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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet special evolutions guide

How to evolve every Pokémon that doesn’t just evolve from leveling up

By Julia Lee Updated
A graphic of 11 Pokémon that have special evolutions over a map of Paldea, including Pawmot, Tsareena, Gallade, Dudunsparce, and others Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Game Freak, The Pokémon Company/Nintendo
Julia Lee (she/her) is a guides producer, writing guides for games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Genshin Impact. She helped launch the Rift Herald in 2016.
Part of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet guides

In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, most Pokémon will evolve through leveling up, but not all Pokémon work this way. Some Pokémon need special stones or items to evolve, while others need to be traded. Some even need to be specific genders or leveled up at certain times of day.

Our Pokémon Scarlet and Violet guide lists out all the special evolutions that we know of, categorized by evolution type, including the added Pokémon as part of The Teal Mask DLC.

Note that some Pokémon below do fit in multiple categories, so we put them in all the categories they fit in. For example, to get a Gallade, you need a to use a Dawn Stone on a male Kirlia, so it’s listed in the categories for both evolution stones and gendered Pokémon.

To quickly find the Pokémon you’re looking for, use ctrl + f on Windows PC and command + f on Mac.

Pokémon that require evolution stones to evolve

Evolution stones can be found scattered around Paldea on the ground, seen as sparkling objects. Just from walking around Paldea and exploring, we found a lot.

  • Eevee + Fire Stone = Flareon
  • Growlithe + Fire Stone = Arcanine
  • Capsakid + Fire Stone = Scovillain
  • Eevee + Water Stone = Vaporeon
  • Shellder + Water Stone = Cloyster
  • Pikachu + Thunder Stone = Raichu
  • Eevee + Thunder Stone = Jolteon
  • Magneton + Thunder Stone = Magnezone
  • Tadbulb + Thunder Stone = Bellibolt
  • Eevee + Leaf Stone = Leafeon
  • Petilil + Sun Stone = Lilligant
  • Sunkern + Sun Stone = Sunflora
  • Eevee + Ice Stone = Glaceon
  • Cetoddle + Ice Stone = Cetitan
  • Crabrawler + Ice Stone = Crabominable
  • Jigglypuff + Moon Stone = Wigglytuff
  • Floette + Shiny Stone = Florges
  • Murkrow + Dusk Stone = Honchkrow
  • Misdreavus + Dusk Stone = Mismagius
  • Kirlia (male) + Dawn Stone = Gallade
  • Snorunt (female) + Dawn Stone = Froslass
  • Weepinbell + Leaf Stone = Victreebel (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Vulpix + Fire Stone = Ninetales (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Lampent + Dusk Stone = Chandelure (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Nuzleaf + Leaf Stone = Shiftry (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Clefairy + Moon Stone = Clefable (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Nosepass + Thunder Stone = Probopass (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Charjabug + Thunder Stone = Vikavolt (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Poliwhirl + Water Stone = Poliwrath (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Lombre + Water Stone = Ludicolo (The Teal Mask DLC)

Pokémon that require other special items to evolve

These Pokémon require you to use these items on them, similarly to how you would use evolution stones.

Pokémon that require specific battle conditions to evolve

These Pokémon need to fulfill specific requirements in battle in order to evolve. They’ll evolve once you’ve correctly met the conditions.

Pokémon that require multiplayer to evolve

For Finizen to evolve, it needs to level up while you’re in a multiplayer session (local or online).

Pokémon that require high friendship to evolve

You will need to raise the friendship with these Pokémon, then level them up once to evolve them. You can raise friendship by giving the Pokémon a Soothe Bell and leveling them up.

  • Eevee + friendship = Espeon (daytime only)
  • Eevee + friendship = Umbreon (nighttime only)
  • Eevee + friendship + knows a fairy-type move = Sylveon
  • Pichu + friendship = Pikachu
  • Igglybuff + friendship = Jigglypuff
  • Chansey + friendship = Blissey
  • Azurill + friendship = Marill
  • Riolu + friendship = Lucario (daytime only)
  • Swadloon + friendship = Leavanny (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Munchlax + friendship = Snorlax (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Cleffa + friendship = Clefairy (The Teal Mask DLC)
  • Chingling + friendship = Chimecho (nighttime only) (The Teal Mask DLC)

Pokémon that require walking with Let’s Go to evolve

Take these Pokémon out by making them the lead in your party and pressing the R button — which activates Let’s Go mode — and walk with them a ton. Level them up after you walk with them to get them to evolve.

A Pawmot stands in Mesagoza at night, freshly evolved Image: Game Freak/The Pokémon Company, Nintendo via Polygon

Pokémon that require learning a special move to evolve

Once these Pokémon learn the respective move, they’ll evolve. If the Pokémon has leveled up beyond the point they naturally learn the move, you’ll need to reteach it to them, then level them up once more.

Pokémon that require a specific time of day to evolve

These Pokémon have a variety of leveling methods, but they can only be done during certain times of day. The time of day does not correlate to real-world time. You can check what time it is in-game by opening your Pokédex or map.

  • Sneasel + holding Razor Claw + level = Weavile (nighttime only)
  • Eevee + friendship = Espeon (daytime only)
  • Eevee + friendship = Umbreon (nighttime only)
  • Riolu + friendship = Lucario (daytime only)
  • Happiny + holding Oval Stone + level = Chansey (daytime only)
  • Yungoos + level 20 = Gumshoos (daytime only)
  • Rockruff + level 25 = Midday Form Lycanroc (daytime only)
  • Rockruff + level 25 = Midnight Form Lycanroc (nighttime only)
  • Rockruff with the “Own Tempo” ability + level 25 = Dusk Form Lycanroc (7-8 pm only)
  • Fomantis + level 34 = Lurantis (daytime only)
  • Greavard + level 30 = Houndstone (nighttime only)
  • Gligar + holding Razor Fang + level = Gliscor (nighttime only) (The Teal Mask DLC)

Pokémon that need to be traded to evolve

These Pokémon need to be traded to evolve. Once the trade completes, they will evolve, so they’ll need to be traded back to the original trainer.

Pokémon that need held items to evolve

These Pokémon need to be holding specific items and then leveled up or traded in order to evolve.

Pokémon that only evolve when a specific gender

These Pokémon only evolve into these forms when they’re a specific gender.

  • Kirlia (male) + Dawn Stone = Gallade
  • Snorunt (female) + Dawn Stone = Froslass
  • Combee (female) + level 21 = Vespiquen
  • Salandit (female) + level 33 = Salazzle
  1. Polygon
  2. Scarlet and Violet guides
  3. Complete Kitakami Pokédex
  4. Type chart
  5. Gym order and badge progression
  6. Exclusives list

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet guides

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