So, you’ve decided you want a giant, ghostly fish that literally swims on the souls of its fallen comrades. Basculegion is, without a doubt, one of the coolest additions to the Pokémon franchise, but learning how to get Basculegion is a massive headache if you don't know the math behind it. It isn't a simple level-up evolution. It’s a test of patience, math, and making sure your Basculin doesn't accidentally faint before the job is done.
I remember the first time I tried this in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. I thought I could just slap an evolutionary stone on my Basculin and call it a day. Nope. Game Freak decided to make us work for it. Whether you are playing the Hisui adventure or trying to evolve one in Scarlet and Violet, the process is specific, weirdly dark, and requires a very particular set of skills.
The Brutal Reality of White-Striped Basculin
First things first. You cannot evolve just any Basculin. If you have the Red-Striped or Blue-Striped versions from the older games, you’re out of luck. Those guys stay fish forever. To actually figure out how to get Basculegion, you must find a White-Striped Basculin. In Legends: Arceus, these are all over the Cobalt Coastlands and Alabaster Icelands. They are skittish. They will bolt the second they see you, so bring some Smoke Bombs or Feather Balls.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, it's a bit different. You can’t find them in the wild in Paldea. You’ll need the Teal Mask DLC to catch them in the Timeless Woods of Kitakami. Honestly, the White-Striped variant is the only one that feels "alive" enough to harbor the spirits needed for evolution. It’s a regional form thing.
The Math of Souls: How the Evolution Actually Works
This is where people get stuck. To evolve White-Striped Basculin into Basculegion, you have to take a specific amount of recoil damage without fainting.
The magic number is 2,942 HP.
Wait, let me clarify that. It doesn't have to be in one battle. That would be impossible. It’s cumulative. But here is the kicker: if your Basculin faints at any point, the counter for that specific "session" resets or doesn't count toward the goal. You have to heal up constantly. If you hit 2,941 damage and then a wild Shinx knocks you out? You’re back to grinding.
Which Moves Should You Use?
Don't just use any move. You need recoil moves. In Legends: Arceus, Basculin learns Wave Crash at level 34. This is your bread and butter. It also learns Double-Edge later on, but Wave Crash is the thematic winner here.
Here is a pro-tip that most people miss: move mastery. If you use the Agile Style version of Wave Crash in Hisui, you might do less damage to the enemy, but you still take that sweet, sweet recoil damage. It’s a grind. You go out, hit a Magikarp or something weak with Wave Crash, take the recoil, and then run to a camp to rest. Rinse and repeat.
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In Scarlet and Violet, the process is identical. Use Wave Crash. Take the damage. Heal. Just don't let the fish die. If you see its health bar hit red, pull it out of the fight immediately.
Does Gender Matter?
Actually, yeah. It really does. This is one of the few Pokémon where the evolution is significantly different based on gender.
If your White-Striped Basculin is male, it evolves into a Red-Striped Basculegion. It’s got higher Attack. It looks aggressive. It’s a physical powerhouse.
If it’s female, it becomes a White-Striped Basculegion (which looks more gray/blue). This version has higher Special Attack. If you’re a competitive player or just care about aesthetics, check that gender icon before you start the 2,942 HP grind. There is nothing worse than spending an hour slamming your fish into rocks only to realize you wanted the other color.
Dealing with the "Fainting" Bug
There has been a lot of chatter in the community about the evolution "not triggering." Usually, this isn't a bug. It’s almost always because the player lost track of the recoil damage or the Basculin fainted.
Let's be clear: Recoil damage is the only thing that counts.
If a wild Pokémon hits you for 50 damage, that does NOT count toward the 2,942.
Only the damage Basculin deals to itself via Wave Crash or Double-Edge matters.
I usually keep a notepad next to me. I look at my HP before I attack, look at it after, and subtract the difference. It sounds tedious because it is. But once you hit that threshold, the "Evolve" prompt will finally pop up in your menu.
Basculegion in the Modern Meta
Why go through all this trouble? Because Basculegion is a beast. With the Last Respects move (if you're playing in Gen 9), it becomes one of the most terrifying late-game sweepers in the history of the franchise. Even without that, its signature Ability, Adaptability, makes its Water and Ghost moves hit like a freight train.
In Legends: Arceus, it’s your primary water mount. You literally can't finish the game properly without it. It’s the only way to reach certain islands and find some of the more elusive Hisuian forms. It feels rewarding because the game makes you earn it. It’s not a gift; it’s a partnership forged in self-inflicted recoil damage.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the wrong Basculin: Seriously, check the stripe. If it's not white, stop now.
- Forgetting to heal: If you faint, you lose progress. Travel to a camp or use Potions every two hits.
- Over-leveling: If you one-shot everything, you might not take enough recoil damage quickly. Find enemies with high HP but low attack power—Blissey or Chansey are gold mines for this if you can find them.
- Ignoring the Gender: Male for physical builds, female for special builds.
Final Steps for Your Evolution
Once you have crunched the numbers and survived the recoil, your journey to figure out how to get Basculegion is basically over.
- Head to a safe area like Jubilife Village or any Pokémon Center.
- Open your bag or party menu.
- Ensure Basculin has taken at least 2,942 HP in recoil damage without fainting since the last time it was fully "reset."
- Select the "Evolve" option.
If you are playing Scarlet and Violet, you simply need to level up once more after hitting the damage threshold. In Arceus, you just trigger it manually.
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Now that you have your ghost fish, go find a move tutor. You’ll want to optimize that moveset immediately. If you have a male Basculegion, focus on physical moves like Wave Crash and Phantom Force. If you went with the female version, look into Shadow Ball and Hydro Pump. Either way, you now own one of the most unique regional evolutions Pokémon has ever designed.
Start by checking your boxes for a White-Striped Basculin or head to the Timeless Woods in Kitakami right now. The grind takes about 20 minutes if you’re efficient, so get to it.