You’re standing in the middle of Route 8 on Akala Island. The sun is setting over the Alolan horizon, and honestly, you're probably just trying to fill out that Pokedex without losing your mind. If you’re hunting for Pokemon Ultra Moon fossils, you've likely realized that this game doesn't just hand them out like candy. It’s a bit of a grind. Unlike the older Kanto games where you basically tripped over a Dome Fossil in Mt. Moon, Ultra Moon locks its prehistoric treasures behind a specific shop and some pretty annoying version-exclusive barriers. It's vintage Game Freak. They want you to trade. They want you to interact. But sometimes, you just want an Armaldo without having to beg people on a Discord server.
The Stone Shop in Konikoni City is Your Best Friend
Forget mining. Forget smashing rocks for hours hoping for a 1% drop rate. In Pokémon Ultra Moon, the primary way to get your hands on those ancient remains is through Olivia’s jewelry shop in Konikoni City.
You’ll find an NPC near the counter who sells them. It’s that simple, yet strangely easy to miss if you’re just rushing through the story to fight the next Kahuna. Here’s the catch: she only sells a limited selection, and she only sells one of each. This isn't an infinite prehistoric buffet. If you want more, you’re going to have to head over to Poke Pelago and hope your Isle Aphun expeditions bring back something good. Isle Aphun is basically the "set it and forget it" gambling mechanic of the Alola region. You send your Pokemon out on a "Path for Rare Treasure" or "Path for Interesting Items," wait 24 hours, and pray.
Which Fossils Are Actually in Ultra Moon?
If you’re playing Ultra Moon, you have access to a specific set that differs from Ultra Sun. It’s the classic version-split headache.
In the Konikoni shop, you can buy the Shield Fossil, the Sail Fossil, the Root Fossil, and the Armor Fossil. This means you’re looking at Shieldon, Amaura, Lileep, and Cranidos. Wait—I misspoke. Cranidos is actually an Ultra Sun exclusive. In Ultra Moon, you get the Plume Fossil (Archen) instead.
See? Even as an expert, the overlap is confusing because it flips the scripts of previous generations. Basically, if you want a Tyrunt or a Tirtouga, you’re looking at the wrong game box. You’ll need to find a friend who has Ultra Sun or use the GTS—if the GTS is even behaving itself these days.
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How to Actually Revive Them (Don't Go to a Lab)
Most people naturally assume there's a high-tech lab with scientists in white coats waiting to help. Nope. Not in Alola. To turn that dusty rock into a living, breathing creature, you have to go to Route 8.
There’s a small, somewhat hidden path that leads to a Fossil Restoration Center. It’s basically a guy in a trailer. It feels a bit sketchy, like you're getting a bootleg Pokemon, but he’s the real deal. He takes your fossil, puts it into a machine, and a few seconds later, you’ve got a Level 15 (usually) prehistoric Pokemon.
The level is low. You’ll have to baby them through some encounters or just dump a bunch of Exp. Candies on them if you’re playing in the modern era. But honestly, watching an Amaura take its first steps in the Alolan heat is worth the trek.
The Poke Pelago Strategy
If you burned through your one-time purchases in Konikoni City, don't panic. Isle Aphun on Poke Pelago is the only way to farm these things infinitely.
- Upgrade Isle Aphun to Level 3 immediately. Don't waste time on Level 1 or 2.
- Select the Path for Rare Treasure.
- Use Poke Beans to cut the time in half.
- Check back every 12 hours.
It’s a RNG (Random Number Generator) nightmare. Some weeks you’ll get three Cover Fossils, and other weeks you’ll get nothing but Hard Stones and Float Stones. It’s frustrating. But if you're trying to shiny hunt these things through soft resetting at the restoration van, having a stockpile of fossils makes the process significantly faster.
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Why Some Fossils Are Better Than Others
Let’s talk meta. Not all Pokemon Ultra Moon fossils are created equal.
Aurorus (from the Sail Fossil) is a glass cannon. It looks majestic, but that Rock/Ice typing is a defensive nightmare. It has four-times weaknesses to Fighting and Steel. In a region where every third trainer has a Lucario or a Metagross, Aurorus struggles.
On the flip side, Carracosta (if you manage to trade for a Tirtouga) or even Bastiodon can be absolute tanks. Bastiodon is essentially a sentient brick wall. If you're playing through the main story, Bastiodon can stall out some of the more difficult Totem Pokemon, giving you time to heal up your heavy hitters.
Archen (Plume Fossil) is another weird one. Archeops has stats that rival some Legendaries, but its "Defeatist" ability is a total buzzkill. Once its HP drops below half, its attack power gets slashed. It’s a high-risk, high-reward playstyle that requires you to be fast and hit hard before the opponent can even breathe on you.
Shiny Hunting Your Ancient Pokemon
If you’re a glutton for punishment, you might want a shiny fossil Pokemon.
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Since the man on Route 8 "gives" you the Pokemon, it isn't affected by the Shiny Charm in the same way wild encounters are. The odds are a flat 1 in 4096.
The strategy is simple:
- Save your game right in front of the restoration guy.
- Give him the fossil.
- Check the summary.
- If it’s not a weird color, L+R+Start (or Select) to soft reset.
- Repeat until you lose your mind or get the shiny.
The Version Exclusive Problem
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you want the "cool" ones like Tyrantrum (the T-Rex), you’re out of luck in a vacuum. Ultra Moon gives you the "defensive" or "graceful" options, while Ultra Sun gets the aggressive ones.
Ultra Moon Exclusive Fossils:
- Shield Fossil (Shieldon)
- Sail Fossil (Amaura)
- Root Fossil (Lileep)
- Plume Fossil (Archen)
- Water-type fossils vary, but usually, it's the Cover Fossil (Tirtouga) that stays on the Sun side.
To get the full set, you basically have two options: the GTS or local trading. Since the 3DS online services have seen better days, I highly recommend finding a local group or using specialized trading forums. People are usually willing to trade a Cranidos for a Shieldon just to tick off that box in their Dex.
Actionable Steps for Fossil Collectors
If you’re starting your hunt right now, do this:
- Fly to Konikoni City. Go to the shop across from the Pokemon Center. Buy every fossil the lady has. It’ll cost you some Poke Dollars, but by mid-game, you should be flush with cash.
- Fly to Route 8. Go to the Fossil Restoration Center. Talk to the guy near the machine. Turn those stones into Pokemon.
- Check your Isle Aphun. If you aren't already running expeditions, start today. You need a consistent flow of items to find the rare fossils that aren't sold in shops.
- Prepare for the GTS. If you're missing the Ultra Sun exclusives, breed your newly revived Shieldon or Archen. People are way more likely to trade an exclusive for an exclusive.
- Check the stats. Before you add that Cradily to your team, remember that its Hidden Ability (Storm Drain) is much better than its standard one, but you won't get Hidden Abilities from the fossil guy. For that, you’ll need to do some serious SOS chaining or trading.
Fossil Pokemon represent some of the most unique designs in the series. They aren't always the strongest, and the acquisition process in Alola is a bit clunky, but they add a layer of history to your team that modern "living" Pokemon just don't have. Get to Konikoni, spend your money, and go see that guy in the trailer on Route 8.