Discover how Poke Ride replaces HMs in Pokémon Sun and Moon! Learn about each Ride Pokémon, their services, and how to unlock them to explore Alola.
Alright, so you're diving into Pokémon Sun and Moon, and you're probably wondering about getting around Alola. Forget those old HMs you might remember from past games – they're totally gone! Instead, we've got something way cooler: Poké Ride.
Basically, Poké Ride lets you call upon special Pokémon to help you travel and overcome obstacles. Think of them as your personal transport service. They can smash rocks, cross water, fly you around, and even sniff out hidden items. The best part? These Ride Pokémon don't take up a slot in your actual party, and they don't count towards your Pokédex. They're just there when you need them, summoned with your Ride Pager.
You'll snag the Ride Pager automatically after you take down Kahuna Hala in Iki Town. Once you've got it, just hit the Y button to bring up the pager. You can even set up shortcuts on your D-Pad for the Pokémon you use most often, making access super quick.
Now, you won't have every Ride Pokémon available from the get-go. Just like in older games, some paths will be blocked until you advance the story a bit and get the right Pokémon's contact info. It keeps things interesting and tied to your progression!
Important Note: Just to be super clear, these Ride Pokémon are strictly for getting around and helping you out. They won't join your party for battles, and they aren't registered in your Pokédex. They're service providers, not teammates!
Alola's Ride Pokémon Services
Here’s a rundown of the Pokémon you'll be calling on and what they can do:
| Pokémon | Service | Unlock |
Tauros Charge | Hold the B button to charge at high speed, kind of like a Bike. Tauros can also break small rocks in your path while charging. When riding, encounter rate drops by 50%. | Obtain the Ride Pager |
Stoutland Search | Faster travel method. Hold B to have Stoutland slowly sniff the ground for hidden items. Blue (!) means it’s nearby, red (!) means you can pick up with the A button. Encounter rate also drops by 50%. | Mallow at Paniola Ranch |
Charizard Glide | Lets you instantly travel to areas you’ve previously visited, like the Fly HM. There must be a landmark; not all places can be directly flown to. | Complete Kiawe’s trial |
Mudsdale Gallop | Only way to traverse especially rocky ground in several areas. Gallops slowly; hold the B button to gallop slightly faster. Encounter rate drops by 33%. | Hapu at Route 12 |
Lapras Paddle | Lets you swim in bodies of water, like the Surf HM. Its normal speed is fairly slow; hold the B button to speed up. You can fish off of the back of Lapras. | Lana at Brooklet Hill |
Sharpedo Jet | Lets you swim in bodies of water, like Lapras but faster. You can hold B to dash and break small rocks in your path. However, you cannot fish off of Sharpedo’s back. | Grimsley at Route 15 |
Machamp Shove | Hold B and Machamp will push huge rocks in the direction you’re facing, like the Strength HM. | Hapu’s grandmother at Ancient Poni Path |
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