Totem Pokémon/Games

At the start of a battle, Totem Pokémon are enveloped in a special aura which boosts one or more of its stats by a fixed number of stages. According to Wicke, their size and aura are a result of being bathed in the energy spilled from Ultra Wormholes, the same kind that the Ultra Beasts use to wield their Ability, which is further revealed in to be 's light. Totem Pokémon are battled in SOS Battles, which allows them to summon an ally to help.

SOS Battles with Totem Pokémon differ from regular SOS Battles in that their supply of allies may be limited, which allies they call is not influenced by the weather, and they call allies at specific times rather than at random (so their calls are unaffected by the Adrenaline Orb and status conditions). Both the Totem Pokémon and their allies have more advanced than wild Pokémon, mirroring Trainer behavior. Totem Pokémon each also hold a specific item, usually one that will synergize effectively with their particular strategies or cover their weaknesses. Due to the island challenge rules, Totem Pokémon and their allies cannot be. Like all wild Pokémon, if the player steals an item from a Totem Pokémon (such as by using ), the player's Pokémon will still be holding the stolen item at the end of battle.