As new trainers take to the beautiful Paldea region, it’s likely you’ll encounter the absolutely adorable Finizen. But if you’ve spent a decent amount of time with him, you might wonder when he evolves. The Pokémon franchise is no stranger to obscure evolution methods. Just look at the ridiculous, cooking-inspired hoops Milcery had us jumping through. Not that Vanilla Cream Alcremie isn’t worth it, though. But the ludicrous evolution methods haven’t stopped with Generation 8. Here’s how to evolve Finizen into Palafin in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
How to Evolve Finizen into Palafin in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Finizen, one of the cutest water additions to the franchise, has stumped many trainers, and for good reason. Leveling it isn’t sufficient, nor trades, certain locations, or even Held Items. Nope, in what is likely an effort to bring Pokémon trainers closer together, digitally, and to capitalize on some of the new mechanics in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the Pokémon Company is forcing trainers to… socialize. You’ll need to access co-op and have someone enter your world to begin Finizen’s evolution process.
Related: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Version Exclusives Explained
Once you’ve successfully wrangled someone into your game, they merely need to watch your Finizen battle and defeat a Pokémon. Your Finizen must be at least level 38 at the end of the battle (so, it can start at level 37, so long as the battle causes it to reach level 38). Then, after that, you can use a Rare Candy or keep battling until your Finizen achieves a new level. This will allow Finizen to evolve into Palafin.
If you don’t want to pay for online access, or you simply don’t have any friends that you can rope into playing with you, don’t despair. You can still ensure you fill out Palafin’s region entry by catching one in raids.
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