How to evolve Basculin in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

The long-awaited evolution for Basculin has finally come in the newest Pokemon game, Pokemon Legends: Arceus. With all of the new evolutions for the Pokemon native to the new Hisui region, many players may not know how to collect them all off the top of their heads.

Not only was this an evolution for a Pokemon players have been hoping for since Basculin's debut, but it was also the replacement for the Surf Hidden Machine. The variety of movement options Basculegion provided the player drove the hype for this Pokemon even higher.

Much like many other new evolutions in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, the evolution of Basculin requires the player to complete certain tasks. Some Pokemon may be required to have a certain move; others may be required to use a style of move a certain number of times, but how can players evolve Basculin?

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Obtaining Basculegion in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

A player riding Basculegion in Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Once Basculin evolves into Basculegion, it gains the additional secondary typing of Ghost. The Ghost typing is held in high regard due to its considerable resistance. Pokemon with the type takes no damage from Normal or Fighting-type attacks, some of the most common attacks in the Pokemon franchise.

In other main series titles where Basculin appears, it is notorious for having a wide range of powerful physical attacks that deal recoil damage to the user. To compensate for this, Basculin has abilities that either remove the recoil damage or make those types of moves deal even more damage to the target.

However, in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokemon do not have abilities. Basculin is sadly forced to take every hit of recoil damage from its attacks that inflict it. To compensate for this, recoil damage is the key to evolving Basculin. Hisuian forms of Basculin can only take recoil damage from the move "Double Edge."

After Basculin gains access to this move at level 43, players need to use this move constantly. Using this move in Strong Style can increase the amount of recoil taken, but Basculin does not gain mastery of Double Edge until level 54. Using EXP Candies can help speed up this process by boosting Basculin's level.

Players will only be able to evolve their Basculin in Pokemon Legends: Arceus once it takes precisely 294 hit points worth of recoil damage. The number of times the player will need to use Double Edge to reach this condition differ from Basculin to Basculin as recoil damage has a lot of different factors behind it.

While recoil is based on how much damage the move does to the target, there are a lot of calculations that must be applied. Details like Basculin's attack stat, the base damage of Double Edge, the defense of the target, and so on are all variables in figuring out how much recoil Basculin will receive.

While it may take a long time, Basculegion is a great Pokemon to use in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. While the exact number of times the player will need Basculin to use Double Edge can not be given, the best way to maximize recoil damage is by using the attack in Strong Style against weak opponents.