Totem Pokemon

Totem Pokémon are a unique variant of regular Pokémon in the Alola region that stand out from their peers not only in terms of size and power but also in terms of intelligence and the capacity to increase their stats using energy from another world entirely. In essence, Totem Pokémon are special Pokémon trained by the Trial Captains of the Alola Islands that can be distinguished from their normal counterparts by their larger size and the fact that they can weigh approximately two to four times as much as their normal counterparts, granting them an imposing figure that can even intimidate humans to a great degree. These Pokémon generally serve as challenging opponents that will only appear to trainers that have succeed in making it to the end of one of the seven Island Trials of the Alola region, serving as their final opponent before they have the right to say that they have completed the Trail assigned to the guardian’s representative type. Battling against these creatures is difficult for at least four main reasons. First of all, these creatures have access to powerful moves that they normally should not have access to, even at the high level they are found at compared to other wild Pokémon in an area. Secondly, they will never battle alone, always calling in at least one if not a few allies to help them in battle, rendering all battles with them as an SOS encounter. Thirdly, they are much more intelligent than other wild Pokémon in an area and will battle against their opponents much as a trainer would, using specific strategies to devastate their enemies and prove themselves to be a challenging beast to overcome. Lastly, and perhaps most bizarrely, these creatures have the power to energize themselves using a weakened version of the Beast Boost Ability immediately upon entering a battle, brought on as a result of constant exposure to Ultra Wormhole energy from the portals that continuously open up and rain the power down onto Pokémon below. While they cannot raise their stats as drastically in some cases as the Ultra Beasts, they can nonetheless use this to their advantage and help to make life difficult for any trainers looking to conquer them and pass the Island Trial they serve as guardians to.

LIST OF TOTEM POKÉMON

Trial #1: Normal-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Gumshoos (Day), Aloan Raticate (Night)
SOS Summon: Yungoos (Day), Alolan Rattata (Night)
Beast Boost Stat Change: Raises Defense, Raises all stats (rare occasions)
General Strategies:

Gumshoos: This Totem Pokémon, which is only faced by trainers during bright daylight hours, normally does not use much in the way of strategy in battle, instead sticking to basic attacks (with some variety in moves like Crunch and Ice Fang) in order to deal damage, but it is capable of using its Super Fang attack to deal critical damage to the opposition before finishing it off with basic attacks from there as well as using a Protect technique to keep itself safe from at least some blows. The Yungoos that it summons will generally fight back with basic moves as well, but it is capable of using Mud-Slap to lower one’s Accuracy as well as Torment to limit the moves that can be used, helping to compliment the Totem Pokémon’s Protect technique and in turn make it incredibly hard to directly damage. The Pokémon is carrying either a Pecha Berry or a Chople berry, so outlasting it via Poisoning or attacking directly with Fighting-type attacks is not a useful option.

Alolan Raticate: This Totem Pokémon, which is only faced by trainers during the night, does not use much in the way of strategy in battle as long as it is relatively complacent, instead sticking to basic attacks deal damage, but if angered it can employ powerful Hyper Fang and Throat Chop attacks to deal serious damage as well as Protect and Double Team techniques to make it incredibly hard to directly damage. The Alolan Rattata that it summons will basically act as just an extra enemy and will not seriously help the Totem Pokémon in battle, but it can use Torment to restrict the types of moves that one’s Pokémon is capable of using. The Pokémon is carrying either a Pecha Berry or a Chople berry, so outlasting it via Poisoning or attacking directly with Fighting-type attacks is not a useful option.


Trial #2 [Present]: Water-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Araquanid
SOS Summon: Masquerain, Dewpider
Beast Boost Stat Change: Raises Speed
General Strategies: This Totem Pokémon does not have the strongest off offenses on its side, but its defenses nonetheless make it a severe threat as it can take quite a beating before finally fainting. This creature’s only useful STAB move id Bubble, but the combination of the rainy weather that often accompanies it and its Water Bubble Ability increases the damage output of the attack by an exponential degree, making it more powerful than nearly any other Water-type move from any other normal Pokémon. In addition, it is armed with Bite and Leech Life attacks to deal damage and lessen the damage dealt to it, as well as an Aurora Beam attack to take care of any Flying-type Pokémon that might try to take advantage of its weakness to the type. Both of the Pokémon it can summon via SOS are designed to cripple the opposition with moves like Stun Spore, Scary Face, Tailwind, Sticky Web and Rain Dance, making it easier for Araquanid to finish them off with its meager offenses. This Totem Pokémon is further equipped with a Wacan Berry to help mitigate the damage dealt by super-effective Electric-type moves, making it incredibly difficult to deal considerable damage to it with conventional strategies.

Trial #2 [Past]: Water-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Wishiwashi (School Form)
SOS Summon: Wishiwashi, Alomomola
Beast Boost Stat Change: Raises Defense
General Strategies: This Totem Pokémon’s incredibly high offensive and defensive stats serve as the biggest issue that needs to be overcome in battle to stand a chance against it. It only has a Water Gun attack to rely on for offense, but it makes up for this by also having the ability to use a Rain Dance technique to increase the power of its Water-type moves. Both of the Pokémon it can summon via SOS are equipped with the Helping Hand technique, which they will use to boost its offensive power even more so to ensure that no Pokémon is capable of withstanding a direct hit from it. The Alomomola it summons may even use Heal Pulse to aid in keeping the Totem Pokémon healthy, lengthening the battle considerably. Its Schooling Ability will deactivate once it has less than 25% of its maximum HP left, but the Sitrus Berry it holds can help it recover energy and stave off that severe reduction in power for a while.


Trial #3 [Present]: Fire-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Alolan Marowak
SOS Summon: Salazzle
Beast Boost Stat Change: Sharply raises Speed
General Strategies: This Totem Boss is built to use both pure power and tactics in order to batter down the opposition and make itself a severe threat to face under most circumstances. The beast is armed with Flame Wheel and Brick Break attacks for both STAB coverage and to deal with any Rock-type Pokémon that might enter the battlefield, and is additionally armed with a Detect technique for protection and a Hex attack to take advantage of any status conditions that might be inflicted on its target. The Salazzle that acts as its SOS backup is mainly there in order to use a combination of Poison Gas and Venoshock to deal increased damage and power up the Totem’s own Hex attack. Strong defenses are highly recommended for taking it on, as the Totem Pokémon is holding a Thick Club and thus will be able to deal physical damage with twice the power it otherwise would have.

Trial #3 [Past]: Fire-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Salazzle
SOS Summon: Salandit
Beast Boost Stat Change: Raises Special Defense
General Strategies: This Totem Pokémon specializes in using moves like Torment and Toxic to keep the opposition from using its strongest attacks repeatedly and thus ending the fight before Toxic can deal critical damage to them. It cannot directly take advantage of the effects of Toxic on its own, but the Salandit that it summons via SOS is equipped with Venoshock, which can easily deal massive damage if it or the Totem Pokémon has Poisoned one’s Pokémon. The Totem Pokémon is equipped with a Petaya Berry to increase the power of its special attacks in a pinch, and can thus prove to be a serious headache to have to fight against with weakened and Poisoned Pokémon.


Trial #4: Grass-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Lurantis
SOS Summon: Castform and Trumbeak [Past], Kecleon and Comfey [Present]
Beast Boost Stat Change: Sharply raises Speed
General Strategies: The Power Herb that this Totem Pokémon holds is designed to enable it to automatically power-up the devastating Solar Blade attack it has access to in order to obliterate its opposition, and this first blow will not be the last time it might use the move without a need to spend a turn charging. It is further armed with Low Sweep and X-Scissor attacks in order to fend of opponents that might otherwise try to win with a type advantage or at least a type resistance. In the past, while the Trumbeak that this Pokémon can summon via SOS can act to lower the Defense stat of one’s Pokémon with Screech while Confusing it with Supersonic, the Castform that the Totem Pokémon could have summon would have been a much bigger threat, as it could use Sunny Day to not only eliminate the need for the Totem Pokémon to charge a turn to use Solar Blade but also intensify the effectiveness of its Synthesis technique, in turn making it nigh impossible to keep damage retained on the Totem Pokémon. The new SOS partners are both capable of using a Sunny Day technique to the same effect, but the Comfey is additionally armed with moves like Flower Shield to make the Totem Pokémon harder to damage with conventional physical attacks.


Trial #5 [Present]: Electric-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Togedemaru
SOS Summon: Skarmory, Dedenne
Beast Boost Stat Change: Sharply raises Defense
General Strategies: This Totem Pokémon utilizes its defenses to keep itself safe from harm while it heckles its targets with moves like Spiky Shield and Bounce to damage and inflict Paralysis, complimented by its Iron Head and Zing Zap attacks and the Sitrus Berry that it holds to help recover some of its energy in a pinch. The Pokémon partners it can summon via SOS are not incredibly dangerous on their own, but they are armed with a variety of support moves that can set up hazards and support for the Totem Pokémon while debilitating whatever Pokémon they are faced with and making it even harder to deal damage to the Totem Pokémon effectively.

Trial #5 [Past]: Electric-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Vikavolt
SOS Summon: Charjabug (X2)
Beast Boost Stat Change: Raises Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed
General Strategies: This Totem Pokémon will general rely on its Spark attack to inflict the most damage in battle, powering it up beforehand with a Charge technique to maximize the damage it deals. The Charjabug that it summons via SOS are not a big threat on their own aside from the Thunder Wave technique they have access to, and while their Battery Ability could normally be a threat as well, this Totem Pokémon sadly does not have any special attacks it can use to take advantage of said Ability. The Totem Pokémon is holding an Occa Berry, however, so Fire-type attacks should be avoided to maximize the amount of damage one can deal to the Totem Pokémon.


Trial #6: Ghost-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Mimikyu
SOS Summon: Haunter, Gengar [Past], Banette and Jellicent [Present]
Beast Boost Stat Change: Raises Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed
General Strategies: This Totem Pokémon does not have any serious tricks up its sleeve and instead relies on brute force to defeat its opposition, striking hard with attacks like Shadow Claw and Play Rough, though it does have access to a Mimic technique in case turning the opposition’s own power against them would be advantageous. The Haunter and Gengar it used to summon via SOS did not have any moves that could seriously boost the power of the Totem Pokémon, but there was no need as they were handy combatants themselves and could prove to be a frustrating challenge to overcome if they managed to successfully use Hypnosis on one’s Pokémon. The newer allies are able to more effectively manipulate the opposition to weaken them and make it easier for the Totem Pokémon to deal devastating damage to its targets. The Totem Pokémon’s Disguise Ability can help it take the brunt of at least one strike and thus give it plenty of time to summon an ally into battle before any real damage can be done to it, and the Lum Berry it holds can help protect it from debilitating status conditions.


Trial #7: Dragon-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Kommo-o
SOS Summon: Hakamo-o, Scizor [Past], Scizor and Noivern [Preent]
Beast Boost Stat Change: Raises Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed
General Strategies: This Totem Pokémon specializes in using little more than brute strength and defensive measures in order to defeat opponents, relying on moves like Sky Uppercut, Drain Punch, Dragon Claw, Thunder Punch and Poison Jab to deal the most damage. However, it is also equipped with some special attacks like Clanging Scales and even Flash Cannon to destroy any opponents that it comes across not expecting a long-range fight, and it is additionally armed with a Protect technique to keep itself safe and even have enough time to summon allies into the fray via SOS. The Hakamo-o that it used to summon would generally try to boost its stats with Autotomize and Work Up to increase its offensive power and mobility as much as possible before attacking, while the Scizor was equipped with moves like Leer and Pursuit to weaken opponents and deal critical damage to them if they try to run away or are switched out by a trainer, with more recent iterations using Light Screen to protect the Totem Pokémon while striking out with its own powerful attacks; the newly-added Noivern ally can also make itself a hassle with its own suite of powerful attacks, as well as a Screech technique that can help the Totem Pokémon deal damage with its physical attacks. The Totem Pokémon is equipped with a Roseli Berry to deal with Fairy-type opponents, in turn forcing opponents to find different ways to damage the imposing defenses possessed by this powerful Totem Pokémon.


Trial #8: Fairy-type Trial
Totem Pokémon: Ribombee
SOS Summon: Blissey, Pelipper
Beast Boost Stat Change: Sharply raises Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed
General Strategies: This Totem Pokémon specializes in using the power of the teamwork via SOS to the utmost to make it into a terrible opponent to have to take down. It will generally rely on its Quiver Dance technique to increase its stats even more so than the Beast Boost does before assaulting its targets with Bug Buzz and Dazzling Gleam attacks, as well as a Draining Kiss attack to restore any lost energy. Its held Occa Berry can make it a pain to take down with simple Fire-type assaults, and its potential SOS partner Pelipper can make things even worse thanks to its Drizzle Ability and access to defense-raising moves that can make it a pain to take out. Its other potential partner, Blissey, can use a lot of support moves to power up and heal the Totem Pokémon, making it almost impossible to deal any direct damage and therefore requiring challengers to find a way around these supports in order to actually outlast and defeat the Totem Pokémon.

Professor Wormwood