I must say that I had an incredible time doing a Nuzlocke. I truly felt the high-stakes nature of battles, and that intensity really made me invested in my pokémon. They weren't just trophies to be captured and made into pawns for my battle glory, but more akin to pets. If you'll notice, I went from saying I "caught" or "snagged" pokémon to saying I "recruited" them throughout the narrative. By nicknaming the pokémon, I found myself ascribing personalities to them and was often way down in the dumps when they fainted in battle. This type of play also made me realize the value of pokémon that would otherwise have been complete throwaways in conventional playthroughs. I'm still salty about Hau eliminating DizzyDeanna the Spinda. The high-stakes nature of Nuzlocke Running also made me approach battles with more finesse and strategy. Even battles that would normally be forgettable skirmishes became Herculean struggles, and the journey itself felt much more epic. I also found myself reflecting on the kinds of battles I would pick and choose, and I avoided needless battles with random trainers whenever I could. I valued preservation over brute force.
The million-dollar question is whether Sun and Moon are a difficult duo to Nuzlocke. I cannot really answer that since this was my first experience with a Nuzlocke, so I have nothing to compare it to. Sure, I've played several Pokémon games, but a conventional playthrough and a Nuzlocke playthrough are like apples and oranges. That being said, the greatest difficulties I faced in my Moon Nuzlocke were the following:
1) Pokémon S.O.S., where wild pokémon would call for help. This mechanic was used so often it was not merely a nuisance, but a life or death nuisance.
2) Rival trainers are able to use recovery items during battles. It was not just Trial Captains or Island Kahunas who could do this, but garden-variety rival trainers along the way who were not at all shy about using potions. I can't remember if this happened in prior entries, but it definitely threw me off my game many times.
3) Totem Pokémon are tough. Not only are they able to call for reinforcements, but their reinforcements can quickly and effectively heal the Totem and/or debilitate the player.
It was a powerful Island Kahuna that ended Lando's Nuzlocke Run for good, so at least the journey ended in a climactic fashion. It should also be noted that because Alola's geography and culture/laws of the land work differently than prior Pokémon games, some Nuzlocke rules had to be slightly reinterpreted, which could potentially trip up a player.
Doing a Nuzlocke run truly altered the Pokémon experience for me and made me see an old friend in a new light. It had me running the emotional gamut from triumphant jubilation to downtrodden defeat. It stoked my imagination to craft new storylines in my head beyond what I was merely presented. I don't recall being this emotionally invested in a game in a long time, and despite all the heartbreaks I faced during this playthrough, I'm thoroughly glad I did it. I would 100% do a Nuzlocke Run again and definitely recommend that every gamer give it a try.
Melemele Island:
Pepper (Pikipek; killed by Ilima's Smeargle in Hau' oli City)
Bennie (Wingull; killed by Ilima's Smeargle in Hau' oli City)
Regina (Spearow; killed by Hala's Crabrawler in Iki Town)
Belfry (Zubat; killed by Hala's Crabrawler in Iki Town)
Akala Island:
DizzyDeanna (Spinda; killed by Hau's Dartrix in Paniola Town)
Harry Mole (Diglett; killed by a breeder in Paniola Ranch)
BuzzLiteyear (Grubbin; killed by a Rising Star on Route 5)
Sharkbait (Wishiwashi; killed by a wild Eevee on Route 6)
WendyWhallop (Makuhita; killed by the same wild Eevee on Route 6 that killed Sharkbait)
Joan Jett (Roggenrola; killed by Totem Salazzle)
Yo Adrian! (Bagon; killed by Totem Lurantis)
Singe (Salandit; killed by Totem Lurantis)
Scotty (Herdier; killed by Totem Lurantis)
Vampiris (Petilil; killed by Totem Lurantis)
Redrum (Sylveon; killed by Totem Lurantis)
Deadwood (Morelull; killed by a wild Ghastly in Memorial Hill)
AquaSpectrum (Finneon; killed by a Team Skull grunt's Raticate in Memorial Hill)
Natasha (Wimpod; killed by the same Team Skull grunt's Raticate in Memorial Hill)
Giggles (Ghastly; killed by the same Team Skull grunt's Raticate in Memorial Hill)
Useless Fop (Gumshoos; killed by Kahuna Olivia's Nosepass)
Lucy VanPelt (Poliwhirl; killed by Kahuna Olivia's Lycanroc)
Bam Bigelow (Torracat; killed by Kahuna Olivia's Lycanroc)
Joey (Raticate; killed by Kahuna Olivia's Lycanroc)
Lisbeth Sala (Gyarados; killed by Kahuna Olivia's Lycanroc)