How Many Meltans Do You Need to Evolve?
To evolve the elusive Meltan into its powerful evolved form, Melmetal, you’ll need a whopping 400 Meltan Candies. This makes it one of the most candy-intensive evolutions in the Pokémon GO world. Obtaining this many candies requires a dedicated strategy, but the reward is well worth the effort, granting you a formidable addition to your Pokémon roster.
Understanding the Meltan Evolution Process
The Candy Conundrum
The sheer number of candies required for evolving Meltan highlights its unique status among Pokémon. Most Pokémon require significantly fewer candies, making Meltan a long-term project for any trainer. Unlike other mythical Pokémon, Meltan can evolve and this makes it the very first mythical Pokémon known to be able to evolve.
Acquiring Meltan Candies: Your Options
- Catching Meltan: This is the most straightforward method. Every Meltan you catch yields a certain number of candies.
- Sending Meltan to Professor Willow: By transferring Meltan to Professor Willow, you receive additional candies.
- Buddy Pokémon: Designating Meltan as your Buddy Pokémon allows it to find candies as you walk. The distance required for each candy is similar to other Pokémon in its candy tier.
- Rare Candies: If you’re sitting on a pile of Rare Candies, this can be a quick (albeit potentially wasteful) way to get your Meltan Candies up to 400.
- Pinap Berries: Using a Pinap Berry before catching Meltan will double the amount of candies you get per catch.
The Mystery Box: Your Key to Meltan Encounters
Meltan’s availability is intrinsically linked to the Mystery Box, obtained by transferring Pokémon to Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! on the Nintendo Switch, or to Pokémon HOME. Activating a Mystery Box spawns multiple Meltan around you for a limited time. Remember, you can only hold one Mystery Box at a time, and it has a cooldown period of three days after use. Sending Pokémon to a friend’s Nintendo Switch game allows you to obtain a Mystery Box, but you can only have one at a time! The Mystery Box is specific to each player and Meltan will only appear for the player that opened the Mystery Box.
Meltan FAQs: Deep Dive into the Nutty Mythical Pokémon
1. Why is Meltan so hard to evolve?
Meltan’s evolution difficulty stems from the high candy requirement (400) and the limited availability of Meltan encounters. Unlike common Pokémon, Meltan only appears when a Mystery Box is active, making candy accumulation a slower process. Being difficult to attain makes Melmetal that much more appealing.
2. Does it matter if I power up Meltan before evolving?
Not really, unless you are interested in Player Vs Player (PVP) battles. Evolving a Pokémon only alters its base stats, not its level or Individual Values (IVs). Therefore, the Combat Power (CP) achieved after evolution remains consistent regardless of pre-evolution power-ups.
3. How often can I open a Mystery Box?
A Mystery Box has a cooldown period of three days (72 hours) after being opened. This means you can use it approximately twice a week, assuming you have access to a Nintendo Switch and compatible game or a friend who does.
4. Can Meltan be shiny?
Yes, but only during special events announced by Niantic. Outside of these events, Shiny Meltan is not available. During these events, the shiny odds are boosted, often making it a prime time to hunt for this rare variant. Shiny Meltan was once again available during an event from Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. to Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. local time.
5. What are the odds of finding a perfect IV Meltan?
The odds depend on the encounter method:
- Wild Catches: 1/4096
- Field Research/Raids/Eggs/Forced Encounters: 1/216
- Weather Boost: 1/1728
- Trades with Best Friend: 1/1331 (ignoring lucky chance)
6. What is the maximum CP of Meltan?
At Level 50 with perfect 15/15/15 IVs, Meltan’s maximum CP is 1207.
7. Is Meltan an Ultra Beast?
No, Meltan is not an Ultra Beast, though it has been found in areas where Ultra Beasts are seen in the anime. It’s classified as a Mythical Pokémon.
8. Can Melmetal be placed in a gym?
Yes, Melmetal can be placed in gyms. This is an exception to the rule that Legendary and Mythical Pokémon generally cannot be used as gym defenders.
9. Is it better to purify a Shadow Meltan before evolving?
Purifying increases a Pokémon’s CP and reduces the candy cost for evolution. However, Shadow Pokémon deal 20% more damage, but take 20% more damage. Therefore, the trade-off comes down to personal preference. Purifying a Shadow Meltan before evolving will cost less candies.
10. What are XL Candies and how do they affect Melmetal?
XL Candies allow you to power up your Pokémon beyond Level 40, all the way to Level 50. This is crucial for maximizing Melmetal’s CP and performance in battles. XL Candy is a resource which allows you to level your Pokémon even further than before in Pokémon Go.
11. Are there any strategies to maximize Meltan Candy gains?
Yes. Always use a Pinap Berry when catching Meltan to double the candy yield. Also, maximize Mystery Box use by catching every Meltan that spawns. Utilize the buddy system and walk regularly with Meltan to earn additional candies.
12. Is Meltan the only mythical Pokémon that can evolve?
Yes, Meltan is currently the only Mythical Pokémon that can evolve. This makes it a unique and valuable addition to any Pokémon GO trainer’s collection.
13. What makes Melmetal a good gym defender?
Melmetal has decent bulk and can deal out good damage with its powerful moves. Game Press suggests that other good gym defenders include Metagross, Drifblim, Togekiss, and Milotic.
14. Can I trade Meltan?
Yes, you can trade Meltan with other players in Pokémon GO. This can be a helpful way to get a Meltan with better IVs or to help a friend complete their Pokédex.
15. What if I don’t have access to a Nintendo Switch?
If you lack access to a Nintendo Switch, consider asking a friend who owns Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! if they can help you obtain Mystery Boxes. Remember to use the GamesLearningSociety.org website, Games Learning Society, to learn more about how learning can be integrated with play through video games.
Obtaining a Melmetal requires patience and strategic planning, but the payoff is a powerful and unique Pokémon that sets you apart as a dedicated trainer. Good luck on your Meltan hunting adventures!