How to Evolve Pokemon

This is a guide page on how to evolve Pokemon in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX for the Nintendo Switch. If you would like to know how to evolve your Pokemon, please read on!

Check here for Mega Evolution

When can you Evolve?

How to Unlock Evolution

In Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX, it's not possible to evolve your Pokemon until after your clear the story. You have to use your unevolved Starter and Partner Pokemon while clearing the story, but it's possible to befriend already evolved Pokemon and have them help you!

After you clear the story, a cutscene will play once you eventually enter Pokemon Square. Snubbull accidentally turned into a Granbull after going into a cave that appeared at Whiscash's Pond, and going there will grant you access to Luminous Cave and Evolution.

Story Guide & Walkthrough

What do you need to Evolve?

Evolve Pokemon at Luminous Cave

After meeting certain conditions, Pokemon can be evolved at the Luminous Cave. Once unlocked, you can go there to see a list of all your Pokemon and choose which to evolve.

Pokemon Evolution Requirements

Level Up

Many Pokemon only have to reach a certain level to be able to evolve. Once they are the necessary level or above, you can freely evolve them - It does not require any addition items or money.

Evolution Crystal

If an Evolution had special requirements in the main series, you will need Evolution Crystals to evolve the Pokemon in Mystery Dungeon DX. Special requirements can be Evolution items, trading to evolve, happiness/friendship levels, etc.

Amount of Crystals Needed

The number of Evolution Crystals you need to Evolve a Pokemon depends on the Evolution stage. You need 2 Crystals from Basic to First Evolution, and 4 Crystals from First to Second Evolution.

For example, evolving Eevee to any of it's Evolutions will require 2 Evolution Crystals, and evolving Graveler to Golem requires 4.

Branching Evolutions

For branching Evolutions like Eevee's where you can evolve into several different Pokemon, you can freely choose what to evolve into. The only random Evolution is Wurmple's, who will evolve into either Silcoon or Cascoon without you being able to choose.

Benefits of Evolution

Stat Bonuses

Every Evolution will boost your HP stat by +10 and all the other stats by +3

Consider Moves Learned at Specific Levels

Evolution, unlike the main games does not raise your stats by high values. Because of this, evolution can hinder you sometimes as it prevents you from learning powerful moves at early levels.

Charmander

In Charmander's case, it learns Inferno at Lv. 42. If you evolved it into a Charmeleon or a Charizard it learns it at Lv. 54 and Lv. 62 respectively. If you want Inferno early on, do not evolve your Charmander until Lv. 42

However, there are moves that are only learned by Charizard like Heat Wave. Create a plan and evolve accordingly. You can check out Charmander's Learnset and other Pokemon's Movesets through the button below.

List of Pokemon

Pre-Evolved vs. Evolved Pokemon

Sometimes, Pre-Evolved Pokemon are equal in stats compared to their Evolved counterparts. This does not mean that Evolved counterparts are weaker as all stats can be maxed out to 255 and 500 for the HP stat using stat-boost items. Because of the stat-boost items in the game, Evolution is quite trivial in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX compared to the main games. To learn more about stat-boost items, click here.

Related Links

Game Mechanics