I’m Luke Summerhayes, and I love Rowlet.
Owls live on every continent except antarctica, and are revered in many cultures as wise or spiritual beings – no doubt owing to their nocturnal habits, still disposition and large, observant eyes. In Hawaii in particular, Owls are commonly aumakua, family’s guardian spirits which I’m sure we’ll talk about in much more detail as this season goes on.
Owls evolved right around the time the non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out, 65 millions years ago. This is before hedgehogs evolved, which would mess up the fan theory that each successive grass starter is later in the history of life on Earth. That said, Barn Owls specifically, from which group most of this Pokemon family’s characteristics are drawn, evolved later.
Rowlet is the grass and flying type starter Pokemon for trainers in Alola – and Hisui, as we’ll see. It’s an almost spherical brown owl with a white face and a little green leaf forming a bow tie.
Like real owls, Rowlet is a nocturnal and stealthy predator.
Sun
This wary Pokémon uses photosynthesis to store up energy during the day, while becoming active at night.
Moon
Silently it glides, drawing near its targets. Before they even notice it, it begins to pelt them with vicious kicks.

Also like real Owls, Rowlet is absolutely adorable.
Ultra Moon
It feels relaxed in tight, dark places and has been known to use its Trainer's pocket or bag as a nest.

The name Rowlet of course makes sense for a round infant owl. The Japanese name, Mokuro, is more on the nose, combining moku, or wood, with fukuro, or owl.
Some Pokedex entries start talking about Rowlet shooting its feathers as little projectiles.
Legends: Arceus
Flies noiselessly on delicate wings. It has mastered the art of deftly launching dagger-sharp feathers from those same wings.

This will start to become even more significant when, at level 17, Rowlet evolves into Dartrix.
Dartrix is a taller, more realistically proportioned owl. A green feather around the face gives the impression of a carefully maintained haircut, and the extension of the bow-tie leaf overall makes the Pokemon a bit more superior and gentlemanly.
Sun
A bit of a dandy, it spends its free time preening its wings. Its preoccupation with any dirt on its plumage can leave it unable to battle.

Ultra Sun
This narcissistic Pokémon is a clean freak. If you don't groom it diligently, it will stop listening to you.

However, this Pokemon isn’t arrogant without cause. It takes throwing its feathers to another level of accuracy.
Moon
It throws sharp feathers called blade quills at enemies or prey. It seldom misses.

Ultra Moon
Supremely sensitive to the presence of others, it can detect opponents standing behind it, flinging its sharp feathers to take them out.

It throws darts, perhaps even performing tricks, hence the name Dartrix. Additionally, strix are a genus of owls. Similarly, the Japanese name is Fukuthrow, combining fukuro, owls, with the English verb throw. It will take throwing feathers and darts to the ultimate conclusion when, at level 34, it evolves into Decidueye.
Decidueye is taller in the legs and longer in the wings, taking on almost humanoid proportions. It’s leafy bow tie has grown up and around to form a hooded cloak. This look combines with newfound archery skills to make the Pokemon a kind of Robin Hood.
Sun
It fires arrow quills from its wings with such precision, they can pierce a pebble at distances over a hundred yards.
Hawaii and Polynesian cultures are actually notable for the lack of a bow and arrow. Interestingly, bows were common during their expansion period millennia ago, but since then the lack of native hunting animals saw archery almost disappear.
This means that while an archer seems like an odd choice for a starter Pokemon in a region based on Hawaii, a ghost type archer is actually a perfect fit.
Ultra Sun
It nocks its arrow quills and shoots them at opponents. When it simply can't afford to miss, it tugs the vine on its head to improve its focus.
Ultra Moon
Decidueye can nock and fire an arrow at an enemy in a tenth of a second, so its battles are decided in the blink of an eye.

This is shown in-game through the ability Long Reach. Unique to this Pokemon family, it allows moves to hit from a distance which would normally be close range, avoiding effects like rough skin or poison point.
Decidueye also loses the flying type in favour of a new ghost typing, perhaps alluding to owls’ spiritual significance in Hawaiian culture.
Scarlet
It cunningly conceals arrow quills in its wings. It launches these quills with such precision that they can pierce a pebble at over a hundred yards.

The ghost typing brings a signature move, Spirit Shackle. This move deals physical ghost type damage but also, piercing the opponent with an arrow, locks them from escaping. It can also be upgraded to the more powerful Z-Move Sinister Arrow Raid.
In Hisui, Dartrix evolves not into the standard grass and flying Decidueye but a grass and fighting regional variant. With autumnal red colors and a straw hat typical of Japanese farmers and pilgrims, this archer is less Robin Hood and more Samurai or Ninja.
With Archery being extremely prominent in Japan, and the Ainu worshipping an owl god who is not an ancestor spirit in the same way, it makes sense for the Hisuiian Decidueye to drop the ghost type.
Hisuian Decidueye
Legends: Arceus
The air stored inside the rachises of Decidueye's feathers insulates the Pokémon against Hisui's extreme cold. This is firm proof that evolution can be influenced by environment.

This form has its own signature move, Triple Arrows. This ghost type move does damage, lowers opponents’ defense and raises Decidueye’s critical hit rate.
Decidueye has excellent attacking stats, and an interesting type combination, but it is lacking in defenses or speed, giving it a difficult time on the competitive scene. Like any archer, it struggles to fight up close and personal.
Hisuian Decidueye also never quite lit the competitive world alight, but it has unique factors. The scrappy ability lets it hit ghost moves with attacks that normally couldn’t, including its signature move. It also makes it immune to the move intimidate, which along with the fighting type is a counter to Incineroar, usually the scissors to Decidueye’s paper.
Friend of the show Mikey from Pokemon Crossroads got in touch to tell us about Decidueye in the TCG.
One of the first Pokemon from the Alola region and there is plenty to give a hoot about!
In Sun & Moon base set, we saw the release of Decidueye GX.
While Decidueye GX doesn’t do much on its own, if you put it in a parliament of other Decidueye GX then things can get dangerous. The ability to ping damage on lower HP Pokemon with Feather Arrow can destroy your opponent’s set up. With the right math, Decidueye GX can strike with Razor Leaf for knockouts.
And with the right forest in place, perhaps a forest that is a card called Forest of Giant Plants, things can go out of control. Forest of Giant Plants was a Stadium card that allows you to evolve your Grass Pokemon as soon as you put them in play, ignoring the one turn wait to evolve your Pokemon. This brings us to Decidueye GX’s most famous partner in crime, Vileplume. What did Vileplume bring to the deck? Irritating Pollen. The ability to shut off the use of Item cards for everybody in the game. Thus making it harder for your opponent to search and evolve up the Pokemon on your opponent’s side of the field. Making them the perfect low HP Pokemon for Feather Arrow. This duo of Pokemon was famously played to help John Kettler get a second place finish in the 2017 North America International Championships against Tord Reklev.

After that, the next Decidueye card to get some play would be Decidueye from Darkness Ablaze. It was mostly used in stall decks for its Deep Forest Cameo ability. This ability made Decidueye unable to take damage from Pokémon V and Pokémon-GX.

The most recent Decidueye to see play is one from the past. Hisuian Decidueye VSTAR is a 270 HP Fighting Pokemon from Astral Radiance. This Pokemon had a three energy attack that needed one Fighting energy called Somersault Feathers. It did 160 base damage and does 30 damage more for each energy you discord from Hisuian Decidueye VSTAR.

Though you never discard any energy from Hisuian Decidueye VSTAR.Especially if you used the deck that won the 2022 Pokemon World Champions in London. This deck used Arceus VSTAR as the opening act. It will then help power up other Pokemon V. Most of the time, the deck’s namesake, Flying Pikachu VMAX. Though, to help counter other Arceus VSTAR decks in the meta at the time or eventually other Flying Pikachu decks that got popular afterwards, Hisuian Decidueye VSTAR was used in the deck. This Fighting owl was used to strike down Arceus VSTAR for double the damage. Making a perfectly clean knockout.

It is safe to say that no matter what time period, Decidueye has found ways to fly high in the Pokemon TCG.

The name Decidueye combines the sharp eyes of an archer with the dead, autumnal leaves of a deciduous tree – perhaps another reason for the ghost typing, along with the ancestral spirits aumakua, the archery connection, and the resemblance to Hawaii’s extinct stilt owl. The Japanese name Junaiper, combining Juniper with Sniper.
Ash Ketchum in the anime had a Rowlet, and its no mystery why – Rowlet was the standout cute one of the Alolan starters. Add the spiritual and samurai connections, and it’s a delightful Pokemon family.
Music for Luke Loves Pokemon was composed by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork for the show is by Katie Groves. Funding is by supporters at patreon.com/podcastiopodcastius.
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Even if you don’t feel like doing any of that, thank you so much for listening.
I love Rowlet. And remember, I love you too.