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S.O.S. Battles
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

S.O.S. Battles

Learn how to effectively use S.O.S. Battles in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon to find rare Pokémon, Hidden Abilities, Shiny Pokémon, and double your Effort Value gains.

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Learn how to effectively use S.O.S. Battles in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon to find rare Pokémon, Hidden Abilities, Shiny Pokémon, and double your Effort Value gains.

S.O.S. Battles, also known as Ally Chaining, allow wild Pokémon to call for backup. This mechanic can be strategically used to increase your chances of encountering Pokémon with high IVs, rare Hidden Abilities, or even Shiny Pokémon. Additionally, defeating ally Pokémon in S.O.S. battles doubles the Effort Value (EV) gain, making EV training significantly more efficient.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    To initiate an S.O.S. battle, ensure only one wild Pokémon is present.
  2. 2
    The wild Pokémon may call for an ally. This chance increases if the wild Pokémon has low health, you use an Adrenaline Orb, or your active Pokémon has the Intimidate, Pressure, or Unnerve Abilities.
  3. 3
    To continue the chain, defeat one Pokémon but leave the other standing. Either the original or the ally can call for more allies.
  4. 4
    If you wish to stop the chain, inflict a status condition like Paralysis, Sleep, or Freeze.
  5. 5
    To avoid accidentally defeating the wild Pokémon before it calls an ally, use moves like False Swipe or Hold Back.
  6. 6
    The Adrenaline Orb is useful for encouraging Pokémon to call for allies. If a Pokémon fails to call an ally, using another Adrenaline Orb won't expend a use and can help stall for time.

Exclusive Pokémon:

  • Ally Pokémon can sometimes be an evolved form of the original wild Pokémon (e.g., Bagon calling for Shelgon).
  • In other cases, a different species may appear (e.g., Corsola calling for Mareanie). Some Pokémon can only be found through S.O.S. battles.
  • Weather S.O.S. battles occur during specific weather conditions (rain, sun, hail, sandstorm) and can yield rare, location-dependent ally Pokémon.
  • You can use Pokémon moves to create weather conditions if needed.
Tips
  • Keep a Pokémon with False Swipe or Hold Back in your party for S.O.S. battles.
  • Adrenaline Orbs are crucial for increasing the rate at which wild Pokémon call for allies.
  • Be prepared to deal with multiple Pokémon at once; having status-inflicting moves can help control the battle if it gets out of hand.
  • Pay attention to the wild Pokémon encounter tables to know which Pokémon can be found through S.O.S. battles in specific locations.

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