Pokemon GO: What is a Lucky Pokemon?

Plenty of Pokemon GO players know about Shiny, Alolan, and Galarian form Pokemon, but Lucky Pokemon are a little more under-the-radar.

Although not as aesthetically pleasing as their counterparts, Lucky Pokemon have a very helpful benefit: a 50% reduction in Stardust needed to level up their CP. Since Stardust is a tough resource to collect in Pokemon GO, Lucky Pokemon are highly helpful to a player's long-term prospects. Stardust saved in some places can be used in others, such as trading, Charged Move unlocking, and purification of Shadow Pokemon.

Finding Lucky Pokemon requires a process, but it's not quite as simple as one popping up in the wild like a Shiny.

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Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO

Image via Niantic

Lucky Pokemon can be distinguished by the faint sparkle in their 3D model, but also from the shimmering portrait they possess in the Pokemon roster screen. They will also be updated in the player's Pokedex alongside "seen" and "caught" Pokemon, making the number of Luckies trackable. Although obtaining them takes a few steps, they are very much worth the investment, especially at higher trainer levels, where Stardust management becomes more vital.

Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO are available via the game's trade feature. Every time two Pokemon are traded, there is a chance that either of them will become Lucky. In addition, the older the Pokemon is, the more likely it is to be converted to the coveted Lucky status. So if players have leftover Pokemon from years like 2016 or 2017, there's a very good chance for it to become Lucky in a trade. If the player in particular has found less than 10 Luckies throughout their tenure, a Pokemon from Pokemon GO's July/August 2016 beginnings is capable of having a 100% conversion rate after the trade. This is thanks to Niantic's Summer 2018 update to offer more opportunities for trainers to bag a Lucky for themselves.

Even if the Pokemon isn't an older catch, it is still entirely possible for them to be Lucky after trading. Although the chances will be lesser, it is still entirely worth it to trade as much as possible. Lucky Pokemon also have very high IVs (Individual Values), meaning even a subpar Pokemon can become much more impressive in battle by converting it into a Lucky.

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