How to evolve Haunter into Gengar in Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Obtaining a Gengar will require a new method.

Screengrab via Nintendo/The Pokemon Company

Throughout the Pokémon series, certain Pokémon have only been capable of evolving through trading with another player. Due to Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ single-player focus, this method of evolution has been completely removed, giving a handful of Pokémon new ways to evolve.

Recommended Videos

Haunter is one of the many Pokémon that used to be restricted by trade evolution, requiring players to trade a Haunter with another trainer to get a Gengar. If the player that sent the Haunter wanted the Gengar back, they’d have to trade with them once more, creating a tedious process that deterred many players from obtaining this powerful Pokémon. Thanks to a new item available in the Hisui region, though, this process is far more streamlined, giving players access to Gengar as soon as they reach the Crimson Mirelands.

Screengrab via Nintendo/The Pokémon Company

In Legends: Arceus, Haunter evolves into Gengar using the new Linking Cord item. This consumable, looking very out-of-place among the bygone days of Hisui, is incredibly difficult to come by. Through compiling Merit Points, players can purchase one from the Trade Shop in Jubilife Village.

Players also have a slight chance of finding one in space-time distortions, though this method does not guarantee one will appear. This item is single-use, so once it is used to evolve a Pokémon like Haunter, players will need to locate another one.

Related: Where to find the Linking Cord in Pokémon Legends: Arceus

The Linking Cord acts as the new way of evolving Pokémon like Haunter that were previously restricted by trade evolutions. It is currently unclear if this item will reappear in future entries of the series.

This article includes affiliate links, which may provide small compensation to Dot Esports.

Author
Image of Ethan Garcia
Ethan Garcia
Ethan Garcia is a freelance writer for Dot Esports, having been part of the company for three years. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Magazine Journalism from Syracuse University and specializes particularly in coverage of League of Legends, various Nintendo IPs, and beyond.