You probably remember the first time you stepped into Alola. It felt like a vacation. The music was breezy, the characters were wearing sandals, and everything seemed chill. Then you hit the Ultra Necrozma fight. Suddenly, your team was getting swept by a literal light dragon from another dimension, and you realized this wasn't the Alola you signed up for in the original Sun and Moon. This pokemon ultra sun and ultra moon guide is basically a survival manual for those specific, painful difficulty spikes that even veteran players struggle with years later.
Let's be real. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (USUM) are weird games. They aren't quite sequels, but they aren't just "Director's Cuts" either. They are more like a remix where someone turned the difficulty slider up to eleven and added a bunch of interdimensional weirdness. If you’re coming back to the 3DS or emulating these in 2026, you need a plan.
Why the Island Challenge is Secretly Brutal
The Island Challenge replaced gyms, but it also replaced predictable AI. In a standard Pokémon game, a Gym Leader has a type theme. You bring a Water-type to a Fire gym, and you win. In Alola, the Totem Pokémon use "SOS Calls." This turns every major boss fight into a 2-on-1 handicap match where the partner Pokémon is specifically designed to cover the Totem's weaknesses.
Take Totem Lurantis on Akala Island. It’s a Grass-type. Simple, right? Bring a Fire-type. Wrong. Lurantis calls in Castform, which uses Sunny Day to boost Lurantis's Solar Blade—a move that usually takes two turns but now hits instantly. Then Castform uses Weather Ball (now Fire-type) to nukes your Bug or Ice Pokémon. It’s genuinely mean game design.
To get through the early game, you need to stop thinking about "types" and start thinking about "utility." Honestly, the MVP of any USUM playthrough isn't your starter. It’s often something like a Zorua (found in the tall grass at Trainers' School) or a Makuhita. Why? Because the AI in this game is programmed to read your active Pokémon's weaknesses, and Zorua’s Illusion ability completely breaks their logic. They'll keep trying to use Psychic moves on what they think is a Fighting-type, while your Zorua just sits there, immune, laughing in Dark-type.
Breaking Down the Ultra Necrozma Wall
We have to talk about the dragon in the room. Ultra Necrozma is widely considered the hardest mandatory boss fight in the history of the franchise. It’s Level 60, has a massive stat boost to all its attributes (the Aura), and its moveset covers almost everything. Most players reach Megalo Tower, get one-shotted six times in a row, and wonder if they’ve forgotten how to play Pokémon.
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You can't out-level it easily because the XP curve in Alola is stingy. You have to cheese it.
One popular strategy involves a Focus Sash and a Pokémon with Endeavor. Or, better yet, the "Toxic Stall." If you have a Pokémon with the Sturdy ability—like Magnemite or Geodude—you can survive one hit, land a Toxic, and then just spam Revives on your team until the poison ticks the dragon down to zero. It feels dirty. It feels like cheating. But against a boss that gets a +1 boost to every stat before the fight even starts, it's just efficient.
Another legitimate tactic is using a Zoroark disguised as a Fighting or Poison type. Necrozma will spam Photon Geyser (a Psychic move) because it thinks it has a guaranteed kill. Since Zoroark is a Dark-type, it takes zero damage. You can just sit there and chip away.
The Mantine Surf and BP Economy
Don't ignore the beaches. Mantine Surf is more than just a mini-game; it's the most efficient way to get Battle Points (BP) early in the game. In previous generations, you had to wait until the post-game Battle Tower to get decent items. In USUM, you can get moves like Iron Head, Zen Headbutt, or Drain Punch via tutors on the islands for just a few surf sessions.
It changes the math of the game. A Hawlucha with Thunder Punch (bought with BP) can solo most of the mid-game. If you're struggling with a specific Trial, stop grinding in the grass. Go catch some waves, get 20 BP, and teach your team some coverage moves that they wouldn't naturally learn until Level 50.
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Rare Encounters and Hidden Gems
Alola is full of "low-encounter" Pokémon that actually make the game ten times easier. Everyone wants a Salamence, but did you know you can catch a Level 10-13 Salamence on Route 3? It’s an SOS call from Bagon. It has a 1% spawn rate, and then the Bagon has a tiny chance to call the Salamence. It takes hours. Is it worth it? Probably not for a casual run, but if you're doing a Nuzlocke, it's the holy grail.
More practical is the Inkay found right at the start on Route 1 (Hau'oli Outskirts). Contrary Inkay/Malamar is a godsend. When bosses use moves that are supposed to lower your stats, Contrary flips it and buffs you instead. Plus, Topsy-Turvy is the ultimate "No" button for Totem Pokémon who have those annoying stat auras. You use it, and their +1 Defense becomes a -1 Defense.
Catching the "Island Guardians" Properly
Once you finish the main story, you'll want the Tapus. Specifically, Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele are still meta-relevant in various formats. A big mistake people make is burning their Master Ball on Solgaleo or Lunala. Don't do that. The "box art" legendaries in this game have a very high catch rate because the game wants you to have them for the final fight. Save that Master Ball for a shiny encounter or a stubborn Tapu Fini that keeps healing itself with Aqua Ring.
The Rotom Dex Problem
Let's be honest: the Rotom Dex is annoying. It talks constantly. It repeats the same advice. But, the "Roto-Loto" is actually broken if you use it right. Roto Friendship helps you evolve your Pichu or Munchlax faster. Roto Exp. Points is a must-have for the late-game grind. But the king is Roto Catch. It increases catch rates significantly, making those 3% catch rate legendaries much more manageable without wasting your entire inventory of Ultra Balls.
Weather and SOS Chaining
If you want a competitive team or just a cool shiny, you have to master SOS chaining. Unlike the Pokeradar or DexNav from other games, SOS chaining is a test of patience.
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- Find the Pokémon you want.
- Get it to low HP (use False Swipe).
- Use an Adrenaline Orb.
- Kill the help it calls until a "special" one appears.
After a chain of 30, you're guaranteed at least 4 Perfect IVs. This is how you get stuff like Mareanie (which only appears if Corsola calls for help) or even a Shiny Beldum. Just remember that some Pokémon have moves that can end the battle or kill themselves (like Take Down or Self-Destruct). Bring a Pokémon with Damp or a Ghost-type to negate those risks.
Ultra Wormhole Navigation: The Shiny Hunting Hack
The Ultra Warp Ride is arguably the best part of the post-game. It’s a motion-control (or joystick, if you change it in the Game Freak office in Hehea City) mini-game where you fly through space. The further you go (measured in Light Years), the higher your shiny odds.
In the "Tier 4" holes (the ones with the double rainbow rings), the shiny rate for non-legendary Pokémon can be as high as 30% if you travel far enough. It’s the easiest way to get a Shiny Sigilyph, Floatzel, or Altaria. However, the legendaries found here—like Mewtwo or Kyogre—are not affected by this boosted rate; they stay at the base 1/4096 (or 1/1365 with the Shiny Charm).
Actionable Strategy for a Smooth Playthrough
To actually enjoy USUM without pulling your hair out, follow this specific progression path:
- Early Game: Catch an Inkay on Route 1. Its Topsy-Turvy move is the only thing that makes the later Totems manageable.
- Akala Island: Do not rush to the Fire Trial. Go to the Brooklet Hill and catch a Dewpider. Its "Water Bubble" ability makes it one of the hardest-hitting Pokémon in the game early on.
- The Mallow Trial: Use a Pokémon with the Ability "Sap Sipper" (like Goomy found in the lush jungle during rain) to completely wall Totem Lurantis.
- The Necrozma Prep: Before you head to the Altar, make sure you have at least one Pokémon with the move "Perish Song" or "Destiny Bond." If you can't beat Necrozma fairly, these moves will force a trade.
- Post-Game: Immediately go to the Battle Tree and get the Judge function for your PC. It makes sorting through your catches much faster.
The Alola region in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon isn't about the power of friendship; it's about preparation. The game expects you to use every tool—Z-Moves, SOS calls, Rotom Powers, and BP tutors—just to keep up with the AI. If you try to play this like a standard "click the strongest move" Pokémon game, you're going to see the "Whited Out" screen more than you’d like. Focus on utility, respect the Totem buffs, and for the love of Arceus, don't forget to pack some Adrenaline Orbs.