You've been biking around Unova for three hours. Your Liligant is sitting there, waiting, but you just can't find that one specific rock. It’s frustrating. Honestly, the Pokemon Black Sun Stone is one of those items that feels like it should be everywhere, yet somehow vanishes right when you actually need to evolve your Cottonee or Petilil.
Let's get one thing straight immediately because a lot of old forum posts from 2011 get this wrong: you cannot buy these at a standard Poke Mart. If you're looking for a quick shop fix, you're out of luck. In Pokemon Black, evolutionary stones are treated more like treasures than commodities. You have to hunt for them.
Where the Pokemon Black Sun Stone Actually Hides
Most players first encounter the need for this item around the time they hit Nimbasa City or Driftveil City. If you’re playing the original Pokemon Black (not the sequel), your absolute best bet for a guaranteed pick-up is in Nimbasa City.
There’s a specific NPC in a building to the left of the Pokemon Center. He’s basically a stone enthusiast. If you talk to him, he’ll just hand one over. It’s the easiest way to get your Whimsicott or Lilligant early in the game without losing your mind in a cave.
But what if you already used that one?
That’s where things get tricky. You have to head to Relic Castle. Deep in the desert sands, there's another one waiting to be picked up as an item ball. If you’ve already cleared those two "fixed" locations, you’re officially entering the RNG (random number generator) zone.
The Dust Cloud Grind
Dust clouds are the bane of every completionist's existence. You know the drill. You run back and forth in a cave—usually Wellspring Cave or Chargestone Cave—waiting for a tile to start shaking.
Most of the time? It’s a Drilbur.
Sometimes? It’s an Everstone.
Rarely? It’s the Pokemon Black Sun Stone you actually need.
🔗 Read more: How to Create My Own Dragon: From Sketchpad to Digital Reality
The drop rates are notoriously low. We are talking about a 5% to 10% chance depending on which cave you're in. If you're doing this, make sure you use a Max Repel. It won't stop the dust clouds from appearing, but it will stop those annoying level 12 Roggenrola from jumping you every three steps. It saves your sanity. Trust me.
Why the Sun Stone Matters in Unova
In the fifth generation, the Sun Stone serves a very specific purpose. Unlike the Water Stone or Fire Stone, which have a massive roster of compatible Pokemon, the Sun Stone is a bit of a specialist.
In the context of the Unova Pokedex, you’re looking at two main stars:
- Cottonee to Whimsicott: This is the version-exclusive priority for Pokemon Black players. Whimsicott is a beast in competitive play thanks to its Prankster ability.
- Petilil to Lilligant: While Petilil is technically a White exclusive, many Black players trade for it. Lilligant with Quiver Dance is a sweep machine.
If you’re trying to complete the National Dex, you’ll also need it for Sunkern, Gloom, and Helioptile (though Helioptile is a Kalos native, it pops up in later Unova iterations).
The thing about Sun Stone evolutions in this game is that they are "one-way streets." Once you use that stone, there’s no going back. And since Unova doesn’t have a "Leaf Stone" equivalent that works for these specific Grass-types, the Sun Stone becomes a high-value bottleneck.
The Secret Strategy: Pickup and Black City
If you are tired of running in circles in caves, there are two high-level ways to farm these.
First, the Pickup Ability.
If you have a Pokemon like Lillipup or Meowth with the Pickup ability, and they are between Level 31 and 70, they have a small chance of finding a Sun Stone after a battle. It’s not a high chance—usually around 3-4%—but if you’re grinding levels anyway, it’s a passive way to get the job done.
💡 You might also like: Why Titanfall 2 Pilot Helmets Are Still the Gold Standard for Sci-Fi Design
Second, there's Black City.
This is the most "expert" way to handle the Pokemon Black Sun Stone shortage, but it comes with a massive caveat. Black City’s inventory changes based on the trainers present in your city. These trainers only appear if you have connected with other players via Entralink.
If you have a trainer named "Gene" in your Black City, the shop will actually sell Sun Stones for 10,000 PokeDollars.
10k is a lot. It’s a steep price for a rock. But compared to spending four hours in a cave praying for a dust cloud? It’s a bargain. The problem is that many modern players playing on original hardware or emulators find it hard to populate Black City because the Nintendo DS online services are... well, they've been dead for a decade. You’d need a local friend with Pokemon White to help you out.
Common Misconceptions About Evolution
One thing I see people mess up all the time: timing.
Don't use your Pokemon Black Sun Stone the second you get your Cottonee. Just don't.
Evolutionary stone Pokemon in Generation 5 generally stop learning moves naturally once they evolve. If you evolve Cottonee at level 10, your Whimsicott will never learn Giga Drain or Solar Beam on its own. You'll be forced to use TMs, which are reusable in this generation (thank God), but you might miss out on utility moves like Tailwind or Cotton Spore if you jump the gun.
Check your move list. Usually, level 26 to 35 is the "sweet spot" for using the stone.
📖 Related: Sex Fallout New Vegas: Why Obsidian’s Writing Still Outshines Modern RPGs
How to Get More if You're Desperate
If you've exhausted the ground items and your Black City is a ghost town, your last resort is the Abundant Shrine.
This area is accessible late in the game. It’s beautiful, it’s atmospheric, and it has hidden items everywhere. Use your Dowsing MCH (the Itemfinder). There is a hidden Sun Stone tucked away in the grass near the shrine itself.
It's easy to miss because the Dowsing MCH in Black and White is a bit finicky compared to the ones in HeartGold or Diamond/Pearl. It points you in a direction, but you have to be standing almost on top of the item to see the signal peak.
Quick Summary of Locations:
- Nimbasa City: Talk to the guy in the building left of the Poke Center. (Guaranteed)
- Relic Castle: Treasure ball in the lower levels. (Guaranteed)
- Abundant Shrine: Hidden item found with Dowsing MCH. (Guaranteed)
- Dust Clouds: Any cave, high RNG. (Repeatable)
- Black City: Only if "Gene" is present. (Repeatable)
Actionable Next Steps for Trainers
If you're currently staring at a Petilil and wondering why it won't evolve, stop searching the general shops. Your immediate path forward is clear.
First, fly to Nimbasa City and check that residential building; if you haven't talked to the NPCs there, you likely have a free stone waiting for you.
Second, if you've already used your freebies, head to Chargestone Cave. Don't just walk—run. You need to trigger those dust clouds. Make sure your lead Pokemon is at least level 30 and spray a Max Repel so you can focus entirely on the shaking spots.
Finally, check your Cottonee's move set. If it hasn't learned Energy Ball or Sunny Day yet, hold onto that stone for five more levels. The power spike is worth the wait, but only if the move pool is ready to support it.
Once you have your Whimsicott, head to the Battle Subway. With the Prankster ability and a Sun Stone evolution under your belt, you’ll finally have the speed control needed to actually win some streaks.
Stay away from the tall grass while hunting those clouds—it only slows you down. Happy hunting.