How to Get Gholdengo in Pokemon Violet and Evolve It
Completing the Paldean Pokédex in Pokémon Violet introduces trainers to several unique evolution mechanics, but none are as distinct as unlocking Gholdengo. As the milestone 1,000th Pokémon in the franchise, this Steel/Ghost-type creature serves as a powerful addition to any competitive team or casual roster. Securing this golden entity requires understanding how to locate its pre-evolution and gathering a specific currency scattered across the open world.
Finding Gimmighoul in the Paldea Region
Before you can obtain Gholdengo, you must first catch a Gimmighoul. In Pokémon Violet, Gimmighoul appears in two distinct variations: Roaming Form and Chest Form. While Roaming Form Gimmighoul are scattered near signs and rocks across the map, they cannot be caught in battle and only reward a small number of coins when interacted with.
To catch the Pokémon itself, players must search for Chest Form Gimmighoul. These stationary encounters are typically found at the top of watchtowers, near ancient ruins, and inside secluded caves. Battling and capturing or defeating a Chest Form Gimmighoul awards a significant number of Gimmighoul Coins alongside securing the base creature for your party.
Gathering the Required 999 Gimmighoul Coins
Evolving Gimmighoul into Gholdengo does not rely on traditional leveling thresholds, evolutionary stones, or friendship values. Instead, trainers must accumulate exactly 999 Gimmighoul Coins in their key items bag. Chest Form encounters provide the most efficient farming route, usually granting anywhere from 30 to 50 coins or more per victory.
Roaming Form Gimmighoul also offer a steady stream of smaller coin drops as you explore Paldea. Additionally, players can connect their game to Pokémon GO by sending daily postcards, which unlocks extra coin rewards and special items. If you exceed the maximum inventory limit, an NPC in Medali will safely store your extra coins until you need them.
Triggering the Evolution Process
Once you have successfully collected 999 Gimmighoul Coins, achieving the evolution is remarkably simple. Place the Chest Form Gimmighoul you wish to evolve into your active party. You then simply need to level up Gimmighoul once, either through battle experience or by using a Exp. Candy or Rare Candy.
Upon leveling up with the full stack of currency present, the game will automatically consume all 999 coins and initiate the evolution into Gholdengo. It is important to note that this process completely depletes your coin stash. If you ever decide to evolve a second Gimmighoul in the future, you will need to repeat the entire collection process from scratch.
Why Gholdengo is Worth the Effort
Gholdengo stands out as one of the most versatile and resilient combatants in Pokémon Violet. Its unique signature ability, Good as Gold, renders it completely immune to status moves used by opposing Pokémon. This allows it to ignore entry hazards like Defog, status ailments like Will-O-Wisp, and debilitating moves like Taunt.
Furthermore, its signature move, Make It Rain, delivers devastating Steel-type special damage to all adjacent opponents. Combining strong typing, impressive defensive utility, and high special attack power makes Gholdengo a top-tier choice for both main-game battles and high-level competitive play.