How to evolve Basculin into Basculegion in Pokemon Legends Arceus

Game Freak has given the Gen V Water-type a new evolution in the Hisui region. Here is how to evolve Basculin into Basculegion in Pokemon Legends Arceus. 

While Pokemon Legends Arceus takes place in ancient Sinnoh, Game Freak has used the open-world RPG to introduce new evolution lines for Pokemon from other regions such as Unova’s Basculin.

The fish is now able to evolve into the epic Basculegion while roaming the waters of Hisui. However, it can only transform by using a secret method that ties into the game’s lore.

Basculin location in Pokemon Legends Arceus

In order to get Basculegion, you must first catch its pre-evolution which can be found in the Cobalt Coastlands. 

You will also need to progress the story far enough to have unlocked the Basculegion mount in order to swim in the ocean. Here’s how to obtain Basculin:

1. After arriving at the Cobalt Coastlands, go into the ocean, hop on your mount, and swim north of the map.
2. Swim around the Veilstone Cape cliffs and make your way to the Islespy Shore.
3. Once there, keep swimming north to the very top of the map on the coastline. You will find a school of Basculin.
4. To catch it, equip a Stealth Spray to silence the sound of your mount swimming. It can be crafted with 1 Hopo Berry and 3 Bugworts.
5. Now swim slowly up to the fish, aim your Poke Ball at it, and throw to catch it.
6. The ‘mon can also be found near Tranquility Cove.

Those who want the special white striped variant of Basculin need to wait until the end of the game where it can be found in Lake Acuity in the Alabaster Icelands.

How to evolve Basculin into Basculegion in Pokemon Legends Arceus

In order to evolve Basculegion, your Basculin needs to receive 300 total recoil damage. Where it gets tricky is that your Pokemon is not allowed to get knocked out while accumulating the damage.

• Read More: All Pokemon Legends Arceus Mystery Gift codes

The best way to achieve this is to battle low level wild Pokemon with your fish. This is the easiest method for triggering the special evolution:

1. Take your Basculin and have it face off against wild Pokemon.
2. Use Wave Crash or Double-Edge as both attacks result in recoil damage.
3. Make sure to watch its health and heal it up when necessary. Whatever you do, do not let it get knocked out or you will need to start all over again.
4. Keep using these moves until it has taken 300 damage from recoil. If it runs out of PP, you can use a Hopo Berry or rest at a campsite.
5. After you hit enough recoil damage, a “Ready to Evolve” message will pop up on the screen. Go to your menu and select your Basculin, where the option to transform it will now be available.

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While the evolution method might seem odd, Game Freak designed it around Basculegion’s dark lore of carrying the dead souls of Basculin who failed to make it upstream. So your ‘mon taking damage makes sense, even if it’s a bit twisted.

For more help on your Hisui adventures, make sure to check out our other Pokemon Legends Arceus guides below:

Best starter Pokemon | All Hisuian forms | Hisuian Pokedex | How to catch Darkrai | How to catch Shaymin | All Noble Pokemon | How to beat Frenzied Noble Pokemon | All Gift Pokemon | Mystery Gift codes | Agile & Strong Styles | Alpha Pokemon | How to get Garchomp | How to catch Lucario | All Unown locations | How to catch Eevee | Where to find Pikachu | Hisuian Growlithe & Arcanine location | How to evolve Kleavor | Sylveon evolution guide | Hisuian Voltorb location | How to get Hisuian Sliggoo & Goodra | Where to find Hisuian Zorua & Zoroark | Hisuian Braviary location | How to evolve Overqwil | How to get Hisuian Sneasel & Sneasler | Shiny hunting guide | How to get all three starters without trading