Selecting your Pokémon starter Pokémon Sun and Moon partner felt like a massive life decision back in 2016. It still kind of does if you’re revisiting Alola on a 3DS or an emulator. You’re standing there in Iki Town. Professor Kukui is doing his "masked royal" bit, and the Kahuna, Hala, presents three wooden Poké Balls.
Rowlet. Litten. Popplio.
Most people just pick the one that looks the coolest. That’s fair. But honestly, if you’re looking at the Alola region’s specific difficulty spikes—and trust me, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon made those spikes feel like mountains—your choice determines if the first fifteen hours of your life are a breeze or a total nightmare. Alola ditched Gyms for Island Trials. It changed the math. Suddenly, you weren’t just fighting a guy with three Geodudes; you were fighting "Totem" Pokémon with boosted stats and "SOS" allies that turned every battle into a lopsided gang-up.
Why Rowlet is the False Prophet of the Alola Region
Rowlet is adorable. Everyone loves the round owl. It’s the only dual-type starter in this trio right out of the gate, being Grass/Flying. You’d think that gives you a massive advantage. It doesn't.
Actually, Rowlet is a trap for new players.
In the early game of Pokémon starter Pokémon Sun and Moon, your first major hurdle is the Verdant Cavern trial against Totem Gumshoos or Raticate. Rowlet does... okay. But then you hit the second island. You go up against Mallow’s trial or Olivia’s Rock-type Pokémon. Rowlet’s Flying typing makes it weak to the very things it should be beating. By the time it evolves into Decidueye, it loses its Flying type and becomes Grass/Ghost.
Ghost is a cool typing, sure. Spirit Shackle is an incredible move for trapping opponents. But Decidueye is slow. In a region where almost every new Pokémon feels like it’s moving through molasses, Decidueye’s base 70 Speed is a liability. You’re going to get hit first. A lot.
If you choose Rowlet, you’re playing the game on "Hard Mode" without realizing it. You have to supplement your team with something fast, like a Salandit or a Lycanroc, just to stay afloat. It’s a rewarding path, but it’s definitely the path of most resistance.
The Litten Meta: Intimidate is the Only Stat That Matters
Then there’s Litten. Fire cats are a staple of the franchise, but Incineroar is a different beast entirely. When the leaks first happened, people were genuinely upset that it turned into a bipedal wrestler. They wanted a sleek four-legged panther.
They were wrong to complain.
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Incineroar is arguably the greatest Pokémon starter Pokémon Sun and Moon gave us, at least from a competitive and utility standpoint. It transitions from Fire to Fire/Dark. This is huge. It gives you a complete immunity to Psychic-type moves, which are everywhere in the late-game Aether Foundation segments.
But the real secret sauce? The Hidden Ability: Intimidate.
If you managed to get a Litten with Intimidate through an event or breeding, the game is basically over. Every time Incineroar switches in, it lowers the opponent's Attack. In the VGC (Video Game Championships) world, Incineroar became the most used Pokémon in history. It was everywhere. It’s still everywhere. Even in a casual playthrough, Darkest Lariat ignores the stat changes of those annoying Totem Pokémon. It just hits through their defense buffs like they aren't even there.
Litten starts slow against the first Kahuna, who uses Fighting types, but once it hits its stride, it carries the entire team. It's the "Tank" choice.
Popplio and the "Easy Mode" Secret
Popplio got bullied. Hard. When the first trailers dropped, the internet decided the "clown seal" was the loser of the group.
Funny how things work out.
Popplio is actually the "Easy Mode" button for Pokémon starter Pokémon Sun and Moon. Its final evolution, Primarina, is Water/Fairy. Fairy is the strongest type in the game, period. It destroys the endgame. When you face off against the Dragon-type trial at the end of the game (the Kommo-o trial), Primarina just walks through it. Dragons can't touch it.
Primarina also has a massive Special Attack stat. Most of the high-defense Pokémon in Alola are physically bulky. They have high Defense but low Special Defense. Primarina’s Sparkling Aria or Moonblast will one-shot almost anything in the main story.
Plus, you get the Z-Move "Oceanic Operetta." It looks ridiculous—it’s a giant water spirit bomb—but it deletes bosses from existence. If you don't want to grind, and you want to see the credits as fast as possible, you pick the seal.
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The Totem Problem
You have to consider the SOS mechanic. In Sun and Moon, the Totem Pokémon calls for help.
If you have Rowlet, and the Totem calls a bird to help it, you're in trouble.
If you have Litten, and the Totem calls something that uses Water moves, you're in trouble.
If you have Popplio, your biggest threat is Electric or Grass, which are relatively rare in the major boss fights compared to the sheer volume of Fire, Rock, and Dragon types you'll encounter.
The game's pacing is weird. It’s cutscene-heavy. You spend a lot of time talking to Lillie and Hau. Because the game stops you so often, you want a starter that can end battles quickly.
Stat Breakdown: What You're Actually Working With
Let's look at the numbers because they don't lie.
Decidueye
- HP: 78
- Attack: 107
- Special Attack: 100
- Speed: 70
- Best use: Mixed attacker, but fragile.
Incineroar
- HP: 95
- Attack: 115
- Defense: 90
- Speed: 60
- Best use: Physical powerhouse that can take a hit.
Primarina
- HP: 80
- Special Attack: 126
- Special Defense: 116
- Speed: 60
- Best use: Special nuke and Fairy-type coverage.
Notice a pattern? They are all slow. Alola is the slowest region in Pokémon history. This means your "choice" of Pokémon starter Pokémon Sun and Moon is less about outspeeding the opponent and more about surviving the first hit and hitting back twice as hard.
Beyond the Starter: Building the Support Team
You can't solo Alola with just one Pokémon. The game won't let you.
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If you went with Rowlet, go catch a Salandit (make sure it's female so it can evolve into Salazzle) immediately. You need the Poison/Fire coverage.
If you picked Litten, grab a Mudbray. Mudsdale is arguably the best non-legendary Pokémon in the entire game. Its "Stamina" ability raises its Defense every single time it gets hit. It becomes unkillable.
If you picked Popplio, you need something for Electric types. An Alolan Dugtrio is funny-looking with the hair, but it's fast and hits hard.
The Island Challenge Truth
Most people forget that the Alola starters are "weighted" differently based on which version you play. In Ultra Sun, the difficulty is cranked up. The Ultra Necrozma fight is famous for ending Nuzlocke runs.
None of the starters can solo Ultra Necrozma. That thing has a +1 boost to all stats and will outspeed your entire team. However, Incineroar has the best chance because of its Dark typing. It can at least switch in on a Psychic move without evaporating instantly.
Is there a wrong choice? Not really. It’s Pokémon. You can win with a Magikarp if you have enough items. But there is an optimal choice.
If we are being brutally honest about the Pokémon starter Pokémon Sun and Moon experience:
- Primarina is the most efficient for the story.
- Incineroar is the most useful for post-game and competitive play.
- Decidueye is the "cool factor" choice that requires the most strategy to use effectively.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Alola Run
If you're booting up the game today, don't just mash the A button.
- Check Natures: If your Rowlet has a nature that lowers its Attack or Special Attack (like Bold or Impish), reset. You need every bit of damage.
- The Friendship Mechanic: Spend five minutes in Pokémon Refresh. If your starter loves you, it will literally "tough it out" on 1 HP just so you don't feel sad. It's a broken mechanic that makes the hard boss fights much easier.
- Island Scan: Use the QR scanner. You can find non-Alolan Pokémon like Charmander or Squirtle on specific days. This fills the gaps your starter leaves behind.
- Z-Crystals: Don't hoard them. Use them on the first turn of a Totem fight to try and knock them out before they can call for help.
Alola is a beautiful, albeit slow, departure from the standard Pokémon formula. Whether you're team owl, team cat, or team seal, just remember that the game is designed to counter you. Build your team to cover your starter's back, and you'll actually enjoy the tropical vacation instead of blacking out at every trial.
Next Steps for Players:
Check the current day of the week before using your Island Scan to ensure you're catching a Pokémon that actually complements your starter's weaknesses. If you're playing Ultra Sun/Moon, prioritize finding a Pokémon with the move "Toxic" or a "Focus Sash" early, as you will absolutely need a stall strategy for the late-game Ultra Beast encounters. Find a female Salandit in Wela Volcano Park early—the male ones cannot evolve, and Salazzle's "Corrosion" ability is the only way to poison Steel and Poison-type bosses.