Plenty of Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A evolve with little caveats, just like past games. Some want a specific stone, some insist on a trade, and a few get picky about time of day or even gender. If you’ve been staring at a level 40 Pumpkaboo wondering why it refuses to budge, this will sort it out.
Below is every Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A with a special evolution requirement and exactly what triggers it. They’re grouped by method and roughly ordered by National Pokédex number. A few show up in more than one section (Slowking says hi).
Update (Dec. 12): Entries from the Mega Dimension DLC are marked with an asterisk.
Pokémon that require evolution stones to evolve in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
These evolutions need stones you can find around the city:
- Raichu = Pikachu + Thunder Stone
- Clefable = Clefairy + Moon Stone
- Wigglytuff* = Jigglypuff + Moon Stone
- Victreebel = Weepinbell + Leaf Stone
- Starmie = Staryu + Water Stone
- Vaporeon = Eevee + Water Stone
- Jolteon = Eevee + Thunder Stone
- Flareon = Eevee + Fire Stone
- Roserade = Roselia + Shiny Stone
- Glaceon = Eevee + Ice Stone
- Leafeon = Eevee + Leaf Stone
- Gallade = male Kirlia + Dawn Stone
- Froslass = female Snorunt + Dawn Stone
- Simisage = Pansage + Leaf Stone
- Simisear = Pansear + Fire Stone
- Simipour = Panpour + Water Stone
- Musharna* = Munna + Moon Stone
- Eelektross = Eelektrik + Thunder Stone
- Chandelure = Lampent + Dusk Stone
- Florges = Floette + Shiny Stone
- Aegislash = Doublade + Dusk Stone
- Heliolisk = Helioptile + Sun Stone
- Crabominable* = Crabrawler + Ice Stone
- Scovillain* = Capsakid + Fire Stone
Pokémon that require other special items to evolve in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
These need a particular item used on them or held during a trade:
- Galarian Slowbro = Galarian Slowpoke + Galarica Cuff
- Slowking = Slowpoke + trade + holding a King’s Rock
- Galarian Slowking = Galarian Slowpoke + Galarica Wreath
- Steelix = Onix + trade + holding a Metal Coat
- Scizor = Scyther + trade + holding a Metal Coat
- Porygon2* = Porygon + trade + holding an Upgrade
- Milotic* = Feebas + trade + holding a Prism Scale
- Porygon-Z* = Porygon2 + trade + holding a Dubious Disc
- Aromatisse = Spritzee + trade + holding a Sachet
- Slurpuff = Swirlix + trade + holding a Whipped Dream
- Armarouge* = Charcadet + Auspicious Armor
- Ceruledge* = Charcadet + Malicious Armor
- Gholdengo* = Gimmighoul + 999 Gimmighoul Coins
Pokémon that need to be traded to evolve in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
These evolve only through trading with another player (some require a held item too):
- Alakazam = Kadabra + trade
- Machamp = Machoke + trade
- Gengar = Haunter + trade
- Slowking = Slowpoke + trade + holding a King’s Rock
- Steelix = Onix + trade + holding a Metal Coat
- Scizor = Scyther + trade + holding a Metal Coat
- Porygon2* = Porygon + trade + holding an Upgrade
- Milotic* = Feebas + trade + holding a Prism Scale
- Porygon-Z* = Porygon2 + trade + holding a Dubious Disc
- Aromatisse = Spritzee + trade + holding a Sachet
- Slurpuff = Swirlix + trade + holding a Whipped Dream
- Trevenant = Phantump + trade
- Gourgeist = Pumpkaboo + trade
Pokémon that require high friendship to evolve in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Raise friendship first for these evolutions:
- Pikachu = Pichu + high friendship
- Clefairy = Cleffa + high friendship
- Jigglypuff* = Igglybuff + friendship
- Alolan Persian* = Alolan Meowth + friendship
- Crobat* = Golbat + friendship
- Espeon = Eevee + high friendship + daytime
- Umbreon = Eevee + high friendship + nighttime
- Roselia = Budew + high friendship + daytime
- Chimecho* = Chingling + friendship + nighttime
- Lopunny = Buneary + high friendship
- Lucario = Riolu + high friendship + daytime
- Sylveon = Eevee + knows a fairy-type move + high friendship
Pokémon that only evolve in Pokémon Legends: Z-A when a specific gender
These only evolve if the base Pokémon is the required gender:
- Gallade = male Kirlia + Dawn Stone
- Froslass = female Snorunt + Dawn Stone
Pokémon that require a specific time of day to evolve in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
These evolutions check the in-game time:
- Espeon = Eevee + high friendship + daytime
- Umbreon = Eevee + high friendship + nighttime
- Roselia = Budew + high friendship + daytime
- Chimecho* = Chingling + friendship + nighttime
- Lucario = Riolu + high friendship + daytime
- Tyrantrum = Tyrunt + level 39 + daytime
- Aurorus = Amaura + level 39 + nighttime
- Houndstone* = Greavard + level 30 + nighttime
Pokémon that require other specific conditions to evolve
These outliers have unique, one-off requirements:
- Mr. Mime* = Mime Jr. + knows the move Mimic (learned at level 32)
- Pangoro = Pancham + level 32 + a dark-type Pokémon in your party
- Sylveon = Eevee + knows a fairy-type move + high friendship
- Goodra = Sliggoo + level 50 + rainy weather
- Malamar = Inkay + level 30 + holding your Nintendo Switch upside down in handheld mode
- Grapploct* = Clobbopus + knows the move Taunt (learned at level 35)
- Sirfetch’d* = Galarian Farfetch’d + 3 critical hits in a single battle instance
- Runerigus* = Galarian Yamask + 49 or more damage taken + stand under Coulant Waterway bridge
- Overqwil* = Hisuian Qwilfish + use Barb Barrage 20 times
- Annihilape* = Primeape + use Rage Fist 20 times