Evolution

**Evolution** is a game mechanic that typically changes a base weapon to a stronger evolved weapon using a passive item as a catalyst. A **Union** is a combination of two weapons. A **Gift** is an additional weapon or passive item you would get when the conditions were met.

Evolved weapons usually inherit most of the base weapon stats with extra effects, most Area-of-Effect weapons may add bonus to Area and some have changes on base damage because their behavior is different. United weapons share similar characteristics with evolved weapons, except two weapons are merged into one, hence emptying a weapon slot after the united weapon is obtained. Gifts act as an additional weapon or passive item, without replacing the base weapon.

## Mechanics

To evolve or unite a weapon, or to obtain a gift, the player needs to fulfill following conditions:

* The player must have a fully leveled base weapon and its counterpart (required level varies by case) in their inventory.
	+ In case of union, both base weapons must be fully leveled up. This may also require a passive item counterpart.
	+ In the case of Infinite Corridor, Crimson Shroud, Sole Solution, and Ashes of Muspell, all related passive items must also be fully leveled.
	+ In case of Bracelet , Bi-Bracelet and Super Candybox II Turbo, a passive item is not needed.
* The player must then collect a Treasure Chest that contains an evolution type reward. In most stages, this kind of chests are dropped by bosses that spawned at or after the 10-minute mark with some exceptions:
	+ The first chest in Mad Forest dropped by the Glowing Bat, which spawns along the wave at 1:00, can evolve a weapon.
	+ All chests in Dairy Plant, Il Molise, Cappella Magna and Boss Rash can evolve a weapon regardless of time.
	+ In Green Acres the ability to evolve a weapon is the same as the wave in its original stage.
		- For example, chests dropped by waves from Dairy Plant prior to 10 minute mark can evolve a weapon, but waves from Inlaid Library cannot.
	+ In Tiny Bridge, all chests, except the chests from minute 3:00 and 6:00 bosses, can evolve a weapon.
	+ Treasure Chests that contain an Arcana (minutes 11:00 and 21:00 in every normal stage) can only evolve a weapon when the player is already at the max count of Arcana.
	+ The Character Gyorunton can evolve weapons with any chest pickup that gives an item, regardless of other conditions.

The chest will then grant an evolved weapon as its first reward in place of the usual random upgrade. On evolution, the base weapon is typically removed and the evolved weapon is added. The passive item remains unaffected. On union, both base weapons are removed and their union is added, freeing a weapon slot. On gift, the base weapon will not be replaced when gift is obtained.

Generally, only one weapon can be evolved per chest, including the higher tier chests. However, some chests contain multiple evolutions:

* The minute 9, 11 and 13 non-Arcana chest drops in Il Molise.
* The minute 10 chests in Dairy Plant, Gallo Tower and Cappella Magna.
* The minute 20 chests in Inlaid Library, Dairy Plant, Gallo Tower, Cappella Magna, and The Bone Zone.
* All chests with an evolution in Bat Country and Tiny Bridge.
* The chests dropped by the Giant Enemy Crab, Drowner, and Stalker.

Chests in Il Molise, Bat Country, and Tiny Bridge, and the chest from Giant Enemy Crab can evolve up to five weapons. The rest can evolve up to three. To evolve multiple weapons at once, these chests must be of the higher tier with enough rewards, as evolution is a type of reward.

### Morph

Certain weapons evolve automatically when a character morphs into a new form, which occurs if you have the required relic and meet the required conditions to morph. When a character morphs, their starting weapon evolves into a new weapon as well. Picking up a treasure chest is not required.

Currently, only Mortaccio, Yatta Cavallo, and O'Sole Meeo can morph.

## List of evolutions, unions, and gifts

### DLC

#### *Emergency Meeting*

The passive item will be consumed while evolving, and can be obtained again though leveling, or pick-ups.

## Trivia

* With the addition of Vicious Hunger, Shadow Pinion and Valkyrie Turner in patch 0.5.2, all passive items at the time have an evolution.
* With the addition of Silver Ring, Gold Ring, Metaglio Left, and Metaglio Right in patch 0.6.1, all base weapons, except bouncy weapons, have an evolution.
* Torrona's Box, added in patch 0.7.2, was not used for any evolution until the introduction of Sole Solution, added in patch 0.11.0.
	+ It is also the only passive item that is involved with more than one evolution in the base game.
* Bone is the first bouncy weapon to get an evolution, with an unique way to evolve by obtaining a relic, and leveling the original weapon owner to level 80.
* SpellStrom is the first ever three weapon union.
* Emegency Meeting is the first DLC that uses only DLC items to evolve weapons.
* The passive items in Emergency Meeting resembles the character that uses the base weapon.