How to Evolve Shellder in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is one of the best games released in 2022, according to Prima Games’ Game of the Year list. And with this latest installment into the hyper-successful Pokemon franchise comes a whole new region, dozens of new Pokemon, and plenty of things to do. For trainers who are new to the Pokemon franchise, it can be absolutely overwhelming, with Pokemon from the very generation being as foreign as some of the newest to the series.

One Pokemon that veterans might take for granted is Shellder: the adorable clamshell Pokemon with an amorphous black body and red tongue rammed into a purple clam shell. Shellder is a fantastic base Water Pokemon, but if you really want to increase its damage (and its defense), your best option is to evolve it.

Here’s how to add a little more shell to your Shellder.

How to Evolve Shellder in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

The method for evolving Shellder is fairly straightforward. It’s one of the few Pokemon in Pokemon Violet and Scarlet that requires an evolution stone to evolve. More specifically, if you want your Shellder to evolve, you must expose it to a Water Stone. Its level won’t matter. You could even have a level 1 Cloyster!

Related: How to Evolve Lechonk into Oinkologne in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Fortunately, getting your hands on a Water Stone is fairly easy. If you’ve obtained at least three badges, Delibird Presents found in the major cities (Mesagoza, Cascarrafa, and Levincia) all sell them for 3,000 Pokedollars each.

But if you’d like to get your Water Stone for free, you can find one right behind the Cascarrafa Gym. It makes sense you’d find a Water Stone by a Water-Type Gym!

A secondary option is to show Professor Jacq in the Biology Lab your Pokedex after you’ve obtained 80 Pokemon. How helpful that he’d give you an item that will add even more entries to your Pokedex.

Good luck getting that Cloyster, trainer!