Decidueye @ Decidium Z
Ability: Overgrow
- Leaf Blade
- Spirit Shackle
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
Decidueye is the final stage of Rowlet, the Grass-type starter Pokémon. Decidueye serves as a strong physical attacker with decent speed and surprising bulk.
Leaf Blade (Lv. 44) is its primary STAB move, hitting Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokémon super effectively. Due to its high base power and increased chance of landing critical hits, Decidueye should use this move in most neutral matchups.
Spirit Shackle (Evolution) is Decidueye's signature move. It is a strong Ghost-type attack which has the added effect of preventing the target from escaping. When used in conjunction with the Decidium Z, Decidueye can unleash the powerful Sinister Arrow Raid once per battle.
Sucker Punch (Lv. 38) is a Dark-type move that allows Decidueye to hit a target that is readying an attack. Although it requires some prediction, this move lets Decidueye strike first against faster opponents.
Swords Dance (TM75, Malie City Poké Mart) gives Decidueye a boost to its Attack stat. It should be used in longer battles to allow Decidueye to sweep the opposing team. The boost in power this move provides is especially helpful in strengthening Sucker Punch, Decidueye's best answer to faster Pokémon.
Raichu @ Aloraichium Z
Ability: Surge Surfer
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Nasty Plot
Raichu gets a new form in Pokémon Sun and Moon! Pichu, who can be found on Route 1, evolves into Pikachu at maximum happiness, then Alolan Raichu by use of a Thunder Stone. Raichu, now an Electric- and Psychic-type Pokémon, is a speedy and strong special attacker.
Thunderbolt (Move Reminder, Mt. Lanakila Pokémon Center) is your typical Electric-type move. Unfortunately for Raichu, it is learned neither early nor easily. You have several means of acquiring Thunderbolt: you can choose to keep Pikachu unevolved until Lv. 42, have the Move Reminder teach it the move just prior to the Pokémon League, or use TM24 found in Poni Plains after the Pokémon League. Until you learn Thunderbolt, other options include Charge Beam (TM57, Route 5), Volt Switch (TM72, Mt. Hokulani), and Discharge (Lv. 34, Pikachu). With Thunderbolt and the Aloraichium Z, Raichu is able to unleash the powerful Stoked Sparksurfer.
Psychic (Evolution) is a strong Psychic-type STAB move. Alolan Raichu learns it immediately upon evolving from Pikachu.
Focus Blast (TM52, Seafolk Village Poké Mart) is a special Fighting-type move that provides coverage, hitting Rock- and especially Steel-type Pokémon super effectively.
Nasty Plot (Lv. 13, Pichu) lets Raichu significantly boost its Special Attack stat. This, combined with its high Speed stat, lets it power through opposing teams with ease.
Mudsdale @ Groundium Z
Ability: Stamina
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Heavy Slam
- Superpower
Mudsdale evolves from Mudbray, a Pokémon that can be found on Route 4. Mudsdale is definitely a heavyweight fighter, with very high Attack and defensive stats. Stamina is a spectacular ability in the main game, as it increases Mudsdale's Defense stat each time it is hit by an attack.
Earthquake (Lv. 47) is Mudsdale's main attack. It hits with tremendous strength, with Ground-type attacks being essential on an in-game team. The Groundium Z lets Mudsdale use Tectonic Rage once in a battle.
Rock Slide (TM80, Melemele Sea) provides great coverage alongside Earthquake. It takes care of the Flying-types that would normally avoid its Ground-type attacks.
Heavy Slam (Lv. 34) allows Mudsdale to put his massive weight (over 2000 pounds!) to good use. The Steel-type Heavy Slam is very strong, and takes care of threatening Ice- and even Fairy-type Pokémon.
Superpower (Lv. 60) isn't entirely necessary given the coverage Mudsdale already has, but at the very least it provides him with a powerful option as a last resort.
Araquanid @ Waterium Z
Ability: Water Bubble
- Liquidation
- Leech Life
- Poison Jab
- Lunge
Araquanid evolves from Dewpider, who can be found at Brooklet Hill. Araquanid is an unusual but exceptionally good Pokémon. Its good Defense and extremely high Special Defense allow it to soak up hits, while its amazing ability, Water Bubble, doubles the power of its Water-type moves.
Liquidation (Lv. 57) is what Araquanid will be using at nearly every possible opportunity. With Water Bubble doubling its base power, this move will hit everything for a good chunk of damage, including Pokémon that resist it. Note that Araquanid does not learn Liquidation until quite late in the game. As a result, it will be relying on Scald (TM55, Brooklet Hill) as its primary attacking move for the vast majority of the game. Although this move comes off of Araquanid's lower Special Attack stat, the increase in power from Water Bubble means that you should have no trouble offensively (in fact, Scald's relatively high chance of burning the target adds to your defensive strength). In the rare case that you require a stronger Water-type move, the Waterium Z will let Araquanid launch a Hydro Vortex.
Leech Life (TM28, Akala Outskirts), given its recent buff from 20 to 80 base power, is now a very good physical Bug-type move. Although it generally won't do more damage than Liquidation, this move gives Araquanid the ability to heal itself when need be (which is fantastic given its defensive capabilities).
Poison Jab (TM84, Route 17) is more or less filler. It gives Araquanid a Poison-type move with a relatively high chance of poisoning the target.
Lunge (Lv. 45) is also a filler move. It is an 80 base power Bug-type move like Leech Life, but rather than sapping health, it has the added effect of decreasing the target's Attack stat. This lets Araquanid take physical attacks more effectively in certain situations.
Salazzle @ Firium Z
Ability: Corrosion
- Flamethrower
- Sludge Bomb
- Dragon Pulse
- Nasty Plot
Salazzle evolves from female Salandit, which can be found in the Wela Volcano Park. Salazzle is quite frail, but it has very high Special Attack and Speed stats that allow it to hit hard and quickly.
Flamethrower (Lv. 40) is Salazzle's best Fire-type attack. Salazzle will have to rely on Flame Burst prior to it learning Flamethrower. The Firium Z lets Salazzle launch an Inferno Overdrive once in a battle.
Sludge Bomb (TM36, Shady House) is Poison STAB. It lets Salazzle take down Fairy-type opponents quite effectively.
Dragon Pulse (Lv. 48) is the only Dragon-type move on this team, allowing Salazzle to deal super effective damage against Dragon-type Pokémon. (This one move is sufficient, as Dragon-types are few and far between.)
Nasty Plot (Lv. 32, Salandit) lets Salazzle boost its Special Attack stat. Like Raichu, this works well with its high Speed stat and lets it burn through opposing Pokémon with ease.
Bewear @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Fluffy
- Hammer Arm
- Return
- Shadow Claw
- Bulk Up
Bewear is the evolution of Stufful, who can be found on Route 8. This Pokémon is aptly named, for it is a very strong physical attacker with incredible physical bulk. Its defensive capabilities derive from its ability, Fluffy, which halves the damage taken from moves that make direct contact. But be aware that physical moves that do not make direct contact, such as Earthquake, will not have their power reduced by Fluffy.
Hammer Arm (Lv. 36) is a powerful Fighting-type move. Bewear is not very fast, so he doesn't mind having his Speed reduced very much. The Fightinium Z also lets Bewear attack the opponent with a powerful All-Out Pummeling.
Return (TM27, Malie City Malasada Shop) is a solid Normal-type STAB move that hits most things for good neutral damage.
Shadow Claw (TM65, Konikoni City Poké Mart) allows Bewear to hit Ghost-type Pokémon for super effective damage, and comes with an increased critical hit rate.
Bulk Up (TM08, Konikoni City Poké Mart) lets Bewear further boost its impressive Attack and Defense stats. Given that Bewear already has the offensive options necessary to take down a wide variety of opponents, this only needs to be used in the infrequent cases that the opponent will survive one of Bewear's attacks.
