The adorable Bug- and Electric-type Battery Pokemon, Charjabug, was one of Pokemon Sun and Moon’s most beloved additions. Its its goofy, boxy appearance and accordion-like movements make it an immediately endearing little Pokemon, but its final form — Vikavolt — is a real monster. Vikavolt’s sleek profile and powerful stats are sure to attract many players. But with the Pokemon series’ transition to home consoles in Pokemon Sword and Shield, Vikavolt’s evolution method also changed. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to evolve Charjabug in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
Pokemon Sword and Shield | Where to catch Charjabug and Grubbin
Both Charjabug and its pre-evolution, Grubbin, can be found in Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Wild Area under particular weather conditions. Charjabug will not appear in the overworld (and neither will Grubbin, besides in two locations), so you’ll have to continually check the exclamation-marked random encounters in tall grass until you find it. Grubbin can also be found in two non-Wild Area locales. The locations and weather for each Pokemon are as follows. Level ranges courtesy of PowerPyx.com. Keep in mind each area’s Charjabug/Grubbin level to ensure you’ll be able to catch it.
ALSO: Pokemon Sword and Shield False Swipe Location (TM94)
Charjabug locations
- Axew’s Eye island (accessible only with the Rotom Bike water-crossing upgrade) during rainy weather. Level 35 to 40.
- Hammerlocke Hills (just outside Hammerlocke) during rainy weather. Level 35 to 40.
- Dusty Bowl (near Hammerlocke Hills) during thunderstorms. Level 40 to 45.
Grubbin locations
- Route 1 (at the very beginning of the game) during any weather. Level 2 to 5.
- Appears in the overworld in the Slumbering Weald (the mysterious forest near your character’s house) at the begging of the game during any weather. Level 2 to 3.
- Watchtower Ruins (west of the Wild Area entrance to Motostoke) during thunderstorms. Level 11 to 14.
- Appears in both the overworld and in tall grass encounters in East Lake Axwell (right outside the Wild Area entrance to Motostoke) during rainy weather and thunderstorms. Level 8 to 15.
- North Lake Miloch (east of the Wild Area entrance to Motostoke) during rainy weather and thunderstorms. Level 14 to 16.
- Dappled Grove (southwest corner of Wild Area) during rainy weather and thunderstorms. Level 11 to 15.
You can also occasionally find Grubbin and Charjabug in Max Raid Battle dens.
Pokemon Sword and Shield | How to evolve Charjabug into Vikavolt
In Pokemon Sun and Moon, Charjabug evolved into Vikavolt when leveled up in an electrically charged “special magnetic field” area. Such an area does not exist in Sword and Shield, so Charjabug’s evolution has been simplified. All you need to do instead is use a Thunder Stone item on it. To learn where to get one, check out our Pokemon Sword and Shield evolution stones location guide. Find it in your inventory, use it on Charjabug, and you’ll have yourself a Vikavolt.
Pokemon Sword and Shield | Where to catch Vikavolt
Alternatively, if you’re further along in the game and don’t want to go through all the trouble of catching and evolving a Charjabug, you can instead just catch yourself a Vikavolt directly. One can be found wandering around in the open in the Giant’s Seat zone of the Wild Area during normal weather, overcast weather, sandstorms, and intense sunlight. It will always spawn at level 46, so make sure you’ve beaten enough of Pokemon Sword and Shield’s gyms in order to catch it. If you can’t catch Pokemon up to level 50, the screen will say “A very powerful-looking Vikavolt appeared” when the encounter begins.
