Which starter should YOU pick for your adventure in Pokemon SM/USUM? (Part 3)

Post #3: Popplio Full Analysis

Alola, everyone!

Today’s post is part 3 of my Which Starter? post on Litten last week. I will give you some tips on which starter pokémon you should choose for your playthrough(s) of Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon!

As a reminder, yes, I think that the best starter is the right choice for ALL four games, Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, which can all be played on a Nintendo 3ds. Read my post on my favorite generation of pokémon to learn more about why you should play this fantastic gen!

As a recap, the three starters of the Alola region in all four games are the grass-type Rowlet, the fire-type Litten, and the water-type Popplio. Their final evolutions all have a secondary typing, being Ghost, Dark, and Fairy respectively.

I’m going to break down each starter pick in terms of its typing, type matchups against the boss battles, z-moves, and coverage across three posts (I’ve tried to make the analysis as spoiler-free as possible!). I will then name the best one at the end post. Remember, if one starter is your favorite, choose that! No starter is “unpickable”, and all are made for you to have the best playthrough of the game. Enjoy!

Popplio

Initially, Popplio was thought to be one of the more mid-tier Pokémon starters. Definitely not on the same rank for cuteness, this pokémon has been underestimated by most. Its powerful final evolution and eventual fairy typing are one of the strongest in the game.

Popplio is a Water-type Pokémon introduced in Generation 7. It is known as the Sea Lion Pokémon. Similar to Rowlet & Litten, Popplio has a base stat total of 320. Popplio is a physical attacker, and you should try to teach it moves it can utilize well with its final form, Primarina, which has an insanely high Special Attack stat. After it evolves from Brionne, Primarina gains the Fairy type, increasing move coverage and STAB for moves like Moonblast.

Popplio evolves into Brionne at level 17, and then into Primarina at level 34.

The hard part about this is that three major trials have all three base typings, water, fire, and grass respectively. But I’ve tried my best to balance it out!

Now let’s see its effectiveness against every major battle in Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. (I’ve tried to make the analysis as spoiler-free as possible!)

Melemele Island:

Trial

Notes: All starters fare well in this trial, making it a pretty neutral matchup. The totem pokémon (in S/US) don’t have any super effective/not effective hits, so this one shouldn’t be too much of a worry for you. However, if playing M/UM, Popplio’s early fairy coverage with disarming voice will be supereffective against the totem.

Kahuna

Notes: The final fight you must beat is the grand trial of the kahuna of Melemele island, who uses mainly fighting-type pokémon. Popplio, with its fairy coverage with disarming voice, will be able to 2-or-3-shot the opposing pokémon. Score for Popplio!

Akala Island:

Trials

Water Trial

Notes: After arriving on the second island, you’ll be sent to complete the water trial and eventually battle a Totem water-type pokémon (This will slightly differ based on which game you are playing, but both totems have the primary water typing). This is the trial that Popplio is neutral against. Although a neutral match, you won’t be able to rely too heavily on Popplio because of average bulk and not many supereffective hits.

Fire Trial

Notes: Similar to the water trial, you will be encountering two different pokémon based on your version. Although they both have fire typing, their secondary typing is completely different from one another. However, it doesn’t really matter as your Popplio, (now probably a decently-level Brionne bulldozes both pokémon. This should be a quick sweep and z-move spam.

Grass Trial

Notes: For one of the hardest gyms aka trials in the franchise, the Totem will demolish your Sea Lion. Healing and support from ally will be almost too much for Brionne/Primarina to handle. The only thing that Primarina is useful for is taking out the pesky helper. That should make it easier for your fire and flying types to take out the bulky totem.

Kahuna

Notes: To progress, you must defeat the rock-type user, the kahuna of Akala island. Primarina should cleanly sweep this similarly to the fire trial.

ULA'ULA ISLAND

Trials

Electric Trial

Notes: After arriving on the third island, you’ll be sent to the Hokulani observatory to help a young scientist with his powering device, but then when the machine goes haywire a totem pokémon steps in and quells it before challenging you to the electric trial. Although the totem pokémon in SM and USUM are different, their primary electric typing spell disaster for Primarina. Better to let your starter sit this on out.

Ghost Trial

Notes: The only difference is the helper pokémon across the games, the trial in the abandoned supermarket is probably the most difficult one that is a major junction for serious rethought on the player’s end. However, Primarina can wall the totem and dish out continual damage. The Totem doesn’t have any supereffective attacks against you, and it should be a neutral sweep.

Kahuna
Notes: The kahuna of the third island is a user of Dark-type pokémon, and Primarina will probably one-shot all their pokémon.

Poni Island

Trials

Dragon Trial

Notes: On your way to save the world, you must take the trial in the cave leading up to the altar. Although not a manned trial, the game considers this as one and it should be, the dragon type being one of the strongest in the game. However, now that you should've taught Primarina some good fairy moves like Moonblast, this fight becomes trivial. Just watch out for the helper, it can get annoying at times.

Fairy Trial

Notes: Your rift venture is complete, and the fairy trial awaits. After completing the rather repetitive trial mission, the totem pokémon will appear. It’s a neutral matchup and similar to the ghost trial. You should wall this oversized pokémon with Primarina and be able to KO it in a few turns.

Kahuna
Notes: The final grand trial against the ground-type kahuna is a piece of cake and sweep for Primarina. Its supereffective water-type attacks will OHKO all the opposing pokémon

Elite Four

Notes: Unfortunately, one of the elite four members depends on the version, so I won’t be able to break down each fight without spoilers, so I’m just going to rate Primarina generally. (But to be honest, you should just be sweeping with Ultra Necrozma at this point)

Notes: Primarina has an advantage over most, except if playing USUM try to not take much damage from the one that is replaced in SM, as it has supereffective coverage against you. Other than that, it’s an easy sweep.

Champion

Notes: Similar to the Elite Four, the champion depends on your version, but their teams don’t differ much in terms of coverage. The champion in SM has the starter strong to yours, however in USUM the starter weak to yours. Primarina will have a strong typing against both champions’ teams, and you should be able to easily combat both teams with your strong team of 6. All in all, Popplio has a good early to the middle game and very strong late game, being supereffective to all kahunas and most totem fights.

And that concludes Popplios analysis for a full playthrough of Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. Remember, this is all opinion and if a starter you like better than the other is based on pure cosmetics, pick that one! All starters are around the same strength level and Gamefreak did a good job trying to balance them! Tune in next week for Popplio’s full analysis, remember to subscribe, share, and like! Sayonara, from KidLokSe!!!