An item that’s highly sought after by veterans and casuals alike in Pokemon Go is the Sinnoh Stone, which is used to evolve particular Pokemon. If you’ve been an avid player of Pokemon Go for months or even years, you likely already have a stock of stones in your inventory. However, acquiring the Sinnoh Stone can be a challenge to those unfamiliar with the game’s reward drop mechanics. From finding wild Pokemon as you go about your day to participating in Raid Battles, there are multiple ways for you to make your team more powerful. As one of the primary evolution resources, the Sinnoh Stone can specifically evolve Pokemon found in the Gen 4 games, Diamond and Pearl.
This guide will act as a comprehensive breakdown of the ways you can get Sinnoh Stones within Pokemon Go.
Pokemon Go: Where to Find Sinnoh Stones
You can obtain Sinnoh Stones in Pokemon Go through three methods:
- Defeat Team Go Rocket Leaders
- Gain Research Breakthrough rewards for Field Research Tasks
- Earn GO Battle League rewards
How to Defeat Team Go Rocket Leaders in Pokemon Go
There are four Rocket Leaders in Pokemon Go: Giovanni, Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo. To summon one of the leaders, you’ll first need to defeat six Team Rocket Grunts and collect Mysterious Components. Then, via the Rocket Radar, you’ll encounter a Rocket Leader. If you defeat them, they’ll drop a Sinnoh Stone and other goodies, such as Stardies and Trainer EXP. Note that Giovanni can only be summoned using a Super Rocket Radar—a device unique to specific Team Go Rocket events.
Rocket Leaders are no slouch in a battle; they’re tough and involve more planning than doing PvP with randoms or Field Research. With that in mind, slot in your best Pokemon before the showdown. While challenging, the compensation you receive from your efforts is worth it, especially if the Sinnoh Stone is what you desire the most among the rewards.
How to Gain Research Breakthrough Rewards in Pokemon Go
You’ll need to complete seven Field Research tasks to get a Research Breakthrough for a Sinnoh Stone. Every time you clear a Field Research, you’ll receive a stamp that shows when you’ve completed it. Compared to streaks, Research Breakthroughs don’t require you to complete tasks daily all the time. You can earn stamps even if there are overlaps on the dates.
The only caveat with getting Research Breakthroughs via Field Research is that its rewards are randomized, meaning your chances of getting a Sinnoh Stone aren’t guaranteed. Sometimes, you’ll get rare items or encounters instead.
How to Earn GO Battle League Rewards in Pokemon Go
The Battle League is Pokemon Go’s central hub for PvP battles, where you can face off against other Trainers with Pokemon similar in strength to your own. Whenever you rank up, you can earn Stardust, Rare Candy, random encounters, and Evolution Items. Yes—that includes the Sinnoh Stone.
Much like when it comes to Research Breakthroughs though, the chances of getting a Sinnoh Stone are up to RNG. But unlike it, you don’t have any real-time restrictions to how often you can battle other Trainers. As long as you have enough Revives and Potions, you can participate in the Battle League as often as you’d like.
Which Pokemon Can Evolve With Sinnoh Stones?
There are 18 Pokemon in Pokemon Go that can evolve with a Sinnoh Stone.
- Aipom → Ambipom
- Roselia → Roserade
- Lickitung → Lickilicky
- Piloswine → Mamoswine
- Magmar → Magmortar
- Kirlia (male) → Gallade
- Dusclops → Duknoir
- Togetic → Togekiss
- Porygon 2 → Porygon-Z
- Yanma → Yanmega
- Misdreavus → Mismagius
- Snorunt (female) → Frosslass
- Sneasel → Weavile
- Murkrow → Honchkrow
- Rhydon → Rhyperior
- Gligar → Gliscor
- Electabuzz → Electivire
- Tangela → Tangrowth
It can take a while to evolve these Pokemon, considering each of them also requires 100 of that respective Pokemon’s Candy alongside the Sinnoh Stone. However, since their evolutions can’t be found in the wild, this is the only way to add them to your Pokedex—unless you have a friend who has them and is willing to trade them with you.
How to Evolve Pokemon in Pokemon Go With Sinnoh Stones
You evolve your Pokemon with the Sinnoh Stone by doing the following:
- Click the menu (Pokeball) icon at the bottom-middle of your screen.
- Tap ‘Pokemon’ to open your collection.
- Find the Pokemon you want to evolve and tap on it.
- Select the ‘Evolve’ option to evolve your Pokemon, which should be listed under ‘Power Up.’
