The first Pokémon Sun & Moon Battle Competition, “Battle of Alola”, recently concluded on December 18th, 2016. If you were not able to join the action, fear not because the second Battle Competition, “Alola Friendly”, is almost here.
The Alola Friendly will run from Friday, January 27 at 00:00 UTC – Sunday, January 29 at 23:59 UTC. Sign-ups are done in the Pokémon Global Link, and the registration period is from Thursday, January 19 at 00:00 UTC – Thursday, January 26 at 23:59 UTC. A maximum of 50,000 participants are permitted, so be sure to register as soon as possible.
The Alola Friendly has many similarities to the Battle of Alola. First, the battle type is Single Battle. In Single Battles, trainers prepare six Pokémon, and must select which three to bring to each specific battle, depending on their opponents’ roster. All Pokémon are set to Lv. 50 to ensure a level playing field. Second, only Pokémon in the Alolan Pokédex may be used. This restriction essentially means that Island Scan Pokémon are not allowed. Third, trainers are only allowed to battle 15 times per day for the entire duration of the competition.
Major differences from the Battle of Alola are the bans on mythical and legendary Pokémon, and the allowed use of items (excluding Mega Stones). Based on the results of the Battle of Alola, mythical and legendary Pokémon, such as Lunala and Solgaleo, were very effective fighters. It will be interesting to observe how battles differ in their absence. Another factor that will undoubtedly be a major influence on the battles is items. Items are stables in competitive Pokémon battling, and effectively distributing them is crucial to success. Trainers are, however, restricted to only one of each item.
The reward for participating in the Alola Friendly is 50 Battle Points. In order to be eligible for the reward, trainers must battle a minimum of three times during the competition. Results of the competition will be announced during February (date subject to change). For more information on the Alola Friendly, please visit the official announcement page here.