What Pokémon Does King’s Rock Evolve in Pokémon GO?
The King’s Rock is a highly sought-after evolutionary item in Pokémon GO, primarily used to evolve two specific Pokémon into their alternate forms. This special item, steeped in Pokémon lore, opens the door to obtaining some powerful and unique monsters for your collection. In Pokémon GO, the King’s Rock is used to evolve:
- Poliwhirl into Politoed
- Slowpoke into Slowking
These evolutions aren’t merely cosmetic changes; they represent different branching evolutionary paths from their base forms, and each final evolution brings its own unique strengths and battle strategies. Unlike some evolution methods, using the King’s Rock is a straightforward process when you have the right candies, making it a valuable asset to any dedicated trainer.
King’s Rock Evolutions in Detail
Poliwhirl to Politoed
To evolve your Poliwhirl into a Politoed, you will require the following:
- King’s Rock: One of these precious items is needed.
- Poliwag Candy: A hefty sum of 100 Poliwag Candy is required to complete the evolution.
This transformation turns the Water-type Poliwhirl into the Water-type Politoed, a Pokémon known for its unique appearance and abilities. Politoed brings a different dynamic to battles than Poliwrath, which is the other potential evolution for Poliwhirl, making this choice significant for competitive players.
Slowpoke to Slowking
Evolving Slowpoke into Slowking follows a similar structure:
- King’s Rock: One King’s Rock is necessary.
- Slowpoke Candy: You’ll need 50 Slowpoke Candy to complete this evolution.
The Slowking evolution swaps the Water-type of Slowpoke into a dual Water/Psychic-type, enhancing its move set and strategic potential in battles. Slowbro, the other evolution of Slowpoke, is a pure Water-type and evolves with candies only, making King’s Rock a key differentiator for accessing Slowking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about King’s Rock and its applications in Pokémon GO, to further expand your knowledge on this unique item:
1. How rare is the King’s Rock in Pokémon GO?
The King’s Rock is considered one of the ultra-rare Evolutionary Items in Pokémon GO. It’s not something you’ll find on a regular basis. They drop randomly from Pokéstops and Gyms, making obtaining them a test of patience and persistence for most trainers.
2. Can I trade a King’s Rock in Pokémon GO?
No, King’s Rocks cannot be traded in Pokémon GO. Similar to other evolution items, they are intended to be obtained by each individual trainer through gameplay. This is different from the main Pokémon games where holding the item while trading was a main mechanism for evolving.
3. What are other ways to get a King’s Rock other than spinning PokeStops?
Besides spinning Pokéstops, you can sometimes get a King’s Rock by:
- Completing specific Field Research tasks: Certain research assignments may reward you with a King’s Rock upon completion.
- Defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts: While rare, you can sometimes get lucky and find a King’s Rock as a random drop after winning against a Team GO Rocket Grunt.
- Purchasing it from the in-game shop: While less ideal for the free-to-play players, you can purchase a King’s Rock for 200 coins.
4. How does the King’s Rock compare to other evolution items?
The King’s Rock is similar in rarity to other evolution items like the Metal Coat, Dragon Scale, and Sun Stone. Each of these items is used to evolve specific Pokémon and brings similar levels of difficulty to obtain.
5. What is the best way to use the King’s Rock effectively?
The most effective way to use a King’s Rock is to wait for the opportune moment – when you have the necessary candies and a Poliwhirl or Slowpoke that is worth evolving, meaning has good stats. Save it for high-IV (Individual Value) Pokémon to maximize the potential of your Politoed or Slowking.
6. Is Politoed or Slowking better in Pokémon GO?
This depends on your battle strategy. Politoed is a pure Water-type with good all-around stats. Slowking is a dual Water/Psychic-type, which makes it versatile and potentially strong in particular matchups. Both are viable but excel in different situations.
7. Can I evolve my Shadow Poliwhirl or Slowpoke with the King’s Rock?
Yes, you can use a King’s Rock to evolve Shadow Poliwhirl into a Shadow Politoed and Shadow Slowpoke into Shadow Slowking, as long as you have the candies. Remember that shadow Pokemon are stronger in attack, and they would benefit greatly from having an alternate, more powerful evolution path available to them.
8. Does the King’s Rock offer any additional benefits besides evolving Pokémon?
No, the King’s Rock is solely an evolutionary item. It does not provide any other in-game benefits or stat boosts to your Pokémon.
9. Why are these evolutions special?
These evolutions provide alternate routes from their base form. Instead of only evolving into Poliwrath, Poliwhirl can also evolve into Politoed. And instead of only into Slowbro, Slowpoke can also evolve into Slowking. This provides players with greater flexibility in their teams.
10. How many times can I use a King’s Rock?
Each King’s Rock is a single-use item. Once you have used it to evolve either a Poliwhirl or a Slowpoke, the item disappears. You’ll need to find another King’s Rock for subsequent evolutions.
11. Are there any Pokémon that require a King’s Rock besides Poliwhirl and Slowpoke?
No, in Pokémon GO, the King’s Rock is exclusively for evolving Poliwhirl into Politoed and Slowpoke into Slowking. No other Pokemon can be evolved using it in Pokémon Go.
12. Does a King’s Rock stack with flinch moves in Pokémon GO?
No, the King’s Rock’s main effect in the main series games, which was to add a small chance to flinch the opponent, does not translate to Pokemon Go. Instead, its only effect in Pokémon Go is to enable the specific evolutions mentioned previously.
13. Is it worth buying a King’s Rock from the shop if I have enough candies?
Purchasing a King’s Rock from the in-game shop depends on your priorities. If you’re desperate for a Politoed or Slowking and have been struggling to obtain the item through free methods, it might be worth it. Otherwise, it is always better to try to get one through gameplay by spinning Pokéstops, completing research, and fighting rocket grunts.
14. Are there any events that increase the chance of finding a King’s Rock?
Yes, Pokémon GO does occasionally have special events that might increase the spawn rates of evolution items, including King’s Rocks. Keep an eye out for official announcements regarding these events.
15. What is the best way to acquire a high-IV Slowpoke or Poliwhirl?
To increase your chances of getting a high IV Slowpoke or Poliwhirl, try:
- Participating in special events: Check if there are event spawns for higher encounter rates with the two.
- Raids: Occasionally, both Pokemon will appear as raid bosses, which could result in a higher-IV spawn.
- Research tasks: Some research tasks reward Pokemon encounters, which may result in a high-IV individual.
- Trading with Friends: Trade for Pokemon your friends caught and hope for a lucky trade for a potential better IV.
By understanding the nuances of the King’s Rock and its evolutionary uses, you can strategize your gameplay to build a powerful team within Pokémon GO. Collecting these rare items is an essential element for trainers wanting to complete their Pokédex.