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WHAT level did you say it evolves at!?

Eucliffe

☆ E N T E R T A I N E R
6,493
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Not so confident me is being not so confident, but I didn't see a thread about this that was less than a month old ><;

Spoiler:

So, there are some Pokemon out there that evolve much later than others. Sometimes it makes sense because of certain aspects of the Pokemon and whatnot (for example, Pokemon that evolve into ones that are rather powerful, such as the Pseudo-Legendaries), but then there are some where you just can't help but go "what" at the level they evolve at.

That said, which Pokemon that evolve at later levels do you think shouldn't evolve so late? Are there any Pokemon that you think evolve way too early on and should evolve at later levels? Or do you think everything's fine as is? Discuss!
 
50,218
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For me, I have a few to say:

Larvesta - Oh man I had to train that thing like hell before I could get that Volcarona but I eventually did in the end. Level 59 is just way too late for a Bug-type, not to mention Larvesta's stats are all terrible other than Attack which should never be trained.

Deino - Even though its final evo (Hydreigon) looks so epic and strong, the problem is evolving this little guy to even get there. I mean, Level 50 and 64? When I saw that, I went "WTF?". However, that didn't stop me from raising one into a Hydreigon and even though it has to endure through the unfortunate Hustle ability until then the strength when it finally evolves is worth it.

Vullaby/Rufflet - They evolve at Level 54. Way too late for a Flying-type.

I mean, Generation 5 despite being my fave generation, has Pokemon that evolve way too late.
 

Kanto_Johto

Never glimpse the truth
818
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Inb4 everyone says Hydreigon.

But yeah, Zweilous into Hydreigon at Lvl. 64 is pretty outrageous. Larvesta into Volcarona at Lvl. 59 is pretty damned high, too.

Yeah, Gen V isn't nice when it comes to evolution levels.

EDIT: Goddammit Hikari ninja'd me.
 

PlatinumDude

Nyeh?
12,964
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I'm frustrated by the fact that Deino evolves into Zweilous at level 50 and then Hydreigon at level 64. That's just taking too long. The same applies for Larvesta into Volcarona at level 59; it's actually harder because I'm forced to use Larvesta's weaker Special Attack and ignore its good Attack while I train it.

Also, Rufflet and Vullaby receive honorable mentions, but Rufflet is easier to evolve, IMO, because it can actually hit stuff; Vullaby is harder because of its lower offenses.
 

Mithel_Celestia

Alluring Illusion
406
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11
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I'm not really troubled by those who evolve at a late level. For me, an easy way of training is to use Exp. Share and Lucky Egg, that is the reason why these items exist. If you're concerned about the EVs, Train the EVs to max before leveling them up. For a location to train, Village Bridge seems perfect, full of evolved pokemon that give alot of experience points. Court Trainers are also very useful.
 
283
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12
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  • Seen Apr 14, 2013
I don't really have a problem with it. Pokemon are much easier to level up in Gen 5 than they were before, so even if the levels are higher, it's still faster overall. It just takes a bit more time that Pokemon that evolve sooner.
 

infersaime

Come and get me
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I'm gonna be original I say the fossil pokemons most of them evolve at level 40 even though you get them at level 20 it's still to high.
 

.Scream

Professor
69
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15
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I could go on about this. But to name a few, Kirlia should evolve into Gardevoir at a higher level in my opinion, I'd say about level 40 would be more appropriate.

Then there's the evolutionary line for Klink which is a real pain.

And I've always thought that both Nidoran, male and female, should evolve into their second stage a lot later before they can evolve into their final stages. This may just be a case of finding moon stones too soon in the game which makes Nidorino and Nidorina quite shortlived but still.
 
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I'm gonna be original I say the fossil pokemons most of them evolve at level 40 even though you get them at level 20 it's still to high.

If you had a Helix or Dome Fossil in FR/LG, you got the Pokemon back at level 5, which gives you a fair amount of training before it evolves.

I noticed that there are quite a few Unovan Pokemon that evolve at a very high level. Deino, Mienfoo, Pawniard, Rufflet, Vullaby and Larvesta don't have their first evolution until after level 50.
 

Pokemon Trainer UV

Attractively foolish
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Personally, I think GameFreak went overboard with the level requirements. In Gen I-IV, most Pokemon already reach their final forms around level 35, but in Gen V, you see several Pokemon that need to reach around level 40 just to get to their Stage I forms. I think this is sort of silly and unnecessary.

I mean, take a look at this:
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/List_of_Pokémon_that_evolve_at_or_above_a_certain_level


I totally agree with that.
I think that Gamefreak went -waayy- overboard. Leveling up may be a bit faster in this game, but it's pretty annoying having to wait so long.
 
777
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16
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  • Age 28
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If the high BW evolution levels had been in any earlier generation, they'd be awful. But BW kinda nullifies the problem. New EXP gain system, high level wild Pokemon (some of them fully evolved at that!), Audino... hell, you even get a free Lucky Egg right in the middle of the main story.

Personally I like it. It makes the early evolution stages last longer, which is really nice in a way; it's always felt terribly cheap and rushed for me to have a new Pokemon fully evolved by the time he's caught up in levels with the rest of my team. Not to mention you oughtta be headed toward around Lv60 anyways at the end of the game, so it's not like you need to put in much extra grinding. And, once your Pokemon finally does evolve, there's a pretty great sense of accomplishment!
 

Altairis

take me ☆ take you
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It doesn't really make any sense because theoretically if a Pokemon evolves that late, like Mienfoo at level 50, a lv 48 Mienfoo should be able to hold its own against other high leveled Pokemon in the 40s. I've used Mienfoo. It really doesn't as well as it should =/ Especially Deino, it's not strong enough to be trained until lv 50 and stand up to other fully evolved Pokemon.

I found all of these high leveled requirements silly and unnecessary, and I don't see why they did it.
 

MiTjA

Poké-atheist
587
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19
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No.
Everyone is overreacting about it. Its that we have all been used to the same kind of evolution levels for all the different kinds of pokemon.
But the game has evolved. They have changed the exp gaining formula and freshed things up. It only makes sense that they would tamper with the standards it affects.
It allows them to make more use of the 40-100 levels for the actual game.

So for example certain wild pokemon you meet towards the end of the game, like Mienfoo, already have ~40ish levels.
They probably had something like 35 planned for it, but then they thought that it wouldnt have to appear overleveld or already evolved the moment you first meet it, so they upped the game.

I am sure we will see more of this in all future games.

The only way this bothers me in, is that they should IMO adjust the old pokemon to new standards...so it'd feel right I guess xDDD

Some examples I can think of that I'd change:

1. the most obvious...
Magikarp --lv.45-> Gyarados

2. the weak bugs that go -7-10- (imo nothing should evolve earlier than 10)
Caterpie --lv.10-> Metapod --lv.18-> Butterfree
Weedle --lv.10-> Kakuna --lv.18->Beedrill
Wurmple --lv.10-> Silcoon/Cascoon --lv.18-> BEautifly/Dustox
Kricketot --lv.16-> Kricketune

3. The odd starter
Starters always follow the same levels, 14-18 first evo, 32-36 second evo, but there is a sinle exception that evolves at 30:
Totodile --lv.18-> Croconaw --lv.32-> Feraligatr

4. Azumarill. Being the only pokemon that evolves by level, after a happiness evolution, training the full line usually means being a Marill for a single level, since happiness takes longer than 17 levels without very special treatment... so either the level was higher, or the method different.
Seeing how every other pokemon with this setup evolves with a stone the second time (Pichu,Cleffa,Igglybuff,Togepi,Budew), and how Marill was the first attempt at a "the next Pikachu", being an elemental rodent... it seems perfectly fitting to use the Water Stone
Azurill --<3-> Marill --WaterStone-> Azumarill

5. Readjusting pseudo legends to new endgame challenge style:
Dratini --lv.36-> Dragonair --lv.60-> Dragonite
Larvitar --lv.38-> Pupitar --lv.58-> Tyranitar
Bagon --lv.42-> Shelgon --lv.62-> Salamence
Beldum --lv.35-> Metang --lv.65-> Metagross
Gible --lv.40-> Gabite --lv.60-> Garchomp

6. pokemon that I simply personally think would be fitting to evolve at higher levels:
Diglett --lv.30-> Dugtrio
Tentacool --lv.40-> Tentacruel
Doduo --lv.36-> Dodrio
Magnemite --lv.40-> Magneton --ML-> Magnezone
Seel --lv.39-> Dewgong
Gastly --lv.32-> Haunter --Trade-> Gengar
Drowzee --lv.32-> Hypno
Voltorb --lv.36-> Electrode
Cubone --lv.46-> Marowak
Tyrogue --lv.30-> Hitmons
Koffing --lv.41-> Weezing
Wooper --lv.33-> Quagsire
Wynaut --lv.26-> Wobbuffet
Teddiursa --lv.37-> Ursaring
Houndour --lv.36-> Houndoom
Phanpy --lv.40-> Donphan
Makuhita --lv.34-> Hyriyama
Aron --lv.32-> Lairon --lv.46-> Aggron
Electrike --lv.32-> Manectric
Trapinch --lv.35-> Vibrava --lv.55-> Flygon
Baltoy --lv.46-> Claydol
Spheal --lv.32-> Sealeo --lv.48-> Walrein
Cranidos --lv.36-> Rampardos
Shieldon --lv.36-> Bastiodon
Combee --lv.31f-> Vespiquen
Shellos --lv.38-> Gastrodon
Bronzor --lv.46-> Bronzong
Hippopotas --lv.42-> Hippowdon

lol
probably even went too easy on nr.6... its so hard to put a 50+ on any of them for some reason..
 

Sirfetch’d

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Vanillite has to get to lv 35 just to get to vanillish. Also Litwick lv. 42. OUTRAGEOUS!
 

Atomic Pirate

I always win.
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Baltoy --lv.46-> Claydol
Seriously?
Seriously?
Have you ever even used a Claydol before? There's a good reason it evolves early: Because it's extremely frail, and it has unfortunately low SpAtk stats.

Making it evolve later would make it even more useless.

I do have to say, in addition to this, that B/W really dropped the bomb with evolution levels. Such as Hydreigon. 64? 64? I rarely ever train a Pokemon up to that level, unless it's one that I'm planning on using longterm! Plus, Braviary should have evolved earlier. I'm sorry, but 54 is just too high.
 
Last edited:
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  • Seen Jul 22, 2014
I could go on about this. But to name a few, Kirlia should evolve into Gardevoir at a higher level in my opinion, I'd say about level 40 would be more appropriate.QUOTE]

ABSOLUTELY NOT! I truly believe that Lv. 30 for Kirlia to evolve into Gardevoir is fine the way it is.
 

Bounsweet

Fruit Pokémon
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  • Seen Sep 17, 2018
Generation V was ridiculous with the level requirements. I understand that the game plays at higher levels than any of the previous games (especially post-Dex) but that doesn't mean I want to waste all my time trying to get a Pokemon to evolve.
 

MiTjA

Poké-atheist
587
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19
Years
I could go on about this. But to name a few, Kirlia should evolve into Gardevoir at a higher level in my opinion, I'd say about level 40 would be more appropriate.

Actually Ralts should evolve earlier if anything, because Kirlias stats are ridiculous for a middle stage that ends up with 500+ total. Thats almost double of Kirlias ~270. I mean heck Squirtle and co have ~310 from the beginning.

Although personally I always thought for a case like this (and especially fitting for Gardevoir), happiness evolution is what it should require.

Ralts-lv.15->Kirlia-(happiness)->Gardevoir

Note that the Ralts line was not a recycled Abra, but rather a separate attempt at 3 stage Psy pokemon, unlike Solosis and Gothita which are clearly "new" Abras.


Generation V was ridiculous with the level requirements. I understand that the game plays at higher levels than any of the previous games (especially post-Dex) but that doesn't mean I want to waste all my time trying to get a Pokemon to evolve.

You have to realize they didn't just put higher levels but actually changed how leveling works...
Look, you get a ****load of exp from defeating pokemon with higher levels compared to what you are leveling.
That means everything can catch up, to the level you are encountering atm, hell of a lot easier than in the previous games.
And THAT is the reason all those pokemon have so high requirements. It was the only way of keeping evolving a pseudolegend a tougher task.
 
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