How will Alola forms work exactly?

Question

Like will they be exclusive only to the Alola region? Will I be able to use their original forms? Is there a certain item I'll need in order to obtain them? Are they available in certain islands in Alola, and will they be exclusive to certain versions?

Comments

As fas as I know, nobody knows yet, so all we can do is speculate.

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Well this question will remain unanswered until we get sun/moon unless they give us the answer

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I'd guess there will be no items to change their forms, kinda like how rotom forms work I guess. Since the data for these doesn't exist in any version previous of gen 7, they probably will be exclusive to the Alola region unless gamefreak remakes or creates another gen 7 title. I'd also bet you could use their original forms. Hawaiian islands are only cold on top of mountains, so I bet there'll only be places where you can find ice vulpixes and ninetales.

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I think that there will be a specific  key item named like eternal ice or something that will change ninetails' form

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I'm pretty sure the Pokemon found in Alola will be in that form, and those Pokemon can be traded to other regions and Pokemon from other regions will retain their forms when traded to Alola. I think they'd be kinda like Gastrodon.

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I imagine you just trade over a Pokemon and it turns into its Alola form and type automatically... I don't know what would happen with the moves  though.

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Do you guys think that their base stats will change?I would like to see Exeggutor become a fast special sweeper

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I kinda agree with sumwun.

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I hope sumwun is right tbh because I don't want to be stuck with an ice ninetails(although I like it)

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An up-vote and a flag on the same question? I thought I'd never see this happen.
For games in which a Pokemon is different from that of a previous game, the types change immediately, the stats change upon levelling up, and the abilities change upon evolving. The moves stay the same, but the Pokemon won't be eligible for Battle Spot.

Answer 1

From the information revealed so far, we can safely assume the following:

• The forms are exclusive to Alola (for the moment at least).

• If you encounter a wild Pokemon like Sandshrew/Vulpix, they will be in their Alolan form. Non-Alolan forms won't appear in the wild.

• Some base forms like Exeggcute and Cubone are the same as they've always been, but only become Alolan forms when evolved into Exeggutor/Marowak in Sun/Moon.

• Transferring Pokemon with Alolan forms from previous games will keep their old forms. (However, transferring a Pokemon like Cubone, then evolving it in Sun/Moon may give you its Alolan form.)

• No items are required to encounter the Pokemon in the wild. However, some of the Pokemon have different evolution methods, such as Vulpix needing a new Ice Stone rather than Fire Stone.

• Like every Pokemon game, each Pokemon will be seen in the wild in specific areas. For example, Alolan Sandshrew developed in icy conditions so are found in the icy mountain (Mount Lanakila). But regular Sandshrew cannot be found anywhere else in Alola.

• Some Alolan forms are version-exclusive, for example Vilpix in Sun and Sandshrew in Moon.

No word on future games yet. To obtain Alola forms in newer games you will probably need to transfer them from Sun/Moon, unless they add some other way to get them (like the Icy Rock for Glaceon in new games).

Comments

I just realized that Cubone would lose all its types upon evolution. This has only ever happened with Eevee.

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A minor update on the subject of Alolan Vulpix's evolution is this image that was leaked on the Spanish website for Sun and Moon. It displays what is assumed to an icy stone similar in function to the other evolution stones already in the series. There is a good chance that this is linked to the new Vulpix and Sandshrew forms that take the Ice type, and potentially other new Pokemon in the game. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ct7YqK3XgAANWsQ.jpg

Answer 2

I realized this might not get answered soon by anyone else soon so I'll answer this now.

All we can do about in-game mechanics is speculate. However, it would would be most logical for Pokemon transferred from one generation to the next would keep their forms just as sumwun commented:

I'm pretty sure the Pokemon found in Alola will be in that form, and those Pokemon can be traded to other regions and Pokemon from other regions will retain their forms when traded to Alola. I think they'd be kinda like Gastrodon.
commented 1 day ago by sumwun

I don't know if I did but I hope I helped!