New Z-Moves, Ultra Beasts And Alolan Pokemon Announced For Pokemon Sun & Moon

The Pokemon Company International and Nintendo announced new information for the latest games in the Pokemon franchise, Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon, available in North America on November 18 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. The following new Pokemon were officially revealed:

Alolan Diglett

Type: Ground–Steel

The Mole Pokemon Alolan Diglett live near volcanic areas, so they have few places to hide themselves away. It’s said they developed the hairlike metallic whiskers which grow from the top of their heads as a survival mechanism for the hostile volcanic environment. Their whiskers enable them to sense surrounding areas without exposing their face above ground. Alolan Diglett can have the Tangling Hair Ability, which is a new Ability that no other Pokemon has previously had. With the Tangling Hair Ability, opponents that hit this Pokemon with a move that makes direct contact will have their speed lowered by 1.

Alolan Dugtrio

Type: Ground–Steel
Alolan Dugtrio is the evolved form of Alolan Diglett. Alolan Dugtrio’s whiskers grow throughout its life at a very slow rate, shining with a brilliance akin to that of golden hair. In the Alola region, this Pokemon is revered as an incarnation of the god of the land, and it’s treated with great importance. Removing any of this Pokemon’s whiskers is strictly prohibited. There is a superstitious belief that many Alolan Dugtrio come out of their burrows on a day when a volcano will erupt.

Also revealed were the following new Ultra Beasts:

UB-05 Glutton

This beast has an astounding appetite, and it will completely devour anything in front of its eyes. It’s said that it devours not only objects, but the ground, rivers, and even the seas. There is a belief that it converts the abnormal amount it eats entirely into energy to sustain itself, leaving no waste product behind. Whether this is true or not is a mystery.

UB-03 Lighting

Another of the Ultra Beasts is known as UB-03 Lighting. More will be revealed during the players’ adventures around the Alola region.

The image of one additional Pokemon was also revealed, but players will have to pick up the games when they launch on November 18 to find out more about this mysterious Pokemon!

Each of the three Pokemon that you can choose as your first partner during your adventure have an exclusive Z-Move that they can use only after they fully evolve. These moves are:

Z-Move: Sinister Arrow Raid

Pokemon: Decidueye
Decidueye slices through the air together with a hail of arrow quills, crashing into the target before dealing the final blow with its arrows.

Z-Move: Malicious Moonsault

Pokemon: Incineroar

With flames spouting from its flame belt, Incineroar leaps high into the sky and dives straight down onto its target.

Z-Move: Oceanic Operetta

Pokemon: Primarina
Primarina manipulates a huge balloon using its voice, then causes it to explode over its target’s head, dealing a lot of damage.

Z-Moves are special moves that a Pokemon can use when it’s holding a Z-Crystal that corresponds to its move’s type. Their effects vary greatly depending on whether they’re based on attack moves or status moves. Z-Moves based on attack moves have far greater power than standard moves, but how powerful they will be seems to depend on the power of the original move that a Z-Move is based on. Since Z-Moves are full-powered attacks, they also seem to be impossible to fully ward off with moves like Protect and Detect—they still do some damage. When you use your Z-Power based on a status move, it will be powered up with additional effects. These effects come in many varieties, including raising your own Pokemon’s stats, healing the next Pokemon to switch in and more!