Alola first partner Pokémon

The three Alola starter Pokémon: Rowlet (left), Litten (mid) and Popplio (right)

The Alola Starter Pokémon can be picked out of three Pokémon that new trainers will obtain in their journey which cannot be found in the Alola Region itself. The Pokémon in question are:

• Rowlet, the Grass/Flying type which evolves into Dartrix, then to Decidueye which replaces its Flying type with the Ghost type.
• Litten, the Fire type which evolves into Torracat, then to Incineroar which grants it the additional type of Dark.
• Popplio, the Water type which evolves into Brionne, then to Primarina which grants it the additional type of Fairy.

Pokémon	Type	Ability
Rowlet	Grass/Flying	Overgrow
Litten	Fire	Blaze
Popplio	Water	Torrent

Games

Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, after returning from Mahalo Trail and arrive back in Iki Town, the Kahuna of Melemele Island, Hala/Professor Kukui, will offer the Starter Pokémon to choose from. A ceremony will occur after choosing the first Pokémon. Hau will always have the Pokémon that is the weakest to the chosen starter.

The player character's choice will also influence other battles in the game.

• Ilima's Smeargle's second move during the battle in Hau'oli City Marina will variate in: Leafage, Ember or Water Gun; the chosen move will be super effective against the player character's starter choice.
• Gladion's Silvally will have the type that is super effective against the chosen starter.
• Professor Kukui will use the starter Pokémon that is super effective against the chosen starter in the Pokémon League battle.
• Hau's Eevee will evolve into the Eeveelution that is super effective against the chosen starter.

Pokémon Sword and Shield

In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield The Isle of Armor Expansion Pass, after collecting 100 Alolan Diglett, Diglett's Trainer will give the player the Alolan starter that corresponds to the same type of the Galar starter the player chose:

• If the player character chose Grookey, then they'll receive a Rowlet.
• If the player character chose Scorbunny, then they'll receive a Litten.
• If the player character chose Sobble, then they'll receive a Popplio.

Anime

Alola first partner Pokémon in the anime.

Unlike the Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Moon games, it is unknown if any beginning Trainer who originated in Alola can receive one of the first partner Pokémon in Rowlet, Litten and Popplio from Hala or Professor Kukui. However, a school was shown to give one of them to a beginning Trainer who is a student.

• Lana's Popplio.
• Ash's Rowlet.
• Ash's Litten.

1/3

Main

• Lana caught Popplio in Alola as her Pokémon partner, after rescuing her from Team Skull. She evolved into a Brionne and then into Primarina.
• Ash reused the same pattern that he did in Sinnoh, where he caught two out of three starter Pokémon. This time, of course, he obtained Rowlet and Litten. However, unlike the Sinnoh starters, Litten was the only starter to evolve, as he became a Torracat and later an Incineroar, while Rowlet did not evolve, as he ended up using an Everstone while using one of his moves and became physically incapable of evolution.

Recurring

Professor Kukui's Litten.

• Professor Kukui started with Litten as he had it since he was little as it evolved into Torracat, then into Incineroar.
• Hau started with Rowlet as it evolved into Dartrix then into Decidueye.

Minor

• Ida first Pokémon was Popplio as it evolved into Brionne then later into Primarina.

Manga

Main articles: Dollar, Moon's Decidueye, and Hau's Primarina

• Sun's Litten
• Moon's Rowlet
• Hau's Popplio

1/3

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Professor Kukui gave Litten and Rowlet to Sun and Moon. The third first partner, Popplio, was handed to Hau. By the time Sun and Moon were trapped in Ultra Space, the three Pokémon evolved already into Torracat, Dartrix and Brionne. The three Pokémon were trained into their final stages - Incineroar, Decidueye and Primarina.

Sun's Incineroar, Dollar, had Firium Z, which Sun utilized to have his Pokémon use Inferno Overdrive Z-Move.

Trivia

• Alola's Starter Pokémon can evolve from level 17 and later at level 34, unlike the previous starters.
• The Alola Starters gain a unique type and signature attack upon evolution: Decidueye is part Ghost and possesses Spirit Shackle, Incineroar is part Dark and possesses Darkest Lariat and Primarina is part Fairy and possesses Sparkling Aria.
  • Each one of their final evolutions have an immunity: Decidueye, a Ghost type, is immune to the Normal and Fighting types, Incineroar, a Dark type, is immune to the Psychic, and Primarina, a Fairy type, is immune to the Dragon type.
• Rowlet is the first dual type Starter Pokémon since Generation I, with Bulbasaur, a Grass/Poison type.
  • Rowlet is also the only Alola Starter that is one of the Hisui first partner Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
  • Unlike Bulbasaur, Rowlet's secondary type changes upon evolution (Decidyeue loses the Flying type and gains the Ghost type).
• Decidueye is the only Alolan Pokémon with a regional variant.
• Popplio is the only starter Pokémon that is neither quadrupedal nor bipedal (it is pinniped instead).

Gallery

Rowlet the Grass/Flying Pokémon

Litten the Fire Pokémon

Popplio the Water Pokémon

Dream

Alola

Anime

Rowlet in the anime.

Litten in the anime.

Popplio in the anime.