How to Evolve Swadloon into Leavanny in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

The Unova native Swadloon has returned in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask. The cute leaf-wrapped snuggle bug can be caught all throughout Kitakami, but its evolution, Leavanny, is a different story. Swadloon is one Pokémon whose evolution is more complicated than just reaching a certain level (but only by a little bit). Here’s how to evolve Swadloon.

How to Evolve Swadloon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet 

Swadloon evolves when leveled up with high friendship. Friendship is a stat that can’t normally be seen in any menus, although there are ways to check. There are also items specifically for raising friendship faster. Without these items, friendship isn’t too hard to raise.

Using Swadloon in battle (and not letting it faint), giving it healing items (that aren’t labeled as bitter), and keeping it in your party all add to its friendship over time. But the following items can help speed up the process: 

Items That Raise Swadloon’s Friendship and Where to Find Them in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet 

Soothe Bell – Delibird Presents in Mesagoza 

You can buy the Soothe Bell from the Delibird Presents in Mesagoza for 5,000 Pokédollars. Equipping this item on any Pokémon increases the friendship they earn, making it an easy choice to give to your Swadloon while trying to evolve it. 

EV Reducing Berries – Found Throughout Paldea 

The Pomeg, Kelpsy, Quilt, Honed, Grepa, and Tamato Berries are generally used for resetting a Pokémon’s EVs, but they also make a Pokémon friendlier. Unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed way to come across them. They can be found as drops in Tera Raid Battles, auction items in the Porto Marinada marketplace, or as hidden items (sparkles) in the overworld—but all of these methods involve some degree of randomness. Thankfully, they’re not too uncommon, so you’ll probably end up with a healthy amount just by playing through the story. If you have them, they can be a helpful item for raising your Swadloon’s friendship quickly. 

Where to Check Swadloon’s Friendship Level in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet 

The NPC who checks your Pokémon’s friendship stat is in Cascarrafa in front of the fountain on the city’s lower portion. What she says changes depending on how many friendship points your Pokémon has. You’ll want her to say, “You’re good friends, all right!” when showing her your Swadloon. Because this saying goes with 200 to 229 points, and it takes 220 to evolve, there’s a slim chance Swadloon still won’t be ready to evolve at this point, but it will still be very close. 

If the checker says, “Whoa, you’re the best friends ever!” then Swadloon will definitely evolve upon its next level up, and the NPC will even give it the Best Friends Ribbon. 

If you’re looking for even more tips on how to raise friendship quickly in Scarlet and Violet, we’ve got a guide for that.