Pokemon Sun & Moon Guide: Where to find & catch Rockruff, Pichu, Ditto, Mudbray and other useful Pokemon

Pokemon Sun & Moon is jam-packed with some of the best Pokemon from previous Pokemon generations in its local Alola Pokedex - and on top of that greatest hits package there's a slew of all-new Pokemon to catch too.

This can always be a little overwhelming in the early-game, so we've prepared a few tips on Pokemon we think that any budding Pokemon Master and Island Challenge Champion should consider catching while on Melemele Island, the first of the game's four islands.

Some of the Pokemon you can catch here such as Rockruff, Pichu and Crabrawler can be viable for the entire game - so catch them early to get the full benefit of them! We've also included some like Ditto, who is useful for breeding as well as battling. That's honestly it - nice and simple. Here's where to find some of these critters early on.

Want more Pokemon Sun & Moon help? Check out the rest of our guide pages via our guide hub.

Where to catch Rockruff in Ten Carat Hill

• Rock puppy Rockruff's sole location in both games is Ten Carat Hill. You'll find Ten Carat hill on Melemele Island.
• Ten Carat Hill is located to the left of the Professor's House which you visit as part of the story. The entrance to the hill is blocked by smashable rocks that you'll need Tauros' ride pager to get past.
• Depending on the game, it'll evolve into one of two versions of Lycanroc at level 25.

Where to catch Lycanroc

• Lycanroc can only be found in one location - the Vast Poni Canyon.
• There are two different forms, Midday and Midnight. Sun gets Midday, Moon gets Midnight. They share one Pokedex entry. 
• It also evolves from Rockruff into your version's exclusive form.

Where to catch Pichu - to get yourself a Pikachu or Alolan Raichu

• In Pokemon Sun & Moon the most reliable way to get your hands on a Pikachu is to catch a Pichu first. This is also how you'll get your hands on an Alolan Raichu, the new Alola-exclusive form in the Pikachu line that gains psychic powers.
• Both Pichu and Pikachu spawn on Route 1 and in Hau'oli City - more frequently in the latter.
• You're far more likely to encounter a Pichu than a Pikachu. In order to evolve your Pichu, maximize its happiness through Pokemon Refresh, bean feeding and madasala feeding. Once fully affectionate to you, Pichu will evolve on the next level up.
• To evolve Pikachu into Alolan Raichu, expose it to a thunder stone. Simple!

Where to catch Grubbin and Charjabug to get a Vikavolt

• Grubbin can be caught in both games on Route 1, Route 4, Route 5 and Route 6. We think Grubbin is one of the best ever early-game bug-type Pokemon to ever show up.
• It evolves into Charjabug, which otherwise can only be caught in one place.
• Charjabug can be caught on Blush Mountain in both games. It evolves into Vikavolt, which cannot be caught in the wild.

Where to catch Pikipek

• A little like Grubbin and Charjabug, we think Pikipek is one of the finest early-game Pokemon of its type in the series, a solid early-game bird you might choose to keep with you for much longer.
• Pikipek can be caught in the wild in both Pokemon Sun & Moon on Route 1, Route 4, Route 5, Route 6 and Route 8.
• Pikipek evolves into Trumbeak, which can alternatively be caught in the wild on Route 5, Route 8, Route 11, Poni Grove and Poni Plains.?
• Trumbeak evolves into Toucannon, which is a particularly awesome-looking Pokemon that cannot be caught in the wild.

Where to catch Cutiefly

• New bug and fairy-type Cutiefly can be caught on Route 2 and Route 3. 
• We quite like this new Pokemon since it evolves into the fairly decent Ribombee, a Pokemon that doesn't show up until much later.

Where to catch Crabrawler and how to evolve it into Crabominable

• Crabrawler can be caught on Route 2, Route 3, Route 4, Route 5, Route 8, Route 10, Route 16, Route 17, the Poni Wilds, Poni Plains and Secluded Shore - but there's a catch.
• These Pokemon don't tend to be found in grass, but are instead most often found hiding in piles of berries - when you loot the berries, it'll attack.
• It evolves into Crabominable, which can't be found in the wild. To evolve into Crabominable, level Crabrawler up while atop Mount Lanakina.

Where to catch Fomantis to evolve it into Lurantis

• New grass-type Pokemon Fomantis can be found on Route 5 and in the Lush Jungle area - the jungle area where you do some hunter-gathering for a trial.
• It evolves into Lurantis when leveled up beyond level 34 in the daytime, and Lurantis is pretty good.

Where to catch Ditto to get down to egg-making and Pokemon Breeding

• Ditto is an old hand in Pokemon, but it's also an extremely useful Pokemon indeed - thanks to its ability to transform, it can be paired off with any other Pokemon for mating and breeding. All you have to do is drop Ditto and one other Pokemon off at the Paniola Ranch's Pokemon daycare... the resultant egg will be of your other Pokemon's type.
• Ditto is only found in one location in Sun & Moon, Mount Hokulani. That's on Ula'ula island with the Observatory at the top of the mountain and route 10 at the bottom. Ditto only has a 10% chance of appearing, so keep trying!

Where to catch Mudbray 

• Mudbray appears on Route 4, Route 6, Blush Mountain and predictably at Paniola Ranch.
• It evolves into Mudsdale, which otherwise only appears in one place - the late-game Poni Plains.

Where to catch Salandit

• Lizard-like fire and poison Pokemon Salandit can be caught on Route 8 and also in the Wela Volcano Park in either game.
• The female Salandit can also evolve into Salazzle - a Pokemon that otherwise isn't found in the wild.

Where to catch Carbink

• ?Floaty rock and fairy-type Pokemon Carbink is stronger than its size implies. It can be found on Ten Carat Hill early on, like Rockruff. If you don't catch it there, it won't show up until the late-game area of the Vast Poni Canyon.

Where to catch Oricorio

• Dancing bird type Pokemon Oricorio is found on Route 6, Melemele Meadow, Poni Meadow and Ula'ula Meadow.
• It has 4 different forms depending on what type of nectar you give it, but only one Pokedex entry.

Where to catch Dewpider

• Bulbous water and bug type Dewpider can be found in Brooklett Hill in the daytime - this is true of both games.
• It evolves into Araquanid, which can otherwise only be caught in the Malie Garden area in the daytime.

Where to catch Growlithe

• Classic fire-dog Growlithe is found on Route 2 in both Sun & Moon, though it has a low-ish encounter rate - keep trying.
• With a fire stone, it can evolve into the powerful Arcanine.

Where to catch Type: Null

• Type: Null isn't a Pokemon that you can catch, you meet it relatively early on and we figure a lot of you will want to know how to get one. Don't panic: it'll be given to you as a gift in the late game in both versions. It also evolves into the otherwise unobtainable Silvally.

Want more Pokemon Sun & Moon help? Check out the rest of our guide pages via our guide hub.