveset isn't awful. You are probably going to lose out on a lot, though, and the investment's a bit much for this late.
Jangmo-o (Ultra Moon): It will never show an enemy its back in battle. Ancient warriors liked Jangmo-o for its valiant disposition and made it one of their own.
As for brand-new finds, we have the pure Dragon type Jangmo-o at a 5% chance. This is a new-to-Alola species that you may have suspected of being the new member of the 600 crew, and you would be correct. Shocking the world by having reasonable evolution requirements- it still evolves late, but by reaching its final stage at level 45, half of the Jangmo-o you can find in SM and all of them in USUM reach final stage by levelling up twice- Jangmo-o evolves into a Dragon/Fighting type, getting Dragon Claw at base, Sky Uppercut on evolution to second stage, and has a nice suite of coverage moves by TM. Stat-wise, it's got good defences- even if the HP is a tad low- and its offenses are along the same lines.
Had I wanted to put it on Bethany's team, it would do well, especially if it displaced Lord Huggington. Owing to a mix of "I'm a bit too attached to Lord Huggington" and "it gets a new unique Z-Move in USUM's postgame", it wound up getting punted to Ray. Sadly, replacing Fist Jr., but he needed the boot.
Jangmo-o's Abilites are Bulletproof (immune to "ball/bomb" moves) and Soundproof (immune to sound moves). The argument between these Abilities is shaky, but mainly comes down to Soundproof being better at protecting Jangmo-o from moves it's scared of, while Bulletproof protects it from more common general moves. I land on the side of Bulletproof, owing to my philosophy of "why am I keeping Jangmo-o in on things it's scared of?" HA is Overcoat, protecting it from powder moves and Hail/Sandstorm- nice, but not nearly as nice as its basics. It's worth noting that Jangmo-o will only call for help from its evolutions, denying you Sky Uppercut.
USUM adds Mienfoo here at a 20% encounter rate (taking away from Murkrow's 10% and also 10 of Machoke's former 30% rate). Mienfoo is a pure Fighting type that gets a statline of being pure Atk, Spd, and very frail. Owing to being a Pokemon first met in BW, it has a horrible evolution level of 50, but its moves and USUM's level curve are just good enough I could see it putting in work. Ailey passed it up, owing to her already having Hawkeye and Robin, and Ray was actually considering it as Fist Jr.'s replacement before getting Jangmo-o. I love Mienfoo's evolution, I just hate that I never get to use it because of that ridiculous evolution level.
Mienfoo's Abilites are Inner Focus (blocks flinches) and Regenerator (heals it for 33% HP when it switches out). Regenerator does actually kinda work out for it when you pair it with U-Turn, but it's not that great. HA is Reckless, buffing the power of recoil moves, and basically the only reason Mienfoo likes it is because High Jump Kick is counted as a recoil move. To be fair, I can see why an Ability called "Reckless" would buff it.
Vast Poni Canyon is the location that has the strong magnetic field necessary to evolve Magneton, Nosepass and Charjabug in SM. This fact is basically the reason Bethany doesn't use Vikavolt, although Noah got some decent mileage out of Magneton on the way up.
Magnezone (Ultra Sun): It uses radar to monitor its territory. Intruders are quickly disposed of with a hyper beam.
But yes. PRNDL is evolving now.
HI, HAPU! LOOK AT ME!
...Seriously, how did this rock happen, and why can I stand on it? Hell, why can I run over it with Tauros and Mudsdale?
Anyway, after a narrow ledge that actually can't hold the Rides, we get the next cave to go through.
...And also this on a rock just around the corner. Seriously, Beth has way more confidence than I do.
Anyway, the second cave has two parts, one of which is completely optional to even notice. That Poke Ball in the lower left is from said optional section.
Worst. Downgrade. Ever.
You can either go north and use Mudsdale Gallop, or south and fight a Trainer. This is probably a remnant of the kind of design that made HMs make you make compromises on your party planning- it's literally a free Trainer bypass with the Poke Ride system.
On the other hand, this is literally free EXP, why would I pass it up?
Zachary is another thrillseeker, so his team is another set of default kits. Both games give him something, though.
Rampardos (Moon): Records exist of a revived fossil that evolved into Rampardos. It proceeded to escape and then destroy a skyscraper with a headbutt.
In SM, he uses Archeops and Rampardos, both Fossil Pokemon- and coincidentally, both are the frail Fossils of their two pairings.
If you're wondering what to do with an enemy Archeops, the answer is priority. Especially Aqua Jet or Accelerock.
Kabutops (Ultra Sun): Its body had begun to change so it could function on land. But it didn't adapt in time and went extinct.
In USUM, it's new Fossils Kabutops and Tyrantrum. Funny that both games have him use a Fossil on my team, but to be fair, both of us are using four Fossils each. The odds weren't bad.
Unsure if that's an actual expression
And also Thrifty Megamart. I think the plot has made it explicit that Tapu Bulu does not like that place.
Yup, that's the end of the mandatory side of that. That bridge is a plot trigger, by the way, it'll be where Lillie catches up.
I'm going in the secret area.
Do be careful when going straight forward- there's a Veteran waiting on the other side.
Can't deny she knows what she wants. But also, props to her for fitting through the crawlhole.
No joke: in SM, every Pokemon she has carries 31/15/15/15/15/31 IVs. That "girl knows what she wants" thing is just as apt here. USUM gives her some more varied IV, EV and Nature distributions.
Psychic, Power Gem, and Brine. Clearly running with Starmie's terrible options without Scald from USUM, aren't we?
Talonflame (Ultra Sun): Its tough wings don't allow fire to pass through them. A long time ago, firefighters' outfits were made from Talonflame wings.
Flame Charge, Acrobatics, and Quick Attack. It's not a Gale Wings Talonflame, although Acrobatics is enough to be getting on with.
Spited me on the way down,, but Accelerock is basically the counter that Talonflame needed back in the XY days.
To my current understanding, the XY metagame has actually adapted to Gale Wings Talonflame, suggesting the Gale Wings nerf was premature.
Moonblast, Spore, Giga Drain, Ingrain. Shiinotic has chosen violence. Try not to get Spored and you should be set, although just to be safe, just hit it fast and with Poison.
...Your tastes are nice mechanically, but "adorable" is... a word.
Dewgong (Ultra Moon): It sunbathes on the beach after meals. The rise in its body temperature helps its digestion.
Her USUM team is Xatu/Kangaskhan/Dewgong, which, while not traditionally cute, are still pretty adorable. And also fully kitted:
- Xatu has 30/15/15/30/15/30 IVs, 252 EVs in Sp. Atk/Spd, a Timid (+Spd/-Atk) Nature, and the moves Psychic and Air Slash.
- Dewgong has 30/15/30/15/30/15 IVs, 252 EVs in HP/Sp. Def, a Calm (+Sp. Def/-Atk) Nature, and the moves Aqua Ring, Protect, Aqua Jet and Ice Shard. Whoever gave it Calm forgot they gave it physical attacking moves- probably because Dewgong "feels" more like a Special Attacker. It's a bit like Lapras in that way.
- Kangaskhan has 30/30/15/15/15/30 IVs, 252 EVs in HP/Atk, an Adamant (+Atk/-Sp. Atk), and the moves Dizzy Punch, Crunch, and Fake Out.
The Pokemon aren't the best of their type, although a mixed team like this is a staple of competitive teambuilding, and something to prepare for once you're out of the maingame and its love of type specialists.
That's why I like challenge runs with strict rulesets rather than challenge runs by ramping up the difficulty. Makes me think about making the most of coverage.
...Probably not as good as it seems, considering all the outsides you have. Then again, free Charizard Glide as long as you are in an outside...
Another section about using Mudsdale to bypass a Trainer here. I'm a little more surprised about which side the Trainer is on this time- she's here if you are using Mudsdale, rather than if you take the shortcut. That's admittedly pretty clever.
And here I am looking at a pastebin. Junko only has IVs, in both games, but what she has is weird.
In SM, her lead is Lilligant. 31 IV in, of all things, Sp. Def.
Her level and moveset definition allows her Quiver Dance, but it does not really help her as much as she thinks it does.
In USUM, her lead switches to Mawile. Because, I guess, Mawile's stats are pretty bad, she gave it a full set of six 30 IVs. Not that it helps much if you have a good option to defeat it.
Weavile (Ultra Moon): Thanks to its increased intelligence, scrapping over food is a thing of the past. A scratch from its claws will give you a case of frostbite!
In both SM and USUM, her second choice is the evolved form of Sneasel, Weavile. 31 IV in Speed in SM, 30 in Atk/Spd in USUM. Weavile is rather famous for not having good physical Ice moves, but at this level, she does have a reliable Dark STAB. Still, though, Weavile is also famous for going down like a chump to a good solid hit.
As much as I love all three of your Pokemon (as evidenced from the fact I'm using two of them and the only reason I'm not using the third is that I don't have access to it), I can't really say the same in kind. If nothing else, all three really need team support.
Getting a good chance to let your favourites shine is always a nice rush.
Huh, crawlspace to get out. I thought this was a normal cave entrance.
Anyway, X Item on this rock. I think I prefer SM's prize, although I can see what the Sp. Def is for.
And here, we've got the game's only Fairy type TM- the TM list hasn't been substantially overhauled since like DPPt, and Fairy's also missing a few moves that TM moves really want. Ah well. Dazzling Gleam is an 80 BP Special move that hits both opponents in a Double Battle, with no other bonus effects. It's almost entirely "better than nothing" on anything that gets it and not Moonblast.
It is, however, finally an upgrade for Crysantha's Fairy Wind. Now Ailey has something approaching reasonable Fairy STAB.
With that detour out of the way, it's Lillie's turn for a little spotlight.
"You even backtracked out a few times just to cycle your team!"
(I typically plan three team cycles for the main part of Vast Poni Canyon- one for the first cave, one for the second cave, and one for the upcoming stretch. After that, I unlock the shortcut- which is good, because I do need a few more team cycles for the ending stretch).
Lillie gets a neat moment here, to tie back to our first encounter.
Admittedly, I don't think Lillie was particularly afraid of heights before, but seeing Nebby in danger on Mahalo Trail was certainly a good sharp shock to the system I'm not surprised is still weighing on her. I mean... if it wasn't for Tapu Koko, her hesitance to chase after Nebby would have got a kid her age killed.
Now granted, her going ahead herself would probably just have changed the potential victim to herself, but still. With her self-esteem, I wouldn't be surprised if she had feelings along the lines of "it should've been me".
You go right on ahead, Lillie. Considering the stuff I've done to the official Island Trials, you've certainly earned the right to call this one.
Lillie steps onto the bridge, taking a few moments to breathe and gain her bearings.
And attracts a bit of attention from a Murkrow murder.
As she suddenly darts ahead, a Murkrow does the same.
Murkrow (ORAS): Murkrow was feared and loathed as the alleged bearer of ill fortune. This Pokémon shows strong interest in anything that sparkles or glitters. It will even try to steal rings from women.
You can really see, even in SM, the fact that Lillie is bright, shiny, and stands out against the brown-ish background of Vast Poni Canyon. Of course Murkrow is a bit curious.
It just so happens that this happens to put Lillie in the exact situation we were in when we were protecting Nebby on Mahalo Trail- surrounded by three somewhat territorial birds, with no Pokemon.
Something's telling me Tapu Fini might not be pulling a dramatic rescue.
Lillie pushes her doubts down, and bolts right between the Murkrow in front of her to get to the other side.
And the Murkrow don't give chase. Thankfully, Murkrow don't get as angry about intruders as Spearow, and they probably realised that Lillie doesn't actually possess many shiny objects to steal on getting a closer look. Nebby would probably be pretty shiny with its new look, probably for the best it doesn't get out of the bag anymore.
With some more detailed graphics, you could probably indicate that the thing that attracted the Murkrow was something like the aglets on her sweater- something that shines reflectively, but isn't particularly valuable on closer inspection.
It doesn't matter how you felt, it matters what you did- feelings are ephemeral, and hindsight can change them. And that was quite the new experience to get through.
I know that's probably not what they're going for, but I love the implication that Bethany is talking down the Murkrow to get past the bridge herself. At least we didn't need to fight them off.
I'm proud of you, Lils. And here's to more yet to come.
And of course, the free heal spot has been moved up here. Could've been nice to have before going into the Dazzling Gleam cave, but not necessary.
Your Max Repels work? Please share, I've got plenty.
Pretty to me, but I can do cool.
If you talk to Lillie while at full health, she has a unique line. Seeing us charging in bravely helps her feel like she can accomplish things when she does the same- although she doesn't quite have the strength to do it more than once in a few minutes. Don't worry, it shouldn't be too bad the second time.
USUM does make a few modifications, including- rather happily, actually connecting her fears to our first encounter.
The bridge crossing is still here, although they took out the whole "This is my Trial" language. Honestly, compared to last update, I'll take it, but it was still a bit disappointing that Lillie lost that dorky charm.
The actual animation of this bit is exactly the same.
In spite of the fact that they removed Murkrow from the Vast Poni Canyon encounter tables.
I think this is where they wound up moving this since they removed it from Exeggutor Island.
This does cost the romantic tension this moment had in SM, regardless of gender, but I'm not thinking keeping that was a particular priority.
Do we have one of those? Considering Ailey's team, I'm sure she'd like one.
Lines for trying to downplay Lillie's accomplishment. I think those camera angles were earned for the SM one.
Side note, this was the funniest moment of "<Pokemon>, do you want a rest?". Just casually looking at Squishy and treating it like the rest of the team.
Turns out there's a Poke Finder spot on this bridge you completely skip if you only cross this bridge by watching the Lillie cutscene. Since we're so close to the shortcut comparatively, all four kids did exactly that.
You can find Jangmo-o's evolutions, Gigalith, Lucario, and Mienshao in USUM. Lucario? He's not even on these encounter tables!
New cave, and a nice Machamp Shove "puzzle" to deal with.
Much nicer find for the Zygarde Cell in here. Do watch out for the burrowing Dugtrio, though, it's cramped in here.
There are a few ways to fail this puzzle, but the solution is to push the blocks in a U-shape- this one south, the southernmost one east, and the east one north.
Pushing them in other directions successfully removes them from your path, but the holes are just as bad obstructions.
For example, this Full Restore is blocked off by the hole.
Pushing this rock north while I'm on Machamp.
That's because the second boulder blocks access to an outside area.
Dusk Ball and Zygarde Cell out here. USUM just moves the Dusk Ball over here.
The third boulder blocked a ladder up to the exit, as well as a preview of a secret area and a Trainer to fight in here.
Oh hey, a reference to an older professor! Professor Birch was the local professor to the Hoenn region, and his stated area of expertise was Pokemon habitats. Birch himself was portrayed as hapless and chased around by a rogue Poochyena in his game of origin, but a habitat Professor would be expected to rough it in places like this to investigate the local wildlife.
His team is Muk and Magnezone in SM, and just Magnezone for USUM. The USUM Magnezone has flat 30 IVs instead, though.
I'm actually impressed that, between Muk's Knock Off proccing Poison Touch and this Flash Cannon, they managed to take down Murphy. Poison and Special are his two major weaknesses, though, so it's to be expected.
Seriously, Magnezone, you have Special moves. Why is this your second time Screeching?
Well, I guess that was a better way to break Disguise than Flash Cannon...
Although why you did not switch to Flash Cannon is another matter. Sometimes I question the AI.
That sounds more the domain of Julianna and her Miraidon than the Poke Ride system. Or maybe Pokemon Ranger.
That's the last of the major caves- everything left on the main path is on the outside.
"I'mma get fired up!" Looks bored. Sorry, could not be left unsaid.
Persian and Honchkrow in SM, Scrafty in USUM. Either way, this looks like a good place to unleash your Dazzling Gleam user.
It's funny you say that, considering your team makeup...
In SM only, Bethany gets to bump into Mina for herself. What has she been doing when she's not been helping with the plot? Apparently, just hanging around.
With that background? I really think I ought to be set against something else, make things a bit more dynamic.
We saw you in the timeline where you did your job.
In this timeline, she has been appointed captain, but does not have a Trial, a Totem, or really, anything resembling a plan. All she does get is acknowledgement from her family that she is a person who exists. All that does is remind me Trial Captains age out of the system- someone had to appoint her as Captain. And that someone was either Tapu Fini or Nanu. I don't know which reality scares me more.
...No? Ilima had a nice simple runaround looking for holes with rodents in it. Like, the caves are slightly similar, but that's more on the geography of both caves than him trying to set up the feeling of Vast Poni Canyon.
...Pokemon, as a franchise, is never going to textually confirm it, but I think we all know what Mina's deal is.
At any rate, since she doesn't have a Trial for us to complete, she's decided to just give us the Fairium Z for free. This is a very interesting prize to get at this particular point in the story. The status moves aren't great, but Twinkle Tackle is a nice way to shore up some poor Fairy options like Disarming Voice or Dazzling Gleam.
It's certainly not something the gameplay could do. Maybe it could have something to do with the Alola Photo Club? I'd wish you luck, but it sounds like it's already ready for Ailey.
She does have more appearances in SM, but this is the last one in the main story of SM.
Hey, let Lillie have her thing! We've got Kukui's thing to excel at.
On the other side of the bridge, we've got the other Punk, with similar Pokemon in his party.
In SM, all he's got is a Pangoro. No investments, of course, because he's a Punk Guy.
Crawdaunt (Ultra Sun): Its temperament is rough and it loves to fight, but as soon as its pincers break off, it turns cowardly. It stays timid until they grow back.
In USUM, he gains Crawdaunt as a second Pokemon. Crawdaunt is a Water/Dark type Pokemon new to the USUM Dex, and while we haven't seen it or its prevo yet, we will encounter them later in this update. Nice little preview of what we've got to grab.
Had some nice Fairy moves to show off. Having a bunch of Dark types in a row is a good time to show that off.
Sounds cheerful. I've got my own places to be, though, I'd talk to Anna about that.
Wow, two bridges in a row, Lillie's going to have fun following us down here. Let's not even bring up the tree root, she might as well go back across the one she's already done and wait for us to push down the shortcut.
I need to figure out what move I'm using these on. I do have a candidate in mind that makes sense.
A lot of grass and rugged terrain around here.
This is, strangely, the only item around here.
This is probably the weirdest change I've seen thus far: This man is known as Black Belt Curtis in USUM. He is identical in every way, though.
Poliwrath (Sun): Poliwrath in the Alola region are strong swimmers that use the breaststroke. Many children learn to swim by imitating Poliwrath.
He uses a Poliwrath with a 31 IV in Atk, 252 EVs in Atk, an Adamant Nature, and no set moves in both games.
He has access to the move Dynamic Punch, so he'll usually either hit like a truck or completely whiff it. He does have Mind Reader, but that just gives you time to finish things up.
Water type means Revelation Dance is just as effective as Air Slash. Although no flinches.
All he spent his time doing was trying that Mind Reader strat.
Yeah, most people do that in the other order.
Gettting a good chance to Feather Dance is always nice and entertaining. And it even makes things nice and safe, too!
After that, we've got a nice long ramp down to three paths- a bunch of trainers to the north, some secret goodies to the west, and as for the south...
Shortcut time! We can now return to this point from the Glide point- nice and convenient, because these last few Trainers are the hardest, and also we've got some encounters to grab too.
There's no item hidden behind it in USUM, which is a shame, because this Zygarde Cell is pretty charming.
Anyway, west first.
Just a hidden item here in SM, but there's a Trainer added in USUM.
It's a misplaced Team Skull Grunt, who seems weirdly hung up on our having claimed the Team Skull Trial reward.
Also lampshading the fact that you don't actually need to pick up the Buginium Z.
It's a Team Skull Grunt, this Pawniard's got nothing going for it. I'm impressed it still has the flat 15s and not the flat 0s.
They're nice and safe in my pouch!
Back here, we've got a small lake area for water encounters. Nothing but Golbat and Golduck for surfing, though.
You can use Sharpedo Jet to break rocks for Stardusts and Star Pieces, but you don't need it to cross the room. Also, remember you can't fish from Sharpedo's back.
Another Black Belt in here, this time with the same name between games.
He does use a different single Pokemon between games, but either game, he has the same investment as his friend- 31 IV, 252 EV, Adamant.
Machamp: (Moon): It can lift heavy loads with the greatest of ease. It can even heft dump trucks. But its clumsy fingers prevent it from doing any precision work
Our first Machamp in battle for SM, and an enemy Crabominable in USUM. I guess Fist Sr. is angry I replaced him with a new Fighting type.
Zapple was waiting for a good chance to use Psychic and not get stuck with its weak physical Volt Tackle.
You're pretty zen in here. And here I am running around with Pokemon that can handle anything.
Then again, I guess adjusting my team to suit the opponents there are to fight is pretty close up to what this guy's on about. Particularly since I also adjust whether I'm using Pokemon that hit fast and defeat the opponent in one move or actually looking for good resists based on whether I'm confident in my success.... Yeah, I'm buying what he's selling.
Rare Candy on this island, but do notice there's a south!
It's where the bubbling spot is, and there are two Pokemon to find here between SM and USUM. 1 -> 10% in SM, 5 -> 35% in USUM, of course.
...Now what kind of prize is that?
Dratini (Moon): After a 10-hour struggle, a fisherman was able to pull one up and confirm its existence.
The SM encounter is a pure Dragon type, Dratini. Dratini is the original member of the 600 club, evolving into a Dragon/Flying type at level 55. The way this evolutionary family is set up, there's little reason to use the baby forms, and while it does get usable moves in Dragon Rush and Aqua Tail, it doesn't have much more. Particularly in SM, which isn't as likely to reach level 55, there's little reason to pick this guy. It's worth mentioning that, with a level availability of 10-44, you could get anywhere from "slightly terrible levelling process" to "awful".
Dratini's only normal Ability is Shed Skin (1/3 chance of curing status ailments), turning into Inner Focus (blocks flinches) on evolution. Not fantastic, but it's there. Its HA is Marvel Scale, turning into a new (and surprisingly relevant) Ability Multiscale on evolution. Multiscale will make the first attack dealt to it deal half damage, which is pretty nice- not the greatest synergy, but a functional one, especially with Dratini's slightly less-than-stellar Speed. Try and go for it if you want one, but Dratini is its own mess.
It actually wound up being the Pokemon I chose to catch in my Lure Ball! Considering Dratini's low catch rate and the fact I'm fishing, it just makes sense!
Corphish (Ultra Moon): It can adapt very well to its environment. Feebas and Corphish are about the only Pokémon to live in stagnant ditches.
Ah, there's that pre-evolution of Crawdaunt we were looking for. Corphish is about as mediocre as they come, though- yeah, Water/Dark is something worth noticing, but its only good stat is Atk. Its Def is mediocre, and its other bulk stats and Speed are actually bad. About the only thing Crawdaunt's got going for it is an impressive movepool, but when your odds of actually successfully landing an attack are that low, you're hard to justify adding, especially this late.
Corphish's Abilities are Hyper Cutter (cannot have its Atk lowered) and Shell Armour (cannot be crit). Both theoretically help it, but neither makes a really strong case. Its HA is Adaptability (STAB is now x2), which is much more encouraging, but remains "good but not great". It's a small fish in a big pond.
USUM added another Surfer here wholecloth, and when I found him with Ailey, I was taken completely off-guard- I didn't even notice him in the notes!
Fortunately, his sole Golduck has no investment to speak of, and the Jynx I had out was easily able to handle things. That could've been more worrying than it was.
...I'm fairly sure you probably could've stood to be a little less vague the first time? As for what Bethany has chosen... well, it's a little up to interpretation, but I get the feeling most of this plot has more fallen in her lap than her actively choosing it. Although has she chosen it, in the end? Quite possibly. After a point, a certain amount of desire is a self-defence mechanism.
At the end of this path is the second of the three "big" Special TMs, Flamethrower. 90 BP Special Fire, this is an awesome move for Fire types like Flambebe and Arsena, and also a fantastic coverage move for many Special Attackers with access to it- it does hit Steel types, a common weakness among such Pokemon. As a slight downside, I typically find this move the least well distributed of the trio, along with Thunderbolt pairing spectacularly with an Ice move instead of Fire. Still, though, there are often far worse choices if this is a choice you can make.
Right, time for these three.
Ironically, Hiroshi is the easiest of the three. Even in USUM, the only thing he's got going for him is IVs.
He leads with an Absol in SM, and a Graveler in USUM. The Absol has a 31 IV in Atk, the Graveler a 30 IV in Atk and Def.
I'd say Absol is the scarier opponent, because Absol's natural moveset offers it more interesting moves than Graveler's. This Psycho Cut aimed directly at the Fighting types it's scared of, especially.
His secondary is a Lapras in both games. 31 IV in Sp. Def in SM, 30 IV in both HP and Sp. Def in USUM.
So what do I do? Hit it specially. Water does a good job of supporting Ice's weaknesses- it resists Fire and Steel, and covers Rock. A good Fighting move would probably be the way to go here.
Fortunately, it turns out that Lapras's own lacking offenses proved enough for Dottie to take the hit. If my calculations are correct, though, this was a low roll- 3/16 to take the hit. (I did not get the lowest roll, but the second-lowest. The next-lowest is an exact KO.)
Still, you take what you can get, and Dottie outspeeds.
I think this is the second time I've been described as "the tops".
Gotcha. You don't mind if I test myself against these Veterans behind you?
Heather has one more Pokemon in SM, but is otherwise similar. In USUM, however, she gets the whole package- EVs, Natures and Moves.
Starting with SM and Stoutland, we have a 31 IV in HP/Spd. Bit of an odd combo, but...
It meshes well with Intimidate.
Not 100% sure what Stoutland's plan is here, but sure, get rid of the Intimidate debuff and bring in someone who doesn't necessarily mind a Normal type. It's not like Murphy was the greatest pick.
...Bold strategy. I mean, it works...
But Woodstock just wanted it more.
Klefki is also running HP/Spd 31s.
Looking at Klefki's natural learnset at this level, it's got it rough. Imprison, Recycle, Play Rough and Magic Room. Klefki's job is to be irritating with excellent status moves, but these ones are terrible and don't even mesh well together. Good chance to see Magic Room, I guess...
This is me forgetting to teach Flambebe the Flamethrower TM. Mainly because I didn't have Flambebe on me when I acquired it, and I prefer to do my TM teaching once I'm done with an area. Still, the fact that Flamethrower probably would have finished the job is not lost on me.
Outsped the second time. Probably clicked Play Rough.
Tsareena also runs HP/Spd 31, and probably prefers it more than Klefki. Still, the fact all of them have the same IVs doesn't speak highly to their individuality.
Huh. Captivate. Odd choice when Tsareena's natural Sp. Def is higher.
And odder choice when a Physical attacker is on the field.
Apparently Ailey didn't have too much of a tricky time against her USUM team, so I don't have much to show in battle, but here's what she has.
- Talonflame has 30/30/15/15/15/30 IVs, 252 EVs in Atk/Spd, an Adamant Nature, and the moves Flame Charge, Aerial Ace, Quick Attack and Will-O-Wisp. An amazing Talonflame by all accounts, but Talonflame is easily dealt with by a capable Rock type.
- Wailord has 30/15/30/15/30/15 IVs, 252 EVs in HP/Def, a Lax (+Def/-Sp. Def) Nature, and the moves Heavy Slam, Bounce, and Liquidation. You were probably going for it Specially anyway, but I've had playthroughs that get hit oddly hard by Heavy Slam (Wailord is lighter than air, but its weight is still pretty high- it's just so massive that its low density only somewhat makes up for it). This time, though, Genevieve handled it splendidly, even getting off a Static.
- Glaceon has 30/15/15/30/30/15 IVs, 252 EVs in HP/Sp. Def, a Calm (+Sp. Def/-Atk) Nature, and the moves Frost Breath, Ice Shard, Quick Attack and Mirror Coat. Glaceon is a surprisingly able Ice type, but this moveset doesn't really gel with it- you're probably attacking it Physically anyway, since only Fire has a high concentration of Special moves, and Mirror Coat is a countering move that deals more damage the more powerful a Special hit it takes. Also, those priority moves are weakened by the Calm Nature.
Really, this is just an apt statement when describing the idea of confidence- believe you can succeed, and you get better results.
Now, Eric... Eric is a right tricky fellow. Bethany handled him quite capably, despite earlier playthroughs struggling with him, which brought up my confidence. No. Like Heather, his SM team only has 31 IVs in HP/Spd, with no other investments. His USUM team has a combination of amazing Pokemon and solid, well-designed investments, worthy of making him a boss in his own right.
Ailey wiped here multiple times.
Cloyster (Moon): If areas of Cloyster's very hard shell get damaged, those areas swell, gradually growing into large sharp spikes.
His SM team is Granbull, Golem, Gengar and Cloyster. Apart from Granbull, all are incredible Pokemon in their own right, and while their minimal investment do present issues, their inherent strengths may suffice to keep you on your toes.
The main thing I got hit by was this Golem Stealth Rock into a Gengar switch, though.
And even then, Mimikyu does not take those shenanigans lying down.
...Wow, those are some numbers, Jaws.
Odd choice in Aurora Beam, but I guess Icicle Spear isn't, strictly speaking, in Cloyster's natural kit. This does mean this Cloyster is actually not nearly as good as it should be. I'm a little sad even it, a move SE on Sturm, was not enough to force it into Core Form.
Noctowl (Ultra Moon): When it turns its head entirely upside down, you know it's troubled by something. If you don't leave it be, it will peck you.
Slowking (Ultra Sun): It's constantly coming up with new ideas that would change the world, but as soon as it hits upon a new idea, it forgets it.
Here is Eric's USUM team. Think Noctowl is a mediocre, forgettable Pokemon? Au contraire, it is the linchpin of this team.
- Noctowl has 30/15/15/15/30/30 IVs, 252 EVs in Sp. Def and Spd, a Calm (+Sp. Def/-Atk) Nature, and the moves Reflect, Tailwind, Magic Coat, and Air Slash. This gives it a raw Speed stat of 116, and unless you can match that with a powerful physical attacker able to finish off all 168 points of HP, it will perform Tailwind. Give it a second turn, and it'll do Reflect, too. Tailwind will double the Speed stat of the rest of its team for three turns, and you do not want that up when Flygon comes out. Magic Coat will reflect offensive status moves used on it, but those are the least of its problems and it probably won't click it.
- Slowking has 30/15/15/30/30/15 IVs, 252 EVs in Sp. Atk and Sp. Def, a Calm (+Sp. Def/-Atk) Nature, and the moves Psychic and Scald. Going all in on Slowking's reputation as the more offensive of the Slowpoke, Slowking's high bulk (163/89 Physically) makes it a tough cookie to take down if a Reflect is up. Fortunately, this'll probably eat into the Tailwind time- but since Slowking has 82 Speed in Tailwind, it might actually be fast sometimes. It's a good thing this is probably the Pokemon that comes out first if you beat Noctowl with Rocks, though.
- Flygon is the real threat. 30/30/15/15/15/30 IVs, 252 EVs in Atk/Spd, Adamant Nature, and the moves Dragon Rush and Earthquake. Thought Hapu's Flygon was a chump? This is what Flygon is supposed to be doing. 145 Speed without Tailwind, 149/89 bulk on both sides, and 159 Atk with two powerful moves, only eight Pokemon resist that combination total- and of the options we have, it's Skarmory, Whimsicott, Ribombee and Shiinotic. Yeah, you're gonna need to bring your A game to beat this even if it doesn't come out with Noctowl support.
- Gengar is mainly here to make your life tricky if you manage to beat the Flygon. 30/15/15/30/15/30 IVs, 252 EVs in Sp. Atk/Spd, a Timid (+Spd/-Atk) Nature, and the moves Shadow Ball and Dark Pulse. Forgetting to use Sludge Bomb as its second move was its only mistake, for Gengar's 139/123 offenses make excellent use of Shadow Ball to be a second Flygon of sorts. Fortunately, it's much more frail, so it doesn't require a good hit where it hurts, like Flygon does.
I don't really have a good depiction of Ailey's attempts, owing in large part to the fact that after a while, I wasn't sure what a successful run for her looked like. Suffice it to say, Nemo was not a Pokemon good at avoiding letting it set up.
It seemed a bit random whether Noctowl would Reflect first or Tailwind, honestly.
Shiva could not outspeed Flygon, and I had trouble getting Consilia to set up Tailwind. It's times like this whether I wonder if Ailey should've used a Noctowl of her own, and borrowed this guy's strategy. Statistically, Consilia's bulk is below average, and her Speed is not good enough to count on.
With a host of Dark types for Slowking and Gengar, Ailey did, strictly speaking, win as soon as she saw this animation. One thing about Pokemon's game design is that, because of the way both sides have the same resources, what looks like a clean and effective victory could have just as easily been a defeat had one thing not gone according to plan.
A fact that, more often than I'd like to admit, was just the same for you.
Well, except for that place in the back of Poni that the guy won't even let me try to go.
As we get to the end of Vast Poni Canyon, we encounter a very familiar pair of pillars. I hope you know what this means.
Before we explore what's on the other side, Lillie's gotta catch up. Not sure from which direction, but she's made it.
No rush, Lillie. You shouldn't rush, really, considering how precarious that path is.
That's true. The altar that is our final destination is on the other side of this Trial.
Which technically means that Lillie is going to have to walk on Trial grounds, but this one is weird.
What's funny is that I actually switched my team out after Eric and before this. Ninetales is just fine, thank you.
I dunno, Nebby seemed pretty full of energy- well before Lusamine got her hands on him- and that wasn't helping you. You need them to be channeling that energy productively.
I dunno, I think SM Rotom's got a point. "Island Trial" is a phrase with meaning, but in a vacuum, I like to think getting through Vast Poni Canyon was proof enough of something.
Yeah, I'd spend this time waiting on Hapu, just in case. Not sure whether or not you're able to cross the Trial grounds, in both definitions of the word.
If there is one Pokemon that is prepared for exactly this Trial, it is Keokeo.
Jigsaw, I thought was going to be able to handle herself, particularly with Shell Smash. I think I might have overestimated it, though.
Oatchi doesn't really have a part to play here, but I brought him for good luck. It seemed fitting, and he needs EXP.
Jaws does have a bit more of a role to play, although that's entirely on the back of Psychic Fangs. She's not going to be a first choice, though.
Yes, Flambebe got Flamethrower in the end. This is a trial that particularly wants a Fire type, for one reason and one reason only, and Flambebe's job is to fill that position.
Bernie-Bear's just here for EXP. It would be nice if she had Play Rough, but she did not get to that point.
As you step in, you somehow read this "faint monument" from over here. I would've had Bethany walk up to it first.
...Lillie, get on Mudsdale. Hapu's or mine, whatever.
By which they mean a Z-Crystal. And honestly, one of the worse ones, considering its type.
I forgot to see what happens if you say No here, but yes, this is a Trial, yes, there isn't a Captain manning it, and yes, Bethany obeys all the standard Trial rules.
Now granted, there are no wild Pokemon here even outside the Trial, but details.
One distinction between this and a normal Trial is that there is no music- at all- during it. Nails the ambience.
Rotom does have a point, this time- this Trial strikes similar notes to Ilima's in theory.
As you walk through the Trial, you catch the attention of something, out of your field of view. This happens at fixed points.
After the second point, we see our first Trial Pokemon:
Continuing a proud tradition in SM Trials, all Trial Pokemon even here in the Ancient Trial have random Atk IVs and Natures. I am told, however, that the buildup Pokemon here have flat 31s in everything else. This Jangmo-o has Bulletproof as its Ability and Bide, Tackle, Leer, and Headbutt for moves.
A good Ice, Dragon or Fairy hit should get the job done.
Synchronoise is a weird move- it is a 120 BP Special Psychic move that only works if used on a target that shares a type with the user. Because it's usually on Psychic types, it is usually NVE. Bruxish can at least fire this at Water types, particularly Poliwrath or Tentacruel, but would rather be using Psychic Fangs for that purpose anyway. You really need the right type to use this- or just use it for Shattered Psyche.
The comparison with Ilima's Trial kinda begins and ends at "defeat all the Trial Pokemon to attract the Totem's attention". Not an unusual formula, but not a textual one outside Ilima's and here.
In this cavity lies the big Dragon-type TM, Dragon Claw. Dragon Claw is an 80 BP Physical Dragon move with no bonus effect, and because Dragon moves are effective only against themselves, describing it as good "coverage" feels strange. It's best used on Dragon types, but most of the ones that want it already learn it, and the ones that don't are like Zygarde.
As for the other Pokemon...
Hakamo-o (Ultra Moon): The scales it sheds can be molded and processed to make pots and pans. They conduct heat well, so they're a popular item.
You get the feeling you know what the Totem is? Hakamo-o is Jangmo-o's middle-stage evolution, gaining the Fighting type, and this one has identical internal stats to the earlier Jangmo-o. Its moves have been retinkered to the much more intimidating Headbutt, Autotomise, Work Up, and Sky Uppercut.
Whatever worked on the first one will work here, and Flying, Psychic and Fairy types will also help. Fairy in general is an amazing type to find yourself with here.
Don't think there's gonna be a third Trial Pokemon...
Our Totem is already coming in.
This bit is super Ilima's Trial, though. We get right up the Z-Crystal pedestal- something that is only a part of the Trials of Ilima and Ancient, with all other Trials having the Captain keep the prize crystal on their person- and are interrupted from taking it by the Totem leaping from a high place.
This one found a much higher place, though.
Kommo-o (Ultra Sun): When it howls after finishing off its prey, the metallic sounds of its celebrating comrades can be heard from all around.
Totem Kommo-o serves as the final Totem in SM, making a splash of a final role by being Alola's own member of the 600 club. At least, in theory. In practice, the lack of a Captain has caused Kommo-o some problems. Still, though, Ray's Kommo-o has been proving its own worth.
Totem Kommo-o has an IV spread of 1/X/31/1/31/1, 252 EVs in HP/Def, a random Nature, and a particularly strange set of moves for a Kommo-o. The choice to go all in on Defence matches Kommo-o having the higher base Defence value, but take a moment to recall the fact that Ice, Fairy, and Psychic are all Special types, with Flying and Dragon being fairly common to find on both ends of the spectrum. It has a Speed score of 121.
- Kommo-o knows its signature move, Clanging Scales. Clanging Scales is a 110 BP Special Dragon move that reduces its Defence by one stage on use. Kommo-o has a higher base Atk than Sp. Atk, so the decision for Kommo-o's signature move to be Special is particularly strange. This odd balancing decision does, ultimately, cost me, but that's mostly because I was expecting Kommo-o to specialise in what it was good at.
- Its Fighting-type move is Sky Uppercut, an 85 BP, 90% accurate Physical Fighting move that can hit opponents in the semi-invulnerable turn of Fly, Bounce and Sky Drop. This is much more in line with what one expects from a Kommo-o- especially as the evolution move from becoming a Hakamo-o. The extra BP of Clanging Scales means that it outdamages against a neutral target, but the margin is actually pretty narrow- especially if it rolls a good Atk IV.
- Its coverage move is Flash Cannon, 80 BP Special Steel with a 10% chance of a Sp. Def drop. It carries this because it has to have something for Fairy types- Keokeo actually outspeeds it, and Dazzling Gleam has a 9/16 chance to oneshot it with Expert Belt. Kommo-o's Sp. Atk isn't terrible, so this does keep Fairy types honest, but it's also worth mentioning that, if Keokeo uses Calm Mind, Flash Cannon only has a 7/16 chance of oneshotting. 4/16, if Keokeo got a level up during the Trial. Now imagine what it's doing to a Fairy type without a double weakness.
- Its status move is Protect. Frankly, with this kit, Protect is an admission that it has no other plans. Protect is a nice move on some stally kits- Totem Marowak had good reason to carry Detect- but this is not one of them. If it uses Protect, the situation probably won't get better for it next turn.
- Its held item is a White Herb, which will reset any negative stats it has to neutral a single time. It's obvious what the plan was here- to reset Kommo-o's -1 Def from using Clanging Scales- but do you see the problem? Kommo-o starts at +1 Def. The first Clanging Scales won't proc the White Herb- because it doesn't reduce Kommo-o's Def to negative.
- Kommo-o has selected Soundproof for the Ability. When I described it as blocking its weaknesses, it is particularly afraid, in competitive settings, of the move Hyper Voice powered up by Pixilate or Aerialate. Unless you have a Sylveon with Hyper Voice (without trading, you don't), the only Sound moves it's really blocking are Disarming Voice, the odd Screech or Noble Roar, your own Kommo-o's Clanging Scales, and a few miscellaneous moves it resisted anyway.
The real killer of Kommo-o is its level- 45. Veteran Eric, even his easier self just outside, was level 47. Kommo-o is practically served up on a silver platter on its first impression. I almost feel bad.
I didn't check Kommo-o's kit too closely, but I had naively assumed that it would be very Physical, hence Jigsaw.
I don't really think about Clanging Scales all that much, since Kommo-o rarely uses it, but I think I remembered it being a Special move. This is the first omen of how Jigsaw's coming out of this situation.
Brought to 51 HP.
Jigsaw uses Shell Smash and prepares for the worst. In hindsight, Draco Meteor should've been my first priority.
Flat 15 IVs but for its Atk, no EVs, random Nature, Bulletproof for the Ability, and the moves Sky Uppercut, Autotomise, Work Up and Bide. Its problem? Level 32. This is a Trial in a deep state of disrepair- Hakamo-o isn't doing anything, especially if you have the move Dazzling Gleam. Which we got a TM of.
The weird part is, Jangmo-o only evolves into Hakamo-o at level 35.
The worst part is? Without the +1 Speed from the Totem Aura, Jigsaw would have successfully outsped after a Shell Smash.
And that is when the White Herb kicks in. Sorry, Jigsaw. At least you weren't cut for Kommo-o itself like originally planned.
...Although I am somewhat wondering...
It starts with 51 base Speed, assuming neutral Nature (45 or 56 if Speed changed by Nature). This brought its Speed stat up to competitive levels.
Now, if only its Attack could say the same...
Decided, once again, not to eviscerate them with Keokeo, and played Jaws instead. Jaws resists both Fighting and Steel, so only Clanging Scales will help Kommo-o here.
See above about Protect not helping Kommo-o get into a favourable game state.
Thanks to the White Herb, this wasn't aimed at a -1 Def Kommo-o- if it was, it might've been a oneshot of its own.
And if it wasn't already, it is now -1 Def. I think it needs some more effort to get down to the point where its Sp. Def is higher, but still.
Scizor (Sun): It uses its wings to adjust its body temperature. Otherwise, its metal body would become too hot and melt in the heat of battle.
Kommo-o's low-HP ally is new- as it happens, we will not be able to acquire one of our own until postgame! Scizor is a Bug/Steel type, with its particular stat spread with high Atk and solid Def making it outstanding so long as there isn't any Fire around. In at least some generations, it is the reason there is Fire around. Here, though, it has flat 15 IVs but for Atk, no EVs, a random Nature, and the moves Metal Claw, Pursuit, Fury Cutter, and Leer. Technician for the Ability, so all those moves are getting a 50% damage buff, but considering Scizor is level 32, Technician only does so much here.
I was actually trying to switch Jaws out. I... wasn't expecting Pursuit to work, considering Jaws has Dazzling. Shouldn't that be blocked?
Oh well, all this means is that Flambebe gets a free switch.
You need to be on fire.
Heck. Yes. Leaf Blade is a 90 BP Physical Grass move with an increased critical hit ratio. Unlike Razor Leaf, it only hits a single opponent in Doubles, but since this is the last Totem fight, that's no issue. Also unlike Razor Leaf, it has a 100% hit rate. Oatchi has been openly pining for this move for ages, and it could not have come at a better time.
Flambebe proving her mettle and managing to take a Clanging Scales. Was not expecting that, honestly.
That'll finish the job...
And seriously, Flambebe is the Pokemon in the victory flourish for the fifth time in a row? More power to Salazzle, apparently, that Poison/Fire combo is killer.
Kommo-o's going off to heal somewhere. I think Ilima's Trial was also the only one to explicitly say the Totem went off to lick its wounds.
Dragonium Z acquired. You thought Groundium Z was offense or nothing? There is only one Dragon-type status move, Dragon Dance. You're using this Z-Crystal, you're using it for Devastating Drake. And considering every Dragon type has access to a 195 BP Devastating Drake by using Draco Meteor, this is a very powerful option. All I need is a target...
Like with Z-Crystals found outside Trials, there is no demonstration of the Devastating Drake Z-Pose.
Yeah, I think that was a footnote between Vast Poni Canyon and whatever happens next time, I reckon.
Next time: What does Kommo-o look like when he's actually trying?
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