There’s a brand new Pokemon game out today, and it’s the latest mobile game from the creators of Pokemon Go. It’s a strategy battler available only on iOS and Android, and it’s called Pokemon Masters. The big twist is that this time, players can bring both their Pokemon and their trainers into battle at the same time, and these two are linked in what the game calls “sync pairs”. The most important question is then, can players actually evolve Pokemon this time? We’ve got a Pokemon Masters evolve guide to answer that very question.
That said, there are actually a lot of questions regarding how to evolve Pokemon in Pokemon Masters. If evolution is in the game, how does it work with the concept of sync pairs? Are there any sync pairs that can’t evolve? How do you go about evolving the Pokemon that can do so, and how much does it cost? Are there Final and Mega Evolutions too? We’ll see if we can answer all of these.
Pokemon Masters Evolve | Can Pokemon be evolved in sync pairs?
Starting with the most obvious question, is it actually possible to evolve Pokemon in Pokemon Masters? The good news is yes, there absolutely is evolution in the new game, just as there has been in pretty much every Pokemon title to date. With the introduction of the sync pairs mechanic however, where you control both trainer and Pokemon, how does it work?
Basically, evolution in Pokemon Masters first requires sync pairs to reach a certain level, which is usually level 30 in order to evolve Pokemon to their second stage. You’ll also need a certain amount of coins and plenty of materials to afford the evolution. Perhaps obviously, you only evolve the Pokemon, not the human trainers too. The catch with all this is that only certain Pokemon in particular sync pairs can be evolved at this time. Pikachu, for example, cannot be evolved right now. We don’t know if that will change in a future Pokemon Masters update as this type of game adds regular new content, but for now only a select group can do evolutions.
Pokemon Masters Evolve | What Pokemon in sync pairs can evolve?
As you’ve probably gathered with the introduction of sync pairs, Pokemon Masters does not follow the usual rules of Pokemon games. The level 30 requirement we mentioned earlier is a lot higher than in most Pokemon games for certain Pokemon. Although, if you have played previous Pokemon games you’ll at least know the evolution chains they all progress on, such as Piplup to Prinplup and then Empolean. As also mentioned, only certain Pokemon in particular sync pairs can actually be evolved right now. Here’s the list of ones we know of right now who can be evolved:
- Agatha & Gengar
- Barry & Piplup
- Bugsy & Beedrill
- Karen & Houndoom
- Korrina & Lucario
- Kris & Totodile
- Noland & Pinsir
- Pryce & Dewgong
- Rosa & Snivy
- Wikstrom & Aegislash
Pokemon Masters Evolve | What Pokemon can’t evolve right now?
While that’s quite a long list of sync pairs where the Pokemon can be evolved, that does leave an even longer list of sync pairs who cannot receive an evolution. The most significant name in the list is, of course, the main player character and Pikachu himself, who at the moment has to stay as Pikachu. There is no reason to assume, however, that this list will not change, since Pokemon Masters is a mobile game and will undoubtedly undergo many, many changes over the course of its lifespan. For now, though, here’s the list of sync pairs whose Pokemon cannot receive an evolution:
- Player & Pikachu
- Blaine & Ponyta
- Brock & Onix
- Brawly & Makuhita
- Brendan & Treeko
- Clay & Palpitoad
- Grant & Amaura
- Lt. Surge & Voltorb
- Maylene & Meditite
- Ramos & Weepinbell
- Roark & Cranidos
- Roxanne & Nosepass
- Roxie & Whirlipede
Pokemon Masters Evolve | How to evolve Pokemon in Pokemon Masters
On to the big question then, how exactly do you evolve those Pokemon that can be evolved in the game? You’ll first have to get to at least level 30 with your sync pair. Pokemon who have second-stage evolutions can evolve when you reach this level, which is referred to in the game as a Stage 1 sync pair. In order to get Pokemon who have a third-stage evolution, such as Piplup to Empolean, to get to that point, you’ll need to get your characters to level 45. At this point they’ll become a Stage 2 sync pair, and you can access that Pokemon’s next evolution stage.
Once you hit level 30, you’ll gain a new mission type called, simply enough, an Evolution Mission. This is a special story battle for that trainer and Pokemon sync pair in particular, and you can find this in the Sync Pair Stories section of the menu. It’ll be called something like “Piplup’s Evolution”. There are a few big catches with these missions, and the most obvious one is that they’re actually pretty tough.
If you have a go on one at the minimum level you’ll struggle to succeed, so while officially level 30 is when you can evolve your Pokemon, you might want to get a little higher than that before you try. If you do complete the mission however, you’ll have earned an evolution for your Pokemon. You’ll then have to wait until at least level 45 before you can attempt the third-stage evolution.
Pokemon Masters Evolve | How much does it cost?
The other big catch around all this, other than it being generally very difficult to win the Evolution battle, is that none of it is free. Once you hit level 30 and want to give an Evolution mission a try, it costs five Evolution Shards to even attempt the mission. If you fail the battle, which is very likely if you’re only level 30, it’ll cost you another five Shards to play it again, Sam.
You can only get these Evolution Shards from Tricia’s shop. The first pack of five Shards will cost you 1000 coins, but after that exchanges can get significantly more expensive. Things get even worse when you get to level 45 and want to consider going to your third-stage evolution, as this will cost three crystal Evolution Stones instead. These cost 5000 coins for your first three Stones, and this raises to a ridiculous 300,000 coins after that. Make sure you pass this second Evolution battle first time, or things will get very expensive!
Pokemon Masters Evolve | What are the benefits to evolving Pokemon?
The main benefit in evolving Pokemon is that it’ll give your sync pairs a significant stat boost, making any subsequent battles that much easier. This is made even better with the third-stage evolution, the Final Evolution, which actually gives your sync pair a brand new powerful Sync Move for battle. Given how useful Sync Moves are in Pokemon Masters, it’s therefore extremely useful to evolve your Pokemon as soon as possible, if you can.
Pokemon Masters Evolve | Are there Mega Evolutions?
While they apparently won’t be making an appearance in Pokemon Sword and Shield for the Switch, Mega Evolutions are absolutely in Pokemon Masters. However at the moment, only select Pokemon can undergo a Mega transformation, including Pidgeot, Lucario, and Houndoom. To Mega Evolve, you simply have to activate your Sync Move in battle. This will give you increased stats and new type attacks for the rest of the battle, so it’s worth doing wherever possible.
