How to Evolve Patrat

Players looking to evolve Patrat only need to reach level 20. This evolution process requires no elemental stones, specific times of day, or friendship thresholds. Patrat operates on the Medium Fast experience group.

Reaching level 20 requires exactly 8,000 EXP points. In Pokémon Black and White, players typically hit this milestone around the second Gym in Nacrene City. Fighting Audino in shaking grass on Route 2 or 3 significantly accelerates this leveling process.

Players can cancel the evolution by pressing the B button during the animation. Equipping an Everstone also prevents Patrat from evolving. However, keeping Patrat unevolved offers no strategic advantage, as its movepool remains identical to Watchog's.

Watchog holds a 1/10 rating for competitive play. It lacks a defined role in higher tiers, failing entirely as a physical sweeper, wall, or pivot. In the lowest competitive tiers (PU and ZU), it functions marginally as a suicide lead or status spreader.

Its defensive profile is virtually non-existent. Watchog falls to a single STAB Fighting-type attack from common threats like Conkeldurr or Machamp. Its Speed tier leaves it outpaced by almost every offensive threat in the metagame.

• Role: Niche Status Spreader / Suicide Lead
• Pros: Access to Super Fang, Hypnosis, and Baton Pass.
• Cons: Extremely frail, outsped by most attackers, lacks raw damage output.

Players seeking a Normal-type physical breaker should look toward Tauros, Stoutland, or Zangoose. Watchog simply lacks the base stats to survive long enough to utilize its diverse utility movepool effectively.

During a standard Unova playthrough, Watchog serves primarily as an early-game crutch. Its access to Confuse Ray at level 16 (as Patrat) and Crunch at level 22 provides decent disruption against early Gym Leaders. It falls off dramatically after the third Gym.

For Nuzlocke challenges, Watchog acts as a disposable pivot. Lenora's Watchog in Nacrene City demonstrates the species' peak potential using Retaliate after a teammate faints. Unfortunately, the player's Watchog rarely replicates this success due to poor scaling in the late game.

Its best in-game role is a dedicated catcher Pokémon. The combination of Hypnosis to inflict sleep and Super Fang to halve enemy HP without knocking them out makes Watchog highly efficient for capturing legendary Pokémon. Mean Look, available via egg moves, prevents roaming targets from fleeing.

Patrat and Watchog possess three possible abilities, none of which provide significant competitive advantages. Keen Eye prevents accuracy drops, which occasionally helps against opponents spamming Sand Attack or Mud-Slap early in the game. It remains the best choice for standard battles.

Illuminate offers zero in-battle effects. Outside of battle, a lead Pokémon with Illuminate doubles the wild encounter rate. This mechanic benefits players grinding for experience or shiny hunting, but actively hinders speedrunners or casual players trying to traverse caves.

Analytic serves as the Hidden Ability. It boosts move power by 30% if the user moves last in the turn. Because Watchog cannot survive most neutral hits, intentionally moving last to trigger Analytic usually results in a knockout before it can attack.

Every Pokémon generation introduces an early-route Normal-type, and Patrat ranks near the bottom of this archetype. When compared to Generation 5's other early Normal-type, Lillipup, Patrat loses definitively. Lillipup evolves into Stoutland, gaining the exceptional Intimidate ability and superior bulk.

Compared to Hoenn's Zigzagoon, Patrat lacks the out-of-battle utility of Pickup. Linoone also outclasses Watchog offensively by utilizing Belly Drum and Extreme Speed to sweep entire teams. Bidoof provides more value through its evolution Bibarel, which serves as an elite HM mule with STAB Water-type attacks.

Pokedex.me is an unofficial Pokémon fan-site and is not affiliated with Nintendo or Game Freak. Ultimately, Patrat exists to teach new players about evolution and basic status mechanics. Once a player clears the early routes, Patrat belongs in the PC box.