Devolution
Devolution (Japanese:退化degeneration) is the process by which anevolvedPokémon reverts to its previous form. This process is much less common than Evolution due to being impossible within thecore seriesgames. In most media in which it exists, devolution is often instigated through artificial means, such as sprays or genetic engineering.
In the core series games
While devolution is not possible within thecore series games as a mechanic, the notion is referred to bySlowbro's numerousPokédex entries. Said entries claim that if theShellder falls off, the Slowbro turns back into a Slowpoke. It is said that ifSlowking loses its Shellder, it forgets everything it has learned.[1]
A similar situation applies toExeggutor, as it is stated in its Pokédex entries that if one of its heads were to fall off, that head would become anExeggcute.
ThePokémon Moon Pokédex entry forVanilluxe mentions that it can lose one of its heads and continue living without much trouble. That would essentially make it resembleVanillish, its pre-evolved form.
Silvally, a Pokémon who had previously gone by the nameType: Full were given control helmets to prevent itsRKS System from functioning. This had caused the Pokémon to be renamed toType: Null. In gameplay, Type: Null can only evolve into Silvally, breaking the helmet that once contrained it.
InMelmetal's Pokédex entry forPokémon Sword, it is stated that, at the end of a Melmetal's lifespan, its leftover shards will return to beingMeltan.
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
The only Pokémon games in which devolution is possible are games from thePokémon Mystery Dungeon series games of theNintendo 3DS.
InPokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, the Devolve Orb is aWonder Orb that devolves all enemies in the room.
InPokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, the player and their partner evolve and later devolve three times during the game's main story, thanks to theHarmony Scarves they wear.
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Pokémon Trading Card Game
Pokémon cards can devolve inPokémon Trading Card Game video games, which contain cards that can cause devolution.
Pokémon UNITE
Before aUnite Battle, all participating Pokémon are reduced tolevel 1 through the power ofAeos energy.[2] This seemingly also induces devolution in the affected species; however, the process is not seen within the bounds of the video game. Pokémon withbaby forms, such asPikachu andMr. Mime, are never seen in such stages and presumably do not devolve that far, whileAzumarill only devolves toMarill.
Theopening cinematic forPokémon UNITE showsTalonflame,Slowbro,Greninja,Cinderace, andGarchomp enveloped by a blue aura and devolving into their base forms ofFletchling,Slowpoke,Froakie,Scorbunny, andGible, respectively. Notably,Pikachu,Mr. Mime,Absol,Lucario, andSnorlax are seen enveloped in the same blue aura but are unaffected.
In the Practice Area mode, if the player uses the Reset Level function in the Practice Options menu to return a Pokémon to Level 1, that Pokémon will devolve back into their base form. Just likeEvolution, Pokémon areinvincible while devolving. The same visual effects from Evolution indicate devolution.
In animation
Pokémon the Series
InPokémon the Series, the subject of devolution has rarely been brought up.Brock explicitly states inElectric Shock Showdown that Evolution cannot be reversed, effectively confirming the nonexistence of devolution within the series. This was reconfirmed inA Stealthy Challenge!, whereBonnie askedFrogadier to devolve intoFroakie so she could see it evolve again, butClemont explained that it doesn't work that way. However, special circumstances have caused some Pokémon to devolve in the series.
Pokémon the Series: XY
InDream a Little Dream from Me!,Ash's Pikachu had a nightmare featuring Frogadier having devolved into Froakie.Clemont's Bunnelby, which appeared as aDiggersby in the same nightmare, also devolved back into its first stage later in the dream.
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
The first known instance of a real devolution in the series occurred whenFaba fittedSilvally with a restraining mask, thereby turning it into aType: Null.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
InThe Gates of Warp!, Pokémon in analternate world version ofSinnoh devolved due toDialga andPalkia's battle, with most of them eventually reverting all the way intoEggs. InShowdown at the Gates of Warp!, this battle was revealed to have been orchestrated byAlternate World Team Rocket to make Pokémon easier to steal and train to serve them. Once they had been defeated,Ash,Dawn,Goh,Chloe, and their alternate world counterparts prayed forArceus to stop the fight, which it did. Afterwards, Dialga and Palkia restored the reverted Pokémon to normal, fulfilling everyone's wish.
In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
Red, Green & Blue arc
BeforeVee,Red'sEevee, evolved intoEspeon, he had been the subject of an experiment byTeam Rocket, which allowed him to evolve into any of his threeEvolutions that were known at the time. He was also able to devolve back into an Eevee and evolve into a different Eeveelution. Although this does mean that devolution is possible inPokémon Adventures, the artificial means through which this was achieved and the lack of any other instances of devolution suggest that it may not be possible through natural means.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters
Unlike any other media, Pokémon are capable of devolving just as easily as they evolve inPokémon Pocket Monsters. This became especially evident whenRed's Clefairy andPikachu evolve intoClefable andRaichu respectively, then revert to their original forms, as well as whenGreen'sCharmander evolved intoCharizard and then turned back into Charmander.
Pokémon Horizon
Akira'sRockruff has the unique ability to evolve intoLycanroc and then devolve into Rockruff again, thanks to the strange red stone on its neck. It also has the ability to change in between itsMidday and Midnight Forms while being evolved.
In the TCG
In thePokémon Trading Card Game, devolution is possible through effects rather than as a natural mechanic.
Devolution is performed by removing one or more of theEvolution cards on top of thePokémon and moving them to anotherzone. Typically, the cards return to their owner'shand. This leaves one of the lower stages of that Pokémon visible, and that prior card is now in play. A Pokémon cannot be devolved past whichever card was put into play without Evolution, remaining in play no matter what effect is trying to devolve the Pokémon, even if that card happens to be an Evolution card.[3]. For example, if aFrogadier is directly put onto theBench rather than via evolution, it cannot be devolved because it is an unevolved Pokémon and therefore does not have previous Evolutions. If this Frogadier evolves intoGreninja, effects that attempts to remove multiple Evolution cards likeShining Jirachi'sStellar ReignAttack would only remove the Greninja; Frogadier would stay in play.
Damage counters and other effects are kept onto the devolved Pokémon. A Pokémon that devolved cannot evolve on the same turn, unless some other effect bypasses this limitation.
As aPokémon LV.X is not an Evolution card, only evolved LV.X can be devolved. When doing so, both the earlier evolution that the Pokémon LV. X is on top of and the Pokémon LV. X are removed.[4]
One of the primary purposes of devolution is reducing theHP of a Pokémon, as HP usually increases as a Pokémon evolves and damage counters are kept, which may result in the Pokémon being Knocked Out. Another use case is reusing effects, such asAbilities, although reusing effects in this manner is usually restricted for the next turn due to the Evolution limitations, unless an effect allows for that Pokémon to immediately evolve or another Pokémon in play can already evolve into the returned card.
The following is a list of cards that can induce devolution.
Pokémon cards
Pokémon cards that devolve user's own Pokémon
| Pokémon cards that devolve user's own Pokémon Cards listed with ablue background are only legal to use in the currentExpanded format. Cards listed with agreen background are legal to use in both the currentStandard andExpanded formats. | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | Mark | English Expansion | Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion | Rarity | # | ||
| Mew |  | Wizards Black Star Promos |  | 8 | Unnumbered Promotional cards | | 8 | |||
| Wizards Black Star Promos | | 9 | Mystery of the Fossils |  |  | |||||
| Unown | | EX Unseen Forces |  | | D/28 | Golden Sky, Silvery Ocean | |  | 046/106 | |
| Mew | | Nintendo Black Star Promos | | 040 | PCG-P Promotional cards | | 080/PCG-P | |||
| PCG-P Promotional cards | | 085/PCG-P | ||||||||
| Ninetales δ | | EX Dragon Frontiers |  | | 8/101 | Offense and Defense of the Furthest Ends | | | 030/068 | |
| Flareon |  | Rising Rivals |  |  | 19/111 | Bonds to the End of Time |  | | 011/090 | |
| Jolteon |  | Rising Rivals | | | 26/111 | Bonds to the End of Time | | | 028/090 | |
| Vaporeon |  | Rising Rivals | | | 34/111 | Bonds to the End of Time | | | 014/090 | |
| Porygon-Z |  | Ancient Origins |  | | 67/98 | Bandit Ring |  |  | 067/081 | |
Celebi |  |  | Lost Thunder |  |  | 19/214 | Super-Burst Impact |  |  | 015/095 |
Pokémon cards that devolve opponent's Pokémon
Trainer cards
Trainer cards that devolve user's own Pokémon
| Trainer cards that devolve user's own Pokémon Cards listed with ablue background are only legal to use in the currentExpanded format. Cards listed with agreen background are legal to use in both the currentStandard andExpanded formats. | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | Mark | English Expansion | Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion | Rarity | # | ||
| Devolution Spray | I | Base Set |  | | 72/102 | Expansion Pack |  | | ||
| Dragons Exalted |  | | 113/124 | Dragon Blast |  | | 048/050 | |||
| BW-P Promotional cards | | 196/BW-P | ||||||||
| Fates Collide |  | | 95/124 | Awakening Psychic King |  |  | 067/078 | |||
| Evolutions |  | | 76/108 | Expansion Pack 20th Anniversary |  | | 075/087 | |||
| Hyper Devolution Spray | T | Neo Discovery |  | | 73/75 | Crossing the Ruins... | | | ||
| Pokémon Web |  | | 031/048 | |||||||
| Undersea Ruins | T [St] | Aquapolis |  | | 138/147 | Wind from the Sea |  | | 083/087 | |
| Surprise! Time Machine | T [R] | EX Team Rocket Returns |  | | 91/109 | Rocket Gang Strikes Back | | | 075/085 | |
| Devolution Spray Z | I |  | Unbroken Bonds |  | | 166/214 | Full Metal Wall |  | | 044/054 |
| Strange Timepiece | I |  | Mega Evolution |  | | 128/132 | Mega Symphonia |  | | 057/063 |
Trainer cards that devolve opponent's Pokémon
| Trainer cards that devolve opponent's Pokémon Cards listed with ablue background are only legal to use in the currentExpanded format. Cards listed with agreen background are legal to use in both the currentStandard andExpanded formats. | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | Mark | English Expansion | Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion | Rarity | # | ||
| Undersea Ruins | T [St] | Aquapolis | | | 138/147 | Wind from the Sea | | | 083/087 | |
| Mystery Plate γ | T [TM] | Skyridge |  | | 135/144 | Split Earth |  | | 085/088 | |
| Ancient Technical Machine Rock | T [TM] | EX Hidden Legends |  | | 85/101 | Undone Seal | | | 076/083 | |
| Technical Machine: Devolution | PT |  | Paradox Rift |  | | 177/182 | Ancient Roar |  | | 063/066 |
| Stellar Miracle Deck Build Box |  | 029/044 | ||||||||
| Terastal Fest ex |  | 161/187 | ||||||||
| Battle Partners Deck Build Box |  | 030/045 | ||||||||
| Premium Trainer Box MEGA |  | 034/043 | ||||||||
Energy cards
Energy cards that devolve user's own Pokémon
| Energy cards that devolve user's own Pokémon Cards listed with ablue background are only legal to use in the currentExpanded format. Cards listed with agreen background are legal to use in both the currentStandard andExpanded formats. | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | Mark | English Expansion | Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion | Rarity | # | ||
| Retro Energy |  E | Skyridge | | | 144/144 | Mysterious Mountains |  | | 088/088 | |
References
Related articles
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