Pokémon Legends: Arceus New Evolution Methods

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the latest adventure in the Pokémon franchise, this time bringing with it a whole new open world, new catching mechanics and more.

While the deep mysteries of Hisui, and which Pokémon you’re going to encounter, are left for you to solve, there are a few parts of the game that you might need a bit of help with, in this case, how to evolve certain Pokémon.

Every new evolution method in Pokémon Legends Arceus

We've split the different evolution methods below into three categories: Item-based evolutions, Move-based evolutions, and Damage-based evolutions.

ITEM-BASED EVOLUTIONS

Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler and Haunter

These generation 1 legends get a bit of a refresh in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Where as in the mainline games you had to trade them with a friend in order to get them to evolve, in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, you simply have to give them a “Linking Cord” (which is lovely throwback to the Game Boy days,) and they’ll evolve.

You can buy these items from a vendor in town, but helpfully, every single one of the final stages of these Pokémon can also be found in the wild as Alpha Pokémon.

Voltorb

In order to get yourself a Hisuian Electrode, just give Voltorb a Leaf Stone and that’s it! You can find these in the wild, or from a vendor in Jubilife Village.

Scyther

To evolve Scyther into Kleavor, you need Black Augurite. You can find this item a few ways. If you watch a Graveler, they have a chance to drop it. It can also be found during space-time distortions. If you complete the quest 'A Nosepass to Guide the Way', you’ll receive it as a reward for completion.

Ursaring

In order to evolve Ursaring into Ursaluna, you need to give Ursaring a Peat Block during a Full Moon. You can find these items by using the rideable Ursaluna to dig underground. You can also get it as a quest reward for “Gone Astay in the Icelands”.

Sneasel

To evolve Sneasel into Sneasler, simply give it a Razor Claw during the day. These items, like mostof the evolution items, can be purchased from a vendor in Jubilife Village.

MOVE-BASED EVOLUTIONS

Qwilfish

To evolve Qwilfish into Overqwil, use the move Barb Barrage 20 times in the Strong Style.

Stantler

To evolve Stantler into Wyrdeer, use the move Psyshield Bash 20 times in Agile Style

DAMAGE-BASED EVOLUTIONS

Basculin

In order to evolve Basculin into Basculegion, take 300 points of recoil damage without fainting.

This article is part of our Pokémon Legends: Arceus walkthrough and guide series. You can find every Pokémon in the game using our Complete Hisui Pokédex List And Pokémon Locations guide, or hunt for specific hard-to-catch Pokémon with our individual guides, including Every Alpha Pokémon (with Maps), Every Rare Space-Time Distortion Pokémon, Where To Find Every Unown, Where To Find The Other Starters, Where To Find The Sinnoh Starters, How To Catch Darkrai, How To Catch Shaymin, Where To Find Hisuian Zorua, Where To Find Hisuian Growlithe, Where To Find Hisuian Electrode, How To Get Sneasler, How To Get Wyrdeer, How To Get Alolan Vulpix, How To Get Kleavor, How To Catch Tornadus, Thundurus and Landorus, How To Get Every Eeveelution, How To Catch The New 'Secret' Legendary, and (of course) How To Catch Arceus.

Elsewhere we've got starter guides with answers to simple questions like "How Do You Break Cracked Rocks?" and "How Long Is Pokémon Legends: Arceus?", plus tips on How To Swap Pokémon, How To Turn On Gyro Controls, or where to find specific items and make the most of your resources, including How To Increase Your Bag Size And Carry More Items and Where To Buy Every Evolution Item, Plus A Complete Price List. We also have our Ginkgo Guild Item List And Prices guide and cover How To Get Shiny Pokémon and how to access and complete various side quests and missions, such as The Sea Legend, the Eerie Apparitions In The Night Mission Guide - Maps With Every Wisp Location, and How To Defeat Volo, as well as a 'Snow-White Vulpix In The Snow' Map.

We also have a Ginkgo Guild Item List With Prices and explain How To Change Pokémon Forms, Every New Evolution Method, How To Unlock The Mystery Gift Function, in addition to a regularly updated Full List Of Mystery Gift Codes.

And finally, Where to Buy Pokémon Legends: Arceus on Nintendo Switch, if for some reason you haven't yet picked up the game!