Although Verpom may be available in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, its evolutions, Pomdrapi and Dratatin, are exclusive to Sword and Shield respectively. Also, it's not one of those Pokemon that you can evolve just by leveling it up. Just like Frissonille and Crèmy, Verpom has an atypical way of evolution.
How to evolve Verpom into Dratatin or Pomdrapi
Before thinking about evolving Verpom, you must first catch one. Luckily, Verpom is an incredibly common Pokemon. You can find it quite early on Route 5 by checking these random "!" encounters. Once you get a Verpom, head to the town of Hammerlocke.
Near the leftmost exit from town, you'll see a boy standing in a red hoodie. If you talk to him, he will ask you for your Verpom. Go ahead and hand it to him, he'll give it back in a second. After a short cutscene, he'll send your Verpom back to you with either a Sweet Apple or a Tart Apple depending on which version of the game you have. Give this item to your Verpom, and it will evolve regardless of level.
If you have a Pokemon Sword, you'll get a Tart Apple from the boy. When given to a Verpom, the Tart Apple will cause it to evolve into Pomdrapi. If you have Pokemon Shield, you'll get a sweet apple from the boy. When given to a Verpom, the Sweet Apple will cause it to evolve into Dratatin. Both pokemon are grass and dragon type, but Pomdrapi is better suited for offense while Dratatin is more defensive. Dratatin's base HP is much higher, but Pomdrapi makes up for the difference with incredible speed and a heavy attack upgrade. Of course, if you want an evolution that isn't in your game, you can always trade with a friend to get your hands on it.
– This article was last updated on: December 14, 2022
