Should I Evolve All My Pokémon? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is: no, you shouldn’t evolve every Pokémon you catch. While evolution is a core mechanic for strengthening your Pokémon, it’s not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Smart evolution decisions require understanding the trade-offs and considering your goals in the game, whether it’s completing your Pokédex, dominating Gym battles, or enjoying the aesthetics of your favorite creatures.

Understanding the Nuances of Evolution

Evolution, at its heart, is a transformative process that increases a Pokémon’s Combat Power (CP) and sometimes changes its type, move set, and abilities. It’s fueled by Candies, a resource earned by catching, hatching, and transferring Pokémon. However, blindly evolving everything can lead to missed opportunities and suboptimal results. Before you evolve any Pokemon, it is worth researching it. You may be surprised by some unique features or characteristics that you may overlook.

Factors to Consider Before Evolving

• Your Goals: Are you focused on completing your Pokédex? Powering up Pokémon for raids? Or just collecting your favorites?
• Individual Values (IVs): IVs are hidden stats that determine a Pokémon’s potential. A Pokémon with high IVs will be stronger than one with low IVs, even after evolution.
• Movesets: Some evolved forms may have less desirable move sets than their pre-evolved counterparts.
• Resource Management: Candies and Stardust are valuable resources. Make sure you’re spending them wisely.
• Rarity and Availability: Certain Pokémon are rare, and their candies are harder to come by.

The Downsides of Over-Evolving

Rushing to evolve every Pokémon can lead to several drawbacks:

• Wasting Resources on Low-IV Pokémon: Evolving a Pokémon with poor IVs means investing resources in a creature that will never reach its full potential.
• Missing Out on Exclusive Moves: Some Pokémon can only learn certain moves in their pre-evolved form.
• Regretting Move Set Changes: The moveset of a Pokemon changes upon evolution, which can either be a boon or a curse.

The Benefits of Strategic Evolution

Evolving Pokémon strategically, on the other hand, unlocks significant advantages:

• Maximizing CP for Battles: Evolved Pokémon generally have higher CP, making them more effective in Gyms, raids, and Trainer Battles.
• Filling the Pokédex: Evolution is essential for completing your Pokédex.
• Achieving Specific Forms: Some Pokémon have multiple evolution paths, and careful planning is required to obtain the desired form.
• Investing in High-Potential Pokémon: Focusing on Pokémon with high IVs ensures that your investments yield the best results.

The Exception to the Rule

Consider the Pokemon, Shedinja, which only has 1 HP and instantly dies after getting one hit. Also, the Eelektross line lack any weaknesses. These Pokemon are very unique and defy the normal trend of evolution.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Pokémon Evolution

What are IVs, and why are they important for evolution?

IVs (Individual Values) are hidden stats that range from 0 to 15 for each of a Pokémon’s Attack, Defense, and HP. These values are fixed and don’t change when a Pokémon evolves or is powered up. Higher IVs mean a Pokémon has a higher potential maximum CP, making it stronger in battles. Checking IVs before evolving is crucial to ensure you’re investing in Pokémon with the highest potential.

Is it better to power up a Pokémon before or after evolving it?

It doesn’t matter! Powering up a Pokemon before or after evolution results in the same end-CP. The order is irrelevant.

Should I evolve a 3-star Pokémon?

Generally, yes! A 3-star Pokémon typically indicates good to perfect IVs. Evolving a Pokémon with high IVs is usually a worthwhile investment. If a Pokemon GO trainer receives a Pokemon that appraises with three red bars and a red three-star stamp, they’ll want to keep the Pokemon, especially if it’s one of the 15 rarest.

Are Shiny Pokémon stronger than regular Pokémon?

No, Shiny Pokémon are not inherently stronger than regular Pokémon. Shininess is purely cosmetic. Their IVs and potential are independent of their shiny status. But don’t transfer them.

Can Pokémon de-evolve?

No, Pokémon cannot de-evolve in the core Pokémon games or in Pokémon GO. Once a Pokémon is evolved, it cannot return to a previous form. If you want an earlier evolution of it, then you’ll have to catch or trade for its earlier evolution.

Are there any Pokémon that get worse when they evolve?

Yes, some Pokémon can become less useful after evolving due to changes in stats, movesets, or available items. This is usually due to a change in stats, a change in typing or a change in what items the Pokemon can use post-evolution. Examples of Pokemon that get worse include the following: Popplio, Graveler, Jigglypuff, Ivysaur, Dusclops, Magmar, Rhydon, and Elekid.

Should I evolve my starter Pokémon immediately?

The timing of evolving your starter Pokemon depends on your strategy. Every starter from all eight generations first evolves at some point between levels 14 and 18.

What is the weakest fully evolved Pokémon?

According to base stat totals, some of the weakest fully evolved Pokémon include Kricketune, Dustox, Ledian, Beedrill, and Beautifly.

Why do people sometimes not evolve certain Pokémon?

There are several reasons:

• Aesthetics: Some players simply prefer the look of a pre-evolved form.
• Move Sets: Some Pokémon learn better moves in their earlier stages.
• Defense Boost: Some Pokemon, like Shelgon, are high in defense and can be given eviolite to boost that defense even further.

What level should I evolve my Pokémon?

There’s no specific level at which you must evolve a Pokémon. It depends on the specific Pokémon and your strategy. Some moves can only be learned at earlier levels or when a Pokemon is not evolved.

Does delaying evolution make a Pokémon weaker?

No, delaying evolution does not cause a permanent stat loss. A level 100 Raichu will always be stronger than a level 80 Raichu, no matter if one was evolved at level 40 and the other one at level 20.

What are the benefits of not evolving Pokémon?

The benefits of not evolving Pokemon are that it can allow them to learn specific moves and that some Pokemon have some moves they can only learn before they evolve, even if the level they learn it is after when they would normally evolve. So if you want to know that move, you need to avoid evolving until after it’s learned.

How do I get more Candies to evolve my Pokémon?

You can earn Candies by:

• Catching Pokémon: You receive Candies for catching Pokémon.
• Hatching Eggs: Eggs reward you with Candies for the Pokémon that hatches.
• Transferring Pokémon: Transferring unwanted Pokémon to the Professor gives you Candies.
• Walking with a Buddy: Setting a Pokémon as your Buddy allows you to earn Candies by walking a certain distance.

Can I reverse a Pokémon evolution?

No, Pokémon cannot “de-evolve”.

What is the weakest Pokémon overall?

Shedinja is often cited as one of the weakest Pokémon due to its extremely low HP.

Conclusion: Evolve Wisely

Evolving your Pokémon is a fundamental part of the experience, but it’s not always the best move. Consider your goals, your resources, and the specific Pokémon you’re working with. By evolving strategically, you can maximize your power, complete your Pokédex, and enjoy the game to the fullest. Remember to check resources like Games Learning Society for further insights into game mechanics.