Evolution^{[note 1]} (Japanese:進化Evolution) is a process in which aPokémon changes into a different species of Pokémon.

In the core series games

Evolution is not a merely visual change. When a Pokémon evolves, it becomes a new species of Pokémon. This new species has a different Pokédex number andbase stats, and may be a differenttype (although normally at least one of the pre-evolved form's types remains the same), learn different moves, and have a differentAbility. The Pokémon's personal properties, however, such asNature andShininess, remain.

Holding anEverstone prevents a Pokémon from evolving bylevel up ortrade. Additionally, the player canprevent a Pokémon from evolving upon leveling up by pressing the B button when it would evolve. Evolution cannot be prevented using the B button if it is the result of adirectly used item or atrade. InPokémon FireRed and LeafGreen before the player obtains theNational Pokédex, if a Pokémon in theKanto Pokédex meets its Evolution conditions but its evolved form is not in the Kanto Pokédex (for example,Chansey's Evolution intoBlissey), it will attempt to evolve but fail. If a Pokémon faints during a battle in which it reached its Evolution level, it will not evolve after the battle ends.

When a Pokémon evolves, it immediately attempts to learn all moves that the evolved form can learn at its current level. Additionally, starting inGeneration VII, some Pokémon haveEvolution moves, which are moves that Pokémon will always attempt to learn when evolving into that species, regardless of level.

Professor Elm andProfessor Rowan are leading experts in Pokémon Evolution. According to Rowan's research, over 90% of all Pokémon are connected to at least one other through Evolution. Currently, the actual percentage is 80% of all known Pokémon. Rowan's research focuses on whether Evolution is a form of maturity in Pokémon, and looking at the implications of the process onLegendary Pokémon (which could not evolve inGeneration IV, when Rowan debuted).

Evolutionary lines

An evolutionary line is a group of Pokémon who are all related by Evolution. The species at the lowest evolutionary stage in an evolutionary line can ultimately evolve into any member of the evolutionary line.

Pokémon evolutionary lines can have one, two, or three stages. In a one-stage line, there is only a single Pokémon that cannot evolve. In a two-stage line, any member of the line can evolve at most once, from the unevolved form into one of the evolved forms. In a three-stage line, at least one of the evolved forms can evolve once again.

One-Evolution lines

See also:Category:Pokémon that are part of a two-stage evolutionary line

These are evolutionary lines in which a Pokémon can only ever evolve once. These are the most common type of evolutionary lines. An example of this type of evolutionary line is below.

Lowest Highest Kricketot Trigger → Level 10+ Kricketune

Two-Evolution lines

See also:Category:Pokémon that are part of a three-stage evolutionary line

These are evolutionary lines in which a Pokémon can evolve twice. All regionalfirst partner Pokémon have this type of evolutionary line. An example of this type of evolutionary line is below.

Lowest Middle Highest Porygon Trigger → Trade HoldingUpgrade Porygon2 Trigger → Trade HoldingDubious Disc Porygon-Z

Pokémon that do not evolve

Main article:List of Pokémon that are not part of an evolutionary line

These are evolutionary lines with a single member, which cannot evolve. Many of the Pokémon that have no evolutionary relatives areLegendary orMythical Pokémon, although there are some Legendary and Mythical Pokémon that can evolve.

Only stage Falinks

Branched Evolution lines

Main article:List of Pokémon with branched Evolutions

Several one- and two-Evolution lines are also branched Evolution lines. A branched Evolution line has a member that can evolve into one of multiple different Pokémon.Eevee is the most extreme example, havingeight different possible evolved forms. An example of this type of Evolution line is below.

Lowest Middle Highest Oddish Trigger → Level 21+ Gloom Trigger → Leaf Stone Vileplume Trigger → Sun Stone Bellossom

Eeveelutions

Main article:Eeveelution

Eevee holds the record for most branched Evolutions of any Pokémon, being able to evolve into eight different species. Each Evolution of Eevee has a unique type, unlike most other Evolutions that keep at least one type when evolving.

Methods of Evolution

Main article:Methods of Evolution

In thecore series games, most Pokémon only evolve after one of three events:

• Gaining a level (the most common trigger)
• Being exposed to an item (such as anEvolution stone)
• Being traded

BeforeGeneration VIII, the above were the only triggers to evolve Pokémon. However, Generation VIII introduced several new triggers, each used either by a single Pokémon species or by two.

In addition to the trigger, many Pokémon have one or more additional requirements for them to be able to evolve. These include:

• Having highfriendship
• Holding a specificitem
• Thetime of day
• Knowing a certain move or a move of a certaintype
• Using a certain move a certain number of times
• The location the player is in, or the currentweather in that location
• Having a certain Pokémon or a certain type of Pokémon in theparty
• Battling a certain Pokémon under special circumstances
• Being upside-down
• Being traded for a specific Pokémon

Some Evolutions are dependent on the Pokémon'sgender. For example, only femaleCombee can evolve intoVespiquen—male Combee cannot evolve at all. Similarly, allSnorunt can evolve intoGlalie, but only female Snorunt can evolve intoFroslass. On the other hand, maleBurmy can only evolve intoMothim, while female Burmy can only evolve intoWormadam.

For some Evolutions into Pokémon with multiple forms, the form of the evolved Pokémon depends on how it evolved. For example,Wormadam's cloak depends on the cloakBurmy had when it evolved. Similarly, the form ofToxtricity thatToxel evolves into depends on itsNature.

Abilities

Normally, a Pokémon will retain its Ability slot upon Evolution - if it had its species' second Ability before evolving, it will still have its species' second Ability after evolving (e.g. aPoochyena withQuick Feet will still have Quick Feet after evolving intoMightyena, but Poochyena withRun Away will instead haveIntimidate after evolving).

However, some Pokémon originally from theGeneration III games can change Ability slot upon Evolution. Some Pokémon only had one possible Ability when Abilities were introduced in Generation III, but gained a second Ability in Generation IV. If a Pokémon whose species gained an Ability after Generation III is transferred to a Generation IV orV game, it will initially retain its original Ability; upon evolving, however, its Ability slot will be recalculated and its Ability may change. When a Pokémon is transferred to Generation VI orGeneration VII, however, it will be locked into the appropriate slot for its current Ability.

Animations

InPokémon Sun, Moon,Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, Evolution into anAlolan form has a different theme and a different colored background during Evolution. InPokémon Scarlet and Violet, if there is enough space around the player when a Pokémon evolves, the area that the player is in will be used as the background and the camera can be moved, but if there is not enough space or the player is currently inArea Zero, the game will cut to an abstract colored background with a fixed camera for the Evolution like in previous games.

Uniquely, ifTandemauslevels up to level 25 or higher in a battle it was not sent out in, it will evolve intoMaushold immediately after the battle ends with no animation.

Generation I	Generation II	RS	FRLGE
Generation IV	Generation V	XY	ORAS
SMUSUM	SMUSUM (Alolan Forms)	PE	SwSh
BDSP	LA	SV	ZA
Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD

In the side series games

Pokémon Stadium series

InPokémon Stadium andStadium 2, a Pokémon on a Game Boy or Game Boy Color game connected viaTransfer Pak can evolve by fulfilling the conditions required for Evolution, such as using an Evolution stone, trading a Pokémon, or usingRare Candy to level up a Pokémon to the required Evolution, as in the main series.

Using items on a Pokémon or trading Pokémon are features available in devices from thePokémon Lab. In Pokémon Stadium 2, the Pokémon Lab is located inWhite City.

These Evolution features were not available in the original JapanesePokémon Stadium. In particular, the Evolution stones are not visible in the item list when selecting an item to use on a Pokémon. In this game, there is no Pokémon trade feature either.

Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

InPokémon Colosseum andXD: Gale of Darkness, while Evolution typically works as normal in the main series,Shadow Pokémon are incapable of evolving until they arepurified and return to normal. Although Colosseum does not prevent Shadow Pokémon from evolving through Evolution stone, no Pokémon evolve using one.

In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, because the game does not have atime mechanic, the player'sEevee cannot evolve intoEspeon orUmbreon through the same means as the core series games. Early in the game, the player can choose one of fiveEvolution items, each of which will cause Eevee to evolve into a different Pokémon. Among these items are the exclusiveSun Shard andMoon Shard,Key Items that allow Eevee to evolve into Espeon or Umbreon, respectively, after it levels up with highfriendship.

In the spin-off games

Hey You, Pikachu!

Some missions inHey You, Pikachu! involvePikachu interacting with other Pokémon in certain ways to cause their Evolution. InCaring forCaterpie, the player and Pikachu supervise a group of Caterpie, who will evolve intoMetapod and thenButterfree if treated well. InField Trip, Pikachu can water wildOddish andGloom, causing them to evolve into Gloom andVileplume, respectively.

Pokémon Conquest

Main article:Link → Pokémon Evolution

InPokémon Conquest, because the mechanics oflevels,experience, andfriendship do not exist, Pokémon typically evolve once they reach a certainlink threshold with their partneredWarrior orWarlord. Pokémon that normally evolve via highfriendship in the main series games, such asGolbat, instead evolve after reaching a certain link percentage, usually between 60 and 70 percent. Pokémon that normally evolve starting at a specific level instead evolve when a certainstatistic reaches a specific value. For example,Spheal evolves when its HP has reached a value of 138, which is partially determined by the link with its Warrior. Warriors with Pokémon that require anEvolution stone to evolve must equip themselves with that item and then perform an action that causes their link to improve, such as completing a battle.

Pokémon Pinball series

InPokémon Pinball andPokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, once the Evolution Mode or Evo Mode starts and the player chooses a Pokémon to evolve, then three instances of the sameEvolution Item appear somewhere on the table, one at a time. The player is required to get the three repeated Evolution Items before the time runs up to evolve the chosen Pokémon. For instance, if the player attempts to evolve aVulpix intoNinetales, they will be required to find threeFire Stones on the table. Most available Pokémon evolve byexperience, which requires getting three "Ex" Evolution Items. If the Pokémon evolves bytrade in the core series, then the player needs to get threeLink Cable Evolution Items.

Additionally, the manual of Pokémon Pinball refers to the act ofupgrading a Poké Ball (for instance, changing aGreat Ball into anUltra Ball) as "evolving" the Ball.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

Main article:Evolution (Mystery Dungeon)

Evolution is activated differently in theMystery Dungeon series, typically triggered manually at a certain location rather than occurring automatically. This location may be inaccessible until a certain point in the game, preventing Evolution beforehand. This prevention can extend to all Pokémon, or just thehero Pokémon andpartner Pokémon.

As a result of the different stat layouts in the Mystery Dungeon series, evolving has a different impact on stat increases. Evolution items also still exist for Pokémon that require them.

Pokémon Snap

InPokémon Snap, the player can interact with Pokémon in certain ways that will make them evolve.

• At the end ofPokémon Island'sTunnel stage, if the player lures the threeMagnemite together, they will fuse and become aMagneton.
• At the end ofVolcano stage, if the player knocks aCharmeleon into the crater of magma it is circling, it will evolve and come out as aCharizard.
• Luring aSlowpoke to a fishing area along theRiver will prompt it to fish with its tail, hooking aShellder, causing it to evolve intoSlowbro.
• Hitting theGrimer in theCave three times withPester Balls will cause it to evolve intoMuk.
• In theValley, completing a series of events will cause aMagikarp to evolve intoGyarados.

Pokémon GO

InPokémon GO, the player can evolve Pokémon by spendingCandy. The Candy cost for Evolution varies between Pokémon species, ranging from 12 (to evolveCaterpie intoMetapod) to 400 (to evolveMagikarp intoGyarados orMeltan intoMelmetal).

See also:List of Pokémon by evolutionary line in Pokémon GO

In addition to Candy, some Pokémon have additional requirements to evolve. These additional requirements include:

• Random Evolution — For some Pokémon with multiple Evolutions, the one it will evolve into is determined at random. These include:
  • Eevee →Vaporeon,Jolteon, orFlareon
  • Wurmple →Silcoon orCascoon
  • Clamperl →Huntail orGorebyss
  • Cherubi → Overcast Form or Sunshine FormCherrim
• Item requirements
  • Introduced with Generation II:Sun Stone,Metal Coat,King's Rock,Upgrade,Dragon Scale
  • Introduced with Generation IV: Sinnoh Stone
  • Introduced with Generation V: Unova Stone
• IV requirements
  • Tyrogue evolves intoHitmonlee,Hitmonchan, orHitmontop if its highest IV is for Attack, Defense, or HP, respectively.
• Buddy Pokémon requirements — Some Pokémon require players to completeResearch-like tasks with it as their Buddy Pokémon to evolve.
  • OnlyEspeon andUmbreon must be set as the player's current buddy to evolve
• Gender requirements — Some Evolution paths are only possible if the Pokémon is of a specific gender. These requirements are the same in Pokémon GO as they are in the core series.
• Lure Module requirements — Some Pokémon require players to be in range of a special type of lure to evolve. These include:
  • Mossy Lure Module
  • Glacial Lure Module
  • Magnetic Lure Module
  • Rainy Lure Module
• Weather requirements —Sliggoo can only evolve intoGoodra when it's raining (unless aRainy Lure Module is present)
• Time requirements — Some Pokémon can only evolve, or evolve into different Pokémon or forms depending on time, depending on whether it is day or night.Ursaring can only evolve intoUrsaluna during a full moon.
• Trade Evolution — Some Pokémon will cost zero Candy to evolve if it has been traded.
• Nicknames — IfEevee has a particularnickname, then, once per nickname, it is guaranteed to evolve into the following, regardless of other conditions:
  • Rainer → Vaporeon
  • Sparky → Jolteon
  • Pyro → Flareon
  • Sakura → Espeon
  • Tamao → Umbreon
  • Linnea → Leafeon
  • Rea → Glaceon
  • Kira → Sylveon

Pokémon Duel

InPokémon Duel, before a figure can evolve, the player must own both the pre-evolved figure and the evolved figure. The pre-evolved Pokémon must be set in the deck, and the evolved Pokémon must be set as that figure's Evolution. During a duel, the pre-evolved Pokémon will be able to evolve when it wins a battle and either knocks out or displaces its battle opponent. Pokémon can also be evolved by the effects of Attacks, Abilities, and Plates. An evolved figure (including Mega Evolution) will receive +10 to its White and Gold Attacks and +1 ★ to its Purple Attacks. This boost stacks for a Pokémon that has evolved more than once.

Pokémon Masters EX

InPokémon Masters EX, Pokémon from certainsync pairs are allowed to evolve through sync pair stories, where they must win a 1-on-1 battle. These sync pair stories become available once the sync pair reaches a specific level, and can be played at the cost of evolutionary items. Evolution requires Evolution Shard ×5 and the sync pair to be at least level 30; if the Pokémon can evolve again, another Evolution requires Evolution Crystal ×3 and the sync pair to be at least level 45. Evolved Pokémon will have increased stats, and in some cases their moves will change. If a Pokémon reaches its final evolutionary stage, then it also receives a newsync move.

See also:Pokémon Masters EX → Sync Pair Stories

Evolution	Items required	Level required
First stage	Evolution Shard ×5	Level 30
Second stage	Evolution Crystal ×3	Level 45

Pokémon that are hatched fromPokémon Eggs can be evolved using Evolution Shards and Evolution Crystals through the Affinity menu. Their level requirements are the same as standard sync pairs, but their item costs are lower, at just Evolution Shard ×1 or Evolution Crystal ×1. However, egg sync pairs do not receive sync pair stories, and do not receive a new sync move once fully evolved.

See also:Egg Pokémon (Masters)

Evolution	Items required	Level required
First stage	Evolution Shard ×1	Level 30
Second stage	Evolution Crystal ×1	Level 45

Pokémon UNITE

InPokémon UNITE, Evolution is a major game mechanic.Unite Licenses featuring Pokémon that can evolve start each game at their lowest evolutionary stage that is not aBaby Pokémon.(Pikachu does not evolve,Duraludon does not evolve as its Evolution did not exist when it was added to UNITE.) When Pokémon reach certainlevels, they evolve after eitherscoring at a goal zone or defeating another Pokémon in battle. "Defeating another Pokémon" can be done either through directlyKnocking Out a Pokemon or getting anAssist for contributing to Knocking Out a Pokémon on the opposing team. The level requirement varies by the species, and a Pokémon which can evolve at a certain level but has not evolved yet is unable to gain additional levels until it evolves. (AnyExp. Points gained before evolving at that level are applied after Evolution.) While evolving, Pokémon are brieflyinvincible.

Evolving increases the Pokémon's stats, and Pokémon usually learn a newmove when they evolve. MostHolowear only applies to a Pokémon's final Evolution, but some Holowear modifies the appearance of prior evolutionary stages.

Some Pokémon, such asKubfu andScyther, choose their evolutionary line by choosing to learn specific moves. As a result of this, these Pokémon only evolve after learning the relevant move.Magikarp has an alternate method of evolving available exclusively to it.Rattled provides it an effort gauge which it can fill by contributing to the battle. If the effort gauge is filled up, Magikarp gets to evolve intoGyarados earlier than normal. This also causes Gyarados to learn moves whenever it evolves, rather than at a specific level.

Wild Pokémon involved in Unite Battles evolve during the Final Stretch portion of each Unite Battle. After evolving, they hold moreAeos energy than their unevolved forms. (However, wild Pokémon that do not evolve do still hold more Aeos energy during the Final Stretch, so this may not be linked to Evolution.) Note that wild Pokémon which appear as part of groups with their evolved form do not evolve.

Aeos energy can be used to make Pokémon evolve.^[1] Before every battle, Aeos energy is also used to reduce a Pokémon tolevel 1, causing it todevolve in the process.^[1]

InPanic Parade, the player's Pokémon gain Experience points, level up, and evolve at a set pace based on completed waves. The alliedTinkaton evolves similarly, starting from aTinkatink. This may involve the functionality of theAeos Shooter.

Eevee × Tamagotchi

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: How is the Evolution outcome selected? Is the outcome randomly selected or can it be affected by the player? If random, are there different Evolution chances for each outcome?

InEevee × Tamagotchi, the player's virtual petEevee changes form 72 hours after it has hatched. There are eleven possible outcomes, including Eevee's eight standard Evolutions (Sylveon,Vaporeon,Jolteon,Flareon,Leafeon,Glaceon,Espeon, andUmbreon) and three additional forms (Costume Eevee, Team Rocket Eevee, andDitto).

The word "Evolution" is not mentioned in the game text and manual. Instead, the Japanese manual uses the word 「すがた」(form) referring to Eevee's forms.

e-Reader games

Somee-Reader applications feature Pokémon Evolution:

InMachop At Work, if the player characterMachop smashes 50-99 rocks, it evolves intoMachoke at the end. If the player manages to smash all 100 rocks, the Machop evolves into Machoke, and then again intoMachamp.

InMetronome, one of the short animations featuresClefairy evolving intoClefable.

Pokémon Zany Cards

InPokémon Zany Cards, if the player matches all three cards of aJohto first partner Pokémon and its Evolutions, the game dialogue indicates that this Pokémon has evolved.

Specifically, it is possible to match:

• Chikorita,Bayleef, andMeganium cards
• Cyndaquil,Quilava, andTyphlosion cards
• Totodile,Croconaw, andFeraligatr cards

This is seen as the text "Evolved" appears during the card matching animation. At the end of the current card game, "Chikorita evolved", "Cyndaquil evolved", and/or "Totodile evolved" appear if applicable when counting the player scores.

Pokémon Masters Arena

InPokémon Masters Arena, theMudkip's Bingo minigame includes 36 possible questions about the Pokémon Evolutions available as ofGeneration III. In these questions, "2nd evolution" and "3rd evolution" refer to the second and third stages, respectively. Some examples:

• "What is the 3rd evolution ofAron?" (Answer:Aggron)
• "What is the 2nd evolution ofMagikarp?" (Answer:Gyarados)

Pokémon Team Turbo

InPokémon Team Turbo, theCharizard's Crossword Challenge is a crossword minigame about the Pokémon Evolutions available as ofGeneration III, except the evolutionary lines ofNidoran♀ andNidoran♂ and some branched Evolutions are missing from this game.

In this game, "2nd Evolution" and "3rd Evolution" refer to the second and third evolutionary stages, respectively. Some possible in-game examples:

• "Whiscash evolves from ... ?" (Answer:Barboach)
• "2nd Evolution ofPonyta ?" (Answer:Rapidash)
• "3rd Evolution ofWhismur ?" (Answer:Exploud)

If a Pokémon hasbranched Evolutions, only the first Evolution in theNational Pokédex order is accepted as the correct answer. For instance:

• "3rd Evolution ofOddish ?" (Answer:Vileplume)
• "2nd Evolution ofEevee ?" (Answer:Vaporeon)

In animation

In theanimated series, Evolution happens in much the same way as it does in thegames; thoughlevel-based Evolutions andtrade-based Evolutions do not occur using those methods, there are similarities in the way they come about. For example,Misty'sPoliwhirl evolved intoPolitoed because it foundAsh'sKing's Rock and was holding it when Misty sent it out, while in the games it is required that Poliwhirl be traded while holding the King's Rock for the Evolution to take place (it should be noted that Poliwhirl had been through a machine in connection with it being healed at the Pokémon Center while holding the item). When aBeedrill attacked Ash'sMetapod, it caused a crack to appear on its shell, whichButterfree came out of (although later examples of Metapod evolving into Butterfree were treated as the more familiar form of Evolution used in the animated series).

Additionally, a difference can be seen in the fact that Pokémon evolveduring a battle, as opposed to after it. Pokémon may also evolve when they are needed to, for an extra boost of power or gaining new abilities, instead of after a set amount oftraining, such as when Ash'sCharmeleon evolved intoCharizard to battle an Aerodactyl just three episodes after he evolved from Charmander, where the game requires Charmeleon to grow twenty levels to reach that stage. In addition, Pokémon can sometimes choose not to evolve, even if they evolve by a 'natural' method such as leveling up. This was shown whenAsh's Bulbasaur refused to evolve during an Evolution festival for all Bulbasaur to evolve inBulbasaur's Mysterious Garden. It appears that Evolution has emotional implications for Pokémon - some Pokémon, such as Team Rocket'sMeowth, dislike their evolved forms, while others such asAsh's Pikachu simply want to prove they can be powerful without evolving. Conversely, when Pokémon do evolve, this can often be linked with an experience that causes them to mature emotionally or deal with an emotional issue, such as when thePoochyena inA Bite to Remember evolved, or theParas inThe Problem With Paras. Poochyena, for some reason, had an aversion to using the moveBite, while Paras was extremely timid and weak in battle. Both of them evolved shortly after overcoming these issues. InEnter Pikachu!, it was revealed that Ash's Pikachu evolved from aPichu in the wild during a silent, tearful parting with a pack ofKangaskhan that had acted as his surrogate family. On the other hand, Evolution is not always linked with maturity or the age of a Pokémon where the episodeTree's a Crowd features an elderlyTreecko. Another example is inOdd Pokémon Out! where even after Evolution,Ash's Donphan still acted quite playful as it did when it was aPhanpy.

When a Pokémon begins to evolve, it will be enveloped by a brightly colored light while slowly changing form; in theoriginal series,Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, andPokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, the light is simply white in color while inPokémon the Series: Black & White andPokémon the Series: XY, the light is blue in color. InPokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, different Evolution effects were introduced depending on which Pokémon is evolving; for instance, whenMallow'sBounsweet evolved intoSteenee, she shined pink and the physical changes that came with the Evolution could be seen happening. Although some Pokémon returned to the old-style Evolution effect (for instance,Sandygast intoPalossand andMareanie intoToxapex), others have been seen with completely new effects (notablyRockruff andLitten).

InPokémon Journeys: The Series andPokémon Horizons: The Series, the Evolution light returns to being blue in color constantly. InHatenna and the Otherworldly,Liko's Hatenna was depicted glowing briefly several moments before her Evolution, hinting that she was about to evolve. InHZ124,Liko's Charcadet did not glow as it evolved; instead, what glowed was theAuspicious Armor it wore.

For a list of all Evolutions that Pokémon belonging to the main cast have undergone, see theList of animated series Pokémon by Evolution.

• 
  Kakuna evolving intoBeedrill inChallenge of the Samurai
• 
  Ash's Grovyle emitting an aura before its Evolution inOdd Pokémon Out!
• 
  Liko's Hatenna's Evolution glimpse

In the manga

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Shouldn't this go through Evolution in each major manga adaption and mention any minor ones?

Evolution is portrayed differently across manga adaptations. For example, inPokémon Pocket Monsters, Pokémon are capable to evolve whenever they wish, and they revert to previous Evolution stages. It seems that Pokémon can skip Evolution stages as well, as is the case withGreen's Charmander when it skips itsCharmeleon stage and evolves directly intoCharizard.

Pokémon Adventures

In thePokémon Adventures manga, Evolution happens in much the same way as it does in thegames, though it often displays them in a way that would be impossible. For example, even thoughBlue's Machoke evolved after beingtraded toRed, it took time before the Evolution took place instead of happening right away. Twice, a Pokémon that required anEvolution stone to evolve did so by being exposed to a similar energy. Red'sPoliwhirl was able to evolve intoPoliwrath due to the bottom ofVermilion Harbor having traces of aWater Stone, andGold'sSunkern evolved intoSunflora due to theharsh sunlight made by her usage ofSunny Day reflecting off the rocks nearIlex Forest and replicating aSun Stone's effects.

Additionally, a difference can be seen in the fact that Pokémon evolveduring a battle, as opposed to after it. Pokémon may also evolve when they need an extra boost of power or to gain new abilities, instead of after a set amount of training, such as whenY'sFrogadier evolved intoGreninja to help keep himself from falling asleep underXerosic'sMalamar'sHypnosis.

Pokémon, under most circumstances, are unable to stop their Evolution once it begins. The only consistent way to prevent it is by using a function of thePokédex.White once delayedBlack's Tepig from evolving by shaking him, though it ultimately didn't stop it.

It is not uncommon for Pokémon that share a deep connection to evolve at the same time. This has been displayed multiple times, with a notable example coming from the Johtofirst partner Pokémon—Exbo,Silver's Feraligatr, andMegaree—when they all evolved into their final forms while fightingLugia.

Due to experimentations done on him byTeam Rocket,Red's Eevee was capable of freely changing from an Eevee into any of his threeGeneration I Evolutions (Vaporeon,Jolteon, andFlareon) andback.After evolving intoEspeon, he lost this ability.

When a Pokémon begins to evolve, it will be enveloped by a bright light while changing form. In the earlier parts of the series, this was often displayed by the Pokémon twitching before transforming into their new form. Over time, the Evolution would be accompanied by the bright white light.

For a list of all Evolutions that Pokémon belonging to thePokédex holders have undergone, see theList of manga series Pokémon by Evolution.

Pokémon UNITE Manga - Come On Over to Aeos Island!

InPokémon UNITE Manga - Come On Over to Aeos Island!, no Evolutions have been seen on panel. However, inAeos Energy,Professor Phorus recalled a time where the latentAeos energy ofAeos Island caused herBeldum and a wildScorbunny to appear to have evolved. This was depicted as having their Evolutions appear behind the original Pokémon in faded tones.

In the TCG

Evolution in thePokémon Trading Card Game is the process of playing anEvolution Pokémon (also known as anEvolution card). Evolution Pokémon cards, which include but are not limited toStage 1 Pokémon andStage 2 Pokémon, have a section which says whichPokémon they evolve from. Normally, Evolution Pokémon cards depict Pokémon that evolve from other Pokémon in thecore series. Evolution cards normally cannot enter play without evolving a Pokémon that is already in play.

To evolve a Pokémon, a player puts an Evolution Pokémon on top of a Pokémon that is in play that has the name of the card that the Evolution Pokémon "evolves from". In most cases, the name being checked for is the name of the prior Evolution of the Pokémon depicted on the Evolution card. However, this is not always the case, as many (but not all) cards with modified names are not part of normal Evolution chains. Those cards usually (but not always) check for a card with the name of the relevant pre-Evolution with the same modification to the card name. A Pokémon that has evolved is anevolved Pokémon, meaning that it has one or more Pokémon placed underneath it that it evolved from.

When a Pokémon evolves, anydamage counters that were on the prior evolved form remain on the evolved Pokémon, and so are any attached cards likeEnergy andPokémon Tools. However, it recovers from allSpecial Conditions, and any other assortedeffects are also cleared off the Pokémon.

The characteristics of the prior Evolution, such astype,weakness,HP, andRetreat Cost, no longer have any effect on the evolved Pokémon. They are overridden by the characteristics of the Evolution card, which generally increases a Pokemon's HP and Retreat Cost and allows for its typing to change through Evolution. This also means that evolved Pokémon cannot use any of theattacks,Abilities, and other capabilities that the prior Evolution had, but also means evolved Pokémon benefit from usually having stronger attacks and more useful Abilities compared to their prior Evolutions.

Certain effects can care about if a Pokémon has evolved, if a Pokémon has evolved on a specific turn, what Pokémon it evolved from, or a combination of these criteria. Some effects can allow an evolved Pokémon to use attacks from its prior Evolutions.

The prior Evolutions of a Pokémon are still considered to be part of that Pokémon.^[2] While they are in play, the entire Pokémon is only one card.^[3][2] If an evolved Pokémon leaves play and moves to another zone, its prior Evolutions are moved along with that card. The cards, however, return to being separate objects. Similarly, the prior Evolutions are not considered to be "attached" to the Pokémon. Some cards, such asAZ, move a Pokémon out of play but do something different to the cards attached to it. In such cases, the prior Evolutions move with the Pokémon card.^[4][5]

During each player's turn, that player can play any number of Evolution cards from their hand to evolve their Pokémon. Certain other effects can cause an Evolution card to be played and evolve a Pokémon, such as that ofEvosoda. However, Pokémon cannot be evolved on the first turn that each player takes in a game or on the first turn they come into play. As Evolution counts as entering play, Pokémon cannot evolve on the same turn they have previously evolved ordevolved. However, some effects exist which can circumvent these rules. The most common of them are the Adaptive Evolution and Evolutionary AdvantageAbilities. The Ancient TraitΔ Evolution is a mechanic fromRoaring Skies which allows this as well. Note that affordances to evolve on a turn cannot be extended to other cards that cause Pokémon to evolve. For instance, a Pokémon with Δ Evolution does not allow a player to evolve that Pokémon usingRare Candy if it is that Pokémon's first turn in play.^[2]

Stages of Evolution

There are three main stages of Evolution in the TCG.

• Basic Pokémon, which represent the initial evolutionary stage. Pokémon that evolve from a Pokémon released in a later generation, such asElectabuzz orPikachu, are usually Basic Pokémon, despite being the second Pokémon in their evolutionary lines. Their pre-Evolutions, likeElekid andPichu, are also usually Basic Pokémon.
• Stage 1 Pokémon, which represent the middle or final evolutionary forms of certain Pokémon and is the initial stage ofFossil Pokémon in some sets. They usually evolve from Basic Pokémon, and are Evolution cards
• Stage 2 Pokémon, which represent the final evolutionary forms of certain Pokémon. They usually evolve from Stage 1 Pokémon, and are Evolution cards.

A number of stages can be found on older cards, but no longer see print on newer cards.

• In theNeo Series and thee-Card series,Baby Pokémon was a stage thatBaby Pokemon, excludingTogepi, used. Current sets designate Pokémon that used to have the Baby stage as Basic Pokémon.
• In theBlack & White Series and theXY Series,Restored Pokémon was a stage thatFossil Pokémon used. Prior sets and later sets designate Pokémon that have had this stage as Stage 1 Pokémon.

Additionally, many special kinds of Pokémon cards have Stages unique to them.

• Pokémon LEGEND, for certainLegendary Pokémon divided into two cards in theHeartGold & SoulSilver Series.
• Mega Evolution Pokémon, forMega Evolved Pokémon,Primal Groudon, andPrimal Kyogre from theXY Series. They are Evolution cards, which usually evolve from BasicPokémon-EX
• Pokémon BREAK, for Pokémon from theParallel Worlds that have evolved past their final Evolution from the XY Series. They are Evolution cards, but there is not a preference for evolving from any particular Stage. They undergo a specificBREAK Evolution process, meaning they continue to have several characteristics from their previous Evolution.
• Pokémon VMAX, forDynamax,Gigantamax, andEternamax Pokémon from theSword & Shield Series. They are Evolution cards, which usually evolve from BasicPokémon V
• Pokémon VSTAR, for Pokémon blessed byArceus from theSword & Shield Series. They are Evolution cards, which usually evolve from BasicPokémon V
• Pokémon V-UNION, for Pokémon divided into four cards from theSword & Shield Series.

(Pokémon LV.X appear to have a Stage, but actually do not and instead have the Evolution Stage of the Pokémon that theyLevel-Up from.^[6])

OnlyBaby Pokémon and Basic Pokémon may be placed onto the Bench when setting up to play and during a game. Other stages of Pokémon have a restriction preventing them from being played directly onto the Bench, usually because they are considered to be Evolution cards or Evolution Pokémon and cannot enter play without evolving from a Pokémon that is in play.Pokémon LEGEND can be played from hand to the Bench if a player has both halves of the card available, but cannot be put into play when setting up.

The stage of Evolution of a Pokémon can be located in the top left corner of every Pokémon card, along with the name and a picture of the Pokémon the card evolves from, if any. During theEX Series, this information was still found on the left side of the card, but below the artwork instead.

Ability to evolve

Pokémon cards can only be put on top of another card to evolve if their "Evolves from Pokémon" field says that it does indeed evolve from the Pokémon it is being put on top of. For a normal Evolution chain, this is fairly straightforward. For example, theCinccino fromCrimson Invasion says it"Evolves fromMinccino. So it can be played to evolve from any card with the name "Minccino", be that the olderMinccino fromBlack & White, theMinccino from the same set as the Cinccino, or theMinccino from the later releasedTemporal Forces. Sometimes this allows for some silliness.Kabutops evolves fromKabuto, as it should given the video games. But there areStage 1 Kabuto and Stage 1 Kabutops, due to differentSeries printing cards forFossil Pokémon in different ways. And a Stage 1 Kabutops likeKabutops can indeed evolve from a Stage 1 Kabuto likeKabuto.^[7] Only the name matters; all details like Stage and the artwork of the cards compared to the "Evolves from" field are irrelevant. (This is despite the commonly held and officially stated idea that Stage 2 Pokémon can only evolve from Stage 1 Pokémon, which is just a simplification of the rules in question.^[8])

Cards that are not part of normal Evolution chains may only evolve from specific other cards or not evolve at all. A classic example isDark Blastoise, which states on the card that it "Evolves fromDark Wartortle". This means Dark Blastoise can evolve from any card named Dark Wartortle. But it is unable to evolve from a card simply namedWartortle. Likewise, a Pokémon likeTurtwig is not namedTurtwig. NoGrotle card that exists can evolve from Turtwig, because they all say"Evolves from Turtwig". And some cards areBasic Pokémon despite the species of Pokémon they depict, because the cards have a gameplay mechanic which means they are Basic Pokémon. Cards likeCamerupt,Radiant Steelix, andShining Noctowl all do not evolve from any card. Some, like the Camerupt, do have an Evolution. For that card, it would beCamerupt.

The "evolves from" field affects more than just playing cards from one's hand. Effects that cause Evolution, like theSalvatore and the aforementioned Evosoda, are also bound by these rules and can only locate cards in the deck that do evolve from a Pokémon in play. These cards are also bound by the "meta-rule" preventing a non-attack effect from being used if it would have no effect: If no Pokémon in play have any Evolutions that could be in the player's deck, then the card cannot be played. (If it's an attack, then the attack simply has no effect.) This accounts for the format being played. WhenBREAKthrough was legal in theStandard format, one could use Evosoda on aRaichu to evolve intoRaichu. However, such a play is no longer allowed in the Standard format, because no legal card evolves from Raichu.^[9] (This is actually a change from a 2018 decision that used to allow for precisely this play because Raichu was merely printed, even in formats where the card is not legal.^[10])

Some effects circumvent the "evolves from" field, allowing a Pokémon to evolve into a second Pokémon of a specified name even though the second Pokémon does not evolve from the first Pokémon. Examples of this include the additional text onBuried Fossil, theUltra Evolutionattack found on cards likeScatterbug and theBaby EvolutionPoke-Power found on someBaby Pokémon likeBudew. In rare cases, this can just be a permission to evolve into Pokémon of a larger group, rather than just cards of a specific name. For instance, theAscension DNAAbility onEevee means that any Pokémon that evolves from Eevee can evolve from Eevee andDitto has the AbilityAlmighty Evolution, which lets anyStage 1 Pokémon evolve from it. TheDitto Marker used in the alternate formats of Pack Battle and Ditto Draft grants any Basic Pokemon without aRule Box theEvolutionary Advantage Ability, which allows them to evolve into any Stage 1 Pokémon orStage 2 Pokémon.

Note that non-attack effects enabling Evolution cannot be combined with other cards that cause Evolution. A card like Evosoda cannot be used on the cards which use non-attack effects because no existing card has a "Evolves from" field listing such a card. Equally so, Rare Candy is unable to be used because the rules do not recognize any other card as "evolving from" these kinds of cards. For instance, while Ditto can have any card put on top of it to evolve it, that does not mean Rare Candy allows any Stage 2 Pokémon to evolve from it. As far as the rules are concerned, no card "evolves from" Ditto.

Unevolved Pokémon

Anunevolved Pokémon is aPokémon that has not evolved. In most cases,Basic Pokémon are the only entities that are unevolved Pokémon, andStage 1 Pokémon andStage 2 Pokémon are evolved Pokémon, but there are exceptions that go both ways. Some variations on Pokémon cards are unevolved non-Basic Pokémon. Examples of these includePokémon V-UNION andRestored Pokémon. More critically, there are methods by which an Evolution cards can enter play without evolving from another Pokémon, such as through the effects ofMaxie orOrbeetle'sEvomancy attack. An Evolution card entering play in such a manner has no previous Evolutions, therefore making it a unevolved Pokémon while still being an Evolution card. The main effect this affects is devolution effects. Evolved Pokémon can be devolved, but unevolved Pokémon cannot even if they are Evolution cards.

Devolution

Main article:Devolution

Devolution is essentially Evolution in reverse. One or more of the Evolution cards on top of a devolving Pokémon are removed from that Pokémon and put in another zone. This leaves one of the lower stages of that Pokémon visible, and that prior card is now in play. As with Evolution, damage and attached cards are retained, while Special Conditions and effects are removed. After devolving, a Pokémon cannot evolve on the same turn. Only evolved Pokémon can be devolved. Unevolved Pokémon, even ones that are Evolution cards, are unable to be devolved.

Devolution can not be done normally as part of a turn. It can only be performed by following the effects of certain cards.

"Evolution-like mechanics"

As is trading card game tradition, there are a few mechanics which resemble Evolution, but are not actually Evolution. They are as follows.

• Ditto from theLaboratory expansion exclusive to thePokémon Trading Card Game video game has the attackMorph, which searches for a random Basic Pokémon from the player's deck and replaces Ditto with that Pokémon. Doing so removes all effects, including Special Conditions, and has the added benefit of healing all damage from Ditto before the switch occurs. The healing makes it similar toBaby Evolution..
• Pokémon LV.X are placed on top of Pokémon like an Evolution. However, Pokémon LV.X are not Evolution cards, but rather Pokémon Level-Up cards. These cards are put on top of a Pokémon with a matching name, causing them to Level-Up. This can only be done to an Active Pokémon, but Special Conditions and effects are cleared from that Pokémon just like Evolution does. Additionally, the LV.X card has the attacks, Poké-Powers, and Poké-Bodies of its previous Level, that being the card the LV.X card was placed over.
• Ditto fromBoundaries Crossed has theTransform Ability, which allows a Basic Pokémon card to be put on top of Ditto, causing the Ditto to become that Pokémon. This is likened more to the card switching mechanic, in that Ditto never evolved and the other card never entered play. The second card keeps any effects, like Special Conditions, that were on Ditto. It is considered to have been in play for the same number of turns as the Ditto. While Ditto is underneath the second card, the second card is not an Evolved Pokémon

In relation to the real world

Evolution in Pokémon is closer to the real-life phenomenon ofmetamorphosis rather thanactual evolution, as real-life evolution happens to populations over a long period of time, not to individuals. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, it is mentioned that Pokémon Evolution is an entirely separate phenomenon from the normal process of evolution, and is a mysterious ability exclusive to Pokémon that is still not fully understood. InPokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, it is described in the health class at the school inSerene Village as being akin topuberty, where a Pokémon's body rapidly grows larger along with other changes that bring it closer to adulthood.

Real-life evolution still appears to have happened in the Pokémon universe and is mentioned or referenced in multiple media. Different Pokémon lines are related to each other evolutionarily, but not necessarily all of them, as some are man-made or alien in origin. There is alsoSinnoh Folk Story 3 which claims there was a time there was no difference between Pokémon and humans. Many Pokémon can interbreed based on theirEgg Group pointing to a potential relation.Pocket Monsters Encyclopedia describes how Pokémon adapt to different environments and usesCinnabar Island and its unique ecosphere as an example which is thought to have strongly influenced its native Pokémon, likeGrowlithe, and now is famous as a home to manyFire-type Pokémon. Starting with theGeneration VII games, each new region features new forms of previously known Pokémon calledregional forms which look different, most of the time have different types, and sometimes evolve into different species.

Other mentions:

• Drowzee is said to be descended from the legendary beast Baku, and is also thought to share common ancestry withMunna andMusharna.
• Omastar's heavy shell is thought to be the reason this ancient Pokémon died out. It's apparently a distant ancestor ofOctillery.
• Shellos andGastrodon's cells indicate that they had shells covering their backs in the ancient past, and they are related toShellder andCloyster.
• Pachirisu is related toPikachu's line.
• Seismitoad is a relative ofCroagunk andToxicroak.
• Skorupi shares a common ancestor withSizzlipede.
• Archen is believed to be a progenitor of bird Pokémon, although some of the latest research suggests this may not be the case.
• Tirtouga is reputed to be the ancestor of most turtle Pokémon, having lived in warm seas approximately 100 million years ago.
• Anorith is said to be an ancestor of modern bug Pokémon.
• Zubat's eyes and vision have atrophied over time in favor of echolocation.
• Relicanth has remained unchanged for 100 million years. Similarly,Kabuto has not changed for 300 million years.
• In the distant past,Kabutops began transitioning to a terrestrial lifestyle, but it was not able to fully adapt before it became extinct.
• Bagon's belief that it will be able to fly one day is apparently the influence of information carried in its genes. Some theories suggest that its behavior affected its Evolution.
• Wailmer is descended from a land-dwelling ancestor. It also appears to be related toCetoddle, whose ancestors at some point transitioned from the ocean back to land.
• Diancie is a spontaneous mutation ofCarbink.

Trivia

• Of all non-Legendary and non-Mythical Pokémon, 87.65% are part of an evolutionary line.
  • Counting Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, 80.39% of all Pokémon are part of an evolutionary line.
• Out of all Pokémon that evolve by leveling up,Larvesta evolves later than any other unevolved Pokémon, starting at level 59.
• Of all the Pokémon that evolve by leveling up,Hydreigon evolves from itspre-Evolution later than any other Pokémon, starting at level 64.
• Generation IX introduced the most non-Legendary and non-Mythical Pokémon that do not evolve, with 29.
  • GenerationsIV andVI are tied for the fewest, with just five each.
• Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the onlycore series game in which Evolution is not required for obtaining any species of Pokémon (withouttrading ortransferring), as all species in the game can be caught without using Evolution as of the Daybreak update. However, theAlolan form ofNinetales cannot be caught and must be evolved from thegift AlolanVulpix.

In other languages

Notes

References

Related articles

• Episodes in which a main character's Pokémon evolves
• Episodes in which a main character's Pokémon refuses to evolve
• Pokémon aging

• Articles needing more information
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