• A new LGBTQ+ forum is now being trialed and there have been changes made to the Support and Advice forum. To read more about these updates, click here.
  • Hey Trainers! Be sure to check out Corsola Beach, our newest section on the forums, in partnership with our friends at Corsola Cove! At the Beach, you can discuss the competitive side of the games, post your favorite Pokemon memes, and connect with other Pokemon creators!
  • Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.

Media previews of SM

I suppose to be fair, even if there are only 7 trial captains and trials, there's also the 4 grand trials with the Kahunas to think about.

and there could still be some kind of Elite/Four champion situation going on that we haven't heard about yet. I don't really buy the idea that the Kahunas are supposed to be our Elite Four.
 
Mulling things over, I think its still an error on the media's part.
how could it be an error? any alternative explanation for the explicit usage of "seven trials" doesn't seem to make sense, especially since multiple sources have said seven trials, so it would seem that the true divide would be seven per island or seven total across the four islands. of course, seven per island can easily be debunked since twenty-eight trials makes zero sense outright. again, we know Gumshoos/A-Raticate is fought around level 15, the same level that Hala is also fought at, leaving little room for more than one trial on Melemele. and with Ilima confirming that the clover insignia that the Captains have doesn't change based on their island, we can probably assume that Sophocles isn't on Akala but instead the Big Island.

Seven fits fairly well with what we've been given. nothing else seems to hold up quite as well.
They don't say whst exactly is the Z Crystal given to you by Lillie,
(probably because they couldn't.)
No other reason to have them get type preferences and motifs if they aren't connected to the Z Crystal collectathon as well.
because it's Pokemon? even most generic trainers have type preferences and motifs. even still, being related to collecting Z Crystals doesn't mean they'd all have to come from Captains/Kahunas; after all, there are certainly special Z-Crystals that have to come from somewhere.
 
The Battle Chateau would have counted had the gym leaders used 5 Pokemon rather than... 2.
Actually it does count whether some like it or not. They may use only two pokemon but it is better than nothing. ORAS had zero gym leader rematches.
 
I'd take the PWT over the Battle Chateau any day of the week. Experience points aren't everything, especially when BPs are such a useful commodity.
I rather getting experience to level my pokemon up. They should have done this with PWT. We had Battle Institute and those battles on the trains to get BP.
 
So we know that Lillie gives us a crystal? Then obviously the crystals don't have to come from trial captains and Kahunas alone.

We do, she does it near the start before you even know it's a Crystal, the problem is we don't know what type of Crystal she gives us because the reporters didn't say, so we can't say for sure it's a type crystal.
I think the 3 Captains + 1 Kahuna per island system would work pretty well, taking into account we know Team Skull pops up at certain places and all those other small plot details, but it would leave two Crystals out, which could be filled in by small events like this one with Lillie.
I would say Team Skull, Aether Foundation, the Champion, or other characters, are all possible sources of the remaining Z-Crystals too if that's the case.
Sophocles is likely from Melemele since we have to access the Festival Plaza early too, which would lend a bit more of credibility to this hypothesis.
 
I think the 3 Captains + 1 Kahuna per island system would work pretty well,
Except that is in no way hinted by the various media mentioning 7 trials.

Sophocles is likely from Melemele since we have to access the Festival Plaza early too, which would lend a bit more of credibility to this hypothesis.
The Festival Plaza lacks a physical location (it's probably virtual) and it appears to be accessible from the very beginning, so I don't see why Sophocles needs to be from Melemele or even appear there. He'll just introduce himself in the plaza itself.

And as godiego noted, there doesn't seem to be any level gap between the first Totem Pokemon and Hala. How would Sophocles' trial fit between those events nicely?
 
Except that is in no way hinted by the various media mentioning 7 trials.


The Festival Plaza lacks a physical location (it's probably virtual) and it appears to be accessible from the very beginning, so I don't see why Sophocles needs to be from Melemele or even appear there. He'll just introduce himself in the plaza itself.

And as godiego noted, there doesn't seem to be any level gap between the first Totem Pokemon and Hala. How would Sophocles' trial fit between those events nicely?

The number of trials is our biggest unknown thus far, that's why I'm trying to find a way to rationalize it that would work with what everyone said in their previews.
You have sources that say that, that there are 7 trials in general.
Then you have sources like this and this that simply say series of trials or several trials.
Then you have sources that say 3 trials per island like these guys.
And finally you have sources that say 7 trials per island like here.
So either one of them is right, or they are all wrong.
Since some describe the trials as coming in 3 types - captain challenge, totem battle, and kahuna battle - I was thinking that the best way to combine all of this that made sense was 3 Captains + 1 Kahuna, which makes "7 Trials" per island.

Regarding Sophocles, I think it would make sense to be in Melemele because they usually introduce the characters first, and then whatever they are connected too right after that. The interior of the building he's in also seems like it would fit the style of Melemele more overall, but that's a minor detail.

I haven't seen the levels of Hala's pokémon anywhere, but I did see the player's Popplio was at level 15 when fighing his Crabrawler.
About that, I remember Ash from GameXplain saying that his starter, and only his starter, was at around level 12 when he was visiting the city area, which is before the trial of Ilima, which seems to happen right after it.
So maybe there's space for at least another Trial Captain if we consider a more average distribution of experience between the starters and other pokémon the player might have?
 
Even then, there's not really any reason why Sophocles can't be met on Melemele while being the Trial Captain of a different island... we first met Iris in Castelia City in BW, and we gained access to the PSS before we ever even heard about Clemont, who invented the system.
 
And finally you have sources that say 7 trials per island like here.
That one also mentions 5 islands in the very same sentence. Granted, we do have an artifical island, but surely there won't be trials there.

I haven't seen the levels of Hala's pokémon anywhere, but I did see the player's Popplio was at level 15 when fighing his Crabrawler.
Which should mean that Crabrawler is around level 15, too. Popplio wouldn't stand a chance otherwise.

So maybe there's space for at least another Trial Captain if we consider a more average distribution of experience between the starters and other pokémon the player might have?
Sounds pretty forced to me and it still wouldn't work with your "3 trials per island" theory.
 
The number of trials is our biggest unknown thus far, that's why I'm trying to find a way to rationalize it that would work with what everyone said in their previews.
but then there's the fact that they could just be wrong. i mean for what it's worth, Digital Spy also said Work Up was an HM whereas GameXplain outright said that there were no HMs, but they definitely got a TM (which may or may not have been Work Up; they don't remember).
Then you have sources like this and this that simply say series of trials or several trials.
these answers are kind of a non-factor since several (usually > 2, but < many) does include seven. and it should be noted that Nintendo Insider had seven and then changed to several.
Then you have sources that say 3 trials per island like these guys.
who just seem to be a big outlier in general since they also say that there's five islands. of course, three could be broken down as captain + totem + kahuna, but that would be predicated on it being allowed to be captains + totems + kahuna if applicable.
And finally you have sources that say 7 trials per island like here.
which doesn't seem to make sense since there's 18 types and that would make 28. we've had type overlap before in Emerald, BW2, and HGSS (albeit the postgame) but it tended to be a only a couple (Water in Emerald; Dragon in BW2; and Dragon, Psychic, and Poison) types. and as my perennial question has gone, where are all these trials going to go on Melemele?
Regarding Sophocles, I think it would make sense to be in Melemele because they usually introduce the characters first, and then whatever they are connected too right after that. The interior of the building he's in also seems like it would fit the style of Melemele more overall, but that's a minor detail.
tbh i've thought that the interior of the building matches up with the Observatory-like building on the Big Island, which does seem to match standard Trial (slash important event) places in that it's by a Pokemon Center. that being said, depending on the scope of Festival Plaza it doesn't stop them from having it be inaccessible (like Joint Avenue) until a specific point. i don't recall any previewers saying they were allowed to access it either.
I haven't seen the levels of Hala's pokémon anywhere, but I did see the player's Popplio was at level 15 when fighing his Crabrawler.
About that, I remember Ash from GameXplain saying that his starter, and only his starter, was at around level 12 when he was visiting the city area, which is before the trial of Ilima, which seems to happen right after it.
So maybe there's space for at least another Trial Captain if we consider a more average distribution of experience between the starters and other pokémon the player might have?
here are player levels that we know:
1) first battle with Hau at level 5
2) second battle with Hau at level 7
3) battle with Totem Gumshoos/A-Raticate at level 15
4) battle with Hala's Crabrawler at level 15
5) battle with Totem Lurantis at level 23~25
6) battle with Olivia's Lycanroc at ~28
7) battle with Guzma's Ariados at ~29

level twelve to fifteen in the first trial doesn't seem all that impossible given that 1) EXP Share is back and you get it after the Trainer School; 2) Team Skull crashes your first trial and you have to chase them off; 3) the first trial is about taking down some Yungooses (and i imagine A-Rattata's in Moon) scattered throughout Verdant Cavern. regardless, that level spread does not seem to indicate that many trials. since seven total across four islands is the lowest we've been given, that seems to be the most likely answer.
 
Last edited:
That one also mentions 5 islands in the very same sentence. Granted, we do have an artifical island, but surely there won't be trials there.


Which should mean that Crabrawler is around level 15, too. Popplio wouldn't stand a chance otherwise.


Sounds pretty forced to me and it still wouldn't work with your "3 trials per island" theory.

True, it does, but they could mean just the other 4 and mentioned 5 island because there are 5. I get what you mean though.

Yes, it should be around the same level, and yes it does put a dent in the idea that there would be 3 Captains there.
That would mean there's a big increase in other plot elements from Ulaula forward though, since that would only leave 3 or less captains for those two final islands.
At this point I'm pretty confused about that and just would like a clear answer like all of you, so hopefully the demo delivers some type of info that will let us understand this properly.
By the way, I asked GameXplain on Friday I think, and they said they didn't know or hear anything about that, and even if they did they probably couldn't tell us, so I'm wondering if that was something the Nintendo or TPC employees told them, and that somehow wasn't clear enough for them all, or at least the ones that were told about it, since not all of them mention the number of trials. :confused:

but then there's the fact that they could just be wrong. i mean for what it's worth, Digital Spy also said Work Up was an HM whereas GameXplain outright said that there were no HMs, but they definitely got a TM (which may or may not have been Work Up; they don't remember).

these answers are kind of a non-factor since several (usually > 2, but < many) does include seven. and it should be noted that Nintendo Insider had seven and then changed to several.

who just seem to be a big outlier in general since they also say that there's five islands. of course, three could be broken down as captain + totem + kahuna, but that would be predicated on it being allowed to be captains + totems + kahuna if applicable.

which doesn't seem to make sense since there's 18 types and that would make 28. we've had type overlap before in Emerald, BW2, and HGSS (albeit the postgame) but it tended to be a only a couple (Water in Emerald; Dragon in BW2; and Dragon, Psychic, and Poison) types. and as my perennial question has gone, where are all these trials going to go on Melemele?

tbh i've thought that the interior of the building matches up with the Observatory-like building on the Big Island, which does seem to match standard Trial (slash important event) places in that it's by a Pokemon Center. that being said, depending on the scope of Festival Plaza it doesn't stop them from having it be inaccessible (like Joint Avenue) until a specific point. i don't recall any previewers saying they were allowed to access it either.

here are player levels that we know:
1) first battle with Hau at level 5
2) second battle with Hau at level 7
3) battle with Totem Gumshoos/A-Raticate at level 15
4) battle with Hala's Cabrawler at level 15
5) battle with Totem Lurantis at level 23~25
6) battle with Olivia's Lycanroc at ~28
7) battle with Guzma's Ariados at ~28

level twelve to fifteen in the first trial doesn't seem all that impossible given that 1) EXP Share is back and you get it after the Trainer School; 2) Team Skull crashes your first trial and you have to chase them off; 3) the first trial is about taking down some Yungooses (and i imagine A-Rattata's in Moon) scattered throughout Verdant Cavern. regardless, that level spread does not seem to indicate that many trials. since seven total across four islands is the lowest we've been given, that seems to be the most likely answer.

That's the problem, either one is right, or they are all wrong.

I also saw someone have 7 per island and then change it to 7 overall, so even among them they don't seem to know what's right!?

Yes, that's the thing, the guys that said 7 per island also broke them down as if there were 3 types of trials, with those being the captain activities, the totem battles, and the kahunas, which would give those supposed 7 trials in one island.

I also have considered the Observatory as a potential place, but then I started thinking that Sophocles is an inventor and programmer, and that maybe someone more inclined to the stars would be in a place like that instead. It's a possibility, regardless.

GameXplain did say they weren't allowed to talk about muliplayer features, menus, and similar stuff, so it might have something to do with that, maybe?

We know that we get the Z-Ring after we defeat Hau a second time, and a Crystal from Lillie some time before that, so the only way there would be a second Captain would be if there was someone before Ilima. But then the previews technically stated he was the first, since they said the Verdant Cavern Trial was after the city, right? Which basically means there's no Captain before him.
 
Last edited:
I've just noticed this from Pocketgamer:

I played one trial where I had to fight a bunch of Pokemon who were hiding in tiny burrows. The puzzle was figuring out how to get around the complicated cave layout to search all the holes.

At one point, members from Team Skull appeared and battled me, which certainly made things more tricky. And then, with all the hidden critters defeated, I faced off against a totem Gumshoos, and his army of Yungoos.
That sounds like gym-level content, if not better. So I certainly think that 7 such trials is more than fair when we have the Kahunas in between, and almost definitely a final challenge of some kind.
 
I've just noticed this from Pocketgamer:


That sounds like gym-level content, if not better. So I certainly think that 7 such trials is more than fair when we have the Kahunas in between, and almost definitely a final challenge of some kind.

That's interesting. In that case, lets say there are 7 trials overall, then Ulaula has 2 and Poni has 1, since we have to complete a island trial before facing the Kahuna, right?
 
That's interesting. In that case, lets say there are 7 trials overall, then Ulaula has 2 and Poni has 1, since we have to complete a island trial before facing the Kahuna, right?
The third island is the biggest, so I'd think it would have 3 trials. The official site just says "the final trial on each island is called the grand trial", which doesn't necessarily preclude the possibility of the fourth island not having any trial captain.

I do think that the quest on the fourth island may be comparable to an assortment of trials, but it makes sense to me that the player won't have any guidance at that point. Or maybe all the previous trial captains will join forces to help fight the Ultra Beasts?
 
The third island is the biggest, so I'd think it would have 3 trials. The official site just says "the final trial on each island is called the grand trial", which doesn't necessarily preclude the possibility of the fourth island not having any trial captain.

I do think that the quest on the fourth island may be comparable to an assortment of trials, but it makes sense to me that the player won't have any guidance at that point. Or maybe all the previous trial captains will join forces to help fight the Ultra Beasts?

But saying "the final trial" kinda implies there has to be at least one before it in each island, or it won't be the final trial, but the only trial.
But maybe you are right about that, who knows at this point. :unsure:
 
though it could also be worded as to give the most information without giving a lot away. for the first three islands there could technically be a final trial, the Grand Trial, but on the last island could be different in some fashion and they wouldn't want that to be given away.
 
Please note: The thread is from 7 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
Back
Top Bottom