How to evolve Cottonee into Whimsicott in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Indigo Disk

If you’re like me, you’re thrilled with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s new DLC, The Indigo Disk, for one simple reason: Whimsicott.

That’s right, Gen V fans. The best Fairy and Grass type in the entire Pokémon franchise has arrived in the latest generation, and you can finally add it to your teams. While you can catch Whimsicott in the wild in the game’s newest DLC area, you may prefer to catch its pre-evolution, Cottonee, and evolve it instead to get one with the nature of your choice.

Regardless of your methods, at some point, you may find yourself wondering how to evolve Cottonee into Whimsicott since it’s not entirely clear. The Cotton Puff Pokémon doesn’t evolve by leveling up like other species. Instead, you’ll need a certain item to get the job done.

How to evolve Cottonee into Whimsicott in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Indigo Disk

To evolve Cottonee into Whimsicott in Pokémon SV: The Indigo Disk, you must get your hands on a Sun Stone. You can find Sun Stones in Scarlet and Violet by running around open areas and picking up any glittering items you come across.

Other evolutionary items, like the Electrizer and the Dragon Scale, can be bought from the Blueberry Academy’s School Store for 250 Battle Points.

Once you have a Sun Stone, head to your Other Items tab in your inventory, scroll down and click on the item. Then select the Cottonee in your party you’d like to evolve and watch as your puffball evolves into an even larger one.

Where to catch Cottonee and Whimsicott in Pokémon SV: The Indigo Disk

Those looking to add Whimsicott as a permanent member of their team may end up breeding and evolving Cottonee, but those who are purely looking to complete their Pokédex may prefer to catch one instead.

Whimsicott does appear in the wild in both Scarlet and Violet, and it’s relatively easy to find. It spawns in the Coastal Biome, as shown in the map below, in the same area its pre-evolution can be found.

I found my Cottonee directly west from the Coastal Plaza atop a plateau surrounded by water. In the same area, I found Inkay, Toucannon, and Alolan Exeggutor—all newcomers to the current generation of games.