Almost instantly when players begin Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, they will be faced with a familiar choice between three pocket monsters to begin their journey, including the adorable duck Quaxly, who evolves into Quaxwell and Quaquavel later on. The Water-type of the three selectable starters, Quaxly marks the first companion players acquire in the game throughout the myriad of battles yet to come against rival trainers and wild Pokémon in the open-world. Not only does this decision affect the player, but their rival will also choose a Pokémon from the two starters remaining, the Fire-type Fuecoco in the case of Quaxly being chosen.

After choosing Quaxly as their starter at the early point of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, players must train it to level 16 to evolve into Quaxwell, and then level 36 for the final form Quaquavel. Tackling the "Victory Road" Main Quest provides plenty of opportunities for players to level up their roster of Pokémon through experience gained in battles from Gym Leaders and other trainers. Likewise, defeating the members of Team Star and their bosses scattered on the map of the Paldea Region also grants shared XP to a player's team, especially if they used Quaxly frequently enough in battle to increase the points gained.

Related: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Starters: Is Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Or Quaxly Best

Obtaining Quaxly, Quaxwell, and Quaquavel in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Quaxly Evolutionary Line Featuring Quaxly Into Quaxwell, then Finally Quaquavel

Players cannot acquire Quaxly at any other point after choosing their starter, a commonality among other entries in the series regarding starter Pokémon from the featured region. Although other starters from past Generations may be possible to obtain, players looking to find the evolutions of Quaxly may only do so by training the singular one present in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.

The future transformation of Quaxly, Quaxwell, builds off the starter's predisposition in the Attack and Special Attack statistics, making it a valuable Pokémon for players that desire high damage and reliable balance across multiple offensive strategies. The unique ability Torrent of Quaxly in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet boosts their Water-type attacks when below a certain amount of health, adding to these strengths when players are in a pinch.

Quaquavel, the final evolution of Quaxly after Quaxwell, provides a distinct difference from his past forms, adding the Fighting-type to the already existent Water. Covering more ground against Dark, Normal, and even Ice-type Pokémon with Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) with Fighting-type moves, Quaquavel serves as a goal for players to strive toward when training their starter in Quaxly.

Despite the new weaknesses that are also gained when having a Pokémon with two types, the reward for training Quaxly into Quaxwell and eventually Quaquavel more than makes up for this downside in the higher battle prowess and pros that outweigh the cons of choosing Quaxly in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Next: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Starter Evolutions: Pros & Cons Of Meowscarada

  • Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Game Poster
    Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
    Released:
    2022-11-18
    Developer:
    Game Freak
    Franchise:
    Pokemon
    Genre:
    RPG, Adventure, Action
    Platform:
    Nintendo Switch
    Publisher:
    Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
    ESRB:
    E
    Summary:
    Pokémon returns in its next installment series: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Set in a fictional town near Mediterranean Spain, gamers will explore Paldea, catching new and classic Pokémon. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the first ever open-world game in the series and features new Pokémon that can transform into vehicles. Pokémon staples like gym battles are still present, but co-op exploration and Terastallize battles are also introduced.
    Multiplayer:
    Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
    Prequel:
    Pokémon Sword and Shield
    Mode:
    Single Player, Multiplayer
    How Long To Beat:
    31 Hours