How Long Does it Take to Evolve Basculin?

The time it takes to evolve Basculin into Basculegion isn’t measured in hours or levels, but in recoil damage. Specifically, you need your White-Striped Basculin to take 294 points of recoil damage from its own attacks without fainting, and then level it up. This process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on your Basculin’s level, the strength of the opposing Pokémon, and how strategically you use healing items. This is unique compared to other evolutions in the game.

Understanding Basculin’s Evolution

Unlike most Pokémon that evolve through simple level progression or specific items, Basculin’s evolution into the formidable Basculegion is tied to a rather peculiar requirement: self-inflicted pain, or rather, recoil damage. This makes the evolution process a little more involved, and perhaps even a bit frustrating, but with the right strategy, it can be streamlined.

The Crucial Recoil Damage

The key to evolving your Basculin lies in accumulating 294 points of recoil damage. Recoil damage is the health your Pokémon loses when using certain moves that inflict damage on the user as well as the opponent. This damage is tracked cumulatively, meaning you don’t need to achieve it in a single battle. You can heal your Basculin between battles, making the process more manageable. However, if your Basculin faints at any point before reaching the 294 damage threshold, your progress resets to zero.

Factors Affecting Evolution Time

Several factors influence how quickly you can evolve your Basculin:

• Basculin’s Level: A higher-level Basculin can withstand more recoil damage, potentially allowing you to use recoil moves more frequently without fainting. A lower level Basculin will require careful management of its health and more frequent trips to heal.
• Opponent Strength: Battling weaker Pokémon ensures your Basculin survives long enough to inflict the necessary recoil damage. Stronger opponents can knock out your Basculin before it reaches the damage requirement, resetting your progress.
• Recoil Move Selection: Basculin learns three moves that inflict recoil damage: Take Down, Wave Crash, and Double-Edge. Wave Crash and Double-Edge typically inflict more recoil damage than Take Down, making them more efficient for the evolution process, but Wave Crash is generally a good balance between damage and recoil.
• Healing Items: Potions, Super Potions, and Hyper Potions are invaluable for keeping your Basculin alive and preventing it from fainting, particularly when battling weaker Pokémon that don’t pose a significant threat.
• Location: The location where you are completing these battles is important, finding the right place with appropriately leveled pokemon is key.

Step-by-Step Evolution Guide

Here’s a breakdown of the process to make evolving Basculin faster and more efficient:

1. Obtain a White-Striped Basculin: This is the only form that can evolve into Basculegion. You can find it in specific locations within the game, such as The Timeless Woods in Kitakami.
2. Level Up to Learn Recoil Moves: Train your Basculin until it learns Wave Crash (Level 44) or Double-Edge (Level 52). Wave Crash is often preferred as it’s learned earlier.
3. Choose a Suitable Battle Location: Find an area with weaker Pokémon, ideally those 20-30 levels below your Basculin. This ensures your Basculin can survive multiple uses of recoil moves.
4. Start Accumulating Recoil Damage: Use Wave Crash or Double-Edge repeatedly against the weaker Pokémon. Monitor your Basculin’s health closely.
5. Heal as Needed: Use potions to heal your Basculin whenever its health gets low. The recoil damage does not need to be inflicted in a single battle.
6. Avoid Fainting: The most crucial rule! If Basculin faints, all progress is lost.
7. Check for Evolution Notification: After inflicting enough recoil damage (around 294 points), you will receive a notification that Basculin can now evolve. Sometimes the text box stating it is ready to evolve does not appear, so make sure to save before leveling up just to make sure you don’t miss the opportunity.
8. Level Up: Once the recoil damage requirement is met, level up your Basculin by battling, using Rare Candies, or other leveling methods.
9. Enjoy Your New Basculegion: Bask in the glory of your newly evolved Basculegion!

Tips for Speeding Up the Process

• Use Held Items: Consider giving Basculin a held item like the Rocky Helmet. The Rocky Helmet is an item that damages the opponent who uses a physical move against the holder, this will allow you to complete the battles quicker.
• EV Training: While not directly related to the evolution requirement, EV training your Basculin in HP can help it withstand more recoil damage.
• Stay Focused: Pay close attention to Basculin’s health and the notification indicating its readiness to evolve.
• Learn more about Pokemon evolutions: Dive deeper into the science of how people learn by playing games, and support quality research on the topic! Visit the Games Learning Society website at GamesLearningSociety.org for cutting-edge research and insights.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about evolving Basculin, with answers to help you navigate this unique evolution process:

1. Can Any Basculin Evolve into Basculegion?

No, only White-Striped Basculin can evolve into Basculegion. Red- and Blue-Striped Basculin cannot evolve.

2. What Level Does Basculin Need to Be to Evolve?

There’s no specific level requirement for Basculin to evolve, but it needs to know a recoil move like Wave Crash (Level 44) or Double-Edge (Level 52).

3. Does the Recoil Damage Need to Be Done in a Single Battle?

No, the recoil damage is cumulative. You can heal your Basculin between battles and spread the damage across multiple encounters.

4. What Happens if Basculin Faints During the Process?

If Basculin faints before accumulating 294 recoil damage, the damage counter resets to zero, and you must start over.

5. Can I Use Healing Items While Trying to Evolve Basculin?

Yes, you can use healing items to keep your Basculin alive and prevent it from fainting during the process.

6. Is There a Specific Location Where I Should Evolve Basculin?

Choose an area with weaker Pokémon, ideally those 20-30 levels below your Basculin, to ensure it survives long enough to accumulate the necessary recoil damage.

7. How Do I Know When Basculin is Ready to Evolve?

After accumulating approximately 294 points of recoil damage, the game will usually display a notification indicating that Basculin is ready to evolve. Pay close attention!

8. What is the Best Recoil Move to Use for Evolving Basculin?

Wave Crash is often preferred due to its earlier availability and good balance between damage output and recoil damage. Double-Edge is another option but is learned later.

9. Can I Use Rare Candies to Level Up Basculin After Meeting the Recoil Damage Requirement?

Yes, you can use Rare Candies or any other leveling method to level up Basculin after it has taken the required recoil damage.

10. Does the Gender of Basculin Affect its Evolution?

The gender of the White-Striped Basculin will determine the appearance of Basculegion. Both male and female Basculin can evolve.

11. Can I Breed White-Striped Basculin to Get More?

Yes, you can breed White-Striped Basculin and the offspring will also be White-Striped.

12. Where Can I Find White-Striped Basculin?

White-Striped Basculin are typically found in specific locations like The Timeless Woods in Kitakami.

13. Is White-Striped Basculin Rare?

White-Striped Basculin can be relatively rare, so it may take some time to encounter one.

14. Can Blue and Red Striped Basculin Evolve?

No, only the White-Striped Basculin form can evolve into Basculegion. The other forms cannot.

15. Can I Transfer a Basculin from Pokemon Home and Will it Evolve?

Yes, you can transfer a White-Striped Basculin from Pokemon HOME and it will evolve, if it is one of the other colors, it will not evolve.

Evolving Basculin is a unique and challenging process in the Pokémon world, but with the right knowledge and strategy, you can add Basculegion to your team in no time. Happy training!