Trade
A trade is a process in which a Pokémon trainer sends one of his or her Pokémon to another trainer in exchange for one of the other trainer's Pokémon.
A trainer can trade with any person, him or herself or with trainers in the games. All a trainer needs to trade is two compatible game cartridges, two of the system it is on (Game Boys/Game Boy Colors for Generations I and II, Game Boy Advances for Generation III and DSes for Generation IV), a link cable for connecting the two systems (or a GBA Wireless Adaptor for trades between FireRed, LeafGreen and Pokémon Emerald) and at least one Pokémon. In Generation IV, Pokémon can also be traded via the Global Trade Station in Jubilife City.
Trading is important to getting all the Pokémon in the Pokédex, since there are some Pokémon that are not available in each version and some Pokémon that only evolve after being traded.
Trading also gives Pokémon an advantage in growth. A traded Pokémon gains boosted experience after a Pokémon battle, which allows a traded Pokémon to level up faster. Pokémon traded from outside of one's own country will gain even more experience.
Pokémon which evolve when traded
Many of these Pokémon also require an evolution-inducing held item to be attached for their evolution to trigger by trade.
- Poliwhirl → Politoed (if King's Rock is attached)
- Kadabra → Alakazam
- Machoke → Machamp
- Graveler → Golem
- Slowpoke → Slowking (if King's Rock is attached)
- Haunter → Gengar
- Onix → Steelix (if Metal Coat is attached)
- Rhydon → Rhyperior (if Protector is attached)
- Seadra → Kingdra (if Dragon Scale is attached)
- Scyther → Scizor (if Metal Coat is attached)
- Electabuzz → Electivire (if Electrizer is attached)
- Magmar → Magmortar (if Magmarizer is attached)
- Porygon → Porygon2 (if Up-Grade is attached)
- Porygon2 → Porygon-Z (if Dubious Disc is attached)
- Dusclops → Dusknoir (if Reaper Cloth is attached)
- Clamperl → Huntail (if Deepseatooth is attached)
- Clamperl → Gorebyss (if Deepseascale is attached)
List of in-game trades
There are a variety of trades that can be made with trainers within the game. These are usually for Pokémon that are difficult to obtain, a rarity at the point the trainer is reachable, or for Pokémon that can only be obtained through trading. All Pokémon received from an in-game trade will be at the same level as the Pokémon sent.
This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. |
Generation I
Red Version | ||
---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon |
Route 2 | Abra | Mr. Mime |
Route 5 | Nidoran♂ | Nidoran♀ |
Route 11 | Nidorino | Nidorina |
Route 18 | Slowbro | Lickitung |
Cerulean City | Poliwhirl | Jynx |
Vermilion City | Spearow | Farfetch'd |
Cinnabar Island | Raichu | Electrode |
Cinnabar Island | Venonat | Tangela |
Cinnabar Island | Ponyta | Seel |
Blue Version | ||
---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon |
Route 2 | Abra | Mr. Mime |
Route 5 | Nidoran♀ | Nidoran♂ |
Route 11 | Nidorina | Nidorino |
Route 18 | Slowbro | Lickitung |
Cerulean City | Poliwhirl | Jynx |
Vermilion City | Spearow | Farfetch'd |
Cinnabar Island | Raichu | Electrode |
Cinnabar Island | Venonat | Tangela |
Cinnabar Island | Ponyta | Seel |
Japanese Blue Version | ||
---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon |
Route 2 | Jigglypuff | Mr. Mime |
Route 5 | Rattata | Poliwag |
Route 11 | Rhydon | Kangaskhan |
Route 18 | Persian | Tauros |
Cerulean City | Machoke | Haunter |
Vermilion City | Pidgey | Farfetch'd |
Cinnabar Island | Kadabra | Graveler |
Cinnabar Island | Seel | Slowpoke |
Cinnabar Island | Growlithe | Krabby |
Yellow Version | ||
---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon |
Route 2 | Clefairy | Mr. Mime |
Route 5 | Cubone | Machoke |
Route 11 | Lickitung | Dugtrio |
Route 18 | Tangela | Parasect |
Cinnabar Island | Golduck | Rhydon |
Cinnabar Island | Growlithe | Dewgong |
Cinnabar Island | Kangaskhan | Muk |
Generation II
Gold and Silver Versions | |||
---|---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon | Held Item |
Violet City | Bellsprout | Onix | |
Goldenrod City | Drowzee | Machop | Gold Berry |
Olivine City | Krabby♀ | Voltorb | |
Blackthorn City | Dragonair♀ | Rhydon | |
Route 14 | Chansey | Aerodactyl | Gold Berry |
Pewter City | Gloom | Rapidash |
Crystal Version | |||
---|---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon | Held Item |
Violet City | Bellsprout | Onix | |
Goldenrod City | Abra | Machop | Gold Berry |
Olivine City | Krabby♀ | Voltorb | |
Blackthorn City | Dragonair♀ | Dodrio | |
Route 14 | Chansey | Aerodactyl | Gold Berry |
Pewter City | Haunter | Xatu | |
Power Plant | Dugtrio | Magneton | Metal Coat |
Generation III
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Ruby and Sapphire Versions | |||
---|---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon | Held Item |
Rustboro City | Slakoth | Makuhita | X-Attack |
Fortree City | Skitty | Pikachu | Glitter Mail |
Pacifidlog Town | Bellossom | Corsola | Tropic Mail |
Emerald Version | |||
---|---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon | Held Item |
Rustboro City | Ralts | Seedot | |
Fortree City | Volbeat | Plusle | |
Pacifidlog Town | Bagon | Horsea | Dragon Scale |
Battle Frontier | Skitty | Meowth |
FireRed and LeafGreen
FireRed Version | |||
---|---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon | Held Item |
Route 2 | Abra | Mr. Mime | |
Route 5 | Nidoran♂ | Nidoran♀ | |
Route 11 | Nidorino | Nidorina | |
Route 18 | Golduck | Lickitung | |
Cerulean City | Poliwhirl | Jynx | Fab Mail |
Vermilion City | Spearow | Farfetch'd | |
Cinnabar Island | Raichu | Electrode | |
Cinnabar Island | Venonat | Tangela | |
Cinnabar Island | Ponyta | Seel |
LeafGreen Version | |||
---|---|---|---|
Location | Player's Pokémon | Traded Pokémon | Held Item |
Route 2 | Abra | Mr. Mime | |
Route 5 | Nidoran♀ | Nidoran♂ | |
Route 11 | Nidorina | Nidorino | |
Route 18 | Slowbro | Lickitung | |
Cerulean City | Poliwhirl | Jynx | Fab Mail |
Vermilion City | Spearow | Farfetch'd | |
Cinnabar Island | Raichu | Electrode | |
Cinnabar Island | Venonat | Tangela | |
Cinnabar Island | Ponyta | Seel |
Colosseum & XD Gale of Darkness
- Elekid exchanged for a purified Togepi at Outskirt Stand
Generation IV
- Chatot exchanged for a Buizel in Eterna City
- Haunter holding an Everstone exchanged for a Medicham in Snowpoint City
- Magikarp holding a Lum Berry exchanged for a Finneon on Route 226
- Machop exchanged for a Abra in Oreburgh City
Trades in other canon
In the anime
Despite it being one of the key aspects of the games, trading is unusually rare in the anime. Only a few trades have taken place, and only one of them thus far has been truly significant. Fans have often speculated about the reason for this.
- In Battle Aboard the St. Anne, Ash traded his Butterfree for a Gentleman's Raticate. He wasn't happy with the trade, however, so he traded it back by the end of the episode.
- In Tricks of the Trade, Jessie unintentionally traded her Lickitung for Benny's Wobbuffet.