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Can you evolve a Pokémon after putting it on the bench?

The answer to this question is no, you cannot evolve a Pokémon immediately after putting it on the bench, as the Pokémon Trading Card Game rules state that a Pokémon must be in play for a full turn before it can evolve, and evolving a Pokémon is only possible during your turn, as long as it is not your first turn, or if the Pokémon you’re evolving wasn’t just put in play. This evolution rule applies to all Pokémon, whether they are Basic, Stage 1, or Stage 2, and is crucial to understand in order to play the game effectively.

Understanding Evolution Rules

To evolve a Pokémon, you need to play a Stage 1 or Stage 2 evolution on top of a Basic or Stage 1 Pokémon, respectively, and a Pokémon can’t evolve the same turn it’s played, and can only evolve once per turn, unless an item card like Rare Candy specifies otherwise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you evolve a Pokémon on your first turn?

No, neither player can evolve a Pokémon on that player’s first turn unless a card says so, as this is a fundamental rule in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Can you evolve a Pokémon if its card was just added to the bench?

No, you cannot evolve a Pokémon if its card was just added to the bench, as it must be in play for a full turn before it can evolve.

Can you evolve a Pokémon after playing it?

Yes, you can evolve a Pokémon after playing it, as long as it is not your first turn, or if the Pokémon you’re evolving wasn’t just put in play.

Can you evolve a Pokémon if you go second?

Yes, but you must wait until your 2nd turn, even if you go 2nd, as a Pokémon must be in play for a full turn before it can evolve.

Can you evolve Pokémon too late?

No, delaying evolution does not cause a stat loss, as the power-up gained by evolution is based on level and base stats.

Can you evolve Pokémon on the bench?

Yes, you can evolve a Pokémon on the bench, but it must be in play for a full turn before it can evolve.

How do you evolve a Pokémon that missed evolution?

If a Pokémon misses its evolution level, it’ll attempt to evolve again when it levels up again in battle, so just level the Pokémon to the required level in a battle and it should evolve.

Should I fully upgrade my Pokémon before evolving?

No, because we cannot predict a Pokémon’s move set before evolving it, you should evolve a Pokémon and confirm it has the moves you want before investing your hard-earned Stardust into it.

What are the rules for evolving Pokémon?

Is it better to level up a Pokémon before evolving it?

No, it is better to evolve and then power the Pokémon up if it should have strong moves, as evolving a Pokémon can give it new and powerful moves.

Can any Pokémon evolve 3 times?

Yes, many Pokémon evolve three times if we count Mega Evolutions, and some of these are Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Bagon, Torchic, and Aron.

What happens if you evolve a Pokémon early?

If you evolve a Pokémon early, it will be stronger, but it will take a longer amount of levels to learn new moves, so it is generally recommended to evolve a Pokémon as soon as possible.

Is there a hand limit in Pokémon?

Yes, it can be a total of 57 cards after you start your turn, but there is no limit to hand size unless something affects it.

What is the max benched Pokémon?

Each player can have 8 Pokémon on his or her Bench.

Are benched Pokémon considered in play?

Yes, your cards are in play when they are on the table, and Benched Pokémon are considered in play, but your deck, your discard pile, and your Prize cards are not.

Can you knock out a benched Pokémon?

Yes, a Pokémon is Knocked Out if it has damage greater than or equal to its Hit Points, and this applies both to your active and benched Pokémon.

Should I purify Shadow Pokémon?

Yes, Shadow Pokémon cost 20% more Candy and Stardust to power up, evolve, or to learn a new Charged Move, so purifying them can save resources and improve their stats.