Lucky Friends in Pokémon GO: A Deep Dive into the Odds and Mechanics
So, you want to know how often you can snag that coveted Lucky Friend status in Pokémon GO? The short answer is: it’s all about chance, and the odds are relatively low each day. After reaching Best Friend status with another Trainer, you get one chance per day to become Lucky Friends by interacting with them through trading, opening gifts, Raids, Gym battles, or Trainer Battles. The estimated probability hovers around 2-5%, so patience and persistence are key! Now, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty details.
Understanding Lucky Friends
What are Lucky Friends?
Lucky Friends is a special status in Pokémon GO that guarantees a Lucky Trade with another Trainer. When you’re Lucky Friends, the next trade you make with them will result in both Pokémon becoming Lucky Pokémon. This is a fantastic way to obtain Pokémon with improved IVs (Individual Values) and reduced Stardust costs for powering up. Remember, Lucky Friends is a temporary status; it disappears after you complete the guaranteed Lucky Trade.
How to Achieve Lucky Friends Status
The journey to Lucky Friends starts with becoming Best Friends. Once you reach Best Friends with another Trainer (which requires a whopping 90 days of interactions!), you have a daily chance to become Lucky Friends. This chance is triggered by:
- Trading Pokémon.
- Opening a Gift from each other.
- Teaming up in Raids.
- Battling together in Gyms.
- Challenging each other to a Trainer Battle.
Each of these interactions gives you one chance per day to trigger the Lucky Friends status.
Why are Lucky Friends So Desirable?
Lucky Pokémon offer several advantages:
- Improved IVs: Lucky Pokémon have a guaranteed IV floor of 12/12/12, meaning they are guaranteed to be at least 80% perfect.
- Reduced Stardust Costs: Powering up Lucky Pokémon requires 50% less Stardust, saving you precious resources.
- Visual Appeal: Lucky Pokémon display a unique, sparkly animation on their profile, making them visually distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Lucky Friends
Here are some frequently asked questions to help you understand the ins and outs of Lucky Friends in Pokémon GO:
1. How many Lucky Trades can I do per day?
While there’s no limit to how many times you can attempt to become Lucky Friends with someone each day through interaction, you are limited by the max 100 trades per day.
2. Are Lucky Trades always 3-star?
Not always, but they’re very likely to be! The IV floor for Lucky Pokémon is 12/12/12, which means they’re guaranteed to be at least 80% IV. Anything 82% or higher (13/12/12+) will be a 3-star Pokémon based on the appraisal system.
3. How do you get a guaranteed Lucky Trade?
The only guaranteed way to get a Lucky Trade is by becoming Lucky Friends with another Trainer. Once you are Lucky Friends status your next trade will automatically produce Lucky Pokémon.
4. Can you become Lucky Friends after a Lucky Trade?
No, after completing a Lucky Trade, your Lucky Friend status is cleared. You need to increase your Friendship level again through daily interactions to have another chance at becoming Lucky Friends.
5. Can you get two Lucky Trades in one day?
You can only have one guaranteed Lucky Trade per day with each Best Friend via the Lucky Friends mechanic. However, you might experience random Lucky Trades without being Lucky Friends, although the odds are much lower. It is also possible to trigger Lucky Friends more than once with the same player, giving you a guaranteed trade each time the status is active.
6. What are the odds of becoming Lucky Friends?
The estimated odds of triggering Lucky Friends with a Best Friend are around 2-5% each day. This is just an estimation based on community experiences and data. There is no specific odds confirmed by Niantic.
7. Do Lucky Friends expire?
Yes, Lucky Friends is not a permanent status. It disappears immediately after you complete a trade with your Lucky Friend.
8. Are Lucky Friends permanent?
No, Lucky Friends status only lasts until you complete one trade. After the trade, you revert to being Best Friends.
9. Can you get Lucky Friends twice with the same person?
Yes, you can become Lucky Friends with the same person more than once, but not on the same day. Each day you interact with a Best Friend, you have another chance to trigger Lucky Friends.
10. Can you only be Lucky Friends with one person?
No, you can have multiple Lucky Friends simultaneously. There’s no limit to how many Best Friends you can become Lucky Friends with.
11. What is the best Pokémon to Lucky Trade?
The best Pokémon to Lucky Trade are those that are rare, powerful, and difficult to obtain, such as:
- Legendary Pokémon (Mewtwo, Rayquaza, Kyogre)
- Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon (Metagross, Garchomp)
- Strong attackers and raid counters (Togekiss, Lucario, Giratina)
12. How rare is a Lucky Hundo?
Since the IV floor for Lucky Trades is 12/12/12, there are only 64 possible IV combinations. This means the chance of getting a Lucky Hundo (100% IV Pokémon) is approximately 1 in 64, or 1.56%.
13. Are Lucky Pokémon stronger?
Lucky Pokémon themselves aren’t inherently stronger in terms of base stats. However, the guaranteed IV floor of 12/12/12 ensures they will have relatively high IVs. The most significant advantage is the reduced Stardust cost for powering them up. The stardust savings is substantial when dealing with legendary Pokemon.
14. Does a Lucky Trade make both Pokémon lucky?
Yes! When you are Lucky Friends with another trainer, the trade is guaranteed to produce Lucky Pokemon for both trainers!
15. What is the fastest way to become Lucky Friends?
There’s no guaranteed “fast” way. The process relies on chance. Consistent daily interaction is the key, open gifts from your Best Friends whenever possible.
The world of gaming offers many opportunities to learn and develop skills. Explore more about the educational aspects of games at the Games Learning Society website: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Becoming Lucky Friends in Pokémon GO is a delightful and rewarding experience. While the odds may seem low, persistence and daily interactions with your Best Friends will eventually pay off. So keep sending those Gifts, battling in Raids together, and good luck on your journey to becoming a Lucky Friend!