Updated at: 03-04-2023 - By: Leo Hall
If you’re playing Pokémon Sword and Shield and want to know how to evolve your Applin, here’s a helpful guide. It’s your mission to capture them all.

In Pokémon Sword and Shield, players explore the Galar Region in search of 81 new Pokémon to catch, battle, and train. The latest installment in the popular RPG series continues the tradition of giving players creative freedom in evolving Pokémon beyond the traditional method of gaining experience points.

Applin is one such Pokémon; it is a small worm-like creature that lives inside apples and ingeniously uses the fruit as a home, food source, and defense mechanism.

Applin’s dual-typing makes it extremely rare as one of only two naturally occurring Grass/Dragon Pokémon; the other is Alolan Exeggutor. Its appearance may lead you to believe it is just another underpowered Grass-type, but it is actually one of only two such Pokémon.

We’ll explain everything you need to know to capture an Applin and train it to evolve into a Flapple or Appletun.

If you’re new to Sword & Shield and looking for some introductory advice, our Beginner’s Guide has all the details you need to know about the Galar Region and beyond.

About Applin

Debut in a Japanese anime N/A
Original Game Debut Pokémon Sword and Shield
Region Galar
Evolution Appletun > Applin > Flapple
To Be Entered Into the Pokedex Its entire existence is spent within an apple. To avoid being attacked by birds, its natural predators, it pretends to be an apple. It makes its home in an apple as soon as it is born. Its evolution is tied to the apple’s flavor, which is why the fruit is so important to its survival.

Pokémon Sword & Shield: Applin evolutions, Flapple, Appletun - Millenium

Applin Base stats

HP 40
Attack 40
Defense 80
Assault from Outer Space 40
For the Defense 40
Speed 20

Appearance

There is more going on with Applin than first meets the eye. At first glance, it resembles a regular apple, but a closer inspection reveals a Pokemon hidden inside. Its body is an apple, but its “leaves” are actually its eyes, and behind the apple is its tail. Aside from that minor detail, this Pokemon could easily pass for a regular apple.

Behavior

Almost immediately after birth, a newborn Applin seeks out a fruit to burrow into; apples are a popular choice. The Pokemon can use the apple for three different things: sustenance, shelter, and defense. The Applin’s evolution is determined by the variety of apple it has burrowed into. The Applin would become a Flapple if it ate a sour apple, but it would develop into an Appletun if it ate a sweet apple.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Applin stands alone among Pokemon in that it is both a Grass and Dragon type. That’s right; this scenario opens the door to a few different possible combinations. Applin may have terrible numbers, but that doesn’t make them the best combatants. The best time to use your Applin’s full potential is right after it has evolved, so it’s important to spend time training its moves now.

Applin has high attack and special defense against Dragon, Ground, Rock, and Water types, and low attack and special defense against Fire, Water, Grass, and Flying types.

Shiny Applin

When it comes to shiny system implementations, A Shiny Applin is up there with the best of them. The Shiny Applin stands out from the norm because it looks more like a green apple than a red one. Finding a Shiny Applin in the wild, hatching one from an egg, or trading for one are all viable options.

Where do you capture Applin?

Although not the most noticeable Pokémon, Applins can be easily encountered. You can catch them in random encounters along Route 5, or in the Dusty Bowl in the Wild Area on sunny days, or in the Giant Mirror and Stony Wilderness during storms.

How to evolve Applin into Appletun in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

You should quickly evolve Applin because it only knows Astonish and Withdraw before it does so.

How do I get Appletun in Sword or Flapple in Shield?

However, Applin cannot evolve into Appletun, as it is not compatible with the Pokémon that does not belong in its version (Flapple). However, if you make a friend who has the opposite evolution, you can either trade with them or participate in a raid battle with them against the evolution you lack. You can’t get the alternate version in your game any other way.

Can Flapple or Appletun Gigantamax?

Yes! Not if you manage to capture an Applin and evolve it on your own, though. A Gigantamax Appletun or Flapple can only be obtained through a successful Raid Battle against a wild version of the Pokémon in the Wild Area.

How to catch Applin in Pokemon Go?

In Pokemon Go, you can’t catch an Applin right now, but there’s always a chance you’ll get the chance if an event features it or if you hatch its egg.

How To Catch Applin

Location

Applin, like most other Pokémon in Sword and Shield, is a chance encounter that lurks in grassy areas.

But you won’t see it wandering around the overworld, and you’re much more likely to run into it under the following climatic conditions:

Location Forecasts and Current Conditions
Route 5 Any (Not Including Common Observances)
The Wilderness Area is the Stony Wilderness. Thunderstorm
Protected Area: Giant’s Mirror Thunderstorm
Dusty Bowl is a wild area. Sunny

You should also know that Applin commonly spawns in Den #38 in the Axew’s Eye area of the Wild Area during Max Raid Battles.

Catching

You can do a few things after you locate Applin in the grass. If you want to catch Applin without fainting it, you should throw a Quick Ball on the first turn.

If your Pokémon is significantly higher level than Applin, you can use a Level Ball, and if you’ve already caught one, you can use a Repeat Ball.

How To Evolve Applin

The evolution of Applin necessitates the use of either a Sweet Apple (Pokémon Shield) or a Tart Apple (Pokémon Sword). When used on Applin, the item will cause it to evolve into either Flapple (Pokémon Sword) or Appletun (Pokémon Shield), depending on the game you’re playing.

Since Appletun is only available in the Shield game and Flapple is only available in the Sword game, you cannot obtain both evolutions by trading apples between the two games. It is recommended that you trade with another player whose version is different from yours in order to obtain both Pokémon.

Pokémon Sword and Shield Applin evolution method: how to use the Sweet  Apple and Tart Apple to evolve into Applin into Flapple or Appletun  explained | Eurogamer.net

Flapple (Pokémon Sword)

Item Acidic Apple
Type Grass/Dragon
Ability A ripe or gluttonous state (Secret Talent: hustle)
Stats
  • HP – 70
  • ATK – 110
  • 80 SP for defense, 95 SP for offense, 60 SP for defense, 70 SP for speed.

Appletun (Pokémon Shield)

Item Juicy Apple
Type Grass/Dragon
Ability Gluttony, or Maturation (Secret Power: Extra Fat).
Stats
  • HP – 110
  • ATK – 85
  • DEF – 80
  • Defense (SP): 80, Attack (SP): 100
  • SPD – 30

What’s the difference between Flapple and Appletun in Pokémon Sword and Shield?

Despite sharing the same types of Pokémon (grass and dragon, respectively), Flapple and Appletun couldn’t be more dissimilar.

Flapple is the more combative of the two, having learned Dragon Breath and Dragon Pulse in addition to other dragon-type moves. Also, it has the potential to learn Grav Apple and other useful grass-type moves. This assault not only deals damage to your foe, but also weakens their defenses.

Proficiently educated Flapple is a dangerous adversary in a fight.

However, as a defensive Pokémon, Appletun is more likely to learn grass-type attacks than dragon-type ones. In addition to dealing damage, many of its attacks also reduce the defenses of its foes.

You can also teach it Recover to keep yourself in the fight for much longer.

If you want a dragon-type Pokémon, Flapple, or a grass-type Pokémon, Appletun, you’ll have to make a choice.

Trivia

  1. Applin eat apples and other fruit by boring into them like caterpillars.
  2. The only other grass dragon is Applin.
  3. The Applin Dragon is the slowest of all the different kinds of Dragons.

FAQs

Q. Is Applin a Legendary Pokemon?

Applin is not a Legendary Pokemon, sorry to say.

Q. What is Applin’ weakness?

Applin is easily defeated by Pokemon with Ground, Grass, Flying, or Dragon moves.

Q. What is Applin’ Hidden Ability?

The Bulletproof hidden ability of Applin makes them resistant to attacks such as balls and bombs.

Conclusion

Applins have all the makings of a tasty treat, despite their innocent appearance. Applin has the potential to become an invaluable member of your team, but it will take time for him to reach his full potential. Because of its rare typing and cute appearance, many trainers will have a hard time passing up capturing this Pokemon.