Pokemon Sword and Shield Thunder Stone evolutions: How to evolve Charjabug, Pikachu, and Eevee

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Pokemon Sword and Shield Thunder Stone is a key item for evolving certain Pokemon, so it's well worth finding. It'll work its magic on specific Electric-type Pokemon found in Pokemon Sword and Shield, including the game’s usual mascot and electric mouse phenom, Pikachu. Read on to learn how exactly you can get your hands on a Pokemon Sword and Shield Thunderstone and how to evolve Pikachu, Charjabug, and Eevee with it.

How to find the Thunder Stone in Pokemon Sword and Shield

(Image credit: Nintendo)

For a quick route to the Thunder Stone, get yourself over to the Lake of Outrage in the Pokemon Sword and Shield Wild Area. Once you’re there, look out on the left for a body of water full of Gyarados and other creatures. There should be a Watt Trader on the shore, and you can most likely see a spot on the other side with some rocks jutting out. Pick up the Rotom Bike upgrade on Route 9 then return here to cross the water and you’ll find an evolutionary stone under every base of the rocks in this stone circle. One of them will most likely be a Thunder Stone, but if not these stones do respawn.

Eager beavers can also head to the North Lake Miloch quadrant of the Wild Area where you’ll find a hill south of the bridge with a Pokeball nestled in the grass. Pick it up for an easy Thunder Stone!

There’s also your good friends in the Digging Duo who knock about in the Bridge Field part of the Wild Area. Trade them some Watts and they’ll get to excavating, hopefully unearthing the stone that you’re looking for!

How to use the Thunder Stone in Pokemon Sword and Shield

Thunder Stone captured, open up the bag and then the ‘Other Items’ menu to use it on one of the Pokemon listed below. Do make sure that you don’t make the Pokemon hold it, as this won’t have any effect. 

Any Pikachu (Route 4, Stony Wilderness) you catch in the wild – not the one you can be given if you've played Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu – can evolve into Raichu with a Thunder Stone. Charjabug (Wild Area) evolves from Grubbin (Slumbering Weald, Wild Area) and can evolve into Vikavolt. If you've picked up an Eevee on Route 4, you can also use a Thunder Stone to get yourself a Jolteon.

Pokemon Sword and Shield Fire Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Water Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Leaf Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Ice Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Thunder Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Dawn Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Dusk Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Moon Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Sun Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Shiny Stone | Pokemon Sword and Shield Razor Claw | Pokemon Sword and Shield Protector | Pokemon Sword and Shield Metal Coat | Pokemon Sword and Shield Reaper Cloth | Pokemon Sword and Shield Sachet | Pokemon Sword and Shield Whipped Dream | Pokemon Sword and Shield Oval Charm | Pokemon Sword and Shield Destiny Knot | Pokemon Sword and Shield Ability Capsule | Pokemon Sword and Shield Beast Ball

Freelance writer

Jordan Oloman has hundreds of bylines across outlets like GamesRadar+, PC Gamer, USA Today, The Guardian, The Verge, The Washington Post, and more. Jordan is an experienced freelance writer who can not only dive deep into the biggest video games out there but explore the way they intersect with culture too. Jordan can also be found working behind-the-scenes here at Future Plc, contributing to the organization and execution of the Future Games Show.  

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