Evolution stone
- If you were looking for the item whose Japanese name translates to Evolution Stone, see Eviolite.
An Evolution stone (Japanese: 進化の石 Evolution stone) is a type of Evolution item introduced in Generation I. They can be used to evolve certain Pokémon to their final evolutionary stage. As of Generation VIII, there are 10 available evolution stones, which are used by 42 Pokémon species.
Terminology
In Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen, they are referred to as element STONES. In Pokémon Stadium, they are referred to as elemental stones.
Eevee's Pokédex entry from Pokémon Red and Blue, Pokémon LeafGreen, and Pokémon Violet refers to them as element stones:
- "Its genetic code is irregular. It may mutate if it is exposed to radiation from element stones."
In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, they are referred to as Evolution Stones. Starting in Pokémon X and Y, they have consistently been referred to as Evolution stones; however, in one Pokémon HOME mission they are capitalized Evolution Stones instead.
In the Pokémon anime, they are usually referred to as Evolution stones (although the capitalization in subtitles varies). However, in the Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl episode A Faux Oak Finish!, they are instead referred to as Evolutionary stones.
In Pokémon Gold and Silver: Complete Pokédex, they are referred to as Evolutionary Stones. For instance:
- "A handful of Pokémon require an Evolutionary Stone to evolve." (page 5)
List of Evolution stones
Name | Debut Gen. |
Applicable Pokémon | |
---|---|---|---|
Fire Stone | I | ||
Water Stone | I | ||
Thunder Stone | I |
| |
Leaf Stone | I |
| |
Moon Stone | I | ||
Sun Stone | II | ||
Shiny Stone | IV | ||
Dusk Stone | IV |
| |
Dawn Stone | IV | ||
Ice Stone | VII |
In the core series games
Using an Evolution stone on an appropriate Pokémon causes it to evolve instantly, consuming the Evolution stone. This process cannot be stopped by pressing the B button.
Many Pokémon that result from a stone-based evolution can no longer learn new moves by leveling up, unlike their pre-evolved form. Those Pokémon may have the opportunity to learn one or two moves exclusive to the evolved form by level-up but otherwise will have no new moves to learn. Starting in Generation VIII, however, the Pokémon that this apply to may instead learn the moves their pre-evolution could learn at the Move Reminder, gaining access to all of the previous form's level up moves regardless of level. Some Pokémon are encouraged to use an evolutionary stone on early as their moves learned by level up may significantly change compared to their pre-evolved form rather than losing the prospect of learning new moves. This is more common within evolution by stone that alters the Pokémon’s type upon evolution although this is not always the case.
Acquisition
In most games, players can acquire Evolution stones through both finite (i.e. one-time) and repeatable methods. Finite methods typically involve finding Evolution stones while exploring, including as hidden items. Repeatable methods can include purchasing from a shop, completing certain challenges, or interacting with specific NPCs. Multiple Evolution stones can often be acquired in a single location through these repeatable methods.
The tables below are (non-exhaustive) lists of Evolution stone acquisition methods across different generations.
Generation | Games | Acquisition methods |
---|---|---|
I | RGBY RBY |
|
II | GSC |
|
III | RSE |
|
FRLG |
| |
IV | DPPt |
|
HGSS |
| |
V | BW |
|
B2W2 |
| |
VI | XY |
|
ORAS |
| |
VII | SM |
|
USUM |
| |
PE |
| |
VIII | SwSh |
|
BDSP |
| |
LA |
|
Stone | Acquisition methods |
---|---|
Moon |
|
Sun |
Artwork
Moon Stone |
Underground
This is artwork of the items as seen in the Sinnoh Underground.
Fire Stone | Water Stone | Thunderstone |
Leaf Stone | Moon Stone | Sun Stone |
Grand Underground
This is artwork of the items as seen in the Sinnoh Grand Underground.
Fire Stone | Water Stone | Thunder Stone |
Leaf Stone | Moon Stone | Sun Stone |
Global Link
These are artwork of the items as seen in the Pokémon Global Link.
Fire Stone | Water Stone | Thunder Stone | Leaf Stone | Moon Stone |
Sun Stone | Shiny Stone | Dusk Stone | Dawn Stone | Ice Stone |
In spin-off games
Pokémon XD
In Pokémon XD, a Sailor at Gateon Port will give the player either a Fire Stone, Water Stone, Thunderstone, Sun Shard, or Moon Shard (of the player's choice).
Pokémon Conquest
In Pokémon Conquest, Evolution stones are required to evolve certain Pokémon. They can be purchased from the traveling merchant. Keiji gives the player a Fire Stone, a Water Stone, and a Thunder Stone during the main story.
Pokémon Dream Radar
In Pokémon Dream Radar, after catching Thundurus, the player can obtain Fire Stones, Water Stones, Thunderstones, and Leaf Stones. These items can be transferred to Black 2 and White 2.
Pokémon GO
In Pokémon GO, there are three Evolution stones: the Sun Stone, Sinnoh Stone, and Unova Stone. The latter two stones are unique to Pokémon GO. Starting at Trainer level 10, Players can obtain these stones, along with other Evolution items, as rare rewards from opening Gifts and spinning PokéStops or Gyms. Players can also receive Sun Stones as the guaranteed Evolution item from spinning PokéStops or Gyms seven days in a row. Evolution stones are also available as rewards from certain Field Research and Special Research tasks, and Sinnoh Stones and Unova Stones are potential rewards for Research Breakthroughs.
The Sun Stone is required to evolve the same Pokémon as in other media.
The Sinnoh Stone is used to evolve most Pokémon into their cross-generational evolutions that were introduced in Generation IV. The exceptions are the Pokémon that require special Lure Modules instead of Evolution Stones: Magneton and Nosepass (which require a Magnetic Lure Module to evolve), and Eevee (which requires a Mossy Lure Module to evolve into Leafeon or a Glacial Lure Module to evolve into Glaceon).
The Unova Stone is used to evolve Generation V Pokémon that evolve using any Evolution stone in other media, except a Sun Stone.
Sun Stone | Sinnoh Stone | Unova Stone |
In the anime
In the anime, Evolution stones do not seem to be required for evolution in the anime as they are in the games. James's second Weepinbell evolved without a Leaf Stone in Here's Lookin' at You, Elekid. In addition, Pokémon that evolve via proximity of Evolution stones apparently seem to control their evolutionary urges and physically touch the stone without evolving, as evidenced by Pikachu whacking away the Thunder Stone when refusing to evolve the first time, as well as a Clefairy holding onto a Moon Stone for prolonged periods of time before delivering it to the larger Moon Stone without evolving. If an area has a large amount of stones present, Pokémon may evolve from the radiation as seen in The March of the Exeggutor Squad rather than needing to make physical contact with the stone.
Original series
The first Evolution stone to appear in the anime was Moon Stone in Clefairy and the Moon Stone. A giant Moon Stone appeared deep within Mt. Moon, being worshiped by a group of Clefairy who lived there. It was soon stolen by Team Rocket, and ultimately ended up being blown up; the shards from the shattered giant Moon Stone rained down on the Clefairy and caused some of them to evolve into Clefable. In this episode, the characters speculated that the Moon Stone was how various Pokémon—Clefairy in particular—arrived in the Pokémon world. Another giant Moon Stone was later seen in the same location in A Real Cleffa-Hanger.
In Electric Shock Showdown, Nurse Joy gives Ash a Thunder Stone so that he could evolve his Pikachu in order to defeat Lt. Surge's Raichu. Pikachu, however, refused the offer. Ash kept the Thunder Stone in case Pikachu ever wanted to evolve; however, in Pika and Goliath!, a similar scenario occurred and Pikachu still refused to evolve. Seeing his determination to not evolve, Team Rocket stole the stone, planning to sell it.
The remaining Generation I Evolution stones debuted in The Battling Eevee Brothers as part of a collection held by the Eevee brothers. Additionally, two of the Eevee brothers offered a Fire Stone and Thunder Stone to Brock and Ash to evolve their respective Vulpix and Pikachu, though both refused.
The Leaf Forest appeared in The March of the Exeggutor Squad, which was a reported hotbed of Leaf Stones. The radiation from these stones in the forest was so strong that it caused Melvin's Exeggcute to evolve.
A fake Leaf Stone, made by Team Rocket, appeared in Make Room for Gloom, where the discovery of its nature as a fake was central to the episode.
A real Leaf Stone first appeared at the very end of Pikachu's Rescue Adventure. With it, the Exeggcute that had been following Misty's Togepi evolved into an Exeggutor.
In The Grass Route, a set of Leaf Stones was offered as the prize for winning the Grass Tournament. Although Team Rocket tried to steal the stones, they were eventually won by Ephraim. He planned on using to evolve his parents' Pokémon.
Ash won a Sun Stone in the Bug-Catching Contest during The Bug Stops Here, later using it to evolve a wild Sunkern in Moving Pictures.
A set of Fire Stones played an important role in The Stolen Stones!, where Ramona and Keegan had been tasked with delivering them to be used as prizes for the competitors of a Fire-type Pokémon competition. During the delivery, Team Rocket stole the stones, requiring Ash and his friends to help retrieve them.
Both a Leaf Stone and a Sun Stone appeared in Whichever Way the Wind Blows during an explanation of the branch in Gloom's evolutionary family.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
In Go Go Ludicolo!, a Water Stone appeared in a fantasy.
In Once in a Mawile, a Water Stone belonging to Samantha appeared, which Brock's Lombre used to evolve into Ludicolo. This is the first time that a main character's Pokémon evolves via Evolution stone onscreen, although it is likely that James's Weepinbell was evolved using a Leaf Stone prior to The Breeding Center Secret.
A Moon Stone appeared in a flashback in Delcatty Got Your Tongue?, evolving Dr. Abby's Skitty into a Delcatty.
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
Professor Oak gave a Water Stone to a wild Lombre in A Faux Oak Finish!.
A Dusk Stone was central to the plot of Try for the Family Stone!, where Rhyanna and Mitchell searched for one to evolve their respective Pokémon. They eventually found one, and decided to have a battle to settle which one of them would get to use it.
Ursula used a Fire Stone and a Water Stone to evolve her two Eevee in Last Call, First Round!, making them a Flareon and Vaporeon, for use in the Sinnoh Grand Festival.
Pokémon the Series: Black & White
Ash had to find a Thunder Stone as part of a scavenger hunt during the Wishing Bell Festival in Climbing the Tower of Success!. He came across a young man in possession of one who tried to toss it to him from a long distance. The Thunder Stone nearly came in contact with Pikachu but he jumped out of the way just in time leaving Ash to catch it.
Mystery on a Deserted Island! featured all Evolution stones available as of Generation V. Several Eevee were shown to evolve into Jolteon, Flareon, and Vaporeon using the required stones.
Pokémon the Series: XY
A Thunder Stone appeared in To Catch a Pokémon Smuggler! as a part of Clemont's explanation of how Pokémon Evolution works, Pikachu's evolution into Raichu working as an example of stone-induced Evolution.
A full set of Evolution stones was seen on display in a stone shop in Geosenge Town in The Cave of Trials!. In addition, an unnamed Trainer used a Sun Stone purchased from the shop to evolve his Helioptile into Heliolisk. Clemont revealed that he had also used a Sun Stone to evolve his own Helioptile into Heliolisk.
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
A Moon Stone appeared in a fantasy in A Dream Encounter!, where it was revealed that Lusamine had used one to evolve her Clefairy into a Clefable.
An Ice Stone was first seen in Not Caving Under Pressure!, where Sophocles's Charjabug found one while helping to fix up a cave inhabited by a group of Alolan Sandshrew, revealing that the cave was in fact an Ice Stone mine where Sandshrew gather to evolve. The leader of the Sandshrew pack, a giant Sandshrew, touched the stone and proceeded to evolve into an Alolan Sandslash. Later, after exiting the cave, Charjabug was revealed to have found another Ice Stone, which Sophocles gave to Lillie. She asked Snowy if it wanted to use the stone to evolve, but Snowy didn't feel ready for it yet, so Lillie decided to hold on to the stone in case Snowy ever changed its mind.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Multiple Thunder Stones appeared in Gotta Catch a What?!, where multiple wild Pikachu were digging them up in a valley in order to evolve. One was found by Goh's newly caught Pikachu, who gave it to her Trainer. Later, Goh used the Stone to evolve his Pikachu into Raichu in order to help defeat Team Rocket.
In That New Old Gang of Mine!, Professor Cerise's Yamper gave Goh a Leaf Stone he had found. Goh immediately used the stone to evolve his Exeggcute into Exeggutor.
In To Train, or Not to Train!, staff members of the Eevee Evolution Lab tried to use a Fire Stone and a Thunder Stone on an Eevee to evolve her, but both attempts failed.
In On Land, In the Sea, and to the Future!, Chloe received a Water Stone from Kiley. She asked her Eevee if she wanted to use it, but she decided not to evolve yet. Another Water Stone appeared in a flashback in the same episode, used by Kiley to evolve his own Eevee into Vaporeon.
In Out of Their Elements!, Harmony and Billy attempted to use a Fire Stone and a Thunder Stone, respectively, to evolve their Eevee partners. However, they accidentally dropped the stones onto the wrong Eevee, causing them to evolve into opposite forms than what they had intended. They attempted to correct the mistake with the spare stones they had, but the stones had no effect on the already-evolved Pokémon. At the end of the episode, they gave their spare stones to Chloe.
Multiple Moon Stones appeared in Infinite Possibilities!, where a group of Clefairy used them in an evolution ritual.
Pokédex entries
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Gallery
A Fire Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
A Water Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
A Thunder Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
A Leaf Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
A Moon Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
A Sun Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
A Shiny Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
A Dusk Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
A Dawn Stone in Mystery on a Deserted Island!
An Ice Stone in Not Caving Under Pressure!
In the manga
The Electric Tale of Pikachu
In Clefairy Tale, Ash, Professor Oak, and Bill witnessed a Clefairy evolution ceremony involving a large Moon Stone.
The focus of the chapter To Evolve or Not to Evolve, That Is the Question! was Evolution stones. Misty hoped to buy a Water Stone for her Poliwhirl in Stone Town, a town on Dream Island where all the Evolution stones in the Pokémon world come from. However, she couldn't afford one, remarking that an inexpensive one might make the evolution go bad.
Misty was later given a Water Stone by Mikey, who was being pressured to join the "Knights of the E Stone", a club which requires members to own a Pokémon evolved by an Evolution stone. By battling club members, Ash and Mikey proved to the club leaders that Pokémon which have evolved by Evolution stone are not necessarily superior to their unevolved counterparts.
Pokémon Adventures
Red, Green & Blue arc
A Moon Stone was first mentioned by Professor Oak in Gyarados Splashes In! as a rock with a crescent moon-shaped indentation that boosts a Pokémon's power immensely. In the next chapter, Team Rocket searched for one in Mt. Moon. However, it was Red who eventually found it. In The Winged Legends, Red used his Moon Stone to evolve Green's Clefairy into a Clefable in order to fight Thu-Fi-Zer during the Silph Co. showdown with Team Rocket.
In Buzz Off, Electabuzz!, Red's Poliwhirl was able to evolve into a Poliwrath with the help of a Water Stone when they were thrown into the water in Vermilion Harbor, although the cause of his evolution wasn't revealed until the Yellow arc.
Yellow arc
In The Kindest Tentacruel, the Pokémon Fan Club Chairman told Yellow about a legend of an underwater dome at the bottom of Vermilion Harbor, housing a set of Evolution stones which, unlike normal stones, did not disappear after making a Pokémon evolve, allowing them to be used repeatedly. The cause of Red's Poliwhirl's evolution had been one of these said stones, proving the legend to be true. Yellow was later led to the dome by a wild Tentacruel, finding a Leaf Stone in it, but the Fire, Thunder, and Water Stones were missing. Later, it was revealed that Giovanni had given them to Red so he could freely evolve and devolve his Eevee.
Gold, Silver & Crystal arc
In The Last Battle VI, Gold's Sunkern evolved into a Sunflora because the sun's energy reflected off of the rocks near Ilex Forest replicated the Sun Stone's effects.
Ruby & Sapphire arc
In Mowing Down Ludicolo, Shelly used a Water Stone to evolve her Lombre into a Ludicolo while battling against Sapphire's Pokémon.
In Guile from Mawile, Ruby's Kiki evolved into a Delcatty due to being exposed to one of Steven's Moon Stones.
In Ring Ring Goes Beldum, Steven was shown to have a Leaf Stone and another Moon Stone. In addition, he also found a Sun Stone while he and Ruby escaped from a group of wild Mawile in Granite Cave.
FireRed & LeafGreen arc
In Give It Your Best, Blastoise, during the battle against the Deoxys Duplicates, Green evolved her Jiggly and Nido into Wigglytuff and Nidoqueen, respectively, using two Moon Stones.
Platinum arc
In Leaping Past Lopunny, a Shiny Stone and Dawn Stone were seen amongst the rare stones that Steven had found during his stay in Sinnoh.
HeartGold & SoulSilver arc
In Dealing With A Koffing Fit, Silver's Murkrow evolved into a Honchkrow due to gaining experience while holding a Dusk Stone, which had been given to Silver by Green.
In All About Arceus II, Lance gave Gold's Togepi a Shiny Stone, allowing it to evolve into Togekiss in All About Arceus VIII immediately after evolving into Togetic.
Black & White arc
In Triple Threat, Cilan, Chili, and Cress used a Leaf Stone, Fire Stone, and Water Stone to evolve their Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour into Simisage, Simisear, and Simipour, respectively, during their battle against the Shadow Triad.
In Homecoming, it was revealed that Black's Musha evolved into a Musharna using a Moon Stone received from Caitlin.
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire arc
In PS596, Sapphire's Kirly evolved into a Gallade due to a Dawn Stone hitting him while training with Rara, who had evolved into a Gardevoir. Later, Steven found another Dawn Stone on the ground.
Gallery
A Moon Stone in the Red, Green & Blue arc
A Water Stone, Fire Stone, Thunder Stone, and Leaf Stone in the Yellow arc
A Moon Stone in the Ruby & Sapphire arc
A Sun Stone in the Ruby & Sapphire arc
Two Moon Stones in the FireRed & LeafGreen arc
A Shiny Stone and Dawn Stone in the Platinum arc
A Dusk Stone in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc
A Shiny Stone in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc
A Dawn Stone in the Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire arc
Pokémon Zensho
In Indigo Plateau, Satoshi's Pikachu used a Thunder Stone to evolve itself into a Raichu before Satoshi left to challenge the Elite Four.
In the TCG
The Moon Stone and Dusk Stone are featured in the Pokémon Trading Card Game as Trainer cards and on Pokémon cards as held items. These held items work in the same fashion as Poké-Bodies, in that the effect the item provides is active whenever the Pokémon is in play. The following is a list of cards named or including Moon Stone or Dusk Stone.
Evolution stone cards Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats. | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
Moon Stone | T | Expansion Sheet 1 | |||||
Dusk Stone | I | Unbroken Bonds | 167/214 | Double Blaze | 084/095 | ||
Pokémon cards with Evolution stones as held items | |||||||
Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
Clefairy* | Secret Wonders | 83/132 | Shining Darkness | ||||
Murkrow* | Secret Wonders | 95/132 | Shining Darkness | ||||
Trivia
- In the Generation I core series games, due to a glitch, Pokémon that would normally require an Evolution stone to evolve may also evolve after leveling up in battle, if the player had sent out a specific Pokémon in the same battle it leveled up.
- No Pokémon that has evolved from exposure to an Evolution stone is capable of evolving again.
- Despite the fact that the Oval Stone is sorted along with other Evolution stones in all core series games since its introduction, it is not an Evolution stone. Only in Pokémon Legends: Arceus can it be used directly on a Pokémon to evolve it like other Evolution Stones; in all other games it can only cause evolution as a held item. As such, the Oval Stone is the only Evolution item with "Stone" in its English name which is not an Evolution stone.
- Each generation after the first one either introduces new applications for previously introduced Evolution stones or introduces at least one new Evolutionary stone but never does both at the same time: Generations III, V, VI, VIII, and IX do the former and Generations II, IV, and VII do the latter.
- The Leaf Stone is the only Evolution stone that cannot be sold to the ore maniac in Black and White. This was corrected in Black 2 and White 2.
- The Dawn Stone is the only stone that triggers evolution in Pokémon of a specific gender, and both Pokémon that evolve with it have gender-specific evolutions.
- The Sun Stone and Moon Stone share their names with actual gemstones.
- The Sinnoh Pokédex is the only regional Pokédex to not include any Pokémon compatible with the Sun Stone.
- In Diamond and Pearl, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, it is also the only one to not include any Pokémon compatible with the Fire Stone or the Water Stone.
- It is also the only one to not include any Pokémon compatible with the Leaf Stone. Although Eevee, which is included in Platinum, would later become compatible with the Leaf Stone in Pokémon Sword and Shield, it is still not in any Sinnoh-based game.
- There are cases where an Evolution stone is available but not usable on any available Pokémon without trading:
- In Pokémon LeafGreen, due to the unavailability of the Oddish and Sunkern lines, the Sun Stone cannot be used on any Pokémon.
- In Pokémon Platinum, due to the unavailability of the Murkrow and Misdreavus lines, the Dusk Stone cannot be used on any Pokémon.
- In Pokémon Black, due to the unavailability of the Ralts and Snorunt lines, the Dawn Stone cannot be used on any Pokémon. The same applies in Pokémon White if Ralts ends up not appearing at White Forest.
- Gloom and Eevee are the only Pokémon compatible with more than one Evolution stone in the same form.
- Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! are the first core series games not to feature all Evolution stones available in their generation.
- They are also the first core series games not to include the Sun Stone, Shiny Stone, Dusk Stone, and Dawn Stone since their introduction.
In other languages
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See also
- Sweet Apple
- Tart Apple
- Chipped Pot
- Cracked Pot
- Auspicious Armor
- Malicious Armor
- Oval Stone
- Everstone
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