Trading Styles

After having performed trades in Pokémon Go for nearly a year, I've discovered that a fascinating phenomenon arises in the game regarding trading. The phenomenon is partly due to the way trades are structured. That structure leads to what I would term as "trading styles", which concern what Pokémon I and other Trainers - particularly me and my other raid fellows - would trade. The styles have their own consequences as they are executed in trades.

A common trading style (and one that I frequently execute now) is "mirror trading", which involves trading Pokémon that are of the same exact species, sometimes down to their exact particulars such as gender, CP (albeit most times approximate), accessory, and so on. The benefits of this are rather evident: both Trainers get rewarded for Candy for the species concerned, and possibly one more by a transfer if the stats of the traded Pokémon turn out to be terrible. As well, if the trade turns out to beget Lucky Pokémon, neither Trainer would miss out. This is quite simple, practical, and beneficial, which is why I and some of my raid fellows like to do it.

After mirror trading, another style that some of my other raid fellows (and I myself to some extent) like to execute is "equivalent trading". Instead of trading same exact species, species that satisfy certain properties are traded. One of my fellows likes to trade for same-stage Pokémon, for example baby Pokémon for other baby Pokémon, first-stage starters for another, and so on and so forth. They could also be of the same types, same classification (like Legendary), and other properties. This style affords more freedom in trading, especially to free up box space, at the risk of less Candies and different Lucky Pokémon. And since an "open-dex" Special Trade necessarily means that one doesn't have the Pokémon in question, this becomes the preferred style in that case. It's still a viable style in many respects.

A third style that a few of my raid fellows like is "distance trading". Since in Pokémon Go trades reward Candy based on the distance of the location where the Pokémon was caught or the Egg was obtained from, it becomes preferable to save Pokémon from faraway places for this purpose. I and others would query each other for such faraway Pokémon, and then the other party would furnish Pokémon that needs Candy in return. This style often rewards many Candies, which is practically the main benefit if nothing else. That is most likely also why they enjoy it; I can benefit too in some cases.

These are the three styles that are at least common to me, many of my raid fellows, and many Trainers in general. It may be that other Trainers have their own styles or discover new ones, and that's perfectly acceptable. What's important is that they all constitute a phenomenon that is made possible not only with the trading feature, but also the structure of that feature itself. I'd say it's a phenomenon that Trainers in Pokémon Go appreciate in consideration as they execute the feature.

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