There are currently thirteen different methods to evolve pokémon (or obtain it in the case of Shedinja):
There are also three factors that may affect which evolved species a pokémon turns into. These two methods are not evolution methods, because the pokémon would evolve via level up regardless of these factors:
That's all for reference.
This thread is for discussion about the evolution methods. Does one method seem odd to you? Could a method have more to it than we suspect? Got any explanations of how they work? Got issues with the lists above? Post in here.
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I consider the evolution by trading methods to be unnatural. No one knows how it actually works (something to do with altering the pokémon's energy while it's inside its pokéball with the trade machine, perhaps?), but I think it can safely be said that trade-evolutions aren't natural - they couldn't possibly occur in nature.
It can also be said that the trade-evolutions distort the pokémon being traded, and produce some really odd quirks. For example, Machoke grows two new arms, Kadabra loses its bushy tail completely, and Clamperl becomes way different. Yes, some level up evolutions can be quite bizarre too, but as far as I recall, almost all trade-evolution (with or without item) pokémon have some really interesting quirks compared to their previous form.
Porygon's evolution is nothing but trade-evolution with items. That's because Porygon is an artificial pokémon, and its upgrade method is designed to take advantage of the trade system (which fiddles with the pokémon's energy in some way). Its second evolution (Porygon2 to Porygon-Z) is most likely the result of the Dubious Disc being very odd, but might it also be in part because Porygon is an artificial pokémon and is generally more susceptible to whatever the trade machine does in the first place (presumably it is, because that's how it is able to upgrade in the first place)?
Can the trade-evolution pokémon be assumed to have a less stable energy pattern, thus allowing it to be messed up enough by the trade process that it triggers an evolution? Following this, trade-evolution with an item pokémon would have more stable energy patterns, but the influence of the held item destabilises it enough to allow the trade machine to make it evolve. All other pokémon are stable regardless.
- Level up (at a given level or higher)
- Level up in a specific area
- Level up with a held item
- Level up with max beauty - (Feebas)
- Level up when happy
- Level up when happy at a certain time of day
- Level up when a certain gender (at a given level or higher) - (Combee)
- Level up knowing a certain move
- Level up with specific pokémon in party - (Mantyke)
- Evolution stone
- Evolution stone when a certain gender - (Kirlia, Snorunt)
- Trading
- Trading with held item
There are also three factors that may affect which evolved species a pokémon turns into. These two methods are not evolution methods, because the pokémon would evolve via level up regardless of these factors:
- Personality - (Wurmple)
- ATK/DEF comparison - (Tyrogue)
- Having a space in party and a spare Pokéball - (Nincada to Shedinja)
That's all for reference.
This thread is for discussion about the evolution methods. Does one method seem odd to you? Could a method have more to it than we suspect? Got any explanations of how they work? Got issues with the lists above? Post in here.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I consider the evolution by trading methods to be unnatural. No one knows how it actually works (something to do with altering the pokémon's energy while it's inside its pokéball with the trade machine, perhaps?), but I think it can safely be said that trade-evolutions aren't natural - they couldn't possibly occur in nature.
It can also be said that the trade-evolutions distort the pokémon being traded, and produce some really odd quirks. For example, Machoke grows two new arms, Kadabra loses its bushy tail completely, and Clamperl becomes way different. Yes, some level up evolutions can be quite bizarre too, but as far as I recall, almost all trade-evolution (with or without item) pokémon have some really interesting quirks compared to their previous form.
Porygon's evolution is nothing but trade-evolution with items. That's because Porygon is an artificial pokémon, and its upgrade method is designed to take advantage of the trade system (which fiddles with the pokémon's energy in some way). Its second evolution (Porygon2 to Porygon-Z) is most likely the result of the Dubious Disc being very odd, but might it also be in part because Porygon is an artificial pokémon and is generally more susceptible to whatever the trade machine does in the first place (presumably it is, because that's how it is able to upgrade in the first place)?
Can the trade-evolution pokémon be assumed to have a less stable energy pattern, thus allowing it to be messed up enough by the trade process that it triggers an evolution? Following this, trade-evolution with an item pokémon would have more stable energy patterns, but the influence of the held item destabilises it enough to allow the trade machine to make it evolve. All other pokémon are stable regardless.