Did you know you can get Eevee in Pokémon GO? Yep! The adaptable, adorable fox-like creature that holds a special place in the Pokémon universe.
In Pokémon GO, this normal-type is capable of evolving into eight distinct forms, each with its own type and style. However, collecting all these "Eeveelutions" is a dedicated Trainer's challenge, and one that requires a bit of strategy, which we’re here to guide you through.
Whether you're just starting your journey or aiming to complete that level 41 research task requiring you to get every Eevee evolution, understanding how to evolve Eevee is necessary, so forget random chance; it's time to take control. Let's go through the methods required to master Eevee evolution in Pokémon GO.
The Basics: Candy and Chance
First things first: all Eevee evolutions cost 25 Eevee Candy. No skipping that step. Collect candy by catching Eevee, walking with one as a buddy, or using Pinap Berries during captures.
And now, the original set of three: Vaporeon (Water), Jolteon (Electric), and Flareon (Fire). Suppose you're playing and you press 'Evolve' on an Eevee without any special conditions being met. In that case, the result is a random evolution, and you'll have about a one-out-of-three chance of getting the particular Kanto Eeveelution. It's a gamble that some people love and others abhor. But suppose you want certainty? That's where the name trick comes in.
The Eevee Evolution Name Trick
Here’s a slick trick, a nod to the Eevee brothers from the original anime, that guarantees a specific evolution. Before you evolve your chosen Eevee, change its nickname to one of the particular Eevee evolution names below. Tap the pencil icon next to its current name, type in the new one, and voila. The silhouette on the 'Evolve' button should change to confirm your choice.
Here are the Eevee evolution names for the name trick:
Vaporeon
Jolteon: Sparky
Flareon: Pyro
Espeon: Sakura
Umbreon: Tamao
Leafeon: Linnea
Glaceon: Rea
Sylveon: Kira
Despite the gains, it’s worth noting that the name trick can only be used once per evolution, so make sure you’re using it to its maximum advantage! Many trainers usually save this technique to acquire a high-IV or shiny Eevee evolution, particularly for that random Vaporeon, Jolteon, or Flareon, where it is the only surefire way to evolve. Also, once you've chosen a particular name, later evolutions to that form will require the other methods.
Getting Espeon and Umbreon
Missed that name trick on Psychic-type Espeon or Dark-type Umbreon? Or do you require a second to add to your collection or PvP team? There's an easy way to do this with the Pokémon GO buddy system.
Here’s how to evolve Eevee into Espeon or Umbreon:
Make Eevee Your Buddy: Select the Eevee you want to evolve and set it as your Buddy Pokémon.
Walk Together: Walk with your Eevee buddy for 10km. You'll know you've hit the mark when you've earned 2 Eevee Candies from walking. You can check progress on the buddy screen.
Keep it as your Buddy: This is vital! The Eevee must still be your active buddy after evolving it.
Time it Right:
To get Espeon, evolve your Eevee during the day in Pokémon GO (when the in-game map is bright).
To get Umbreon, evolve your Eevee at night in Pokémon GO (when the in-game map is dark).
Just make sure you have a good GPS signal when evolving, as the game needs to know the local time. The evolve button's silhouette should change from a question mark to Espeon or Umbreon if the conditions are met correctly, removing any guesswork.
Evolving Leafeon and Glaceon
For the Grass-type Leafeon and Ice-type Glaceon, evolution requires a special type of Lure Module activated at a PokéStop, making location key here.
How to evolve Eevee into Leafeon or Glaceon:
Obtain the Right Lure: You need a Mossy Lure Module for Leafeon or a Glacial Lure Module for Glaceon. These can often be purchased from the in-game shop (for 200 PokéCoins each, usually) or sometimes earned through Special Research tasks.
Visit a PokéStop: Go to any PokéStop.
Activate the Lure: Apply the correct Lure Module to the PokéStop.
Stay Close: Make sure your Trainer avatar is within the radius of the activated PokéStop.
Evolve Eevee: Select the Eevee you wish to evolve. As long as you are within range of the correct lure, the 'Evolve' button should show the silhouette of Leafeon (for Mossy Lure) or Glaceon (for Glacial Lure). From there, use 25 Eevee Candy to complete the evolution.
You don't need to be the one who placed the lure; you can benefit from a lure placed by another Trainer, making this a potentially collaborative effort.
Evolving Eevee into Sylveon
The elegant Fairy-type, Sylveon, requires a different kind of process.
How to evolve Eevee into Sylveon:
Make Eevee Your Buddy: Set the Eevee you want to evolve as your Buddy Pokémon.
Earn Hearts: Interact with your Eevee buddy to earn hearts. You do this by feeding it berries, playing with it, battling together, taking snapshots, and visiting new places.
Reach Great Buddy Status: You need to earn a total of 70 Buddy Hearts with that specific Eevee. This typically equates to reaching the 'Great Buddy' level, and you can track your progress on the buddy screen.
Evolve: In Pokémon GO, you can evolve an Eevee into different forms. Once you've earned the required 70 hearts, the 'Evolve' button for that Eevee should show Sylveon's silhouette (provided you haven't already used the 'Kira' name trick for it). From there, use 25 Eevee Candy to evolve it into Sylveon.
While the 'Kira' name trick is faster for your first Sylveon, mastering the buddy heart method is needed for any future Sylveon evolutions.
What About Shiny Eevee Evolutions?
Want that extra sparkle? The evolution methods remain precisely the same for Shiny Eevee, meaning that if you evolve a Shiny Eevee using any of the methods described above (name trick, buddy walking, lures, hearts), the resulting Eeveelution will also be shiny.
Because the name trick is a one-time guarantee, many trainers save it specifically for evolving a prized Shiny Eevee into their preferred form.
Which Is the Best Eevee Evolution?
Honestly, the eternal question. "Best" often depends on your needs, but here’s the breakdown:
Sylveon: Boasts a very high max CP and is a great Fairy-type attacker in raids and gyms. Sylveon also performs very well in Master League PvP.
Espeon: A powerful Psychic attacker, though fragile, making it an excellent choice for specific raid counters.
Umbreon: A defensive powerhouse, who is particularly dominant in Great League and Ultra League PvP thanks to its bulk and Dark typing.
Glaceon: A strong Ice-type attacker, useful against Dragon-types in raids.
Leafeon: A respectable Grass-type attacker.
Vaporeon: A bulky Water-type, still viable in some PvP leagues and as a budget attacker.
Jolteon: Fast Electric-type, but often outclassed by other Electric attackers.
Flareon: Decent Fire-type attacker, but faces stiff competition.
Ultimately, the best Eevee evolution is subjective, so we recommend considering your goals first: Are you building PvP teams? Need specific raid counters? Or simply collecting them all? Umbreon is a PvP staple. Sylveon hits hard, but each Eeveelution can find its niche.
Completing Your Eevee Evolution Collection
Mastering the Eevee evolution in Pokémon GO is a fun task. From the simple name trick for an easy, quick addition to the more involved methods that require walking, and lures each path offers a new, fresh way to obtain Eevee.
As mentioned, different forms can be achieved by using the name trick or evolving it during specific times. However, remember the 25 Eevee Candy cost, the one-time use of nicknames, and the particular conditions for Espeon and Umbreon, Leafeon and Glaceon, and Sylveon.
Now that you know the secrets, it's time to put the information into practice, so go out there, catch some Eevee, and fill out your Pokédex!
