Pokémon Ultra Sun Ultra Moon Rockruff event - start date, end date, how to get Lycanium Z and evolve Rockruff to Dusk Form Lycanroc

The Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Rockruff event is the first giveaway of Ultra series and, at the time of writing, your only means of getting the special Dusk Form Lycanroc with the special Lycanium Z Z-Crystal.

Here on this page we'll explain all the essentials of the event, including the Rockruff event start date and end date and exactly how to evolve Rockruff into Dusk Form Lycanroc, too.

Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Rockruff event details, start date and end date

Rockruff event start date:

The Rockruff event is already live, start on the day of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon's release, November 17th 2017.

Rockruff event end date:

The Rockruff giveaway ends on January 10th 2018, meaning you have just under two months to claim it in-game.

How to get the event Rockruff

This event, being a standard Mystery Gift-style giveaway, is nice and simple. All you need to do is:

1. On the startup menu, select "Mystery Gift" and then "Receive Gift".
2. Select "Get via Internet" and follow the instructions.
3. Load up your save and head to any Pokémon Center.
4. Talk to the deliveryman in the yellow and blue polo shirt.

Lycanium Z and other things to know about the event Rockruff

First, it's worth noting that Rockruff has a random nature, which is generated when you receive it from the deliveryman - that means you can save before talking to the man and soft-reset (hold down L, R, and press Start) to reload that save until you get a desirable nature, if that's something you're concerned with.

This Rockruff is also breedable and, seeing as it's the Own Tempo Ability that makes it possible to evolve into the special Dusk Form Lycanroc, that also means you can have mutliple Dusk Form Lycanroc in the future if you breed it and pass down Own Tempo to the offspring.

Lycanium Z, meanwhile, will come as an additional gift to the Rockruff. This turns the move Stone Edge into the powerful unique Z-Move, Splintered Stormshards, when held by Lycanroc.

For more on Pokémon Ultra Sun and Moon, head to our main Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon walkthrough and guide hub, which includes guides to new Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Pokémon and Pokédex changes, the Festival Plaza, a list of Global Missions and rewards, an explainer on Pokémon Bank, a dedicated page on Pokémon Competitive Training, including IV Training, EVs and hidden stats, Breeding 6IV Pokémon explained and how to farm Bottle Caps fast for Hyper Training. What's more, we have pages on the Rockruff event for getting Dusk Form Lycanroc and, last but not least, a full Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon QR codes list for adding all Pokémon to your Pokédex.

How to evolve Rockruff to get Dusk Form Lycanroc

There's a pretty specific method for evolving Rockruff into Dusk Form Lycanroc - here's how:

How to evolve Rockruff into Dusk Form Lycanroc

1. Obtain a Rockruff with the Ability Own Tempo (only available via the above giveaway, or breeding Rockruff from that giveaway).
2. Wait until 5am in-game (note that, in Pokémon Ultra Moon, that's 5pm in real-world time).
3. Level up Rockruff via any means, between 5pm and 5:59pm.

It's simple enough - the long and short of it is you have to have a Rockruff with Own Tempo and level it up between 5pm and 5:59pm - but such a specific method can be awkward if you don't know the specifics. The most important thing to remember is that it's the in-game time that counts.

Otherwise, that's it! Evolve your special Rockruff at the right time, and Dusk Form Lycanroc's all yours (with some great stats, and the very useful Tough Claws ability, too).