Arceus does a fairly good job of letting you know when and how to evolve many of the game’s 242 Pokémon (and you’ll always be able to choose whether or not you want to evolve one at all), but there are a surprising number of Pokémon in the game without immediately clear evolutionary paths. It’s certainly possible to “solve” their evolution methods through the course of natural play, but it helps to have a little better idea of what you need to do so that you can better plan your path through this massive adventure just a little better. So, if you’re just not sure how to evolve that one Pokémon (or you want to remove as much guesswork from Arceus as possible), here’s a look at how to evolve every Pokémon in the game that has an evolutionary form (based on currently available information).

Pokémon Legends: Arceus – How to Evolve Every Pokémon With Experience

The most straightforward evolutionary method in the franchise returns in Arceus. In order to have the option to evolve these Pokémon, you just need to level them up to the level listed next to their evolutionary forms.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus – How to Evolve Every Pokémon With Stones and Special Items

Much as it was in pretty much every other main Pokémon game, there are some Pokémon that only be evolved by using a special item on them. These evolutionary items can be found in a variety of places (vendors, quest rewards, Mystery Gifts, and special events), but they’re all used in roughly the same way. You just need to select the item from your inventory, move it to a Pokémon that is listed as “Compatible,” and choose to use the item. All evolutionary items are single-use, but we suppose that there’s always hope that someone will find a duplication trick. Of special note is the new Linking Cord items, which basically replaces the need to trade certain Pokémon to evolve them. Instead of having to trade those Pokémon with a particular item attached, you just need to use that item on the Pokémon listed below that are compatible with it.

Fire Stone

Eevee — FlareonHisuian Growlithe — Hisuian ArcanineVulpix — Ninetales

Ice Stone

Alolan Vulpix — Alolan NinetalesEevee — Glaceon

Thunder Stone

Eevee — JolteonMagneton — MagnezonePikachu — Raichu

Dusk Stone

Misdreavus — MismagiusMurkrow — Honchkrow

Metal Coat

Onix — SteelixScyther — Scizor

Shiny Stone

Roselia — RoseradeTogetic — Togekiss

Linking Cord

Graveler — GolemHaunter — GengarKadabra — AlakazamMachoke — Machamp

Razor Claw

Johto Sneasel — Weavile (Nighttime)Hisuian Sneasel — Sneasler (Daytime)

Pokémon Legends: Arceus – How to Evolve Every Pokémon With Learned Moves and Battle Requirements

This is kind of a weird requirement, but there are some Pokémon in Arceus that can only evolve when they learn a specific move or use a specific move a certain number of times in battles. If you wish to evolve these Pokémon, be sure to remain mindful of how you use them in combat and expand their moveset.

Pokémon that Evolve By Learning Specific Moves

Aipom — Ambipom: Double Hit (Level 25)Bonsly — Sudowoodo: Mimic (Level 29)Licktung — Lickylicky: Rollout (Level 34)Mime Jr. — Mr. Mime: Mimic (Level 25)Piloswine — Mamoswine: Ancient Power (Level 34)Tangela — Tangrowth: Ancient Power (Level 34)Yanma — Yanmega: Ancient Power (Level 34)

Pokémon that Evolve by Using Moves in Battle

Basculin — Basculegion: Use Double Edge to take and survive 300 points of damageQwilfish — Overqwil: Use Barb Barrage 20 times in Strong StyleStantler — Wyrdeer: Use Psyshield Bash 20 times in Agile Style

Pokémon Legends: Arceus – How to Evolve Every Pokémon With Relationships

Here’s another strange one. There are some Pokémon in Arceus that can only evolve if your friendship with them is high enough. You can grow your friendship level with a Pokémon by using them more in battle, taking care of them, and spending more time with them, but there is no direct way to check your exact current friendship level with a Pokémon via menus. Instead, you’ll need to find an NPC named Belamy who can tell you your current friendship status with a specific Pokémon. You’ll meet Belamy during the Measuring your Compatibility quest, and you can find him at the Jubilife Village Pasture after that. Budew — RoseliaBuneary — LopunnyChingling — ChimechoCleffa — ClefairyEevee — Espeon (Daytime)Eevee — Umbreon (Nighttime)Eevee — Sylveon (With a Fairy-Type Move Equipped)Golbat — CrobatMuchlax — SnorlaxPichu — PikachuRiolu — LucarioTogepi — TogeticMantyke — Mantine (When it’s in a party with Remoraid)

Pokémon Legends: Arceus – How to Evolve Every Pokémon at Specific Locations

Some Pokémon can only evolve if they are in very specific locations or in a general environment that unlocks their evolution option. For instance, in the case of the Eevee evolutions, you can only evolve Eevee into Leafeon and Glaceon if you use the correct item on them at the locations listed below (same story with Magneton). Nosepass and Sliggoo just need to be in these specific areas to evolve beyond their current forms. Eevee — Leafeon: Heartwood area of the Obsidian Fieldlands near a mossy rock landmark.Eevee — Glaceon: Alabaster Icelands in the Bonechill Wastes. Go to the Icy Rock in the cavern.Magneton — Magnezone: Coronet HighlandsNosepass — Probopass: Coronet HighlandsSliggoo — Goodra: anywhere when it’s raining, which it does commonly in the Crimson Mirelands and Cobalt Coastlands.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus – How to Evolve Every Pokémon With Specific Gender Requirements

Finally, there are some Pokémon in Arceus that evolve based on their gender. In other words, some genders of certain Pokemon evolve differently, and some genders of certain Pokémon can’t evolve at all.