Pokémon Legends: Arceus has given the entire Pokémon franchise a new lease on life, due to it appealing to what fans have been craving for years: the freedom to become properly immersed in the world of Pokémon, not just being restricted to constant battles.
Legends Arceus follows on from Gens VII & VIII in terms of introducing new variants of existing Pokémon according to their regions. These new variants are often given a reason related to the region's climate or other circumstances for their altered appearance and type. In some cases, an entirely new evolution is introduced. Sword & Shield introduced this concept with Obstagoon and Perrserker among others, but Legends Arceus introduces six new evolutions.
6 Overqwil Is The New Evolved Form For Qwilfish With An Interesting Design
In a bizarre turn of events, Hisuian Qwilfish drops its Water typing to instead become a dual Dark & Poison-type Pokémon. While Hisuian Qwilfish has merely had a change in color scheme to suit its new Dark typing, it also has a new evolved form, whose design hasn't been particularly approved of by fans of Legends Arceus players.
After using a Strong Style Barb Barrage at least twenty times, a Hisuian Qwilfish will evolve into Overqwil, the Pin Cluster Pokémon. Its main noticeable features are the comically long spikes that completely eclipse its body. Despite the debate about its design, Overqwil only has a weakness to Ground types, with the added bonus of immunity to Psychic Pokémon and four extra resistances.
5 A New Hisuian Evolution Is Introduced For Scyther In Kleavor
In terms of design and its premise as one of the Noble Pokémon in Legends Arceus, Kleavor is a great addition to the game's roster. It is obtained by exposing a Scyther to a Black Augurite, which will then evolve into the dual Bug-Rock type.
Kleavor's typing is arguably too similar to its evolutionary partner Scizor's Bug-Steel typing, but it is considerably outmatched in terms of weaknesses and resistances, with Kleavor having three weaknesses and only two resistances, while Scizor only has one weakness to Fire, an immunity to Poison and eight other resistances. Kleavor is slightly faster and has marginally better physical Attack than Scyther's other evolved form.
4 Basculegion Is Crucial As A Ride Pokémon But There Are Better Water-Type Options For Battling
Players are susceptible to drowning in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which is likely a fate that many people have learned of the hard way. But the introduction of Basculegion provides access to easy travel and new species of Pokémon.
The Water & Ghost type Pokémon is introduced as an evolution for a White-Striped Basculin, essentially a Hisuian variant as only Red- and Blue-Striped Basculin have been seen in previous games. Basculegion has a unique evolution condition in that a Basculin must take 300 HP of recoil damage, a feat possible with moves like Wave Crash and Double Edge.
3 Ursaluna Finally Brings A Second Typing To The Teddiursa Line
The introduction of Ursaluna brings a third form to the Teddiursa line, with it being attainable by using a Peat Block on an Ursuring during a full moon. Ursaluna is one of the various Ride Pokémon unlockable during the player's journey across Hisui and can be called upon to lead the player towards treasure.
Due to its digging prowess, it is a part Ground type Pokémon, and along with its Normal typing it gets two immunities to Ghost and Electric types, but only two resistances and four weaknesses. It prefers to use all four legs for movement, compared to Ursaring often opting to move on two. This makes it adept at traversing the swampy terrain of the Crimson Mirelands.
2 Wyrdeer Is Majestic & Formidable In Battle
Wyrdeer, the evolved form of Stantler is one of the more majestic of the new evolution forms. Despite not previously having an evolved form, Stantler can now be evolved by using the move Psyshield Bash in Agile Style at least twenty times. This may seem a daunting task at first, but a brief visit to the Obsidian Fieldlands will make quick work of this mini-mission and give the player a Wyrdeer in no time at all.
Stantler has always been known to utilize Psychic-type moves in previous games and the anime series, but it never actually possessed the Psychic typing. Wyrdeer however, embraces the Psychic type as well as being part Normal, which negates Ghost as a potential weakness.
1 Sneasler Is The Refresh That The Sneasel Line Needed
Unlike Ursaluna, which is introduced as a further evolution for Ursaring, Sneasler is seen as an alternate evolution. Hisuian Sneasel evolves if exposed to a Razor Claw during the day, while the original form will evolve into a Weavile with a Razor Claw at night.
Sneasler is dual Fighting-Poison type, compared to Weavile's Ice-Dark typing, and benefits considerably from the change, with only three type weaknesses and six resistances compared to Weavile's six weaknesses, three resistances, and one immunity. It can be called upon as a Ride Pokémon, helping the player to climb steep mountains and cliffsides with its sharp claws, which are also formidable weapons in battle.