Unlock Your Pokémon's True Potential: Mastering the Art of Evolution in Pokemon GO

Unlock Your Pokémon's True Potential: Mastering the Art of Evolution in Pokemon GO

Wondering which Pokemon to evolve in Pokemon GO? Discover the best strategies for evolution, including when to evolve and when to hold back Maximize your trainer's potential with expert insights and tips

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How to Evolve in Pokemon GO

Why You Should Evolve Pokemon in Pokemon GO (& Why You Should Not)

Should 0-Star Pokemon Be Evolved?

Evolution is a game mechanic in Pokemon that triggers when a Pokemon meets certain criteria and undergoes a transformation. Most Pokemon evolve by leveling up, but there are also Pokemon that cannot evolve. In Pokemon GO, the evolution process differs from the traditional mainline games.

To evolve a Pokemon in Pokemon GO, players will require a certain amount of Candy. Every Pokemon that is capable of evolving will have a specific quantity of Candy that is necessary to initiate the evolution process. This requirement can range from as low as 12 Candy to as high as 400 Candy. Given that the primary focus of Pokemon GO is to catch Pokemon, it won't take much time for players to accumulate a large number of Pokemon that are ready to evolve. However, it would be advisable for trainers to exercise caution and selectivity when deciding which Pokemon to evolve.

How to Evolve in Pokemon GO

Unlock Your Pokémon's True Potential: Mastering the Art of Evolution in Pokemon GO

Trainers in Pokémon GO are rewarded with Candy whenever they successfully capture a Pokémon. By feeding a Pinap Berry or a Silver Pinap Berry to their Pokémon, trainers have the potential to double the amount of Candy they receive. Additionally, during certain in-game events, the Candy Rate can be doubled or even tripled for a limited time. Accumulated Candy can then be utilized to enhance a Pokémon's power, acquire new Charged Attacks, or facilitate evolution.

Players can evolve their Pokemon by accessing the Pokemon's summary page and selecting "Evolve."

Open the main menu by tapping the Poke Ball icon.

Select Pokemon (Pikachu icon).

Tap one of the Pokemon to view their summary page. If a Pokemon can evolve, it will have the required Candy amount next to the "Evolve" option.

In Pokemon, candy is crucial for the evolution process, but certain species like Haunter and Graveler evolve through trading. However, once a Pokemon is traded, it cannot be retrieved. Therefore, trading should only be done if players receive a Trade Evolve Pokemon in return, such as trading Haunters to mutually evolve into Gengar.

There are also other methods of evolution, such as adventuring with a Buddy Pokemon or completing Buddy Tasks. Some species only evolve in specific weather conditions. If a Pokemon has additional evolution requirements, players can find out what needs to be done by tapping the dropdown arrow under the "Evolve" button.

Why You Should Evolve Pokemon in Pokemon GO (& Why You Should Not)

Unlock Your Pokémon's True Potential: Mastering the Art of Evolution in Pokemon GO

Commonly found wild Pokemon are generally easier to evolve compared to those that are rarer, such as Snorunt whose appearance is weather-dependent. As a result, it is more convenient to collect Bidoof Candy than Snorunt Candy, making Bidoof a preferable choice for evolution.

Although the decision ultimately lies with the individual, it is generally advised that Pokemon should only be evolved in certain situations: when trainers aim to complete their Pokedex, desire a specific evolution, or possess extra Candy.

Pros of Evolving Pokemon

  • Pokemon generally receive a boost in their Combat Power (CP) once they've evolved. CP essentially functions like the Pokemon's "level" in GO. The higher the CP, the more likely they'll survive in battle.
  • Some Pokemon can only be obtained through evolution or under very specific circumstances, such as Trading. Therefore, it's easier to evolve Trade Evolution Pokemon by feeding them Candy than it is to trade with someone else.
  • Evolving a Pokemon for the first time will register its entry to the Pokedex. Filling out pages in the dex is how players can get more achievements/medals.

Cons of Evolving Pokemon

  • When a Pokemon evolves, its Fast Attack and Charged Attack may be changed. While this isn't always a bad thing, there are times when players may lose out on a swift-charging Charged Attack in favor for something stronger, but slower.
  • Remember: Candy (and Stardust) is also used for Powering Up and learning a new Charged Attack. Sometimes it's better to learn a Charged Attack before evolving the Pokemon.
  • Evolving too many of the same species can burn through Candy very quickly. It's recommended to only evolve a Pokemon that has high CP, or a 3/4-star Appraisal.

Should You Evolve 0-Star Pokemon?

Unlock Your Pokémon's True Potential: Mastering the Art of Evolution in Pokemon GO

To identify Pokemon that are ready to evolve, players can simply tap the Search Bar on the Pokemon Storage screen. From there, they can select "Can Evolve" under the Recommended section. For additional filtering options, users can tap the Search Bar again and choose from the options provided under Recommended or See More. To quickly find a specific species, players can type the name of the desired Pokemon in the search bar located above the Filter.

Appraisals represent the combined Individual Values (IVs) of a Pokemon, which include HP, Attack, and Defense. To check a Pokemon's Appraisal, simply tap the icon located in the bottom-right corner of the Pokemon's summary page and choose the "Appraisal" option.

Typically, wild-caught Pokemon tend to have 0-star Appraisals, while those obtained from hatching Eggs or completing Special or Timed Research tasks often have 2/3-star Appraisals. It is advisable to evolve the Pokemon with the higher CP or the more favorable Appraisal.

If a Pokemon with no star rating has a CP of 1000 or higher, it may be more beneficial to evolve it. This is because of the Candy and Stardust required to increase a Pokemon's CP. However, if both Pokemon have low CP and one has a three-star rating, it is recommended to choose the three-star Pokemon. Pokemon GO can be played on mobile devices.