New evolution methods?

As we know, so many Pokemon evolve in different ways - by level-up, stones, trading, holding certain items and other special conditions. So, do you think we'll get any new evolution methods for this generation again and if so, what kind of evolution methods would you like to see?

I have five I would like to see.

1. Environmental evolution. Like Vivillion to its conclusion. Instead of seeing the exact kind of Pidgey, Geodude, or Pikachu or any older Pokemon in regions where they are obviously not native to look a certain matter, the climate and location determines how a Pokemon evolves as much as gaining EXP does. Think like the Galapagos Islands and how the animals diversified there. I'd kind of like to even have native versions of starters which have dramatically different niches in their region versus in the ones we originaly seen them in, like a Dimetrodon/Smilodon variant of Venusaur that hunts, or a Charmander that is both Water/Fire. Kind of make it for some, but make it universal so people can tell where you got your creatures from and encourage catching them. Or even have the effects of pollution affect evolution for a few like frog Pokemon?
2. Day/Night evolution. This is self explanatory. I would love the starters to have this, where if its sunny, their Pokemon will evolve with maybe the option of lighter type moves, or at night, have Dark type added, or attacks. I'd just love more of these evolutions to come since I loved Espeon and Umbreon growing up. I also hoped they would take the idea from Boktai and have the literal daylight or moonlight motivate evolution.
3. Lunar cycle evolution, Solstice evolution and Eclipse evolutions. This is Sun and Moon, after all. I'd love if while many could evolve differently at day or night, the most powerful or rare types could evolve at these rare moments. This could go well hand in hand with having real-time seasons instead of the quickness that was Black and White. Solrock and Lunatone would be beneficiaries as well as some past Pokemon like Ursaring, Stantler or whatever falls into a category like this.
4. Seasonal evolution. Have certain seasons where some Pokemon can only evolve on, or if not, they are different. Like the Swinub line.
5. Evolutions through cross-breeding. Show the effects of breeding two different species of Pokemon together. This might require a little reworking to avoid Skitty on Wailord action as infamous in Ruby and Sapphire,Mostly would be limited to some, but not a real stickler. Like only a few can come from this.
6. New Pokemon based around crossbred invasive species. If we are talking about conservation as a theme, invasive species descended from abandoned foreign Pokemon that crossbred with local life, or even with other invasive species to become an entirely new Pokemon altogether would be an interesting route. It falls under 5 as well.

Bigdog said:

I have five I would like to see.

1. Evolutions through cross-breeding. Show the effects of breeding two different species of Pokemon together. This might require a little reworking to avoid Skitty on Wailord action as infamous in Ruby and Sapphire,Mostly would be limited to some, but not a real stickler. Like only a few can come from this.
2. New Pokemon based around crossbred invasive species. If we are talking about conservation as a theme, invasive species descended from abandoned foreign Pokemon that crossbred with local life, or even with other invasive species to become an entirely new Pokemon altogether would be an interesting route. It falls under 5 as well.

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This is some awesome biology right here. I'd love to see these mechanics play through, if only Gamefreak wasn't so adamant in keeping the same code and data structure to their games just for the sake of consistency...

I don't really know how else they could introduce new evolution methods tbh. Using the 3DS gyroscope seemed like they were using a last resort as a means to introduce a new method, so I'd find it difficult for them to find another new method.

Alright, let me take a shot at this. Surely one of those idea's is good:

1: An evolution by having your pokémon in the first slot of your party, and then visit one of those hawaiian dance performances, could be a dancing like pokémon, or maybe one who likes singing and dancing? (bellosom is kinda in the way for this one)

2: Pokemon that evolves when playing a surf minigame with them. Like a dolphin that in Pokémon lore follows ships and surfers and protect them from wild pokémon (or something like that)

3: Pokémon that evolves into a different type/color when on a different Island than the one where you caught it(kinda Darwin like) Edit: just saw that my idea is kinda like that of Bigdog ;)

4. Pokémon that evolves by being around people, (talking with NPC's or online interaction needed to evolve). Could be a really social pokémon.

5. Pokémon that evolves by letting it use/eat a lot of berries in and outside of battle. Kinda like a bird or something like that.

6. Pokemon that evolves by combining 2 pokémon, kinda like backwards of Shedninja. Maybe a kind of plant, and a a sea creature, that benefits that much by being with each other, that the plants grows around the Sea creature, so that the sea creature has camouflage, and the plant protection.

7: Pokémon that evolves by letting it faint with high friendship. It is sorry for you, and wants to grow to become strong enough for you.

8: Pokémon that evolves by leveling it while being poisoned (saw this one online somewhere). Maybe it gains a poison resistance or something

And im out of idea's!

Blue said:

I don't really know how else they could introduce new evolution methods tbh. Using the 3DS gyroscope seemed like they were using a last resort as a means to introduce a new method, so I'd find it difficult for them to find another new method.

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I do like Jappo's ideas, at least some of them. An evolution method that requires the Pokemon to be in the first slot of the party would make for a not too bad concept, along with the one that mentions being poisoned and gaining a level. Would like to see those get used at some point.

How about a Pokemon that evolves if it is leveled up while Surfing / Diving?

Or a level-up evolution that only happens on a particular day of the week?

I think it'd be cool if they added a new evolution method that worked the same as Wurmple's evolution, but, instead of by level-up, via a new evolutionary stone. Then, they could set it so that a Wurmple that would evolve into Cascoon by level-up could evolve into Silcoon by that stone, and a Wurmple that would evolve into Silcoon by level-up could evolve into Cascoon by that stone. That way you could evolve it into either one you wanted.

I mean, not particularly useful, because nobody uses Wurmple anyway, but I'd still like to see it.

Also, I've suggested Stone + Held Item before. Leveling up while holding an item (e.g. Gligar) and being traded while holding an item (e.g. Onix) have both been done, so why not?

jappo said:

Pokémon that evolves by leveling it while being poisoned (saw this one online somewhere). Maybe it gains a poison resistance or something

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Could have another Eevee-like multiple evolution Pokémon, where each status effect evolves it in a different way.
Poisoned it becomes Poison type; paralyzed, Electric; confused, Psychic; and so on.
Or they could use different status effects to evolve different Pokémon.

Sagiri said:

How about a Pokemon that evolves if it is leveled up while Surfing / Diving?

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On the same note, if Soaring returns then level up while Soaring could also work.

I currently like the ways we have for evolutions right now, some are a bit picky of when/where/what to evolve your Pokémon. But for more ways, I think Pokémon should evolve in a certain area, like more Pokémon like Nosepass, it having to evolve & level up in an certain area to evolve into Probopass.

A Pokémon with a split evolution that occurs only when it comes into contact with a Sun Stone or Moon Stone while the 3DS system is being sent into space. I will accept nothing less!


I kind of want older evolution methods, like older Stones, to be given more usage before we get all-new evolution methods.

Rivvon said:

A Pokémon with a split evolution that occurs only when it comes into contact with a Sun Stone or Moon Stone while the 3DS system is being sent into space. I will accept nothing less!


I kind of want older evolution methods, like older Stones, to be given more usage before we get all-new evolution methods.

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If the 3DS detects that it's on the Moon, it will evolve one way. If it detects that it's on the surface of the sun, it'll evolve the other way.

Rivvon said:

A Pokémon with a split evolution that occurs only when it comes into contact with a Sun Stone or Moon Stone while the 3DS system is being sent into space. I will accept nothing less!


I kind of want older evolution methods, like older Stones, to be given more usage before we get all-new evolution methods.

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I want the Dawn stone to see some use. It's only useful on two Pokemon introduced in Gen III, with the evolutionary stone introduced in Gen IV. So maybe create some new ones.

I like a lot of these ideas, it would be nice to see more variants of the same Pokemon depending on region (or island maybe) like Vivillon though. Other than that, more Day / Night evolutions would be great. c:

Apivo said:

I like a lot of these ideas, it would be nice to see more variants of the same Pokemon depending on region (or island maybe) like Vivillon though. Other than that, more Day / Night evolutions would be great. c:

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I didn't remember that the Orange Islands had variations until I seen a video about Pokemon 2000's goof-ups. That's one major thing I want to see in future games. Having a Kanto species Pikachu in every region is pretty nonsensical unless we're talking about them being prided like pets. Then they're an invasive species, doubly so because they are rodents. But I still would love to see legit crosses between native Pikachu-like or Rattata-like Pokemon and the invasive Kanto species. It'd do perfectly with the conservation motif of this generation while integrating more of nature. But variations of existing Pokemon ,especially in typing if possible, would help make having older Pokemon easier to stomach, while not having to create new equivalents. Since they're invasive.

As fanservice, a Skitty-Wailmer hybrid created when there's Skitty Wailord action, just for fun. Like how Nintendo used the term Eeveelution but on a bigger scale.

As a kid, I loved day and night evolutions so much that I loved Boktai's concept of sunlight as a factor in gameplay, as the existing system. Having new evolutions based around this would help.

What if they did something like the Karrablast / Shelmet evolution, but requiring particular items (for both Pokemon)?

Specifically, the idea I had was to introduce Normal- and Ghost-type Eeveelutions. Introduce two new Hold Items, and have one Eevee hold one, and the other Eevee hold the other. Trade them. One would evolve into a Normal-type Eeveelution, while the other would evolve into the Ghost-type Eeveelution.

Conceptually, it'd be like the items were transferring one Eevee's life force to the other, causing the evolutions.

Mostly, I just would like to see that because it would mean getting the Eeveelution types I've been looking forward to, and Eevee still can't evolve via trade.

What if the Normal type Eeveelution would work like Meowstic where it gets different moveset depending on the gender and also a different look.