Lucky Pokémon are some of the most valuable Pokémon you can own in Pokémon GO because they require less Stardust to power up than standard Pokémon. Whether you’re building raid teams, preparing for Max Battles or competing in the GO Battle League, Lucky Pokémon can help you conserve one of the game’s most important resources.
Here’s everything you need to know about Lucky Pokémon, Lucky Trades and Lucky Friends in Pokémon GO.
What is a Lucky Pokémon?
A Lucky Pokémon is a Pokémon obtained through a Lucky Trade. Every Lucky Pokémon features a sparkling background in Pokémon storage and costs 50% less Stardust to power up than a regular Pokémon.
The Candy and Candy XL required to power up a Lucky Pokémon remain the same.
How do you get a Lucky Pokémon?
Lucky Pokémon are available only through trading.
When an eligible trade becomes a Lucky Trade, both Trainers receive a Lucky Pokémon. Pokémon cannot become Lucky through wild encounters, Eggs, raids or research rewards.
What is a Lucky Trade?
A Lucky Trade is a trade in which both Pokémon automatically become Lucky Pokémon after the exchange.
Most trades have a chance of becoming Lucky, although the odds are not disclosed.
Do older Pokémon have a better chance of becoming Lucky?
Yes.
According to official Pokémon GO information, older Pokémon are generally more likely to trigger a Lucky Trade than Pokémon caught recently. Many Trainers save older Pokémon specifically to improve their chances during future trades.
What are Lucky Friends?
Lucky Friends is a special friendship status available to Best Friends.
Once two Trainers become Lucky Friends, their next trade is guaranteed to be a Lucky Trade. After completing that trade, the Lucky Friend status is removed, and the Trainers return to their normal Best Friend status.
How do you become Lucky Friends?
After reaching Best Friend status, the first friendship interaction each day has a chance to make both Trainers Lucky Friends.
Eligible interactions include:
- Opening Gifts
- Trading Pokémon
- Battling together
- Participating in raids together
- Other friendship-building activities
Only the first eligible interaction each day can trigger Lucky Friends.
What are the benefits of Lucky Pokémon?
Lucky Pokémon offer several important advantages.
Power up Pokémon using less Stardust
The biggest benefit is the 50% reduction in Stardust required to power up a Lucky Pokémon. This makes Lucky Pokémon ideal for expensive investments, including Legendary Pokémon, Mega Evolution candidates and Pokémon used in high-level battles.
Guaranteed minimum IVs
Every Lucky Pokémon has a minimum IV spread of 12 Attack, 12 Defense and 12 HP after the trade.
Because IVs are rerolled during trading, Lucky Pokémon have a much higher stat floor than standard trades.
Chance to get a perfect Pokémon
Lucky Pokémon can still roll perfect IVs.
If the rerolled stats become 15/15/15, you’ll receive a Lucky Pokémon with perfect IVs, often referred to by players as a “Lucky Hundo.”
Can Shadow Pokémon become Lucky?
No.
Shadow Pokémon cannot be traded. A Shadow Pokémon must first be purified before it becomes eligible for trading and only then can it potentially become Lucky.
Can Mythical Pokémon become Lucky?
Most Mythical Pokémon cannot be traded, meaning they also cannot become Lucky Pokémon. Only Mythical Pokémon that are officially eligible for trading can become Lucky.
Is there a limit to how many Lucky Pokémon you can own?
No.
There is no limit to the number of Lucky Pokémon you can keep. As long as you continue making eligible trades, you can continue adding Lucky Pokémon to your collection.
Tips for getting more Lucky Pokémon
If you’re trying to build a collection of Lucky Pokémon, these strategies can help:
- Trade with Best Friends regularly.
- Keep older Pokémon for future trades.
- Complete daily friendship interactions to increase your chances of becoming Lucky Friends.
- Save rare or powerful Pokémon for guaranteed Lucky Friend trades.
- Prioritize Lucky Pokémon when investing large amounts of Stardust.
Frequently asked questions
Are Lucky Pokémon stronger than normal Pokémon?
Lucky Pokémon are not inherently stronger than standard Pokémon. Their main advantage is the reduced Stardust cost required to power them up. They also benefit from a guaranteed minimum IV floor after trading.
Can Lucky Pokémon be shiny?
Yes. If a traded Shiny Pokémon becomes Lucky during a trade, it will become a Lucky Shiny Pokémon.
Can Lucky Pokémon be traded again?
No. Like all traded Pokémon in Pokémon GO, Lucky Pokémon cannot be traded a second time.
Final thoughts
Lucky Pokémon remain one of Pokémon GO’s most rewarding long-term mechanics. Between their reduced Stardust costs, guaranteed IV floor and the possibility of obtaining perfect IVs, they’re well worth pursuing through regular trades and Lucky Friend interactions. Whether you’re preparing for raids, Max Battles or the GO Battle League, understanding how Lucky Trades work can help you strengthen your collection while saving valuable Stardust.
Source:Pokémon
