The Island Trials

[Mitchman]

You're forgetting about the artificial island, the Aether Paradise.

Inbetween Akala and the Eastern Island is my best bet.

 

[PurplePopplio]

Inbetween Akala and the Eastern Island is my best bet.

I am thinking after Melemele since we seem to meet UB-01 there.

Anyway, I am just so looking forward to the Island Trials. A welcome change indeed.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

Anyone think the Kahunas are multi-type users or are specialists of a certain type?

 

[SirOni]

Anyone think the Kahunas are multi-type users or are specialists of a certain type?

I feel they'll be multi-type. We already know that Hala is using a Crabrawler and there's the belief that he'll also use Tapu Koko. I personally think that he may also use Alolan Raichu since it'll combo with Tapu Koko and it also ties him closer to his grandson Hau who is seen using Pichu.

 

[pokestar93]

I was just thinking that the Rock-type trial will be another version exclusive trial. In Sun you would face against Rugarugan's midday form while you fight Rugarugan's midnight form in Moon. This is just a guess after looking at the CoroCoro.

 

[Treacle]

Definitely an interesting change from the usual gym format. Hopefully each type gets one.

 

[Zeb]

So following on from my posts about a month ago, Olivia has now convinced me I was on the right track with kahunas giving Z-Crystals.

This is how I think the layout will go atm:

Melemele Island:
Normal trial, Ilima - Normal Crystal (Hypersprint Attack)
Grand trial, Hala - Fighting Crystal (All-Out Pummeling)

Akala Island:
Grass trial, Mallow - Grass Crystal (Bloom Doom)
Fire trial, Kiawe - Fire Crystal (Inferno Overdrive)
Water trial, Lana - Water Crystal (Hydro Vortex)
Grand trial, Olivia - Rock Crystal (???)

Unknown:
Electric trial, Sophocles - Electric Crystal (Gigavolt Havoc)

This reinforces what I've been saying all along... trials aren't so different from gyms. You still have the "puzzles" (the trial activity), boss fights (Totems), get a TM as a reward (sorta - Z-Moves).

I'm also still of the opinion that Melemele will only have one trial before the fight with Hala. It seems to happen around level 15, the same as Totem Gumshoos, and the island isn't very big so crowding it with a trial around every corner just doesn't seem necessary.

Also gonna take guesses at Hala and Olivia's remaining team members:

Hala: Crabrawler, Pancham and Alolan Doduo*
Olivia: Nosepass, Alolan Graveler/Golem*, Lycanroc (Day/Night depending on game of course)

*just my speculations, they obviously aren't confirmed but showing off Alolan forms in boss battles seem likely

 

[Silktree]

I am more interested in Totem Pokemon than Kahuna battles, if to be perfectly frank.

 

[Velvet]

So, just to make sure. There are still four islands in total that we go through, excluding the Aether Foundation Island. The First Island has Ilam and Kahuna Hala.

Second Island; Lana, Mallow and Kiawe. With Olivia as the Kahuna.

Sophocles is on an unknown island at this time and is electric.

So we still have two more islands with Ghost, Fairy, Bug, Poison, Dark, Psychic, Dragon, Ice, Steel, Flying and Ground left. Now this going to be mere speculation on my part; and not taking the reviews. Let's just call this a what if statement shall we? And assuming we get Z-Crystals and such from the Trial Captains and Kahunas, plus thinking that Hala is Fighting if Olivia is using primarily Rock.

The third island next to Akala Island will more than likely have Ice and probably Steel as trial captains or one of the Kahunas. For the last Island I can see it having Ground, Bug and Flying trial captains with one probably being a Kahuna.

 

[Silktree]

I really doubt that there will be any trial captains on the fourth island.

Three of the crystals may be assigned to the Aether Foundation trio (Fairy, Bug and Electric if we go by colors). That would leave four (if we assume 7 trial captains), which would work with a hypothetical Elite Four equivalent.

 

[Blob]

I don't like that the Trial captains are the Types you think of when you think of Pokémon. Seriously, even Gen 1 TCG had more variety in Types than this.

Starts + Electric + Normal. Wow. So imaginative.

 

[Velvet]

@Silktree; I wouldn't rule it out entirely. But I can see why people would thing that, who knows, maybe there will be a Kahuna there by themselves.

That is possible. I actually never really thought about the Aether Foundation having Z-Crystals, not sure if TS would be able to get their hands on Z-crystals due to them trying to sabotage and destroy the Trial Grounds; But Sophocles is electric, so I doubt it. Unless it's Fairy, Bug and Ground (?) leaving us with Ice, Steel, Dark, Poison, Flying, Ghost, Dragon and Psychic left.

Of course there is the possibility of Guzma and Plumenria actually having Z-Crystals somehow possibly being Poison and Dark.

Which leaves the identity of the champion left; and whether their trial is a battle or a combination of all the trials together. Remember; Kukui DID bring up the Champion on the first Island during the ceremony with Hala.

 

[Silktree]

You're right about Electric.

Just throwing it out there... The crystal attached to Lusamine's chest is partially turquoise, not unlike the ??? type. Could the Ultra Beasts explain that?

 

[Velvet]

@Silktree; OH! That would make so much sense. The Z-Crystal would relate to the Aether Foundation's ties to the Ultra Beasts, and maybe; perhaps, even to the Z-Crystals themselves?

 

[Sakuraa]

I like the fact that the Kahunas also have Z-Rings to presumably use in battle. It always kind of bothered me how no later gym leaders or E4 used Mega Evolution when you challenged them for the first time. Hopefully the Kahunas will actually use Z-Moves in their battles and add a bit of challenge.

 

[godiego]

Starts + Electric + Normal. Wow. So imaginative.

to be fair, if they do give Z-Moves it would have to be either none of the starting types or all of them. and of course starting out with Normal means that no one gets a particular advantage because just about every early game Pokemon learns something Normal.

 

[Ifni400]

So, Z-Moves instead of TMs? That was quite creative of them. Also, do HMs have to do with the Island Trials?

 

[Lone_Garurumon]

So, Z-Moves instead of TMs? That was quite creative of them. Also, do HMs have to do with the Island Trials?

Keep in mind that this is just speculation at the moment, we don't actually have any solid evidence of what happens when we beat a Trial, for all we know we might even have to find Z-crystals lying around the overworld like Mega Stones (though I doubt it). HMs are actually looking like they've been removed in favour of the Poke-Ride system. I for one, am thankful (though I would like Surf and Waterfall to be promoted to regular TMs, since they're actually pretty good moves by themselves).

 

[Mitchman]

Keep in mind that this is just speculation at the moment, we don't actually have any solid evidence of what happens when we beat a Trial, for all we know we might even have to find Z-crystals lying around the overworld like Mega Stones (though I doubt it). HMs are actually looking like they've been removed in favour of the Poke-Ride system. I for one, am thankful (though I would like Surf and Waterfall to be promoted to regular TMs, since they're actually pretty good moves by themselves).

Both Lurantis and Gumgoos/Raticate battles show a Totem pole that has a glowy bit in the middle and the Z Insignia, so its not a stretch. Especially how we have seen the Trial Captains dance their type moves, so it would be natural to assume that defeating the totem gains the z crystal, but the dance needed comes from the captains. Also makes me wonder how Ilima will work, with the trial eother being Normal/Dark.

Edit: I'm an idiot, Alolan Raticate is still part Normal, duh. Didn't think about the implications there, if dual types are possible then Oricorip is definitely a lock for the Flying Trial.

 

[Blob]

Keep in mind that this is just speculation at the moment, we don't actually have any solid evidence of what happens when we beat a Trial, for all we know we might even have to find Z-crystals lying around the overworld like Mega Stones (though I doubt it). HMs are actually looking like they've been removed in favour of the Poke-Ride system. I for one, am thankful (though I would like Surf and Waterfall to be promoted to regular TMs, since they're actually pretty good moves by themselves).

Wait... so does this mean you have to buy all TMs in Alola, or does someone else give them to you? Plus being locked out of Waterfall and Surf would be pretty lame, so the HM moves better be tutors or something.