Pokemon With The Most Evolutions

Summary

• Pokemon evolve quickly and uniquely, adapting to their environment through various forms and paths.
• Some Pokemon like Rockruff have one evolution with multiple forms, each non-interchangeable.
• Certain Pokemon, like Eevee, have a multitude of evolutions based on stone exposure, friendship levels, and moves.

Life must be pretty bizarre for a Pokemon. One day, you’re a little fish swimming around the ocean, and the very next, you mysteriously turn into an octopus. It’s not exactly equitable to what we humans go through, having to wait millions of years for any meaningful change and all that.

Pokemon really put us to shame in that regard. Spend a few days outside, and your little monkey will have grown some boxing gloves or an extra pair of arms. Even more interesting with Pokemon is when their evolutionary path forks, letting them adapt to the surroundings of their world, and some of them sure do have a lot of diverging paths.

Updated December 19th, 2024 by Hilton Webster: With every Pokemon game comes new and exciting (if a tad obscure) ways of evolving more of our favourite monsters. Sometimes, massive new evolutionary lines are added, or maybe a pre-existing pokemon gets a few more forms. We’ve updated this list to showcase even more of the pokemon with the most evolutions.

11

Rockruff

One Evolution, Three Forms

Rockruff is an adorable little puppy Pokemon introduced in Sun and Moon. You should treat them a bit like a dingo, though, because they’ve got quite the temper with that neck of sharp rocks. This little Rock–type is quite interesting, though, because even though they only have one evolution, it can take on three different forms.

The three forms of Rockruff’s evolved form, Lycanroc, are as follows:

• Midday Lycanroc – This form can be achieved by evolving Rockruff during the day while at level 25 or above.
• Midnight Lycanroc – This form can be achieved by evolving Rockruff during the night while at level 25 or above.
• Dusk Lycanroc – This form was introduced with Ultra Sun and Moon and can only be achieved by evolving a Rockruff with the Own Tempo ability during the evening.

These forms are also non-interchangeable, meaning once Rockruff evolves into Lycanroc, they are locked into their specific form.

10

Zigzagoon

Two Evolutions, Two Forms

Introduced back in Gen Three of Pokemon, Zigzagoon, and its evolution Linoone, quickly found their way into the hearts of trainers around the world. And for almost 20 years, they remained untouched. No new evolutions, regional forms, anything. Until Sword and Shield’s Galar region.

Zigzagoon was introduced to a brand new regional form, painting them in black and white and turning into a mascot for Team Yell. This extended to Linoone as well, who now looks like a member of Kiss. But also this regional line also came the heavy metal Obstagoon who would fit just as well in a Pokemon battle as they would in a mosh pit.

Galarian Linoone evolves into Obstagoon at level 35 at night.

9

Burmy

Two Evolutions, Three Forms

Burmy was introduced back in Diamond and Pearl, and they’re a somewhat indiscernible creature. According to the Pokedex, they are a bagworm, a subset of moths that create small bodies of various materials around them. In Burmy’s case, that is a coat of leaves, sand, or trash. True adaptation.

• Mothim – Mothim, as you can see from the listings, does not take the cloaks into consideration. Instead, they evolve into a Flying/Bug–type at level 20 if Burmy is male.
• Wormadam (Plant Cloak) – Wormadam goes in the opposite direction of Mothim, evolving at level 20 when Burmy is female, but also takes the cloak into account. For Plant Cloak Wormadam, this makes them a Grass/Bug–type.
• Wormadam (Sandy Cloak) – This form is achieved by evolving a female Burmy with the Sandy Cloak at level 20, and causes Wormadam to become a Ground/Bug–type.
• Wormadam (Trash Cloak) – This form is achieved by evolving a female Burmy with the Trash Cloak at level 20, and causes Wormadam to become a Steel/Bug–type.

Each Wormadam form is non-interchangeable, but each also comes with its own unique moves it learns as it levels up.

8

Meowth

Two Evolutions, Three Forms

Meowth has been a mainstay of the series from its debut back in 1996, and has become something of a mascot of the series as a whole for its association with Team Rocket. This feline has gotten a change extra forms over the years too, beginning in Alola, and even a new evolution in Galar.

• Alolan Meowth – Evolves into Galarian Persian when leveled up with high Friendship.
• Galarian Meowth – Instead evolves into Perrserker at level 28.

Both regional forms change Meowth and Persian’s type, with the Alolan form being Dark-type, and the Galarian form becoming Steel.The Alolan form definitely looks like it could get up to some mischief still. The Galarian form looks like it might eat you.

7

Poliwag

Three Evolutions

Poliwag is a confusing little tadpole that’s been around since the very beginning of Pokemon. Following the growth of an actual frog, it grows hands and legs once it evolves into Poliwhirl at level 25. At this point, they plateau in terms of evolution. They no longer evolve by levels but through specific items.

• Poliwrath – At any point after evolving into Poliwhirl, they can further evolve into Poliwrath after being exposed to a Water Stone. They also gain the Fighting–type, like real frogs do.
• Politoed – Politoed was only introduced in Gen 2, meaning they weren’t accessible in Poliwhirl’s original appearance. Like many early Pokemon, they can only be evolved while traded and holding a King’s Rock. You have to rely on the benevolence of others for this one.

Politoed is a distinct design shift from the original evolution family, but that’s okay.

6

Cosmog

Three Evolutions

Introduced in Sun and Moon, Cosmog is the first Legendary Pokemon that can evolve, though, in its defence, this is also a major point of the story. Cosmog is, technically, not a Pokemon at all but an Ultra Beast that got dragged into our world. They just also happen to evolve into the mascot Pokemon.

• Cosmoem – This is Cosmog’s first evolution, achieved at level 43, and only able to use Splash and Teleport.
• Solgaleo – Unlike other Pokemon, Solgaleo can still only be achieved in Pokemon Sun, Ultra Sun, and Sword. However, the Cosmeom can have come from any game, with its final form determined by the game it evolves in rather than the game it came from. It evolves at level 53
• Lunala – Unlike other Pokemon, Lunala can still only be achieved in Pokemon Moon, Ultra Moon, and Shield. However, the Cosmeom can have come from any game, with its final form determined by the game it evolves in rather than the game it came from. It evolves at level 53

Being able to obtain a second Cosmog means it is technically feasible to obtain both mascot Pokemon in a single version with a small amount of help.

5

Ralts

Three Evolutions

Ralts is a psychic Pokemon introduced in Ruby and Sapphire and is a member of one of the most well-known evolutionary lines in the franchise. With their original introduction, Ralts only had two evolutions, with a third introduced in Diamond and Pearl.

• Kirlia – This is the first evolution of Ralts, achieved at level 20.
• Gardevoir – This was the original final evolution of Ralts, achieved at level 30.
• Gallade – They were introduced in Gen 4, and only a male Kirlia can evolve into them when exposed to a Dawn Stone. However, there is no level restriction.

Unlike the rest of the main evolutions, Gallade also has a type change to psychic-fighting.

4

Tyrogue

Three Evolutions

Tyrogue is a fascinating exception in the Pokemon games because no other Pokemon has evolved like them or had previous Pokemon altered as much. Tyrogue has three different evolutions, though two of them existed as independent Pokemon in Gen 1.

• Hitmonlee – Introduced in Gen 1, Tyrogue evolves into Hitmonlee at level 20 if its attack is higher than its defence.
• Hitmonchan – Introduced in Gen 1, Tyrogue evolves into Hitmonchan at level 20 if its defence is higher than its attack.
• Hitmontop – Introduced in Gen 2 alongside Tyrogue, they evolve into Hitmontop at level 20 if its attack and defence are equal.

Because of the nature of how Tyrogue evolves, it can actually require EV training so good luck getting those stats to line up correctly.

3

Applin

Four Evolutions

First seen in Pokemon Sword and Shield as a humble apple with a worm inside, Applin has quickly grown in both popularity and number of evolutions. Originally, they were confined to just Flapple and Appletun, diverging paths that required the use of a Tart Apple and Sweet Apple respectively. The two DLC for Scarlet and Violet introduced another two evolutions to the mix.

• Dipplin – Evolves with the use of a Syrupy Apple.
• Hydrapple – Evovles from Dipplin when leveled up with the move Dragon Cheer.

No beast is more unexpected than an apple that actually houses a dragon. In fact, across all of these forms, the dual typing of Grass-Dragon remains the same.

2

Wurmple

Four Evolutions

Did you know Pokemon began from a love of bug-catching? That’s why there are so many bug Pokemon out there, and Wurmple is one of the best. Not only are they very cute, but they also have four different evolutions.

• Cascoon – Wurmple evolves into Cascoon at level seven, decided by the random personality value assigned to it when it spawns.
• Silcoon – Wurmple evolves into Silcoon at level seven, decided by the random personality value assigned to it when it spawns.
• Dustox – Cascoon evolves into Dustox at level ten.
• Beautifly – Silcoon evolves into Beautifly at level ten.

The only way to change Wurmple’s evolution is to catch another, as its personality value is determined at spawn, not during the evolution stage.

1

Eevee

Eight Eeveelutions

Though Pikachu was originally seen as the mascot of the series, Eevee has quickly jumped in popularity, even gaining its own featured game in Let’s Go. Eevee is iconic for its evolutions, lovingly dubbed Eeveelutions.

• Vaporeon – Eevee evolves into Vaporeon when exposed to a Water Stone.
• Jolteon – Eevee evolves into Jolteon when exposed to a Thunder Stone.
• Flareon – Eevee evolves into Flareon when exposed to a Fire Stone.
• Espeon – Eevee evolves into Espeon when leveled up with high friendship during the day.
• Umbreon – Eevee evolves into Umbreon when leveled up with high friendship during the night.
• Leafeon – Eevee evolves into Leafeon when exposed to a Leaf Stone (or leveled up at Moss Rock in D&P)
• Glaceon – Eevee evolves into Glaceon when exposed to a Ice Stone (or leveled up at IceRock in D&P)
• Sylveon – Eevee evolves into Sylveon when leveled up with high friendship and a fairy move.

The greatest joy with Eevee is having so many evolutions to choose from.