Evolution
Every way a Pokemon evolves here, which requirements are enforced, and which are waiting on a mechanic.
In short
- Most evolutions happen on levelling up. Others need a stone, a trade, a held item, a known move, a time of day or a place.
- The game checks the full requirement before every evolution, from the level-up and from the Evolve button alike.
- Friendship evolutions are blocked for now, because nothing raises friendship yet.
- An evolved Pokemon keeps its nickname, item, moves, IVs, EVs, nature and Tera type.
How it happens
When a Pokemon levels up after a battle and meets an evolution's requirements, it evolves and the log says so. From the Team screen the Evolves row shows what a Pokemon can become and offers the Evolve button when the conditions are met. Using an evolution stone from the Bag evolves on the spot. A trade evolution happens the moment the trade completes, in the new owner's hands.
The requirement is checked on the server every time, whichever way you trigger it. There is no way to skip a level, an item or a condition by asking the other route.
The methods
| Method | Count in the dex | Here |
|---|---|---|
| Level up at a level | most of the 391 level-up evolutions | enforced |
| Level up knowing a move | Piloswine → Mamoswine and others | enforced |
| Level up at a time of day | morning, day or night | enforced; dusk is not a bucket, so Rockruff's dusk form waits |
| Level up holding an item | Sneasel with a Razor Claw and others | enforced |
| Level up in a place | the few location-bound ones | enforced where the place exists in Horos |
| Level up with a species in the party | Mantyke with Remoraid, Pancham with a Dark type | enforced |
| Level up by gender | Combee, Salandit, Kirlia's split | enforced |
| Level up by stats | Tyrogue's three | enforced |
| Evolution stone | 64 | enforced; the stones are sold at Saltcote once its quest is done |
| Trade | 26 | enforced; happens when the trade completes |
| Friendship | 20 | blocked: see below |
| Steps, move uses | Pawmot, Brambleghast, Rabsca, Malamar, Annihilape | enforced; a step is a completed move between locations |
| Critical hits, coins, defeating leaders | Sirfetch'd, Gholdengo, Kingambit | blocked until their counters exist |
Each species page lists its own evolutions and what they need.
What carries over
Nickname, held item, moves, IVs, EVs, nature, ability slot, Tera type, shininess and whether the Pokemon has used its one breeding charge. The new form may have different abilities; the Pokemon takes the one in the same slot. Its Pokédex entry for the new species is recorded.
Stopping it
There is no Everstone. A Pokemon that meets its requirement evolves on the next level-up. If you want to keep the pre-evolution for a move it learns early, learn the move first.