Pokémon Go: Lucky Pokémon bonuses and how to get guide

Try your luck.

A bunch of phones showing the Pokemon Go Lucky Pokemon screen pop up
Image via Niantic

Everyone wants Lucky Pokémon in Pokémon Go because their foundation is really strong. But there’s only one way to get them, and you’ll need a friend and a bit of luck. Here’s how you can increase that luck and get your hands on the rare creatures.

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What is a Lucky Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

Lucky Pokémon in Pokémon Go are special. They have at least 12 Individual Values, meaning they’re better than about 80 percent of other Pokémon because the highest an Individual Value can go is 15. Plus, they only need half the Stardust to power up compared to normal Pokémon.

How to get Lucky Pokémon in Pokémon Go

You can only get Lucky Pokémon by trading with other players. You won’t find them out in the wild. Each Pokémon has a roughly five percent chance of becoming Lucky when you trade it. But, if a trainer has had a Pokémon for a long time, it has a better chance of turning Lucky in a trade. The older the Pokémon, the better the odds.

What are the odds of getting a Lucky Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

Pokémon AgeOdds
Less than one year oldFive percent
One year old10 percent
Two years old15 percent
More than three years old20 percent

Can other factors increase the odds of getting a Lucky Pokémon?

Yes, there are three more things that can raise your chances of getting a Lucky Pokémon in Pokémon Go.

First, if both the Pokémon involved in a trade are at least one year old, the chances jump up to 20 percent. Second, players who have gotten less than 10 Lucky Pokémon from trades will definitely get a Lucky Pokémon if they receive a Pokémon caught between July and Aug. 2016 from another player in a trade.

Third, if you’ve become Best Friends with someone after doing lots of raids or fighting gym battles together, you might become Lucky Friends. This can happen once a day when you play together, fight, or share gifts, but the odds of it happening are about one percent. You’ll be notified when it happens.

When it does, any Pokémon you trade will turn into Lucky Pokémon, just for one trade. After that, you go back to being Best Friends and the odds become normal.

Author
Image of Alex Tsiaoussidis
Alex Tsiaoussidis
Staff Writer for Dot Esports. I am a passionate gamer with years of experience covering all things gaming, esports, and streaming. I have extra love for Dota 2, Pokémon, and Apex Legends.