Pokemon Sun & Moon Version Exclusive Pokemon & differences guide
Pokemon Sun & Moon continue the classic Pokemon tradition of having a few different species of Pokemon that are exclusive to each version of the game.
The short version of this is simple and all too familiar for Pokemon fans: If you buy Sun, you'll get access to a handful of Pokemon that owners of Moon won't. Those Moon owners get some exclusives of their own, though, and so the only way to catch 'em all is to interact and trade. For Sun & Moon, the exclusive Pokemon roster even includes a couple of the new Ultra Beast Pokemon that are exlcusive to each game.
What's exclusive where? Which version should you buy? We have you covered - have no fear. Here's our breakdown of what's exclusive to each game.
Want more Pokemon Sun & Moon help? Check out the rest of our guide pages via our guide hub.
Pokemon Sun Exclusive Pokemon
Cottonee
- Category: Cotton Puff Pokemon
- Type: Grass / Fairy
- Ability: Prankster / Infiltrator / Chlorophyll
- Evolves into: Whimsicott
When it finds others of its kind, they all stick together. When enough of them have collected, the mass resembles a cumulonimbus cloud.
Whimsicott
- Category: Windveiled Pokemon
- Type: Grass / Fairy
- Ability: Prankster / Infiltrator / Chlorophyll
- Evolves from: Cottonee
It rides on the wind and slips into people’s homes. After it has turned a room into a cotton- filled mess, it giggles to itself and takes off.
Rufflet
- Category: Eaglet Pokemon
- Type: Normal / Flying
- Ability: Keen Eye / Sheer Force / Hustle
- Evolves into: Braviary
With its brave disposition, it fears nothing—not even death. Ancient Alolan people respected it, referring to it as “the hero of the sky.”
Braviary
- Category: Valiant Pokemon
- Type: Normal / Flying
- Ability: Keen Eye / Sheer Force / Defiant
- Evolves from: Rufflet
With its brave disposition, it fears nothing—not even death. Ancient Alolan people respected it, referring to it as “the hero of the sky.”
Lycanroc (Midday Form)
- Category: Wolf Pokémon
- Type: Rock
- Ability: Keen Eye / Vital Spirit / Steadfast
- Evolve from: Rockruff
Its quick movements confuse its enemies. Well equipped with claws and fangs, it also uses the sharp rocks in its mane as weapons.
Passimian
- Category: Teamwork Pokémon
- Type: Fighting
- Ability: Receiver / Defiant
They form groups of roughly 20 individuals. Their mutual bond is remarkable—they will never let down a comrade.
Turtonator
- Category: Blast Turtle Pokemon
- Type: Fire / Dragon
- Ability: Shell Armor
The shell on its back is chemically unstable and explodes violently if struck. The hole in its stomach is its weak point.
Cranidos
- Category: Head Butt Pokemon
- Type: Rock
- Ability: Mold Breaker / Sheer Force
- Evolves into: Rampardos
It lived in jungles around a hundred million years ago. It used its skillful headbutts to combat Aerodactyl.
Rampardos
- Category: Head Butt Pokemon
- Type: Rock
- Ability: Mold Breaker / Sheer Force
- Evolves into: Cranidos
The result of repeated headbutts is a skull grown thick and hard. However, its brain has shrunk in size compared with Cranidos’s.
Tirtouga
- Category: Prototurtle Pokemon
- Type: Water / Rock
- Ability: Solid Rock / Sturdy / Swift Swim
- Evolves into: Carracosta
Based on studies of its skeletal structure, it can apparently dive to ocean depths of over half a mile.
Carracosta
- Category: Prototurtle Pokemon
- Type: Water / Rock
- Ability: Solid Rock / Sturdy / Swift Swim
- Evolves from: Tirtouga
It constructed its sturdy shell by crunching and swallowing the hard shells or bones of its prey.
Alolan Vulpix
- Category: Fox Pokemon
- Type: Ice
- Ability: Snow Cloak / Snow Warning
- Evolves into: Alolan Ninetales
It exhales air colder than -58 degrees Fahrenheit. Elderly people in Alola call this Pokémon by an older name—Keokeo.
Alolan Ninetales
- Category: Fox Pokemon
- Type: Ice / Fairy
- Ability: Snow Cloak / Snow Warning
- Evolves from: Alolan Vulpix
It creates drops of ice in its coat and showers them over its enemies. Anyone who angers it will be frozen stiff in an instant.
Solgaleo (Legendary Pokemon)
- Category: Sunne Pokémon
- Type: Psychic / Steel
- Ability: Full Metal Body
Since ancient times, Solgaleo has been honored as an emissary of the sun. It is referred to with reverence as “the beast that devours the sun.” Solgaleo's body holds a vast amount of energy, and it shines with light when it's active. It has a flowing mane with a remarkable resemblance to the sun. Its signature move is Sunsteel Strike, an attack that charges at an opponent with the force of a meteor, disregarding the target’s Ability.
Solgaleo’s Ability is Full Metal Body, a new Ability that no previous Pokémon has had. With the Full Metal Body Ability, a Pokémon’s stats will not be lowered by the effects of an opponent’s moves or Ability.
Buzzwole
- Category: Swollen Pokemon
- Type: Bug / Fighting
- Ability: Beast Boost
This Ultra Beast appeared from another world. It shows off its body, but whether that display is a boast or a threat remains unclear.
Kartana
- Category: Drawn Sword Pokemon
- Type: Grass / Steel
- Ability: Beast Boost
This Ultra Beast came from the Ultra Wormhole. It seems not to attack enemies on its own, but its sharp body is a dangerous weapon in itself.
Pokemon Moon Exclusive Pokemon
Petilil
- Category: Bulb Pokemon
- Type: Grass
- Ability: Chlorophyll / Own Tempo / Leaf Guard
- Evolves into: Lilligant
By pruning the leaves on its head with regularity, this Pokémon can be grown into a fine plump shape.
Lilligant
- Category: Flowering Pokemon
- Type: Grass
- Ability: Chlorophyll / Own Tempo / Leaf Guard
- Evolves from: Petilil
As soon as it finds a male to be its partner, the beautiful flower on its head darkens, droops, and withers away.
Vullaby
- Category: Diapered Pokemon
- Type: Dark / Flying
- Ability: Big Pecks / Overcoat / Weak Armor
- Evolves into: Mandibuzz
It can’t fly yet and must wait until its wings have developed more. Since it’s still at a playful age, it hops around friskily.
Mandibuzz
- Category: Bone Vulture Pokemon
- Type: Dark / Flying
- Ability: Big Pecks / Overcoat / Weak Armor
- Evolves from: Vullaby
It circles in the sky, keeping a keen eye out for Pokémon in a weakened state. Its choicest food is Cubone.
Lycanroc (Midnight Form)
- Category: Wolf Pokémon
- Type: Rock
- Ability: Keen Eye / Vital Spirit / No Guard
- Evole from: Rockruff
It goads its enemies into attacking, withstands the hits, and in return, delivers a headbutt, crushing their bones with its rocky mane.
Oranguru
- Category: Sage Pokémon
- Type: Normal/Psychic
- Ability: Inner Focus / Telepathy / Symbiosis
Deep in the jungle, high in the lofty canopy, this Pokémon abides. On rare occasions, it shows up at the beach to match wits with Slowking.
Drampa
- Category: Placid Pokémon
- Type: Normal/Dragon
- Ability: Berserk / Sap Sipper
This Pokémon is friendly to people and loves children most of all. It comes from deep in the mountains to play with children it likes in town.
Shieldon
- Category: Shield Pokemon
- Type: Rock / Steel
- Ability: Sturdy / Soundproof
- Evolves into: Bastiodon
This Pokémon lived in primeval jungles. Few enemies would have been willing to square off against its heavily armored face, so it’s thought.
Bastiodon
- Category: Shield Pokemon
- Type: Rock / Steel
- Ability: Sturdy / Soundproof
- Evolves from: Shieldon
It lived in the same environments as Rampardos. Their fossils have been found together— seemingly from after they’d fought to the finish.
Archen
- Category: First Bird Pokemon
- Type: Rock / Flying
- Ability: Defeatist
- Evolves into: Archeops
To all appearances flightless, it was able to glide down from tall treetops to snag its prey.
Archeops
- Category: First Bird Pokemon
- Type: Rock / Flying
- Ability: Defeatist
- Evolves from: Archen
They hunted in flocks. When one Archeops had the prey cornered, another would swoop on it.
Alolan Sandshrew
- Category: Mouse Pokemon
- Type: Ice / Steel
- Ability: Snow Cloak / Slush Rush
- Evolves into: Alolan Sandslash
An ancient tradition of Alolan festivals, still carried on to this day, is a competition to slide Sandshrew across ice as far as one can.
Alolan Sandslash
- Category: Mouse Pokemon
- Type: Ice / Steel
- Ability: Snow Cloak / Slush Rush
- Evolves from: Alolan Sandshrew
This Pokémon’s steel spikes are sheathed in ice. Stabs from these spikes cause deep wounds and severe frostbite as well.
Lunala (Legendary Pokemon)
- Category: Moone Pokémon
- Type: Psychic/Ghost
- Ability: Shadow Shield
Since ancient times, Lunala has been honored as an emissary of the moon. It is referred to with reverence as “the beast that calls the moon.” Lunala is constantly absorbing light and converting it into energy. With its wings spread to absorb the surrounding light and glittering like a crescent moon, it resembles a beautiful night sky. Lunala’s signature Moongeist Beam attack releases an ominous beam of light that disregards the target’s Ability.
Lunala’s Ability is Shadow Shield, a new Ability that no previous Pokémon has had. With the Shadow Shield Ability, a Pokémon will take less damage from an attack that lands when the Pokémon has full HP.
Pheromosa
- ??Category: Lissome Pokemon
- Type: Bug / Fighting
- Ability: Beast Boost
One of the Ultra Beasts. It refuses to touch anything, perhaps because it senses some uncleanness in this world.
Celesteela
- Category: Launch Pokemon
- Type: Steel / Flying
- Ability: Beast Boost
One kind of Ultra Beast. Witnesses have seen it burn down a forest by expelling gas from its two arms.
Want more Pokemon Sun & Moon help? Check out the rest of our guide pages via our guide hub.