How do Eevees evolve with friendship or affection in the wild? And why can’t you normally catch wild Eeveelutions except for Espeon and Umbreon in Alola?

Friendship (or more accurately and commonly known, happiness) evolutions are perhaps the easiest type of evolution for pokémon to achieve in the wild, as these rely less on a pokémon’s environment, age, or experience but instead on their state of mind. All a pokémon needs to do is achieve a state of complete happiness with themselves and their lives—which, yes, is easier to do when in the constant care of a human but is still possible in the wild. This should also explain why espeon and umbreon are so easy to find comparatively. It’s not that the others don’t exist but instead because an eevee will be more likely to evolve into either of those in their native habitats than the others. That and the other evolutions require additional environmental factors that aren’t really present within the Alolan nesting grounds on Akala, so if an eevee wishes to achieve an alternate evolution, they would need to journey far from their home fields. Not all of them go home, either: many wander alone or congregate in territories far too remote for humans to reach.

As for sylveon, though, that’s also possible, but it’s less common than an espeon or umbreon evolution. Instead, an eevee needs to be affectionate … with a mate. This also explains their rarity in the wild. They’re not actually rare; they’re simply in breeding pairs and thus avoid contact with humans as vehemently as possible.

My Bayleef is at level 56 and she still won’t evolve! I know she isn’t holding an Everstone, too. Could this be related to the seasons? Thanks bill

Does she want to evolve, anonymous? Sometimes, pokémon resist evolution on their own out of their own personal preference. (Some do this better than others, which is why an everstone isn’t always needed.) If she seems to be under a lot of stress, that could be it. It’s important to talk to her, then, to determine her wants and needs, and if she does indeed want to remain a bayleef, get her an everstone to help her.

On that note, it’s true that her environment could also factor into an actual inability to evolve. Evolution takes a lot of energy, so it’s easiest for grass-types like your bayleef to evolve in spring or summer. Alternatively, pollution and stress also stunt evolution, so if you live in the city, consider a trip out to the country. You’ll need at least a week of relaxation before your bayleef would be ready to evolve.

Best of luck, anonymous! (…although as a tangent, it always confuses me that some trainers refer to battling prowess and experience with levels. Maybe I’ve lost touch with the trainer system, but I will never make heads or tails of that…)

Hi! I was wondering if the Skitty line, Ralts line, Rowlet or Bunary lines react badly to soap at all? Like, any kind of soap. Or perhaps I should ask about general hygiene instead, uhhh… help? pls? :(

The ralts line can be safely bathed with soap, as that can easily be washed off their skin. Just be sure to get all the soap residue off and follow up with coconut or baby oil (or simply a moisturizer for humanoid pokémon) to avoid drying out your ralts’s skin.

All bird pokémon, meanwhile, should only be given a water bath at most. That is, it’s important to give many of them a bath consisting only of water at a temperature they can stand. (Rowlet is among the pokémon that need such a bath, but there are a select few, such as the torchic line, that will need a sand bath instead. That would be just an outdoor shallow pit filled with sand or dust.) Water baths not only help a bird wash off excess oil and dirt, but the temperature and the act of splashing or soaking helps them maintain peak mental health—that is, it’s just as relaxing for them as a bath would be for us. It’s just that soap can dry out the skin too much by stripping away all of the natural oils of a bird’s skin, not to mention it can be difficult to completely remove from a bird’s feathers.

Finally, never bathe a buneary unless they can’t bathe themselves (and even then, only bathe a buneary if they’re very clearly in need of a bath) or if they’re covered in something that would be toxic to them. Members of the buneary line bathe themselves (like cats and feline pokémon), and if dampened and not properly dried, a buneary’s soft fur and tufts can grow mold. That and a bath can be traumatic for them.

Actually, the same (never bathe them unless they can’t bathe themselves or get into something toxic) can be said for skitty and all other feline pokémon, but the concern there is less about their health as it is yours. Feline pokémon are generally very adamant about their hatred of baths.

Best of luck concerning your team, anonymous!

Edit: This post now includes information regarding the skitty line (and Bill will, in his words, be “adequately retrained in basic reading comprehension skills”). Thank you for your patience! —LH

Rockruff and Lycanroc

bills-pokedex:

Rockruff
The Puppy Pokémon
Type: Rock
Official Registration #: 744
Entry: Thought to be the cousin of growlithe, this small, puppy-like pokémon possesses very much the same disposition. It is highly loyal, and it’s very fond of humans. As such, it’s considered one of the easier pokémon for beginning trainers to start off with, as its loyal and agreeable disposition make it easy to teach rockruff new tricks. For this reason, rockruff is also generally considered to be a Good Dog.

Lycanroc (Midday Form)
The Wolf Pokémon
Type: Rock
Official Registration #: 745
Entry: The evolved form of rockruff, by battle experience, if trained during the day. Exposing rockruff to sunlight during its evolution causes it to evolve into a quadrupedal form of lycanroc. This form retains a lot of the same loyalty and agreeable disposition as its preevolved form, and as such, this pokémon is considered to be a stalwart battler and excellent companion. However, be warned: while it normally uses the sharp rocks around its collar as weapons, some retain the tendency to rub these rocks against their trainers as a form of affection. Considering the fact that these rocks can grow to be a foot long and roughly as sharp as knives, this may result in unfortunate mishaps. Nonetheless, this form of lycanroc is still generally considered to be a Good Dog.

Lycanroc (Midnight Form)
The Wolf Pokémon
Type: Rock
Official Registration #: 745
Entry: The evolved form of rockruff, by battle experience, if trained during the night. Allowing rockruff to evolve under the cover of night causes it to assume a more violent, impulsive form. While this form of lycanroc loses its rocky collar, it gains a hard head, which it uses to smash its opponents into submission after it goads them into attacking. Well aware of its boots in power, midnight lycanroc actively seeks opponents and will attack without being ordered to, rendering this form of lycanroc highly difficult to tame and train. However, despite the comparative difficulties of training this form (as opposed to rockruff or midday lycanroc), midnight lycanroc is not considered to be a Bad Dog but rather a Not Quite Great But Still Pretty All Right Dog.

Lycanroc (Dusk Form)
The Wolf Pokémon
Type: Rock
Official Registration #: 745
Entry: The evolved form of rockruff, by battle experience, if trained at dusk (if the subject’s ability is Own Tempo). When exposed to the fading light of dusk, some rockruff may evolve into a quadrupedal form that is, in many ways, the midpoint between midnight and midday lycanroc. Not only is it physically very much like a midpoint between these two forms (quadrupedal like the midday form but also covered with spikes similar to midnight’s), but also, its disposition is a rather unpredictable mix of midday’s calmness and midnight’s aggression. Yet despite this, lycanroc’s dusk form is not known for being a Good Dog or a Bad Dog or even a Not Quite Great But Still Pretty All Right Dog. Instead, it’s known for being a Cheeto Dog … because of its orange pelt. Because that’s just how the internet works.

Why do so many Alolan forms of Pokemon gain a secondary Dark typing? I would think a bright and sunny place like Alola would do the opposite of giving Pokemon an affinity for the dark.

Not necessarily, anonymous. In some cases, primarily when it comes to the rattata and grimer lines, these pokémon had to hide beneath buildings until nightfall to avoid extermination by humans or hunting by other pokémon. Thus, they adapted to the darkness of Alolan nights, rather than the brightness of Alolan days.

The meowth line, meanwhile … no one’s quite sure how selective breeding managed to give it an affinity for the dark type, to be honest. But given how adept standard meowth are at conning their owners into giving them more treats or affection, it’s perhaps not surprising…

I am considering evolving my rockruff. What are the difference in upkeep of each lycanroc’s formes and do you have any recommendations for which forme to evolve?

In terms of basic care, all three are essentially identical. The difference between them (other than conditions of evolution) lie in personality and habits. You see, midday lycanroc are largely diurnal (meaning, active during the day), whereas midnights are nocturnal. Thus, if you train a midday lycanroc, be prepared to wake up early to begin training at dawn (or to simply feed it and let it out). On the other hand, training a midnight lycanroc tends to be difficult for any trainer short of habitual night owls.

Furthermore, midday lycanroc are often calmer in nature. This makes them great pets, but they don’t particularly excel at battling and often prefer running away. By contrast, the more aggressive midnight lycanroc possesses more power and defensive capabilities than its diurnal counterpart, but its disposition often means it doesn’t play well with its teammates and may need constructive outlets for excess energy.

Then there’s the dusk lycanroc, which is the most adaptable and balanced forme. That is, they have largely calm dispositions like their midday counterpart, combined with the power and willingness to battle of their midnight cousins. The downside is that dusk lycanroc can sometimes display bouts of aggression, and on top of that, they’re the hardest evolution to attain, with only a handful of rockruff being capable of it in the first place.

In short, choose midday if you want a pet, midnight if you want to battle, and dusk if you want both (or a challenge).

Best of luck, anonymous!

UB Burst: Blacephalon

Blacephalon
The Fireworks Pokémon
Type: Fire/Ghost
Official Registration #: 806
Entry: One of the Ultra Beasts, or strange pokémon that had appeared from another dimension. This clown-like Ultra Beast is known for slithering up to opponents and, once within extremely close range, detonates its own head in an explosion designed to stun a victim, if not do incredible damage to them. Although one would think its colorful and eccentric appearance would make it difficult for a blacephalon to engage in any manner of stealth, in truth, it more than makes up for it through its lankiness, flexibility, and general agility. These three things, in conjunction with its colorful and eccentric appearance, also apparently make it popular among certain crowds on certain social media websites for reasons that aren’t entirely lost on the author, though he would appreciate any moment in which he wouldn’t have to think about them.

UB Assembly: Stakataka

Stakataka
The Rampart Pokémon
Type: Rock/Steel
Official Registration #: 805
Entry: One of the Ultra Beasts, or strange pokémon that had appeared from another dimension. Although scientists consider it to be the heaviest known rock-type, it’s actually a colonial organism consisting of dozens if not hundreds of individual brick-like creatures stacked one on top of the other. However, the specific configuration they create maximizes their defensive potential, allowing them to withstand the toughest of blows and still stand tall and strong. For this reason, the author is told, it is often paired with gumshoos … although the relevance of any of this to gumshoos is, frankly, lost on the author.

Houndour and Houndoom

bills-pokedex:

Houndour
The Dark Pokémon
Type: Dark/Fire
Official Registration #: 228
Entry: A small, dog-like pokémon native to thick, dark forests. Interestingly, although this pokémon is part of the Johtonian Regional Pokédex, it was first discovered in Kanto and cannot, in truth, be found at all in Johto outside of the Johtonian Safari Zone Nature Preserve. The reason behind this discrepancy is actually quite simple. Houndour hunt in massive packs through the darkness of their native forests, where their pelts can blend in with forest shadows as they corner prey, and Kantonian researchers possess far stronger self-preservation instincts than their Johtonian counterparts.

Houndoom
The Dark Pokémon
Type: Dark/Fire
Official Registration #: 229
Entry: The evolved form of houndour, by battle experience. This dog-like pokémon is capable of exhaling a jet of fire and a spray of incendiary, highly caustic, toxic chemicals at the same time. The effect of these two mechanisms in combination leaves not only second-degree thermal burns (at the minimum) but severe chemical burns as well. According to folklore, anyone unfortunate enough to receive these burns will never fully recover; the burn will essentially be painful forever. However, this is not necessarily true. With proper care, the pain will typically subside within a week, and the resulting scar will fade within a year. On the other hand, not necessarily true isn’t the same thing as entirely false. First, one must remember that centuries ago, back when people first began to think this about houndoom burns, treatments for burns that complex or severe didn’t exist. Second, psychological pain is never a thing that heals easily, and some survivors of houndoom attacks may acquire a fear of houndoom thereafter. Third, either way, being burned by a houndoom feels just about as delightful as being attacked by a swarm of angry magikarp, and based on personal experience alone, the author would not recommend it.

Mega Houndoom
The Dark Pokémon
Type: Dark/Fire
Official Registration #: 229+
Entry: The advanced form of houndoom, via houndoominite. This pokémon is actually a “good fire doggo.” The internet was surprisingly correct about this one, and there’s not much more to say concerning it beyond that.

The Mudkip Line

bills-pokedex:

Mudkip
The Mud Fish Pokémon
Type: Water
Official Registration #: 258
Entry: One of three pokémon traditionally offered to new trainers at the beginning of their journeys in Hoenn. A small, amphibious pokémon native to Hoennian rivers. It uses its large head fin to sense the flow of water and its large back fin to propel itself through turbulent currents with surprising power for its size. Likewise, the large gills on its cheek allow it to breathe even in the murkiest, muddiest depths, and its physical strength alone allows it to pick up and push boulders along river bottoms. In general, mudkip is a fascinating pokémon, and this is because the species itself carries a number of interesting qualities, not because someone “herd u liek it.”

Marshtomp
The Mud Fish Pokémon
Type: Water/Ground
Official Registration #: 259
Entry: The evolved form of mudkip, by battle experience. An amphibious pokémon primarily native to rivers and banks, marshtomp had to develop strong, bulky legs to compensate for the fact that its habitat lacks stable footing. Thus, marshtomp is capable of literally standing through even the fiercest earthquakes, the likes of which routinely plague its volcanic home region of Hoenn. A less composed young researcher would likely say that marshtomp has had the foresight to “not skip leg day,” but luckily, the writer is not the storage system administrator of Sinnoh.

Swampert
The Mud Fish Pokémon
Type: Water/Ground
Official Registration #: 260
Entry: The evolved form of marshtomp, by battle experience. Never let its seemingly cute species name fool you. In actuality, swampert is a four-foot-tall mass of pure, sea-tempered muscle. It is powerful enough to tow ships to shore, rend boulders in two with one swipe of its bulky arms, swim against the current of stormy waves, dive to the depths of the Hoennian sea, and spew jets of water that can tear holes in the hull of the ships it had towed to shore at the beginning of this list. About the only thing cute about it is the fact that it still wears a perpetual grin and enjoys belly rubs and literally sucking down insect prey, just like its ancestral cousin, quagsire.

Mega Swampert
The Mud Fish Pokémon
Type: Water/Ground
Official Registration #: 260+
Entry: The advanced form of swampert, via swampertite. Mega swampert is the only starter that doesn’t change drastically in terms of physiology or elemental affinity upon mega evolution. It simply becomes more muscular and adept at punching things … which is why it’s perhaps a bad idea to imply its mega evolution isn’t as interesting as its peers’ while it’s within earshot.