Complete Guide to Trade Evolutions in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, certain species require trading with another player to evolve, presenting an additional dimension to completing your Pokedex. While many Pokemon evolve through leveling up, others have distinct evolution criteria, such as achieving high friendship levels or utilizing specific Evolution Stones.

One of the most intricate methods is trade evolution, a long-standing mechanism within the Pokémon franchise. This process necessitates the transfer of a Pokemon to another trainer (and vice versa) for it to reach its next evolutionary stage. To complicate matters further, some Pokemon must be holding particular items during this trade.

Given that the game often lacks explicit guidance for these evolutions, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide detailing all the Pokemon in Scarlet & Violet along with the latest Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC that require trading for evolution, including instructions on how to execute these trades.

Trade Codes used to trade version exclusives in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet — The Pokémon Company

Comprehensive List of Trade Evolutions in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Below is a list of Pokemon from Scarlet & Violet and its DLC that evolve exclusively through trading, along with any items required during the trade:

Scyther: Must hold a Metal Coat
Slowpoke: Requires a King’s Rock
Poliwhirl: Also needs a King’s Rock
Feebas: Must be holding a Prism Scale
Dusclops: Should be given a Reaper Cloth
Haunter, Graveler, Gurdurr, Phantump: Do not need any items for evolution

An interesting note: you can obtain a Gengar by trading a Pinchurchin with an NPC located in Levincia, providing an online trade alternative. For more information on this method, check our detailed guide.

Steps to Trade Pokemon in Scarlet & Violet

A trade evolution in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet — The Pokémon Company

To initiate a trade with friends, access the Poke Portal from your game’s pause menu. Navigate to Link Trade and establish a Link Code to share with your trading partner.

Trading can be conducted locally in Offline Mode or via Online Mode with friends worldwide. You can connect or disconnect from the internet by pressing the L button while in the Poke Portal menu.

Additionally, you can engage in Surprise Trades with random players online. However, it is advisable to avoid this option for trade evolutions, as it lacks the assurance of retrieving your evolved Pokemon.

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