To get Kingambit in Pokemon GO, evolve a Bisharp after you defeat 15 Dark-type or Steel-type Pokemon in Raid Battles with that Bisharp as your buddy. Bisharp itself evolves from Pawniard, so the whole line starts with catching Pawniard, and the easiest chance yet comes on Saturday, November 21, when Pawniard Community Day cuts the raid requirement to a single Dark- or Steel-type Raid Boss and gives Kingambit its Community Day Charged Attack, Kowtow Cleave.
The raid rule comes from the official Crown Clash announcement that debuted Kingambit in May 2025, and the Community Day details from the official November 2026 Community Day post on the Pokemon GO site, which Scopely updated on October 28. Below is the full evolution path, the Community Day shortcut hour by hour, and what to do between now and then.
The Kingambit Evolution Path
| Step | What you need |
|---|---|
| Pawniard to Bisharp | 50 Pawniard Candy |
| Bisharp to Kingambit | 100 Pawniard Candy, plus 15 Dark- or Steel-type Raid Bosses defeated with Bisharp as your buddy |
The raid requirement is official. The Candy costs are what players report the Evolve button asking for, since Scopely’s posts list only the raid condition. Either way, budget about 150 Pawniard Candy for one Kingambit from a fresh Pawniard.
Two details in the official wording matter:
- Bisharp does not have to fight. “You do not have to defeat these Pokemon with Bisharp.” It only has to be your buddy while you win the raids, so bring your best raid team.
- The raids must be Raid Battles. The requirement names Raid Battles and Dark-type or Steel-type opponents. Max Battles at Power Spots are a separate mode, so do not count on them.
Kingambit is not caught in the wild: every route Scopely has described is evolving a Bisharp. That also means a Shiny Kingambit comes from evolving a Shiny Bisharp, or a Shiny Pawniard first.
Step by Step: How to Evolve Bisharp Into Kingambit
- Catch Pawniard and build up Pawniard Candy.
- Evolve Pawniard into Bisharp once you have the Candy.
- Set Bisharp as your buddy, and keep it there until the raids are done.
- Win Dark- or Steel-type raids. Check Gyms for raid bosses of either type and beat 15 of them while Bisharp stays your buddy.
- Tap Evolve on Bisharp when the requirement is met and you have the Candy.
The buddy-plus-type-task setup is the same idea as Charcadet’s evolution, which our guide to evolving Charcadet explains, and close to Pancham’s, covered in our Pancham evolution guide.
The Pawniard Community Day Shortcut
Pawniard Community Day runs on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time. Here is what changes for Kingambit, per the official post:
| Time (local) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Pawniard appears more often in the wild, with a chance of Shiny or Special Background ones, and 2x Candy for catching |
| 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Evolve Bisharp into Kingambit “after defeating 1 Dark- or Steel-type Raid Boss with Bisharp as your buddy” |
| 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Evolving Bisharp gives a Kingambit that knows Kowtow Cleave |
| 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Pawniard has “a very high chance” of appearing at regular Lure Modules |
| 9 p.m. | The evolution requirement returns to the usual 15 raids |
The October 28 update to the post adds one more line: the lower requirement “will apply to all of your Bisharp regardless of whether they are your Buddy Pokemon.” To be safe, have a Bisharp set as your buddy when you win that one raid anyway; it costs nothing.
Other Community Day bonuses help the Candy side: Trainers level 31 and up get a doubled chance of Candy XL from catches, Eggs hatch at a quarter of their distance, Incense other than Daily Adventure Incense lasts three hours, and Lure Modules last an hour. A US$1.99 Special Research ticket adds three Special Background Pawniard encounters, more Pawniard encounters, a Premium Battle Pass and a Rare Candy XL. That Premium Battle Pass is handy here, since it covers the one raid you need.
What Kowtow Cleave Is Worth
Kowtow Cleave is the Community Day move. Per the official post, it has 75 power in Trainer Battles and 85 power in Gyms and raids. Kowtow Cleave is a Dark-type move in the main series games, and Kingambit is a Dark and Steel type, so it should get the same-type attack bonus.
Scopely has not published its energy cost, which decides how good it really is. Before Community Day, raid players favored Snarl with Foul Play for Kingambit, and players list Foul Play at 70 power in raids, below Kowtow Cleave’s 85, so the new move looks like an upgrade on paper. Wait for players to test it before you spend resources on a moveset. If you miss the window, past Community Day moves have needed an Elite Charged TM afterward, so evolving between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. is the cheap way to get it.
Kingambit has a double weakness to Fighting-type attacks and is also weak to Fire and Ground, so keep it away from raid bosses of those types.
How to Prepare Before November 21
- Catch every Pawniard you see now. Candy is the bottleneck. Every catch counts toward the roughly 150 Candy one Kingambit costs, and a Pinap Berry doubles the Candy from a catch.
- Evolve a Bisharp ahead of time. Pawniard to Bisharp needs no task, and doing it now means your Candy on the day can go straight to Kingambit.
- If you already finished the 15 raids, wait. Evolving now gives you a Kingambit without Kowtow Cleave. Hold that Bisharp until 2 p.m. on November 21.
- Save Rare Candy. Rare Candy converts into Pawniard Candy and can cover a shortfall on the day.
- Plan your raid. You need only one Dark- or Steel-type raid win on Community Day. Note which nearby Gyms tend to host them, or line up a remote raid group. The official wording names Raid Battles without excluding remote ones.
If you are also chasing this Halloween’s Shiny debut, our guide on how to get Greavard covers it. Every other Pokemon GO guide is on our Pokemon hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you evolve Bisharp into Kingambit in Pokemon GO? Make Bisharp your buddy, defeat 15 Dark-type or Steel-type Pokemon in Raid Battles while it is your buddy, and spend the Candy. Bisharp does not have to battle.
How much Candy does Kingambit cost? Players report 100 Pawniard Candy for the Bisharp to Kingambit step, after 50 for Pawniard to Bisharp. Scopely’s posts list only the raid requirement.
When is Pawniard Community Day? Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time, with the evolution bonus and the Kowtow Cleave window lasting until 9 p.m.
How many raids do you need on Community Day? One. From 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, Bisharp can evolve after you defeat a single Dark- or Steel-type Raid Boss.
Can you catch Kingambit in the wild? No. Kingambit comes from evolving Bisharp, and a Shiny Kingambit comes from evolving a Shiny Bisharp.
Does Kingambit need to be evolved on Community Day to get Kowtow Cleave? Yes, the official post ties Kowtow Cleave to evolving Bisharp during the event or up to four hours afterward. Past Community Day moves have needed an Elite Charged TM outside that window.