Lucky Trades in Pokémon GO: How Many Can You Get in a Day?

So, you’re wondering just how many Lucky Pokémon you can snag in a single day in Pokémon GO? The short answer: potentially unlimited! Unlike Special Trades, which are limited to one per day, there’s no limit to the number of Lucky Trades you can perform, provided you meet the necessary conditions. This hinges primarily on having multiple Lucky Friends or getting lucky with the base random chance during regular trades. Let’s dive deeper into the mechanics and nuances of Lucky Trades to maximize your chances of obtaining these powerful Pokémon.

Understanding Lucky Trades

Before we explore the daily limits, let’s define what constitutes a Lucky Trade. When you trade Pokémon with another Trainer, there’s a chance that both Pokémon will become Lucky. Lucky Pokémon have a shimmering background in your storage and come with some fantastic benefits:

• Guaranteed higher IVs (Individual Values): All stats (Attack, Defense, HP) will be between 12 and 15.
• Reduced Stardust cost for powering up: This significantly reduces the resource burden of leveling up your Lucky Pokémon, making them competitive in battles more quickly and affordably.

The odds of a trade resulting in Lucky Pokémon are influenced by several factors, including the age of the Pokémon being traded. Older Pokémon have a higher chance of becoming Lucky. The base rate is around 5%, with an approximate 5% increase in the rate for every year the Pokémon is old. This rate caps at 20%. However, the most reliable way to ensure a Lucky Trade is to become Lucky Friends with someone.

Lucky Friends: Your Guaranteed Ticket to Lucky Trades

The Lucky Friends mechanic provides a guaranteed path to a Lucky Trade. Once you reach Best Friends status with another trainer, you have a chance of becoming Lucky Friends each day when you interact with them (opening a gift, battling together, or trading). The chance of this happening is around 1.1% for the first interaction each day. When you’re Lucky Friends, the very next trade you make with that friend will result in both Pokémon becoming Lucky. After the trade, your Lucky Friend status is consumed, and you’ll need to build it up again through daily interactions.

This is where the possibility of multiple Lucky Trades per day comes into play. If you are Lucky Friends with multiple trainers, you can perform a guaranteed Lucky Trade with each of them, all within the same day! Therefore, optimizing your friendship levels and actively interacting with your Best Friends is crucial to maximizing your Lucky Trade potential.

Optimizing Your Lucky Trade Potential

• Maximize Best Friends: Focus on reaching Best Friends status with as many active players as possible. This significantly increases your chances of becoming Lucky Friends.
• Daily Interactions: Engage in daily interactions (gift opening, battling, trading) with your Best Friends to trigger the Lucky Friend status.
• Coordinate Trades: Communicate with your Lucky Friends to coordinate your Lucky Trades. Decide which Pokémon you want to trade to ensure you both benefit from the improved IVs and reduced Stardust cost.
• Old Pokémon Strategy: Consider trading older Pokémon (especially those from 2016 or 2017) even if you don’t have Lucky Friends. These have a significantly higher chance of becoming Lucky, especially for players who have done fewer than 10 guaranteed trades.
• Be Mindful of Special Trades: Remember the one Special Trade per day limit. Special Trades include trading Pokémon you don’t already own (like Legendaries, Shinies, or regionals). Plan your trades strategically to prioritize your most desired Pokémon as Special Trades and utilize Lucky Trades for other valuable Pokémon.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Are there any limits on the number of standard trades per day?

Yes, you can perform up to 100 standard trades per day.

2. Does being Lucky Friends guarantee a 3-star Pokémon?

While Lucky Pokémon have a minimum IV floor of 12/12/12, which translates to at least 80% IV, it does not guarantee they will be 3-star. Anything 82% or higher (13/12/12+) will be 3*.

3. Can you become Lucky Friends with the same person multiple times?

Yes! After completing a Lucky Trade, the Lucky Friend status is cleared. You can regain Lucky Friend status with the same person through daily interactions.

4. Do Lucky Trades always increase IVs?

Lucky Trades guarantee IVs between 12 and 15 for each stat. This doesn’t necessarily mean an increase. A Pokémon with higher IVs before the trade could end up with lower IVs after becoming Lucky.

5. Can I trade a Mythical Pokémon?

You cannot trade Mythical Pokémon, except for Meltan, which can be traded.

6. What triggers a Lucky Trade?

A Lucky Trade is triggered either randomly during a trade or guaranteed when trading with a Lucky Friend.

7. How do you increase your chances of becoming Lucky Friends?

The best way to increase your chances is to interact daily with your Best Friends by opening gifts, battling together in raids or trainer battles, or initiating a trade. The first interaction of the day has a chance to trigger the Lucky Friend status.

8. What are the odds of a trade resulting in Lucky Pokémon?

The base rate for a Lucky Trade is approximately 5%, increasing by about 5% for each year the traded Pokémon is old, up to a maximum of 20%.

9. Can you trade shiny Pokémon?

Yes, you can trade shiny Pokémon, but these count as Special Trades. Be aware of the Stardust cost involved, which depends on whether you both have the Pokémon registered in your Pokédex.

10. Can I trade Pokémon caught in 2016 or 2017 to guarantee Lucky Pokémon?

Pokémon caught in July and August 2016 are guaranteed to become Lucky if the sender has been in fewer than 10 guaranteed trades, either as sender or recipient. This is a very effective strategy for those who haven’t engaged in many guaranteed trades.

11. Do Lucky Pokémon stay Lucky after trading?

No, once a Pokémon becomes Lucky, its Lucky status is permanent. It doesn’t disappear after trading it again.

12. Can Purified Pokémon become Lucky?

Yes, purified Pokémon can become Lucky through trades. Given the IV floor of 12/12/12 for Lucky Pokémon, a Lucky Purified Pokémon is highly likely to have very high IVs, potentially even perfect (100% IV).

13. Is there a Lucky Trade trick in Pokémon GO?

The “trick” is to maximize your Best Friends list, interact with them daily, and coordinate Lucky Trades strategically. Using older Pokémon can also increase your odds of a random Lucky Trade.

14. What happens if you Lucky Trade a 100% IV Pokémon?

While it might seem counterintuitive, trading a 100% IV Pokémon is generally not recommended. The IVs will be re-rolled during the trade, meaning the Pokémon could end up with lower IVs, even if it becomes Lucky.

15. What are the benefits of Lucky Pokémon?

Lucky Pokémon have a number of key advantages: higher minimum IVs (12/12/12) and a 50% reduction in Stardust required for powering up. This makes them significantly more cost-effective to train and use in battles.

Conclusion

While the allure of Lucky Pokémon and their boosted stats is strong, remember that smart trading involves strategy and coordination. By focusing on building strong friendships, maximizing daily interactions, and understanding the mechanics of Lucky Trades, you can significantly increase your chances of obtaining a valuable arsenal of Lucky Pokémon without any fixed daily limit. Remember to prioritize Special Trades, utilize older Pokémon when possible, and always communicate with your trading partners for optimal results.

To further expand your knowledge on gaming and learning, explore the resources available at the Games Learning Society website: GamesLearningSociety.org. Good luck and happy trading!