Poké Park [v6]

You get them by:

• Exchanging 30 of a shard for them (must be of the same color) in the Festival Plaza (via an old man in the castle)
  
• Getting a 30-win streak in the Battle Tree and returning the next day
  
• Fishing them up
  
• Prizes at Festival Plaza Lotteries and Haunted Houses
  

Okay.

Next question, is there a benefit to not using the Z-Powers? I've seen the Kahuna's comment about not using them in battle and I've presently not used a single one ever.

There's no benefit to not using them.

That said, I do feel that they tend to just...be there.

Also, protip: you can change status moves into Z-Moves that, rather than deal damage, give additional effects (ex. Z-Splash drastically raises attack, Z-Belly Drum fully restores your HP (before using Belly Drum), Z-Parting Shot restores the HP of the Pokémon that's going to be tagged in, moves like Swords Dance reset the user's lowered stats, and moves like Leer raise the user's opposite stat - Z-Leer raises Attack, Z-Sand Attack raises evasiveness, etc.).

Drastically raises attack? How much is "Drastically"?

Three stages, 1.5 Sword Dances, or 150% of the base value. (if your Pokémon has 100 Attack, using Z-Splash will raise it to 250)

Wow.

And on a sidenote, I'm finally caught back up to where I was. Mostly anyway, I skipped a status move TM and still haven't made back up the progress in my Pokédex.

I view Z moves as the more universal battle gimmick of this generation.

I actually think I would prefer the mechanic of mega evolution, if it included more Pokemon.

The Z move concept was executed lazily, at least visually. They basically ripped off the final appeal move sequence in contests (in ORAS) and stuck it onto battling. Consider the story revolves somewhat around Z moves, they embedded them very slipshod into battles.

I definitely prefer the Z-Status moves compared to the damaging Z-Moves.

They made Porygon-Z into a monster - Z-Conversion raises all stats by one stage. There's other uses, of course, but that's the one most prevalent in my mind.

But since the "main use" of the Z-Moves seems to be the damaging Z-Moves, then I definitely prefer Mega Evolutions to Z-Moves. More of an effect on the battle, while the Z-Move with the best effect isn't even out yet.

Spoiler:

The only other Z-Move with a remotely interesting effect is A-Raichu's Stoked Sparksurfer, and that just causes paralysis.

Current team. I haven't played as much as I'd like, to be honest.:

I'm about to do the Grand Trial of the 2nd island.

Eevee Egg?

Also congrats on finding a female Sandite. I have yet to see one and I hear people going crazy over it.

My Team just Prior to Starting the second trial on the third island:

The Pokémon Nursery - where you breed Pokémon this generation, differing from the Day Care in that it doesn't give any levels - gives you a free Eevee Egg the first time you talk to the person in charge.

I hadn't realized this until Valk had an Eevee. I got it right before doing the 2nd island's Grand Trial.

I caught my Eevee in the wild, I think on the first island.

Reminder that the Magearna QR code is up!
http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/nows-your-chance-for-magearna/

And also reminder that you can't collect it till after you beat the game.

Yet another reminder that it will be your OT, meaning you can nickname it! :D

Thanks for the heads up!