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Evolution

Evolution never happens on its own: even with every requirement met, the Pokémon only evolves when you tell it to. When one of your Pokémon can evolve, an up arrow lets you know: green next to its name on the map, gold in the corner of its Pokebar slot and next to the name on the trainer card. The ball's tooltip also shows Can evolve.

How to evolve​

Charmeleon's evolution window
Charmeleon's evolution window
Charmeleon has just evolved into Charizard
Charmeleon has just evolved into Charizard
  1. Send the Pokémon out of its ball, right-click it and choose Evolve. Only the Pokémon that is out can evolve: its ball on the Pokebar or in your bag has no such option.
  2. The window lists every possible evolution, with each requirement marked green (met) or red (missing).
  3. The Evolve button is only enabled once every requirement of that evolution is met. The Pokémon plays an animation of about 5 seconds before it turns into its new form; if you recall it, ride it or start a battle in the meantime, the evolution is cancelled and nothing is spent.

Each species' requirements appear in the Evolution section of its page — for example Bulbasaur or Eevee, the only species with more than one evolution path.

The three kinds of requirement​

  • Level — the Pokémon's own level (not the trainer's) has to reach the required value. E.g. Bulbasaur evolves into Ivysaur at level 20.
  • Evolution stone — you need the stone in your bag: Fire Stone, Water Stone, Thunder Stone, Leaf Stone or Moon Stone (items in the Evolution Item category). The stone is consumed when it evolves (1x). E.g. Pikachu evolves into Raichu with a Thunder Stone.
  • Trade — that specific Pokémon must have been traded with another player or sold at the Global Trade Station at least once. E.g. Kadabra evolves into Alakazam after being traded.

Since only the Pokémon that is out evolves, you must be able to send it out: your trainer level must be at least its level minus 5. E.g. a level-45 Growlithe only evolves into Arcanine for a trainer of level 40 or higher.

Stone and trade evolutions also need a minimum level — Pikachu needs level 30 as well as the Thunder Stone, and Kadabra needs level 59 as well as the trade.

No shop sells evolution stones and no Pokémon drops them: they come from the Growing Up quest, the Mt. Moon chest and the Researcher's workbench.

What evolution keeps​

Evolution changes the species, but the Pokémon is still the same individual:

  • Level and experience are kept;
  • Nickname is kept;
  • Held Item is kept;
  • HP is kept as a percentage — a Pokémon at 50% health evolves with 50% of the new form's max HP.

The new species is also registered in your Pokédex.