[2025] How to Get a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO?

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Trading Pokemon with friends can help you complete your Pokedex and obtain Pokemon with high IVs. What’s more, you may even have a chance to get a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO. However, Lucky Trade is not guaranteed every time.

In today’s blog, we’ll break down the latest Pokemon GO Lucky Trade odds, explain the mechanics behind Lucky Pokemon, and answer the most frequently asked questions about how to get a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO. Let’s get started!

What is a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO?

First of all, let’s figure out what a Lucky Pokemon is. According to Niantic’s official introduction, Lucky Pokemon are special Pokemon that has a chance to appear when you trade with friends. Lucky Pokemon’s page will have gold bubbles on it.

Every Lucky Pokemon has a minimum IV of 12/12/12, meaning it starts with strong base stats. More importantly, Lucky Pokemon require only half the usual Stardust to power up - which saves thousands of Stardust over time, especially for Legendary and high-level Pokemon. Note that while Stardust is reduced, XL Candy requirements remain the same.

Because of their reduced resource cost and guaranteed decent stats, Lucky Pokemon are highly favored by Trainers.

How to Get Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO?

As the game updates, there are 3 ways to get a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO now.

The first is to take advantage of the returning player rewards, which give you a 100% chance of a Lucky Trade under certain circumstances. The second is to understand the Pokemon GO Lucky Trade odds and keep trading. The third is to become Lucky Friends.

1 Guaranteed Lucky Trade 2024 & 2025

One of the most reliable methods to get a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO is through a guaranteed Lucky Trade - a mechanic especially helpful for returning Trainers or those with older Pokemon.

As of 2025, Niantic has set the guaranteed Lucky Trade limit to 25 per player. Here's how it works:

If you trade a Pokemon caught before December 31, 2018, and your guaranteed Lucky counter is under 25, the trade is 100% guaranteed to result in a Lucky Pokemon.

However, both Trainers’ counters increase by 1 after each successful guaranteed Lucky Trade.

Once either player exceeds the 25 trade limit, the guaranteed mechanic no longer applies - but Lucky Pokemon can still appear randomly, with increased odds for older Pokemon.

Example:

Player A (counter = 0) trades 25 old Pokemon to Player B (counter = 10).

→ All 25 trades result in Lucky Pokemon.

→ Afterward, Player A’s counter = 25, Player B’s counter = 35.

→ Neither player can trigger further guaranteed trades unless Niantic increases the limit.

Notes:

2 Know the Latest Pokemon GO Lucky Trade Odds

Another important method to get a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO is by understanding and taking advantage of the Lucky Trade odds. While not every trade guarantees a Lucky Trade, knowing how the system works can greatly increase your chances.

In the long term, every 20 trades result in 1 Lucky Trade on average, meaning the basic chance is 5%. However, trading old Pokemon can further increase the chances. Here is how it works:

From the table, we can see that the Pokemon GO lucky trade odds cap is 20% (if there’s no special event), and the age bonus can go up to a maximum of 3 years.

3 Trigger Lucky Friends in Pokemon GO

The last way to get a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO is to become Lucky Friends with other Trainers. Becoming Lucky Friends with a Best Friend in Pokemon GO isn't super common - only about a 3% chance per interaction.

Once you interact with your Best Friend and become a Lucky Friend, the next time you trade with him/her, both Pokemon will be guaranteed to be Lucky Pokemon. When the trade finishes, the Lucky Friend identity will be invalid, but you can still try to become Lucky Friends again.

Tips

1. Interact with multiple Best Friends daily to increase your chances of triggering the Lucky status.

2. Save strongest Pokemon specifically for Lucky Friend trades.

3. Use in-game note systems to track which friends are currently Lucky.

Best Pokemon to Trade for a Lucky Pokemon

Now that you know how to get a Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO, the next question is which Pokemon are worth trading to get Lucky? Because Lucky Pokemon require only half the Stardust to power up and often have high IVs, you should prioritize trading Pokemon that are either powerful in battle, rare, or expensive to upgrade.

1 Legendary Pokemon

Legendary Pokemon like Mewtwo, Rayquaza, Kyogre, and Groudon are among the best Pokemon to trade for Lucky status. These high-stat Pokemon are expensive to power up, so getting a Lucky version reduces Stardust costs significantly - making them perfect candidates for a Lucky Trade in Pokemon GO.

2 Shiny Pokemon

If you love rare finds, trading Shiny Pokemon for a Lucky Shiny Pokemon is a top-tier move. These are not only visually unique, but also highly valued among collectors and traders. A Shiny + Lucky combination makes them even more desirable for long-term gameplay or showpiece value.

3 Rare or Region-Exclusive Pokemon

Certain Pokemon like Tropius, Mr. Mime, and Kangaskhan are regional exclusives, making them harder to obtain. Trading these through a Lucky Trade adds extra value and long-term utility - especially during global events or when preparing for special collections.

4 High IV or PvP/PvE Meta Pokemon

Trading for Pokemon that are meta-relevant in PvP or raids is a smart strategy. Look for Pokemon like:

Garchomp - PvE Ground-type attacker

Togekiss - PvP Fairy-type counter

Metagross, Excadrill, Hydreigon, Machamp

These Pokemon play critical roles in current GO Battle League metas and Raid strategies. Getting a Lucky version allows you to upgrade them faster and cheaper.

5 Old Pokemon from 2016 - 2018 (Guaranteed Lucky Trades)

If you or your trading partner still has Pokemon caught between July and December 2016, you may be eligible for a guaranteed Lucky Trade - with odds going up to 100% for the first 25 eligible trades. These Pokemon are often already high-level, which means even more Stardust savings when you power them up.

Bonus: Increase Your Lucky Trade Success in 1 Click

In addition to the standard methods of increasing your chances for a Lucky Trade in Pokemon GO, there's a faster and more flexible option - using LocaChange, a trusted GPS spoofer designed for Pokemon GO players.

With LocaChange, you can bypass trading distance limitations, teleport to new regions, and simulate walking with Pokemon GO joystick - making it much simpler to connect with global friends and trigger Lucky Pokemon trades faster than ever.

Key Features of LocaChange

• Change location in Pokemon GO to trade global Trainers without moving.
• Increase the Lucky Trade odds and get more Lucky Pokemon effortlessly.
• Simulate real walking with 360-degree joystick, reaching PokeStops and Gyms or hatching eggs without walking.
• Seamlessly compatible with the latest iOS 26 & Android 15 systems, supporting up to 10 devices.
• More advanced features: Built-in PokeStop map, IV100 checker, Pokedex, and cooldown timer.

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Use LocaChange to get your Lucky Pokemon easily:

Step 1: Download and intall LocaChange on your iPhone/Android.

Step 2: Open LocaChange app and follow the on-screen instructions, and complete the basic settings. (Refer to the LocaChange User Guide for details.)

Step 3: Select or enter a GPS location you want to spoof, pick a mode, and click Move to trade with global players without limitations.

You can aslo to use LocaChange via PC to spoof location on iOS & Android:

Step 1: Connect your mobile phone to a PC.

Step 2: Choose a mode you need and enter the location you want to change. Now, you can teleport to trade and get a Lucky Pokemon.

FAQs About Pokemon GO Lucky Pokemon

1．How to Become Lucky Friends in Pokemon GO?

To become Lucky Friends, you need to play Pokemon GO with your friends together for 90 days to become Best Friends first. Only Best Friends have a chance to trigger Lucky Friends, and the odds are about 3% according to statistics. So you need to persist in playing the game with your friends and interact every day.

2．What is the Trade Limit in Pokemon GO?

Pokemon trade is only available for trainers above LV10, and the Pokemon GO trading distance is limited to a 100-meter radius. Besides, you can only trade 100 Pokemon with your friend at most.

3．Is there a Cap of Lucky Trade Chance?

Yes, the Pokemon GO lucky trade odds are 20% at most if there’s no special event, and it depends on the age of the Pokemon you trade. The older the Pokemon is, the higher the odds will be. In some activities like the Lunar New Year, the chance can go as high as 30%.

4. Can You Get a Shiny Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO?

Yes, it's possible to get a Shiny Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO if you trade a shiny Pokemon and the trade results in a Lucky. This combination is rare and highly sought-after by collectors and PvP players.

5. Do Lucky Trades Work Across Long Distances?

Normally, trades must happen within 100 meters. However, with tools like LocaChange, you can spoof your location and perform trades over long distances safely, enabling you to connect with global friends and trigger more Lucky Trades in Pokemon GO.

6. What Is the Difference Between Lucky Friends and Lucky Trades?

Lucky Friends are a temporary status between two Best Friends that guarantees the next trade will result in a Lucky Pokemon. A Lucky Trade is any trade that randomly results in a Lucky Pokemon, regardless of friend level, though the odds are much lower.

7. Can Lucky Pokémon Be Traded Again?

Yes, Lucky Pokemon can be traded again. However, if it’s Legendary or Shiny, it will count as your daily Special Trade. Keep in mind that once traded, the Pokemon may lose its high IV stats.

Conclusion

Although the Pokemon GO lucky trade odds are not very high, it’s still recommended to play with your friend and try to become fortunate. The Lucky Pokemon in Pokemon GO can help you save a lot of Stardust resources and energy. If you still find it hard, you can use the location changer LocaChange to increase the odds of getting your lucky Pokemon without walking. It’s tested 100% safe and versatile to use. Don’t hesitate to try!

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