How to Evolve Zubat

Zubat evolves into Golbat naturally upon reaching level 22 in any Pokémon game. To evolve Golbat into Crobat, you must maximize its Friendship stat and then level it up one additional time. Using a Soothe Bell and avoiding bitter medicines will speed up this process.

Zubat follows a two-stage evolution line that shifts from a standard level requirement to a hidden stat requirement. Understanding this transition is crucial for getting Crobat early in your playthrough.

The first step requires zero special items. You simply need to gain experience points through standard battles or by feeding Zubat EXP Candies.

• Zubat to Golbat: Reach Level 22.
• Golbat to Crobat: Achieve High Friendship (value of 160 or 220 depending on the generation) + 1 Level Up.

Because the second stage relies entirely on Friendship, catching Zubat in a Luxury Ball is highly recommended. This specific Poké Ball applies a permanent multiplier to all Friendship points earned by that Pokémon.

In the action-RPG format of Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Legends: Arceus, the Friendship mechanic is tied directly to overworld interactions. Walking with your Pokémon out of its Poké Ball is the most consistent baseline method.

To accelerate Golbat's evolution in these titles, leverage the resource gathering system. Every time your Pokémon performs a successful overworld action, its Friendship increases.

1. Keep Golbat in your active party while exploring Lumiose City or the Hisui region.
2. Throw Golbat's Poké Ball at shaking trees to gather Apricorns and Berries.
3. Throw Golbat's Poké Ball at ore deposits to mine Tumblestones.
4. Once you have gathered resources roughly 40 to 50 times, battle a wild Pokémon to trigger a level up.

If Golbat is ready to evolve, the Poké Ball icon next to its name in the party menu will glow. You can trigger the evolution manually from the menu at any time.

For players navigating Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl or the Sword & Shield expansions, Friendship relies on traditional passive mechanics. Zubat and Golbat are completely absent from Scarlet & Violet, making these older Switch titles their main traditional playground.

The fastest method involves a specific held item and a targeted diet. You can max out Golbat's Friendship in less than ten minutes if you have the right resources.

1. Locate and equip the Soothe Bell on Golbat to increase all Friendship yields by 50%.
2. Feed Golbat EV-reducing berries (such as the Pomeg Berry, Kelpsy Berry, or Qualot Berry). Each berry significantly boosts Friendship.
3. If you lack berries, place Golbat at the front of your party and walk or cycle for roughly 10,000 steps.
4. Level up Golbat using a Rare Candy to trigger the evolution screen.

You can verify your progress using the Friendship Checker application on the Pokétch in BDSP, or by speaking to the Friendship NPC found in Hammerlocke in Sword/Shield.

The mobile mechanics strip away the Friendship requirement entirely, replacing it with a straightforward resource grind. You will need a significant amount of Zubat Candy to complete the full evolution line.

Catching every Zubat you see is mandatory. Use Pinap Berries during the encounter to double the candy yield from 3 to 6 per catch.

1. Feed 25 Zubat Candies to your Zubat to evolve it into Golbat.
2. Feed 100 Zubat Candies to Golbat to evolve it into Crobat.

If wild Zubat spawns are rare in your current season, set Zubat or Golbat as your Buddy Pokémon. You will earn 1 Zubat Candy for every 1 kilometer walked together.

Players frequently hit a wall where Golbat reaches level 40 or higher without evolving. This always stems from actions that unknowingly drain the hidden Friendship stat.

The most common mistake is relying on herbal medicine. Items like the Energy Root, Heal Powder, and Revival Herb are cheap, but their bitter taste heavily penalizes your Pokémon's Friendship. Stick to standard Potions and Revives.

• Fainting in battle: Every time Golbat’s HP hits zero, it loses a small amount of Friendship. Keep it safely in the back of the party if it is underleveled.
• Trading resets Friendship: If a friend trades you a Golbat with max Friendship, the stat resets to its base value upon arriving in your game. You must build the bond from scratch.
• Forgetting the level-up: Friendship does not trigger evolution on its own. Even at maximum Friendship, Golbat must gain one level via battle or a Rare Candy to initiate the transformation.

Crobat is a phenomenal asset for story playthroughs but falls completely flat in serious competitive environments. Its base 130 Speed makes it one of the fastest Pokémon available during a campaign, guaranteeing you move first against almost every NPC.

Offensively, Crobat provides excellent utility. Access to moves like Cross Poison, Brave Bird, and U-turn allows it to hit hard and pivot out of danger. Its Poison/Flying typing also grants it a crucial immunity to Ground-type attacks and strong resistances to Fighting and Bug.

However, Crobat lacks the raw offensive stats required for post-game battle facilities or Smogon-tier competitive play. Its base 90 Attack simply cannot break through modern defensive walls. Build Crobat to sweep through the gyms, but box it when you start climbing the competitive ladder.