The Wild Area of Pokémon Sword and Shield has played a big part in fixing trade-based evolution requirements in the Pokémon series. The mechanic, which once functioned as an incentive to use Link Cables and wifi options, has aged poorly as new technology has become available, turning an achievement into a tedious headache for many. However, Sword and Shield included trade-only evolutions in the species that spawn in Galar’s overworld, which speeded up Pokédex completion.

Trade-based evolution doesn’t apply to many Pokémon species, with only 25 different options using the method out of the nearly 900 Pokémon currently in the games. Most require an item or a certain level of friendship with a trainer to evolve, only making the process of obtaining them more difficult. Unfortunately, trading for Pokémon evolution has never made much sense, as players who want to keep their Gengar, Gourgeist, or Milotic must trade right back. This makes the process not only tedious but a big waste of time in comparison to simply evolving when reaching a certain level with the right held item.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

Thankfully, Pokémon Sword and Shield did a good job of reducing the frustration surrounding trade-based evolution, with most Pokémon requiring the process appearing fully evolved around the Wild Area. This allows those wanting to skip all the trading to simply go out and catch a wild Golem or Conkeldurr quickly. Unfortunately, those who raise Pokémon from base evolutions must still trade to obtain the final form, which is a frustrating extra step for players hatching eggs for the chance at a high-stat Shiny variation of Pokémon like Abra or Ghastly.

Pokémon: Sword & Shield’s Dynamax And Gigantamax Raids Changed Trades

It is possible that the Dynamax and Gigantamax battle mechanics introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield played a part in the decision to include trade-based evolutions in wild areas. Max Raid dens have numerous different encounter possibilities depending on where the dens are located, including a common and rare encounter table. A rare, purple beam Raid Den tends to offer fully evolved Dynamax encounters, or a rare Gigantamax Pokémon, with popular species like Gengar included in the lineup. While these Pokémon could have been limited to only Max Raid battles, it is possible developers chose to include them as wild encounters to help with overall wild battle consistency.

To add to the changes, trade-evolved Pokémon aren’t the only once-rare species to be roaming the Wild Area. Players will also find the evolved forms of most other Pokémon species, or even once-limited encounters like Snorlax, with relative ease. The diverse availability of Pokémon in Sword and Shield‘s Galar region allows players to easily build well-rounded teams early on, making progression in Pokémon Sword and Shield more immersive and seamless for fans.

How to Beat Knight Mare in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

About The Author


Laura Gray
(789 Articles Published)

See also  20 Worst Action Movies Ever Made (According To Rotten Tomatoes)

Laura Gray is a writer, illustrator and gamer in cozy Boise Idaho. They have had a wild freelance career in being a nerd, spending time traveling as a professional cosplayer and becoming a published illustrator while working the night grind as an IT tech. Laura is currently a content writer for D&D campaigns and Screenrant while working on personal writing projects for publication. They are also busy welcoming their first child into their life, which has been the best adventure life has given yet.

More From Laura Gray