How to evolve Bisharp into Kingambit

The evolutionary line of Pawniard and Bisharp continues in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, adding a third stage: Kingambit. While Pawniard evolves into Bisharp at Lv. 52, getting Kingambit requires an extra step. But first, let’s go over where to find both Pawniard and Bisharp.

Whether you want to start with Pawniard and evolve to Bisharp before going to Kingambit is up to you. If you’re early in the game, we’d recommend going with Pawniard and leveling it up from there. But if you’re at higher levels, it’s pretty easy to catch a Bisharp.

Where to find Pawniard and Bisharp

Image: Game Freak/The Pokémon Company, Nintendo via Polygon

You can find Pawniard pretty early on in the game in South Province (Area 1) and South Province (Area 5). Those areas are highlighted in the map above. For Bisharp, you’ll find them hanging out in the bamboo forest of North Province (Area 2); they’re all at level 52, and are often surrounded by a pack of Pawniards. Bisharp locations are seen in the map below.

Image: Game Freak/The Pokémon Company, Nintendo via Polygon

How to evolve Bisharp into Kingambit

Once you’ve got a Bisharp — whether you caught it that way or evolved Pawniard into it at level 52 — you can start the process of evolving it into Kingambit. First, you need to make sure your Bisharp is holding a Leader’s Crest. If it’s not, you’ll have to battle a Bisharp that has one and catch it. To ensure you’re battling Bisharp with Leader’s Crests, you need to find the Pokémon that are leading a pack of Pawniard.

You can either use that Bisharp to evolve into a Kingambit, or you can you take its held Leader’s Crest and pass it onto your original Bisharp. From there, you will need to find more Bisharp with the Leader’s Crest. Same method as above: The Bisharps holding that item will be “leading” a pack of Pawniard. Defeat three such Bisharp and then level up your Pokémon once.

After that’s done, you’ll have a Kingambit.