Sun and Moon island challenge and Totem strategy
Prepare for aura boosts, SOS allies and the seven original trial Totems, then the four kahuna grand trials.
Original Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon for Nintendo 3DS (2016). Sun and Moon differences are labelled. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon have a different story, expanded Pokédex and altered trials.
Seven original trial Totems
| Captain / island | Trial site | Original Totem | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilima / Melemele | Verdant Cavern | Gumshoos (Sun) / Alolan Raticate (Moon) | Normalium Z |
| Lana / Akala | Brooklet Hill | Wishiwashi, School Form | Waterium Z |
| Kiawe / Akala | Wela Volcano Park | Salazzle | Firium Z |
| Mallow / Akala | Lush Jungle | Lurantis | Grassium Z |
| Sophocles / Ula’ula | Hokulani Observatory | Vikavolt | Electrium Z |
| Acerola / Ula’ula | Abandoned Thrifty Megamart | Mimikyu | Ghostium Z |
| No captain / Poni | Vast Poni Canyon | Kommo-o | Dragonium Z |
Treat the ally as part of the encounter
A Totem starts with an aura stat boost and can call an ally into battle. You control one active Pokémon, so a long fight can expose it to two enemy actions per turn. Decide whether to remove a disruptive ally first or use strong focused damage on the Totem. Preserve a second healthy answer in case the opening plan fails. The trainer reference records the original levels and allies.
Use the actual matchup
Ground attacks work well against Salazzle but fail against Vikavolt because of Levitate. Mimikyu’s Disguise blocks the first damaging hit; avoid spending your one Z-Move on that protection. Lurantis’s allies can support its Solar Blade plan. Kommo-o is Dragon/Fighting, giving Fairy attacks a particularly strong matchup. Check secondary types and Abilities before committing to a move.
Four grand trials and Mina’s original role
Hala, Olivia, Nanu and Hapu specialise in Fighting, Rock, Dark and Ground respectively. These are trainer battles rather than catchable Totem encounters. Mina gives Fairium Z during the Poni canyon journey without conducting a full Fairy trial. Totem Araquanid, Marowak, Togedemaru and Ribombee are part of Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon’s altered progression.
These guides cover original Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon (2016). Check the version and in-game time before planning an encounter.