Pokémon evolution

Pokémon Evolution

A Snorunt evolving into Glalie

Pokémon evolution is the process that some Pokémon take to take on a new form. The process is triggered in a wide variety of ways, including leveling up, happiness, and exposure to various types of evolutionary stones.

Evolution Processes

Leveling up

A series of screenshots depicting Abra evolving into Kadabra

The most common process of evolution is simply gaining a particular level. For instance, the Pokémon Caterpie evolves into Metapod upon reaching level 7 (or any level following that). Many times Pokémon also have a second evolution that is also reached by leveling, as in Metapod reaching level 10 (or any level following that) and evolving into Butterfree.

Stone Evolution

Introduced in the original set of Pokémon games, stone evolution was once the second most common type of evolution. The idea is that when you are ready to evolve a Pokémon that evolves through a stone, you would find or buy the correct stone and "use" it on that Pokémon, inducing evolution. An early example of this is Pikachu evolving into Raichu when a Thunderstone is used on it.

List of Pokémon that evolve through stone:

• Pikachu -> Raichu w/ Thunderstone
• Nidorina -> Nidoqueen w/ Moon Stone
• Nidorino -> Nidoking w/ Moon Stone
• Clefairy -> Clefable w/ Moon Stone
• Vulpix -> Ninetales w/ Fire Stone
• Jigglypuff -> Wigglytuff w/ Moon Stone
• Gloom -> Vileplume w/ Leaf Stone
• Gloom -> Bellossom w/ Sun Stone
• Growlithe -> Arcanine w/ Fire Stone
• Poliwhirl -> Poliwrath w/ Water Stone
• Weepinbell -> Victreebel w/ Leaf Stone
• Shellder -> Cloyster w/ Water Stone
• Exeggcute -> Exeggutor w/ Leaf Stone
• Staryu -> Starmie w/ Water Stone
• Eevee -> Vaporeon w/ Water Stone
• Eevee -> Jolteon w/ Thunderstone
• Eevee -> Flareon w/ Fire Stone
• Sunkern -> Sunflora w/ Sun Stone
• Lombre -> Ludicolo w/ Water Stone
• Nuzleaf -> Shiftry w/ Leaf Stone
• Skitty -> Delcatty w/ Moon Stone
• Roselia -> Roserade w/ Shiny Stone
• Misdreavus -> Mismagius w/ Dusk Stone
• Murkrow -> Honchkrow w/ Dusk Stone
• Togetic -> Togekiss w/ Shiny Stone
• Kirlia -> Gallade w/ Dawn Stone
• Snorunt -> Froslass w/ Dawn Stone
• Munna -> Musharna w/ Moon Stone
• Alolan Vulpix -> Alolan Ninetails w/ Ice Stone
• Alolan Sandshrew -> Alolan Sandslash w/ Ice Stone
• Exeggcute -> Alolan Exeggutor w/ Leaf Stone

There are two other stones that are not used for invoking evolution. The Everstone is actually used for prevent natural evolution. The Hard Stone is instead used to increase the power of Rock-type moves when held.

Trade Evolution

Also a first generation evolution process, when a player trades a particular Pokémon to another game, that Pokémon will then evolve. A new step was introduced in the second generation that involved having the Pokémon hold a particular item to induce the evolution.

List of Pokémon that evolve through trade (no hold items):

• Kadabra -> Alakazam
• Machoke -> Machamp
• Graveler -> Golem
• Haunter -> Gengar
• Boldore -> Gigalith
• Pumpkaboo -> Gourgeist
• Phantump -> Trevenant

List of Pokémon that evolve through trade with hold items:

• Poliwhirl -> Politoed w/ King's Rock
• Slowpoke -> Slowking w/ King's Rock
• Onix -> Steelix w/ Metal Coat
• Scyther -> Scizor w/ Metal Coat
• Seadra -> Kingdra w/ Dragon Scale
• Porygon -> Porygon2 w/ Up-Grade
• Clamperl -> Huntail w/ DeepSeaTooth
• Clamperl -> Gorebyss w/ DeepSeaScale
• Rhydon -> Rhyperior w/ Protector
• Electabuzz -> Electivire w/ Electrizer
• Magmar -> Magmortar w/ Magmarizer
• Porygon2 -> Porygon-Z w/ Dubious Disc
• Dusclops -> Dusknoir w/ Reaper Cloth
• Swirlix -> Slurpuff w/ Whipped Dream
• Spritzee -> Aromatisse w/ Satchet

Happiness

Introduced in the second generation of Pokémon games, happiness-based evolutions have become common. The process mainly includes becoming "friends" with the Pokémon or make it happy with you. There are many ways to do this, including getting massages for the Pokémon, keeping it in your party, and giving it the Sooth Bell item. There is also a Pokéball (the Luxury Ball) that can help raise its happiness level.

Three Pokémon happiness evolutions can only be obtained at certain times of day. Time of day evolutions are another separate type of evolution discussed below.

List of Pokémon that evolve through happiness:

• Pichu -> Pikachu
• Munchlax -> Snorlax
• Golbat -> Crobat
• Togepi -> Togetic
• Chansey -> Blissey
• Buneary -> Lopunny

List of Pokémon that evolve through happiness at a particular time of day:

• Eevee -> Espeon (daytime)
• Eevee -> Umbreon (nighttime)
• Riolu -> Lucario (daytime)
• Chingling -> Chimecho (nightime)
• Budew -> Roselia (daytime)

Time of Day

Introduced in the second generation games, time of day evolution is pretty straight forward. Simply level the Pokémon at the right time of day. There are several times of day, but only two truly apply: Daytime and nighttime. In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Daytime is between 4am and 8pm. Nighttime is between 8pm and 4am.

List of Daytime evolutions:

• Eevee -> Espeon (high happiness level)
• Riolu -> Lucario (high happiness level)
• Happiny -> Chansey (requires Oval Stone hold item)
• Tyrunt -> Tyrantrum ( level 39)
• Yungoos -> Gumshoos (level 20)
• Fomantis -> Lurantis (level 34)

List of Nighttime evolutions:

• Eevee -> Umbreon (high happiness level)
• Sneasel -> Weavile (requires Razor Claw hold item)
• Gligar -> Gliscor (requires Razor Fang hold item)
• Chingling -> Chimecho
• Amaura -> Aurorus (level 39)
• Rattata (Alola) -> Raticate (Alola) (Level 20)
• Cubone -> Marowak (Alola) (level 28 when from Alola)

Special Evolutions

Now, there are many other ways for a Pokémon to evolve.

Tyrogue can evolve into three separate Pokémon. Which he evolves into is dependent on what Tyrogue's attack and defense stats are at the time of evolution. If the attack is higher than defense, he will evolve into Hitmonlee. If defense is higher, he will evolve into Hitmonchan. If the two stats happen to be the same, he will instead evolve into Hitmontop.

Location based evolutions were introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Two of them are Probopass, evolving from Nosepass, and Magnezone, evolving from Magneton. Both are obtained when they level up at Mt. Coronet. In later games, this is clarified to mean a special magnetic field. In Gen VII, Charjabug was introduced and evolves into Vikavolt via the same method in Vast Poni Canyon. The locations with a special magnetic field are as follow

• Chargestone Cave (BWB2W2)
• Route 13 but not Kalos Power Plant (XY)
• New Mauville (ORAS)
• Vast Poni Canyon (SMUSUM)
• Blush Mountain (USUM)

Sun and Moon also introduced another location-based method for the highest peak needing to evolve Crabrawler into Crabominable.

Eevee has two more evolutions as well, both location evolutions: Leafeon and Glaceon. In the Sinnoh region, there are two boulders that are found on separate routes that invokes evolution when the Pokémon gains a level near them. The boulder for Leafeon is found in Eterna Forest and the boulder for Glaceon is found on Route 217.

Weather Evolutions were introduced with Pokémon X and Y with Sliggoo only evolving into Goodra in the rain. Using Rain Dance or such, does not count.

A very hard to find Pokémon, Feebas, evolves into Milotic when its beauty stat is maxed out. To achieve this, you must feed the Feebas Pokéblocks (in the GBA games) or Poffin (in the DS games) that raise the beauty stat. The Prism Scale was later introduced to compensate for no visible representation of the beauty stat in later games.

Shedinja is a very hard to find Pokémon unless the player is in the habit of not carrying six Pokémon in his or her party. When the player has only five, or less, Pokémon in their party and when Nincada evolves at level 20, the player will find that the last Pokémon in their party is now occupied by a Shedinja.

Mantyke evolves when the player has a Remoraid in the party when it levels up. It evolves into a Mantine. Similarly, Pancham evolves in Pangoro if the player has a Dark-type Pokémon in his party after level 32.

Gender based evolutions have been introduced in the fourth generation of Pokémon games. A female Burmy evolves into Wormadam; a male Burmy evolves instead into a Mothim. A female Combee evolves into a Vespiquen and male Combee do not evolve.

Another fourth generation introduced evolution process is move knowledge evolution. When these Pokémon reach a certain level, if they know a particular move, they will evolve. Mime Jr. evolves into Mr. Mime if it knows Mimic. Aipom evolves into Ambipom if it knows Double Hit. Tangela evolves into Tangrowth at level 33 if it knows AncientPower. Bonsly evolves into Sudowoodo if it knows Mimic. Lickitung evolves into Lickilicky if it knows Rollout. Yanma evolves into Yanmega if it knows Ancient Power. Steenee evolves into Tsareena after learning Trop Kick. Poipole evolves into Naganadel after learning Dragon Pulse

Piloswine evolves into Mamoswine when it knows Ancient Power. However, Piloswine is the only one of the move knowledge evolution Pokémon that doesn't learn the move through normal leveling, but instead must be taught the move by the move relearner.

Eevee evolves in Sylveon if the player maxes out affection which is the stat in Pokémon Amie and knows a Fairy move.

Inkay evolves in Malamar if the player flips the 3DS after level 30.

Rockruff is a special case in that it will evolve into Lycanroc at level 25. But the form it turns into depends on the game it is from and the time of day with the Midday form being in Sun and Ultra Sun during the day, Midnight form being in Moon and Ultra Moon during the night, and Dusk form being exclusive to an event Rockruff leveled up during between 5pm and 6pm in-game time.

Mega Evolution

Mega Evolution is an ability that was added in Generation 6. Using a Key Stone and a Mega Stone specific to your Pokemon, you can get anew more powerful version of your Pokemon for the battle.