Samson Oak/Games/SM

Samson Oak is first seen in Malie City on Ula'ula Island in, when the undefined's Rotom Pokédex recognizes him. He tells the player about his research on regional variants, and asks them to come meet him in the city's library. When the player meets him in the library, he talks about regional variants again, before requesting that the player show him the local variant. Upon being shown an Alolan Persian, he explains why regional variants exist, and explains his theory on why the Alolan Persian looks the way it does before giving the player a Love Ball. He also talks about his cousin in Kanto, who gave him a Kanto Pokédex which he uses to compare the Alolan variants of to their regular form counterparts. Finally, he tells the player about how might come visit Alola someday because of the Z-Crystals Samson has sent him.

Samson is later met behind the Malie City Recycling Plant, where he explains why the Alolan is the way it is and gives the player a Friend Ball before leaving for Malie Library. The player may also encounter Samson inside the Geothermal Power Plant on Blush Mountain, where he will be standing in front of a photo of the Kalos Power Plant. Here he will tell the player about the hair of Alolan before handing the player a Lure Ball. He is also met behind the Pokémon Center atop Mount Hokulani, where he talks about 's different forms. Before going back to Malie Library again, he gives the player a Moon Ball.