Pokémon Sword and Shield: How to Evolve Tyrogue into No.108 Hitmonlee, No.109 Hitmonchan, No.110 Hitmontop

Pokémon Sword and Shield may not have the entire National Dex at its disposal, but there are still 72 Pokémon that don’t simply evolve at a certain level. On top of those, even more are on the way in the upcoming expansions.

With Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, a few evolution methods have been altered from previous games, and, of course, there are some new Pokémon to evolve through increasingly peculiar and specific ways. 

Here, you’ll discover where to find Tyrogue as well as how to evolve Tyrogue into Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and Hitmontop.

Where to find Tyrogue in Pokémon Sword and Shield

While Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan are some of the original Pokémon from Generation I, their pre-evolution, Tyrogue, wasn’t discovered until Generation II (Pokémon Gold and Silver).

To get a specific evolution, you may have to catch a fair few Tyrogue, but luckily, they are quite common, spawn in the overworld, and are aggressive in the field.

Here’s where you can find Tyrogue in Pokémon Sword and Shield:

• Route 3: All Weather Conditions (Overworld)
• Rolling Fields: Heavy Fog, Intense Sun, Normal Conditions, Overcast Conditions, Raining, Sandstorms, Snowing, Snowstorms, Thunderstorms (Overworld)
• Stony Wilderness: Normal Conditions (Overworld)
• South Lake Miloch: Heavy Fog, Intense Sun, Normal Conditions, Overcast Conditions, Raining, Sandstorms, Snowing, Snowstorms, Thunderstorms (Overworld)
• South Lake Miloch: Overcast Conditions (Random Encounters)
• Dappled Grove: Overcast Conditions (Overworld)
• Giant’s Seat: Overcast Conditions (Overworld)
• West Lake Axewell: Overcast Conditions (Random Encounters)

As you can see, if you’re in overcast conditions or change the weather to overcast conditions, you’d struggle to not bump into a Tyrogue while roaming the Wild Area.

If you’d rather just catch a Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop to skip the evolution process of Tyrouge, though, you can find them in the overworld of specific Wild Area locations.

You can find Hitmonlee in the overworld of the Dusty Bowl during overcast conditions. However, Hitmonlee is an exclusive spawn to Pokémon Sword.

You can find Hitmonchan in the overworld of the Dusty Bowl during overcast conditions. However, Hitmonchan is exclusive to Pokémon Shield.

Hitmontop can be found in both Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, but it is a very rare spawn. You can find Hitmontop at the Lake of Outrage in overcast conditions.

How to catch Tyrogue in Pokémon Sword and Shield

Tyrogue appears in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield between level 7 and level 38.

The strongest Tyrogue specimens are found at Giant’s Seat, while the lower-level Tyrogues can be found at the Rolling Fields and West Lake Axewell.

The Pokémon species isn’t one of the more difficult to catch but may require you to deal some damage before you test a Poké Ball.

Tyrogue is purely a fighting-type Pokémon. So, to catch one, you’ll want to avoid using super effective move types – flying, psychic, and fairy-type moves – and make use of not very effective moves, which include bug, rock, and dark-type attacks.

A wild Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan can be found between level 42 and level 47, with Hitmontop being found between level 55 and 58.

While a Quick Ball or a few Ultra Balls can capture Pokémon without you having to use a move, as they’re all fighting-type Pokémon, you can use the same rules as you would for catching Tyrogue to catch Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop.

For Tyrogue, though, as you can find it between level 7 and level 38, anything from a Poké Ball up to an Ultra Ball should do the trick.

How to evolve Tyrogue in Pokémon Sword and Shield

To evolve Tyrogue into Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop, you follow the same steps.

So here, we’ll go through how to evolve Tyrogue and then how to evolve Tyrogue into each of its three potential evolutionary forms.

To evolve Tyrogue, all that you have to do is level up the Pokémon to level 20 or above. Tyrogue doesn’t require any specific stat lines, weather conditions, or stones to evolve into any of its potential evolutionary forms.

If you need to level-up your Tyrogue, you could either battle in the Wild Area or down any Route in the game, or feed it Exp. Candy.

To use Exp. Candy to quickly level-up Tyrogue, you’ll need to check the summary of the Pokémon to see how much xp it needs to level up and evolve into Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop.

Here’s which Exp. Candy you may want to use:

• S Exp. Candy gives 800 xp
• M Exp. Candy gives 3000 xp
• L Exp. Candy gives 10,000 xp
• XL Exp. Candy gives 30,000 xp

You can also use one Rare Candy to level-up Tyrogue, but they are better off being saved for high-level Pokémon that you want to level-up.

However, what does matter is the Tyrogue’s stats at the time of its evolution.

As you can see in the image above, Tyrogue’s attack is higher than its defence. This will determine if it will evolve into Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop.

How to evolve Tyrogue into Hitmonlee in Pokémon Sword and Shield

To evolve your Tyrogue into a Hitmonlee, you’ll need to have a Tyrogue at level 19 or above with an attack stat that’s greater than its defence stat.

You can see Tyrogue’s stats by pressing X to go into the menu, selecting Pokémon, and then selecting your Tyrogue and pressing ‘Check Summary.’

By pressing Right on the D-pad, you can then see the Tyrogue’s attack and defence stat on the right of the hexagon.

How to evolve Tyrogue into Hitmonchan in Pokémon Sword and Shield

To evolve your Tyrogue into a Hitmonchan, you’ll need to have a Tyrogue at level 19 or above with a defence stat that’s greater than its attack stat.

You can see Tyrogue’s stats by pressing X to go into the menu, selecting Pokémon, and then selecting your Tyrogue and pressing ‘Check Summary.’

By pressing Right on the D-pad, you can see the Tyrogue’s attack and defence stat on the right of the hexagon.

How to evolve Tyrogue into Hitmontop in Pokémon Sword and Shield

To evolve your Tyrogue into a Hitmontop, you’ll need to have a Tyrogue at level 19 or above with a defence stat and an attack stat that are of equal value.

Finding a Tyrogue with an attack stat and a defence stat can be quite tricky, especially when you’re trying to catch higher level Tyrogue.

So, if you’re in the late or post-game, you may have a better chance of catching a level-stat Tyrogue at Route 3 as opposed to in the Wild Area.

You can see Tyrogue’s stats by pressing X to go into the menu, selecting Pokémon, and then selecting your Tyrogue and pressing ‘Check Summary.’

By pressing Right on the D-pad, you can see the Tyrogue’s attack and defence stat on the right of the hexagon.

How to change Tyrogue’s stats to get Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop

For the most part, the best way to get a Tyrogue with a higher attack than defence, a higher defence than attack, or equal stat lines of attack and defence, is to catch as many as you can and then find the one that suits you.

However, if you have a specific Tyrogue that you want to keep and evolve into Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop, you can change Tyrogue’s stats with items.

Using Feathers to change Tyrogue’s stats

By going into the menu (X), and into your Bag, you can find Feather items in your Other Items pocket. If you sort by type (press X while in the Other Items pocket), the Feather items should appear near the top.

For Tyrogue, you’ll want to have plenty of Muscle Feathers and Resist Feathers.

Giving Tyrogue a Muscle Feather will slightly increase its base attack points.

Giving Tyrogue a Resist Feather will slightly increase its base defence points.

The Feathers are described as only slightly increasing attack and defence, with you needing a large haul of either to make a visible impact on Tyrogue’s attack and defence stats.

You can find the Resist Feather and Muscle Feather items on Route 5, along the bridge that connects Hulbury to Turffield – by the Pokémon Nursery.

On the bridge, the Feathers respawn after some time, so it is possible to return to Route 5 to restock on Resist Feathers and Muscle Feathers.

Whenever you see something sparkling on that bridge, it’ll most likely be one of types of Feather items. Pick it up by pressing A while standing over the sparkle.

For the sake of saving time and being more effective when using items, you’re much better off going down the route of using Protein and Iron, as shown below.

Using Protein and Iron to change Tyrogue’s stats

If you have the money, you’re better off using the items Protein and Iron to alter Tyrogue’s stats.

Both of these items cost 10,000 from stores within Pokémon Centres where there are two shop vendors (such as in Wyndon).

By giving Tyrogue one Protein, its attack stat will increase by one point.

By giving Tyrogue one Iron, its defence stat will increase by one point.

It might end up costing you a lot of money, but by giving Tyrogue Iron or Protein, you can dictate if it will evolve into Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop.

Just remember that one Protein or one Iron will only add one point to Tyrogue’s attack or defence.

The split will also stay the same when Tyrogue levels up, so you don’t need to pad the attack or defence by more than one point over the other.

If you draw Tyrogue’s attack and defence stat even before it evolves, they will stay even when it levels up by one level.

Just to make sure that your Tyrogue’s natural growth doesn’t distort its attack and defence stats, be sure only to give it Protein or Iron when it’s one level away from evolving (level 19 or higher).

How to use Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and Hitmontop (strengths and weaknesses)

As you would assume from the Tyrogue evolution methods:

• Hitmonlee boasts a very high base attack stat line;
• Hitmonchan boasts a lower base attack line but better defence than Hitmonlee;
• Hitmontop boasts level and quite high attack and defence base stat lines.

The two aspects that are true across Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and Hitmontop are that they all boast a high base special defence stat line but a very low special attack stat line.

All three evolutions of Tyrogue are purely fighting-type Pokémon. As such, they are weak to flying, fairy, and psychic-type moves. They are, however, more resilient against bug, rock, and dark-type moves.

Each of the evolutions of Tyrogue has their own set of three potential abilities, and each can have their own hidden ability.

Hitmonlee’s abilities are:

• Reckless: Moves that cause recoil damage increase in power by 20 per cent.
• Limber: Hitmonlee cannot be paralysed.
• Unburden (Hidden Ability): After consuming a held item, Hitmonlee’s speed doubles.

Hitmonchan’s abilities are:

• Iron Fist: Punching moves increase in power by 20 per cent.
• Keen Eye: Hitmonchan ignores the evasion boosts of an opponent, and the opposing Pokémon cannot lower Hitmonchan’s accuracy.
• Inner Focus (Hidden Ability): Hitmonchan’s stats won’t be lowered by the ability Intimidate, nor will it flinch.

Hitmontop’s abilities are:

• Technician: Moves that have a base power rating of 60 or less are given a 50 per cent boost.
• Intimidate: When Hitmontop enters the battle, all opponents’ attack is lowered by one stage unless they have an ability that negates Intimidate.
• Steadfast (Hidden Ability): Hitmontop’s speed increases by one level whenever it flinches.

There you have it: your Tyrogue just evolved into a Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop. You now know how to manipulate the evolution of any Tyrogue to get the Hitmon that you want in your team.

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