There are TONS of evolutionary methods for Pokémon. They are all listed here!
Leveling up:
Most Pokémon evolve when they level up. When they reach a certain level, boom! It evolves! This is the most common and most simplest method.
Evolution Stone:
Lots of Pokémon evolve with certain stones. There are many many different evolution stones. Just use a stone on a Pokémon and no matter what level, it will immediately evolve.
Fire Stone
Water Stone
Leaf Stone
Thunderstone
Moon Stone
Sun Stone
Dawn Stone
Dusk Stone
Shiny Stone
Trade Evolution:
This is a very common one; just trade your Pokémon and it will evolve. Then you can trade it back. Some Pokémon need items to evolve. Just give the Pokémon the item, trade it, and it will evolve (you will lose the item).
Happiness or Friendly Evolution:
This method allows you to have your Pokémon to be happy or friendly to you. You can do this by:
- Having your Pokémon in your party and walking with it.
- Giving it a massage or haircut with Daisy in Pallet Town, Veilstone City, Ribbon Syndicate, Cologne Case, etc.
- Using vitamins (Iron, Calcium, Carbos, Protein, Zinc, HP Up, PP Up, PP Max)
- Level up by battling or with Rare Candies
- Using certain berries
- Putting your Pokémon in the Pokéwalker and walking with it
Be careful, because some things will lower your Pokemon’s happiness.
- Have the Pokemon faint.
- Using bitter herbs and powder (Energy Powder, Heal Powder, Energy Root, Revival Herb)
Leaving the Pokémon in the PC or in the Daycare will not affect happiness. Once your Pokémon is happy enough, level it up and it will evolve.
Time specific evolution:
This evolution is sometimes paired with item evolution and happiness evolution. You can either evolve in the day (10:00 AM to 7:59 PM) or the night (8:00 PM to 3:59 AM). If you’re wondering what 4:00 AM to 9:59 AM, that is morning, which is neither day or night. There are only 8 Pokemon that have time based evolution, three mentioned below. Here are the five happiness time evolutions. Against popular theory, Wurmple does NOT evolve depending on time of day.
Eevee -> Espeon: Day
Eevee -> Umbreon: Night
Riolu -> Lucario: Day
Budew -> Roselia: Day
Chingling -> Chimecho: Night
When a certain item is held:
This is a rare evolution method and only 3 Pokémon can use it. Give it the item and train it and it will evolve (you will lose the item). They are also time specific.
Gligar -> Gliscor: Razor Fang at night
Sneasel -> Weavile: Razor Claw at night
Happiny -> Chansey: Oval Stone at the daytime
When the Pokémon knows a certain move:
This method is only usable by 7 Pokémon for evolution. Just level up the Pokémon until it is able to learn the move, put the move in its moveset, and then level it up and it will evolve.
Lickitung -> Lickilicky: Rollout
Aipom -> Ambipom: Double Hit
Bonsly -> Sudowoodo: Mimic
Mime Jr. -> Mr. Mime: Mimic
Yanma -> Yanmega: Ancientpower
Piloswine -> Mamoswine: Ancientpower
Tangela -> Tangrowth: Ancientpower
In a certain area:
Another uncommon method, as only 4 Pokémon utilize it. Just go to the area and level it up and it will evolve.
Nosepass -> Probopass: Mt. Coronet or Chargestone Cave
Magneton -> Magnezone: Mt. Coronet or Chargestone Cave
Eevee -> Leafeon: Eterna Forest or Pinwheel Forest
Eevee -> Glaceon: Route 217 or Twist Mountain
Gender evolutions:
Gender evolutions is when a Pokémon can only evolve or will evolve differently based on its gender. This may be leveling up or with a stone. Another uncommon, just 4 Pokémon.
Burmy Male -> Mothim: Level up
Burmy Female -> Wormadam: Level up
Combee Female -> Vespiquen: Level up
Snorunt Female -> Froslass: Dawn Stone
Kirlia Male -> Gallade: Dawn Stone
Unique Evolutions:
There are some Pokémon that evolve in a certain way that no other Pokémon can evolve with. Here is a list:
Mantyke -> Mantine: To evolve Mantyke, have a Remoraid in your party and level Mantyke up and it will evolve. You will not lose Remoraid.
Karrablast -> Escavalier: To evolve Karrablast, you HAVE to trade it with a specific Pokémon; Shelmet. It will not evolve if traded with any Pokémon other than Shelmet.
Shelmet -> Accelgor: To evolve Shelmet, you HAVE to trade it with a specific Pokémon; Karrablast. It will not evolve if traded with any Pokémon other than Karrablast.
Feebas -> Milotic: It is really hard to obtain Feebas, let alone evolve it, but once you get one, you need to raise its Beauty stat. You will need to make A LOT of Dry Pokeblock/Poffins and feed them to Feebas. Recommended berries are Pamtre berries and Wiki berries. From Generation V onwards, you do not need this complicated method and Feebas becomes a trade with item evolution Pokémon.
Nincada -> Shedinja: When you evolve Nincada, it turns into just a Ninjask, right? Wrong! You also have the option of evolving it into Shedinja AS WELL AS Ninjask! All you need is an empty slot in your party and a spare Poké Ball in your bag. Then evolve Nincada and you will have a Ninjask AND a Shedinja!
Tyrogue -> Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop: Tyrogue can evolve into any of the Hitmons, but which one it evolves into depends on its stats when it gets to the point when it can evolve.
If Attack is higher than Defense, it evolves into Hitmonlee.
If Defense is higher than Attack, it evolves into Hitmonchan.
If Attack is equal to Defense, it evolves into Hitmontop.
Wurmple -> Silcoon or Cascoon: Wurmple DOES NOT evolve based on time of day. It evolves based on its personality value. A lot of people do not know what personality value is. Personality value isn’t really and important factor of the games; it is really only there to determine certain factors such as this. To find out about personality value, click here. Personality value is chosen at random and is not affected by anything you do. Therefore you can’t affect whether your Wurmple will evolve into Cascoon or Silcoon.
