Pokebonk Evolution and Catching Guide (2026)
How evolution levels work in Pokebonk, when stone and item evolutions apply, and how capture rate, status and Alpha partners change a run.
Quick answer
Level-up evolutions use the threshold listed for each species in the game data, such as Bulbasaur at 16 and Ivysaur at 32. Some lines use items instead of levels, and capture chance rises when the target is weakened or affected by status.
Pokebonk has two related systems that are easy to mix up: evolution, which changes the partner you are already using, and capture, which adds wild Pokémon to your run or your League. Both are driven by data you can check before you commit.
Everything on this page was read from the Beta v0.7.3 data files. Where a number is uncertain, it is marked.
Evolution runs on two tracks
In the Kanto data there are three ways a species changes into another:
| Trigger | Count in Kanto data | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Level-up | 63 | Bulbasaur → Ivysaur → Venusaur |
| Use item | 16 | Pikachu → Raichu, Eevee → Vaporeon |
| Trade | 4 | Kadabra → Alakazam, Haunter → Gengar |
Sixty-eight Kanto species are the first stage of their family, 64 are a middle stage and 19 are a final stage. That means almost every family has at least one evolution to plan around.
Level-up evolution
The level threshold is listed per species. A few from the current data:
| From | To | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | Ivysaur | 16 |
| Ivysaur | Venusaur | 32 |
| Charmander | Charmeleon | 16 |
| Charmeleon | Charizard | 36 |
| Squirtle | Wartortle | 16 |
| Wartortle | Blastoise | 36 |
| Metapod | Butterfree | 10 |
| Kakuna | Beedrill | 10 |
Early bugs evolve much sooner than starters. That is a data fact, not a recommendation: a Butterfree at level 10 is not automatically stronger than a Charmeleon at level 10.
A species page on this wiki lists its family, the threshold and the trigger. See Bulbasaur for an example.
Item evolution
Five stones appear in the Kanto evolution data:
- Thunder Stone
- Moon Stone
- Fire Stone
- Leaf Stone
- Water Stone
Examples from the data: Pikachu → Raichu (Thunder Stone), Nidorino → Nidoking (Moon Stone), Vulpix → Ninetales (Fire Stone), Gloom → Vileplume (Leaf Stone), Poliwhirl → Poliwrath (Water Stone).
Two things to check before using a stone:
- Which species actually reacts. A stone is not universal. The item description tells you it evolves "certain species"; the species page tells you which.
- Whether the evolution is the one you want. Eevee is the clearest case: the stone you use decides the result, and there is no undo in the same run.
Trade evolution
Four Kanto lines use a trade trigger: Alakazam, Machamp, Golem and Gengar. If you are playing a single-player run, treat these as data you can read rather than a route you can execute. The game's own multiplayer and clan systems may change what is possible; we have not tested a trade.
Capture basics
Wild Pokémon can be captured during a run. The client's chance calculation uses the species' capture rate (a value from 3 to 255 in the data), then adjusts it:
- a bonus when the target is paralyzed, asleep or frozen
- a rising bonus after a failed throw against the same target
- a guaranteed result from a Master Ball
The practical version: weaken first, apply status if you can, and expect several attempts on a low-rate species. A capture rate of 3 is not a typo; it is the rare end of the scale.
What capture does for a run
Captured partners are not just collection items. During a run, a captured Alpha can join as support for that run. The Lab's Support team upgrade raises the capacity for those captured Alphas.
This is different from your League roster. A capture during a run does not automatically add the species to your permanent team. The game distinguishes the two; read the capture prompt before assuming.
Alpha partners
An Alpha is a stronger version of a normal species. In the client data they are flagged separately from bosses and legendaries. When an Alpha is weakened, the game offers a capture prompt. If you decline, it drops its reward instead.
Practical notes:
- Alphas hit harder and take longer to bring down. Clear the surrounding wave first.
- The capture attempt happens under pressure. Have an escape route.
- A failed capture is not the end of the run; the target stays weakened and the next throw is easier.
Legendary and mythical species
The Kanto data marks five species as legendary or mythical: Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo and Mew. They exist in the data, but this wiki does not claim a specific spawn route for them. If you see a report that one is guaranteed in a zone, treat it as unverified until the game documents it.
Checklist before you evolve
- Read the species page and confirm the trigger.
- Confirm you have the item, if one is required.
- Check whether the evolution changes the partner's role or move access.
- Do not use a stone on a species you have not checked.
Sources and scope
Evolution triggers, thresholds, item names and capture-rate values come from the game's public data. Capture bonuses and the Master Ball behaviour come from the client logic. We have not tested trade evolution, every stone interaction, or the spawn conditions for legendary species.