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Pokémon Sword and Shield
Image via The Pokémon Company

Every Pokémon that evolves through trade in Sword and Shield

Grab your friends and get to trading.
This article is over 4 years old and may contain outdated information

Sword and Shield take players through the hills of the Galar region and feature a wide array of new and returning Pokémon species. While many of these Pokémon evolve through leveling up, others require items or special methods to reach their next form.

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One of these evolutionary methods is trade evolution. This method dates back to the franchise’s first generation with Haunter and Machoke, who only evolve via trade. Over the years, Game Freak added several new Pokémon who require a trade to evolve and many of them appear in the franchise’s newest title.  

Here are all of the Pokémon in Sword and Shield that evolve through trade.

Pokémon Held Item / RequirementEvolution
HaunterGengar
MachokeMachamp
OnixHolding Metal CoatSteelix
RhydonHolding ProtectorRhyperior
FeebasHolding Prism ScaleMilotic
DusclopsHolding Reaper ClothDusknoir
ShelmetTrade for KarrablastAccelgor
KarrablastTrade for ShelmetEscavalier
GurdurrConkeldurr 
PhantumpTrevenant
PumpkabooGourgeist
BoldoreGigalith
SwirlixHolding Whipped DreamSlurpuff
SpritzeeHolding SatchetAromatisse

Trainers can trade their Pokémon through Sword and Shield’s new online system, the Y-Comm. There are two different options for players to use: Surprise or Link Trade. The Surprise Trade works much like previous generations’ Wonder Trade, where players choose a Pokémon to send off and get a random one from a random trainer in return. Link Trade allows players to match up with a random person to trade multiple Pokémon at once. Those who are looking to trade with their friends will be required to enter a code to match up with a specific person.

Unlike previous generations, players must have a paid online subscription before they can use Sword and Shield’s online system. Upon opening the Y-Comm, those who don’t have a Switch Online subscription will be prompted to purchase one before they’re able to trade or battle online.


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Author
Image of Rachel Samples
Rachel Samples
Managing Editor. In 2018, Rachel graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s in Rhetoric and Writing and first entered the esports industry in the same year. Her favorite games include indies, deckbuilders, and the entire Mass Effect franchise. Need any calibrations?