The trading function in Pokémon GO costs both trainers Stardust. Only with a higher friendship level will it become cheaper. Here are the details.
What’s new? The announcement of the trading and friends feature in Pokémon GO surprised many trainers out of the blue by Niantic. Now trainers are wondering how it works exactly.
Every player has their unique trainer code. Other players need this if they want to add you as a friend. Once connected, you can see the in-game activities of other players in your friends list.
In this article, we explain the individual new features step by step.
The different friendship levels in Pokémon GO
Once you have established a friendship in Pokémon GO, you can reach certain friendship levels with the players:
- Good Friend
- Great Friend
- Ultra Friend
- Best Friend
What do these levels bring? By reaching these different ranks, you will receive bonuses in the game. This includes more attack damage in raids and more Premier Balls. You can have a maximum of 200 friends on your friends list. This could increase in the future.
Rewards:
- Good Friends can trade all Pokémon (except Mystical)
- Great Friends trade with reduced Stardust costs, have more attack power in raids, and receive one additional Premier Ball in raids
- Ultra Friends pay even less Stardust for trading, have even more attack power in raids, and receive 2 additional Premier Balls
- Best Friends enjoy the highest Stardust discount when trading, gain the most attack power in raids, and get 4 additional Premier Balls
These bonuses are not stackable! So if you are in a raid group with your Best Friend and an Ultra Friend, there are not a total of 6 additional Premier Balls. Only the bonuses of the friend with the highest friendship level count. In the example, that would be just the Best Friend’s. You would then receive only 4 additional Premier Balls, not 6.
How to increase your friendship level in Pokémon GO
Actions in the game improve the status: There are various ways to raise the friendship level with another trainer. You can trade Pokémon, send gifts, or battle together in Gyms or participate in raids.
How often can the friendship status be increased? You can improve friendship once per day for each friend.
What are the requirements for friendship ranks?
- Good Friends: 1 day
- Great Friends: 7 days
- Ultra Friends: 30 days
- Best Friends: 90 days
During this time, you must play or interact together to level up.
Trading in Pokémon GO – Trading changes IV values
Costs for both players! Anyone wanting to trade in Pokémon GO must pay Stardust and have reached at least level 10. This applies to both sides of the trade. As previously explained, the costs decrease depending on the friendship level.
Special trade for special Pokémon: Special rules apply to Legendary, Shiny, Regional Pokémon, Pokémon that are not in your Pokédex, and new forms. These require a special trade. This special trade is only available to players who are at least Great Friends.
How much does trading cost? The cost for trading a Legendary Pokémon is 1,000,000 Stardust. If the players are Best Friends, the cost is only 40,000 Stardust.
To trade, you must be within 100 meters of the trading partner.
Candy rewards for distance: Trainers receive Candy as a reward for trading the respective Pokémon. These bonuses depend on how far apart the catch locations of the two Pokémon are. The further apart they are, the higher the reward. The highest reward is for a distance of 100 kilometers – There is currently no larger limit.
Change of IV values. This news is likely to please trainers who are skeptical of the system. The HP and CP values of Pokémon will be recalculated when traded. Therefore, you cannot specifically offer 100%-IV Pokémon for trade, as you can never be sure what the IV will be after the trade.
How the IV values change depends on your friendship level. Best Friends have a much higher chance of receiving a strong Pokémon in trade.
Gifts in Pokémon GO – The Alola Eggs
You can frequently receive gifts by spinning Photo Discs. These gifts contain rare items and also a postcard from the corresponding PokéStop where you received the gift.
These items can be found in Pokémon GO gifts.
These gifts can only be opened by your friends when you send them. With a bit of luck, they may also find an Alola Egg in there. This is a new egg category that requires you to walk 7km. From this, a Pokémon in its Alola form will hatch.
List of all Alolan forms in Pokémon GO – How to find them
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