Time-based Evolution

Time-based Evolution refers to Pokémon that evolve during a certain time of the day. This method of Evolution was introduced in Generation II.

List of time-based Evolutions

Previous Evolution		Time Evolution			Later Evolution
Introduced in Generation II
Eevee is the lowest in its line		Eevee  Normal	+ + Level up with high friendship during the daytime except when evolving into Leafeon, Glaceon, or Sylveon →	Espeon  Psychic	Espeon does not evolve
			+ + Level up with high friendship during the nighttime except when evolving into Leafeon, Glaceon, or Sylveon →	Umbreon  Dark	Umbreon does not evolve
Introduced in Generation IV
Gligar is the lowest in its line		Gligar  Ground  Flying	+ + Level Up holding Razor Fang during the nighttime →	Gliscor  Ground  Flying	Gliscor does not evolve
Sneasel is the lowest in its line		Sneasel  Dark  Ice	+ + Level Up holding Razor Claw during the nighttime →	Weavile  Dark  Ice	Weavile does not evolve
Budew is the lowest in its line		Budew  Grass  Poison	+ + Level up with high friendship during the daytime →	Roselia  Grass  Poison	Shiny Stone →	Roserade  Grass  Poison
Chingling is the lowest in its line		Chingling  Psychic	+ + Level up with high friendship during the nighttime →	Chimecho  Psychic	Chimecho does not evolve
Happiny is the lowest in its line		Happiny  Normal	+ + Level up holding Oval Stone during the daytime →	Chansey  Normal	+ Level up with high friendship →	Blissey  Normal
Riolu is the lowest in its line		Riolu  Fighting	+ + Level up with high friendship during the daytime →	Lucario  Fighting  Steel	Lucario does not evolve
Introduced in Generation VI
Tyrunt is the lowest in its line		Tyrunt  Rock  Dragon	+ Level 39+ during the daytime →	Tyrantrum  Rock  Dragon	Tyrantrum does not evolve
Amaura is the lowest in its line		Amaura  Rock  Ice	+ Level 39+ during the nighttime →	Aurorus  Rock  Ice	Aurorus does not evolve
Introduced in Generation VII
Rattata is the lowest in its line		Rattata Alolan form  Dark  Normal	+ Level 20+ during the nighttime except there is no time requirement in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! →	Raticate Alolan form  Dark  Normal	Alolan Raticate does not evolve
Cubone is the lowest in its line		Cubone  Ground	+ + Level 28+ during the nighttime in Alola →	Marowak Alolan form  Fire  Ghost	Marowak does not evolve
Yungoos is the lowest in its line		Yungoos  Normal	+ Level 20+ during the daytime →	Gumshoos  Normal	Gumshoos does not evolve
Rockruff is the lowest in its line		Rockruff  Rock	+ + +  S  US /VIII+ Level 25+ with Keen Eye, Vital Spirit, or Steadfast during the daytime in Pokémon Sun, Ultra Sun, and from Generation VIII onwards	Lycanroc Midday Form  Rock	Lycanroc does not evolve
			+ + +  M  UM /VIII+ Level 25+ with Keen Eye, Vital Spirit, or Steadfast during the nighttime in Pokémon Moon, Ultra Moon, and from Generation VIII onwards	Lycanroc Midnight Form  Rock
			+ + +  US  UM /VIII+ Level 25+ with Own Tempo during the evening in Pokémon Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon, and from Generation VIII onwards	Lycanroc Dusk Form  Rock
Fomantis is the lowest in its line		Fomantis  Grass	+ Level 34+ during the daytime →	Lurantis  Grass	Lurantis does not evolve
Introduced in Generation VIII (Pokémon Sword and Shield)
Zigzagoon Galarian form  Dark  Normal	Level 20+ →	Linoone Galarian form  Dark  Normal	+ Level 35+ during the nighttime →	Obstagoon  Dark  Normal	Obstagoon does not evolve
Milcery is the lowest in its line		Milcery  Fairy	+ Spin holding a Sweet clockwise for less than 5 seconds during the daytime →	Alcremie Vanilla Cream  Fairy	Alcremie does not evolve
			+ Spin holding a Sweet counterclockwise for less than 5 seconds during the daytime →	Alcremie Ruby Cream  Fairy
			+ Spin holding a Sweet clockwise for more than 5 seconds during the daytime →	Alcremie Caramel Swirl  Fairy
			+ Spin holding a Sweet counterclockwise for more than 5 seconds during the daytime →	Alcremie Ruby Swirl  Fairy
			+ Spin holding a Sweet clockwise for less than 5 seconds during the nighttime →	Alcremie Matcha Cream  Fairy
			+ Spin holding a Sweet counterclockwise for less than 5 seconds during the nighttime →	Alcremie Salted Cream  Fairy
			+ Spin holding a Sweet clockwise for more than 5 seconds during the nighttime →	Alcremie Lemon Cream  Fairy
			+ Spin holding a Sweet counterclockwise for more than 5 seconds during the nighttime →	Alcremie Mint Cream  Fairy
			+ Spin holding a Sweet counterclockwise for more than 10 seconds during the evening →	Alcremie Rainbow Swirl
Snom is the lowest in its line		Snom  Ice  Bug	+ + Level up with high friendship during the nighttime →	Frosmoth  Ice  Bug	Frosmoth does not evolve
Introduced in Generation VIII (Pokémon Legends: Arceus)
Sneasel is the lowest in its line		Sneasel Hisuian form  Fighting  Poison	+ + Level Up holding Razor Claw during the daytime →	Sneasler  Fighting  Poison	Sneasler does not evolve
Teddiursa  Normal	Level 30+ →	Ursaring  Normal	+ + Peat Block during a full moon in Hisui →	Ursaluna  Ground  Normal	Ursaluna does not evolve
Introduced in Generation IX
Greavard is the lowest in its line		Greavard  Ghost	+ Level 30+ during the nighttime →	Houndstone  Ghost	Houndstone does not evolve

List of other methods of Evolution

These are other methods of Evolution that can be used to evolve into the same species as the time-based Evolutions.

Previous Evolution		Evolution			Later Evolution
Introduced in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
Rattata is the lowest in its line		Rattata Alolan form  Dark  Normal	+  P  E  Level 20+ at all times in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! →	Raticate Alolan form  Dark  Normal	Alolan Raticate does not evolve

In the core series games

With the introduction of time in Generation II, time-based Evolutions were also introduced. The table below summarizes the in-game times during which Pokémon that evolve based on time can evolve in various games across the generations.

In Pokémon Sword and Shield, prior to becoming Champion, the time of day outside of the Wild Area is determined by the player's current point in the story, not the system time. This affects both the lighting of the environment and time-based Evolutions. However, even before becoming Champion, the time of day in the Wild Area is exclusively determined by the system time.

Eevee line

In Generation II, Eevee was given two new Evolutions to take advantage of the changing time: Espeon, which it would become if its friendship maxed out during the morning or day, and Umbreon, which it would become if its friendship maxed during the night.

In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, Eevee's time-based Evolutions are available even though there are no visible day and night periods in the overworld.

In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, however, the time function is completely absent, allowing it to be more like the Generation I games. This also makes it impossible for Eevee to evolve into either Espeon or Umbreon in these games. In order to do so, the player would have to trade Eevee to Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald and have it evolve in one of those games.

In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, which only includes the Pokémon from the Kanto Pokédex, and lacks the time and friendship mechanics, Espeon and Umbreon are unavailable.

Alolan Rattata line

In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, which is set in perpetual daytime, Alolan Rattata evolves regardless of the time of day.

Rockruff line

In Generation VII, Own Tempo Rockruff evolves into Dusk Form Lycanroc in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon by levelling up starting from Level 25 at any time from 5:00 p.m. to 5:59 p.m. in in-game time (equating to 5:00 p.m. to 5:59 p.m. in real-time for Ultra Sun and 5:00 a.m. to 5:59 a.m. in real-time for Ultra Moon).

In Generation VIII, Own Tempo Rockruff evolves into Dusk Form Lycanroc in Pokémon Sword and Shield from 7:00 p.m. to 7:59 p.m. in real-time.

In Generation IX, Own Tempo Rockruff evolves into Dusk Form Lycanroc in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet during the 3 minute evening period of the 72 minute in-game day/night cycle.

Milcery line

In Generation VIII, Milcery evolves into Rainbow Swirl Alcremie in Pokémon Sword and Shield from 7:00 p.m. to 7:59 p.m. in real-time.

Teddiursa line

This section is missing one or more images. Please feel free to add any missing images to this section. Needed images can be uploaded to the Bulbagarden Archives. Reason: Images of Moon Phases, see this github gist for information

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the moon phase now play a significant role, unlike in previous installments where they were purely cosmetic. Ursaring can only evolve into Ursaluna by using a Peat Block during a full moon. A full moon is also required to activate the event for Request 67: The Clefairy's Moonlit Dance.

There are eight different moon phases, and the moon phase naturally changes every two nights at 5:00 AM, and can be manually forced to change if the player sleeps to any time where the time would pass 5:00 AM.^[1]

In the side series games

Pokémon Colosseum

In Pokémon Colosseum, Eevee is unable to evolve into either Espeon or Umbreon due to the absence of the time feature. However, the player character Wes starts the game with both Espeon and Umbreon.

Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, due to the absence of the time feature, Eevee can only evolve into Espeon or Umbreon via the Sun Shard or Moon Shard, respectively, a method that is not time-dependent.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon GO

In Pokémon GO, there are several time-based Evolutions. Daytime in GO approximately corresponds to the time between sunrise and sunset in the player's location; nighttime corresponds to the time between sunset and sunrise. To evolve Ursaring, there must be an in-game full moon, which typically corresponds to when there is a real-world full moon. Most Rockruff have two Evolution options (for either Midday Form Lycanroc or Midnight Form Lycanroc), though certain rarer Rockruff have one Evolution option for Dusk Form Lycanroc. Dusk Form Lycanroc must be evolved around sunset in the player's location.

As of July 9, 2024, the Adventure Effect of Sunsteel Strike allows any daytime Evolutions to evolve at any time, while the Adventure Effect of Moongeist Beam allows any nighttime Evolution (including Ursaring, regardless of a full moon). Both Adventure Effects allow Rockruff to evolve into Dusk Form Lycanroc at any time.

Pokémon Evolution method Pokémon Eevee 25 + 10 km + Espeon 25 + 10 km + Umbreon Sneasel (Hisuian Form) 100 + 7 km + Sneasler Ursaring 100 + + during full moon Ursaluna Tyrunt 50 + Tyrantrum Amaura 50 + Aurorus Yungoos 50 + Gumshoos Rockruff 50 + Lycanroc (Midday Form) 50 + Lycanroc (Midnight Form) Rockruff 50 + Lycanroc (Dusk Form) Fomantis 50 + Lurantis Cosmoem 100 + Solgaleo 100 + Lunala Snom 400 + 10 + Frosmoth

References

See also

• Category:Pokémon that evolve based on time
  • Category:Pokémon that evolve only during the day
  • Category:Pokémon that evolve only at night

This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.