Even if Scarlet/Violet trainers don’t intend to use the Geodude-line on their team, they’ll need to be caught in order to complete the Kitakami Pokedex. While evolving Geodude into Graveler is easy, evolving Graveler into Golem can take some work. As a Ground/Rock-type, these Pokemon prefer mountainous regions, and naturally avoid places with water.

Where to Find Geodude & Graveler

Geodude appears along the Infernal Pass on Oni Mountain and on the east side of the Paradise Barrens. Its level can be level 20 if players haven’t completed all three main stories in Scarlet/Violet (i.e, Starfall Street, Path of Legends, and Victory Road). If players have completed the main quests, then Geodude’s level can be from level 63-67, depending on where they find one. The Geodude on Infernal Pass tend to be a higher level than the ones in the Paradise Barrens.

If players want to go straight to catching Graveler, there’s a “Fixed Spawn” in the Paradise Barrens and on the Infernal Pass. Like Geodude, its level is scaled to match the story progress. It will be level 25 or level 67.

How to Evolve Geodude & Graveler (How to Get Golem)

Geodude will evolve into Graveler at level 25. If the caught Geodude is in the level 60s range, then players just need to level it up one more time to trigger the evolution. Otherwise, the Geodude pre-main story completion will need to spend time battling/auto-battling, or eating Exp. Candy.

By contrast, Graveler won’t evolve into Golem unless it’s traded. Scarlet/Violet players are going to need a Nintendo Online Individual Membership, which costs $3.99 a month, $7.99 for three months, or $19.99 for a year.

If trainers have an Online Membership, they can initiate a trade by pausing Scarlet/Violet (X-button), then selecting Poke Portal. Choose Link Trade and Set Code to give to a friend. Trade Graveler to them, and then have them trade it back to get the evolved Golem. Alternatively, players can do a Link Trade with a Link Code, but they’ll receive a randomized trainer’s Golem instead of their own.

Those who have completed “The Way Home” main quest can start finding 5-star Tera Raids. These are difficult Tera Raids, but they have rare drops and powerful Pokemon. The best part is some 5-star Raids will have fully evolved Pokemon that can only be obtained in a trade, such as Slowking, Gengar, and of course, Golem.

Before entering a 5-star Raid, bring a high-leveled Pokemon (recommended: level 90-100) that has a type advantage over the Golem’s Tera Typing. Golem’s best stat is its Defense, so it’s best to bring a Pokemon with the type advantage and is a special attacker.

Also, Golem’s Tera Typing may be different from its regular typing, but Golem will still have Ground and Rock-type moves in its moveset. So, if the Golem’s Tera Type is Ice, a Fire-type would be good to pit against it. However, it also risks getting KO’d by Golem’s Rock and Ground-type moves. Thus, a Fighting-type may be better suited for the battle. Fighting-type moves that are special moves (ex: Aura Sphere) rather than physical moves (ex: Low Kick) are recommended against an Ice Tera-type Golem.

Evolving Graveler without Trading

Now that Scarlet/Violet can transfer Pokemon through Pokemon HOME, players can send their Graveler to any other Pokemon console game that has the Geodude-line in its Pokedex. However, they’ll want to transfer Graveler to Legends: Arceus by using Pokemon HOME.

Here’s how to transfer Graveler:

1. Store Graveler in one of Scarlet/Violet‘s PC Boxes, then save.
2. Exit out of Scarlet/Violet, and open Pokemon HOME on the Switch.
3. In the HOME menu, select either Scarlet or Violet, and move Graveler from the PC Boxes to HOME‘s Basic Box. Then, Save Changes and Exit.
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5. Now, open Legends: Arceus in HOME, and place the Graveler from the Basic Box into one of the Pastures. Save Changes and Exit.
6. Exit out of Pokemon HOME, and open Legends: Arceus, and evolve it in Hisui.

Trading and online gameplay are not a part of Legends: Arceus, but Trade-Evolution Pokemon are still part of the Hisui Dex, and are thus needed to complete the quest to get Arceus. This has been resolved by having “trade evolution items” function the same as evolutionary stones. For Golem, Gengar, and Alakazam, players will need an item called a Linking Cord.

The Linking Cord looks like an old Gameboy Link Cable… and that’s probably because it is. Players can buy one for 1000 Merit Points from the Merit Shop in Jubilife Village near the Galaxy Hall. The Merit Points themselves can be farmed by collecting dropped Satchels around Hisui.

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Another way to get Golem is to just catch a wild Golem in Legends: Arceus‘ Coronet Highlands, and transfer it to Scarlet/Violet. The Golem won’t have the Trainer’s ID from SV, but it will still unlock Golem’s Dex Entry for the Kitakami Pokedex.

More Information About Golem (Is It Worth Using?)

The Geodude-line’s Rock/Ground-typing means it has a 4x weakness against two Types. This can immediately discourage players from wanting to use it, as Water and Grass-type Pokemon are some of the more common type of Pokemon in Scarlet/Violet.

However, Golem serves as a solid tank, and those that can’t evolve Graveler can give it an Eviolite, which boosts an unevolved Pokemon’s Defense and Special Defense by 50%. Here are Golem’s base stats and type effectiveness:

Golem has some decent moves in its learnset such as Earthquake and Smack Down. It also learns Heavy Slam, a Steel-type move that can give it coverage against Ice-type. However, its TM learnpool is mostly Rock/Ground and Normal-type moves. It can learn Fire Punch, and Brick Break is another good move for Ice-types, but compared to other Pokemon TM learnpools, Golem isn’t too impressive.

Those that use Golem will want to use it mainly for its Defense. He has a good base Attack, but its slow Speed means it’ll most likely always be going last in battle. If trainers want an offensive Rock or Ground-type Pokemon, they may have better luck finding a faster Pokemon than Golem.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available for Nintendo Switch.