Trying to turn Applin into Hydrapple in Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet? The confusing part is that Applin has several possible evolutions, but only the Dipplin branch leads to Hydrapple. You also need to make progress in both parts of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC.
The short version: Applin + Syrupy Apple → Dipplin; teach Dipplin Dragon Cheer (TM226); level it up once → Hydrapple. Here is where to find each item and what to check if the evolution refuses to happen.
Quick evolution checklist
- Get an Applin in Paldea or Kitakami.
- Buy a Syrupy Apple at Mossfell Confluence in southeastern Kitakami.
- Use the Syrupy Apple on Applin to evolve it into Dipplin.
- Progress through The Indigo Disk until you defeat Drayton and receive TM226 Dragon Cheer.
- Teach Dragon Cheer to Dipplin, keep it in its current move set, and gain one level.
That final level-up is the trigger. Simply teaching Dragon Cheer does not immediately evolve Dipplin. The item and move requirements are documented in the Nintendo Life walkthrough and the VGC guide.
Which game and DLC do you need?
This walkthrough is for the Nintendo Switch games Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, not Pokémon GO or a mobile spin-off. You need access to the relevant expansion areas: The Teal Mask for the Syrupy Apple and The Indigo Disk for Drayton’s Dragon Cheer TM.
The Pokémon Company describes these as the two parts of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. The DLC requires the matching base game and is sold separately. Reaching the main story of The Indigo Disk also requires finishing the base-game ending and the main story of The Teal Mask. See the official DLC announcement and access notes.
If you received an eligible Dipplin or a Dragon Cheer TM through trading, your exact route to the items may differ. The steps below explain how to obtain them yourself through normal DLC progression.
Step 1: Find Applin
Applin is a small Grass/Dragon-type Pokémon associated with apple trees. It appears in the base game’s Paldea region and in Kitakami. In Kitakami, the orchards around Apple Hills, west of Mossui Town, are a convenient place to look.
Check the trees carefully: Applin can be easy to overlook. If you have already caught one, there is no need to find a special new specimen; an ordinary Applin can take this evolution path. The official Applin Pokédex confirms its typing and place in the wider evolution family.
Step 2: Buy a Syrupy Apple and get Dipplin
Travel to Mossfell Confluence in the southeast of Kitakami. Look for a small stand in the orchard area selling Syrupy Apples for 500 in-game Pokédollars each. This is a game-currency price, not a real-money purchase.
Open your Bag, select the Syrupy Apple, and use it on Applin. The evolution to Dipplin happens immediately; you do not need a particular level or friendship value. If you cannot find the stand, check that you are in Kitakami rather than Paldea and look along the southeastern edge of the map. The location and price are detailed in Nintendo Life’s step-by-step guide.
Dipplin is still Grass/Dragon-type. Its official Pokédex entry describes the unusual two-creature-in-one-apple concept and lists Gluttony and Supersweet Syrup as its Abilities.
Step 3: Unlock TM226 Dragon Cheer
Next, advance the story in The Indigo Disk at Blueberry Academy. You receive TM226 Dragon Cheer after defeating Drayton, one of the BB League Elite Four, in the Polar Biome portion of the Terarium.
Drayton’s challenge comes before his battle. It requires a team meeting his trial’s special catch-location restriction, so do not assume your usual Paldea party can handle every part of the trial. After winning, use the awarded TM to teach Dragon Cheer to your Dipplin. The Nintendo Life guide explains the reward and its use.
What if you already used the Dragon Cheer TM?
After unlocking the recipe, additional copies can be made at a TM Machine. The reported crafting requirements are 1,500 League Points, 2 Tatsugiri Scales, 2 Lapras Teardrops, and 1 Applin Juice. Check the recipe in your own game before gathering materials, since the in-game menu is the authoritative inventory check.
If you are missing a material, find the named Pokémon in the appropriate region and obtain its material through the game’s normal catching or battling systems. You do not need to purchase a second DLC or restart your save merely because you spent the first TM.
Step 4: Level up Dipplin while it knows Dragon Cheer
Once Dragon Cheer appears among Dipplin’s current moves, make it gain one level. An ordinary battle or Exp. Candy can do the job. Hydrapple should evolve after that level increase.
Dragon Cheer does not have to be used during a battle. It is the fact that Dipplin knows the move when it levels up that matters. If you replaced Dragon Cheer with another move, put it back in the active move list before trying again.
Why Flapple and Appletun cannot become Hydrapple
Applin’s first evolution is a branch, not a single linear ladder. Choosing a different apple item gives you a different species. The official evolution family includes all four names, but only Dipplin continues to Hydrapple.
| Item used on Applin | Evolution | Can it evolve into Hydrapple? |
|---|---|---|
| Tart Apple | Flapple | No |
| Sweet Apple | Appletun | No |
| Syrupy Apple | Dipplin | Yes, with Dragon Cheer and a level-up |
If you evolved your only Applin into Flapple or Appletun, catch or trade for another Applin. You cannot reverse that evolution or convert either final form into Dipplin.
Dipplin still will not evolve? Check these four things
- Species: Make sure the Pokémon is Dipplin, not Applin, Flapple, or Appletun.
- Move: Confirm Dragon Cheer is currently learned, rather than merely having the TM in your Bag.
- Level: Gain a new level after the move is learned; using the TM alone is not enough.
- Game: Follow these steps in Scarlet or Violet. Evolution rules in other games and fan-made mods may differ.
For the least ambiguous test, save your game, check Dipplin’s move list, then use an Exp. Candy that increases its level. That isolates the evolution condition from any confusion about battle rewards.
Is Hydrapple worth getting?
For a Pokédex completionist, yes: Hydrapple is a separate species, National Pokédex No. 1019. It keeps the Grass/Dragon typing, and its many-headed apple-dragon design makes it a distinctive addition to the family. The official Pokémon site includes Hydrapple in its Dragon-type overview.
In battle, Hydrapple offers a different profile from Flapple’s more attack-oriented role. But it is not automatically the best pick for every team: Grass/Dragon has several weaknesses, especially Ice, and team composition matters more than an evolution’s novelty.
Frequently asked questions
Can I evolve Dipplin without Dragon Cheer?
No. In Scarlet and Violet, Dipplin must know Dragon Cheer when it levels up to evolve into Hydrapple.
Does Dipplin need to be a certain level?
There is no special fixed level threshold for Hydrapple. Once Dipplin knows Dragon Cheer, its next level-up triggers evolution.
Can I get Hydrapple in the base game without the DLC?
The normal self-obtained evolution route uses content from both DLC areas. Trading may give you access to a Pokémon or item without personally completing those areas, but that is different from unlocking the normal route yourself.
Sources and disclosure
- The Pokémon Company: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC and access requirements (February 27, 2023).
- Official Pokémon Pokédex: Applin and its evolution family.
- Official Pokémon Pokédex: Dipplin.
- Nintendo Life: Dipplin-to-Hydrapple evolution walkthrough.
- VGC: Hydrapple location and evolution method.
Unofficial fan guide. Featured image is an original editorial illustration, not official Pokémon artwork or an in-game screenshot. The steps describe Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, including their DLC, rather than mechanics in other Pokémon titles.