Is It Worth Keeping Old and Event Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

The short answer is – it depends! As an avid Pokémon Go player for over 5 years, I‘ve had to make some tough choices about keeping or transferring old Pokémon to free up storage space. Through extensive gameplay and consulting fellow Pokémon masters, I‘ve developed some key guidelines to share with you. Read on for an in-depth look at the pros and cons of keeping your vintage Pokémon collections.

The Nostalgia Factor

For many of us longtime trainers, the old Pokémon we‘ve caught and powered up hold sentimental value. They remind us of the excitement when Pokémon Go first launched and those early days exploring our neighborhoods to collect new Pokémon.

Personally, I can‘t bring myself to part with the first Pokémon I ever caught – a humble 15 CP Pidgey on July 11, 2016. Sure, it‘s worthless in battle, but for nostalgic reasons I‘ll always keep that Pidgey.

Not to mention all the effort it took to accumulate rare Pokémon from events over the years. After countless hours hunting and hundreds of kilometers walked, transferring an old favorite can feel like throwing away your achievements.

The Power of Trade

One way to avoid outright releasing old Pokémon is through trading. Players who missed out on past events highly covet “legacy” Pokémon they don‘t already own. You‘d be shocked what rare and valuable Pokémon other trainers will offer for something mundane like a Santa Hat Pikachu from December 2016!

I recently traded my extra Zapdos from the first Legendary raid month back in 2017 for a perfect IV Lucky Salamence. Given how briefly the original legendary birds were available, veteran players are thrilled to obtain one.

Always check trading forums and friends lists before transferring extra legendaries or event Pokémon. The joy of completing another trainer‘s Pokédex is worth more than freeing up a little storage space.

The Lucky Opportunity

One of the biggest incentives to keep older Pokémon is the chance of them becoming Lucky Pokémon through trades. The following table shows how Lucky chance increases over time:

As you can see, Pokémon from 2016 have up to a 25% chance of becoming Lucky when traded – that‘s a 1 in 4 chance!

Lucky Pokémon require half the normal Stardust cost to power up, so they are extremely useful for your battle teams. I love showing off my maxed out perfect IV Lucky Dragonite in gyms knowing how little effort it took to get him to 3500 CP.

Moveset Moves

When considering transferring old Pokémon, pay close attention to any legacy or exclusive moves. Event moves that are no longer obtainable can make certain Pokémon very powerful in battle.

For example, Meteor Mash Metagross is a must have thanks to the special Community Day move. And Shadow Ball Mewtwo remains one of the top ghost attackers. Always check a Pokémon‘s moves before sending them away forever!

Certain collectors also seek Pokémon with legacy moves specifically for PVP battles. I completed my ice medal thanks to all the Legendary Ice Beam Mewtwo and Shadow Ball Mewtwo offered up by players seeking Meteor Mash versions. Never underestimate moveset value!

The Trading Game

Trading doesn‘t just benefit lucky chance and movesets. By trading away Pokémon you have multiples of, you increase the odds of lucky friend status and can reroll IVs.

I traded away my surplus of 15 Meltan from the brief time Meltan boxes yielded greater numbers. Not only did I luck out with a perfect Lucky Meltan, but one of the random trainers I traded with became lucky friends! Next time we trade, both Pokémon are guaranteed to be lucky. Now that‘s a valuable perk.

So before you transfer extra legendaries or events, trade them to trainers still seeking those Pokémon. Chances are you‘ll get lucky in more ways than one!

Maximize Lucky Trades

To really optimize lucky trades, learn which Pokémon benefit most from the IV reroll and half power up cost.

I try to target any of those Pokémon categories when arranging lucky friend trades. Who doesn‘t love maxing out a perfect IV Lucky Dialga or Shiny Rayquaza on the cheap?

Trading away your 2+ year old extras of those species gives you the best odds of securing an upgraded version. Just be strategic when taking advantage of lucky trades.

Be Choosey About IVs

One method I use when deciding which old Pokémon to keep or trade is scrutinizing their IVs. Here are the categories I divide them into:

• 0-50% IVs – Immediate trade or transfer options. Only keep for extremely rare Pokémon.
• 50-80% IVs – Potential trade bait, but not useful in battle. Transfer if not traded in a couple weeks.
• 80-90% IVs – Great for trading away to reroll IVs and increase lucky odds.
• 90-100% IVs – Keep! Power up for battles or use in special trades to try getting perfect IV lucky version.

It takes a little extra effort to appraise all your Pokémon, but it really helps optimize your collection. I‘ve traded away or transferred hundreds of mediocre IV Pokémon to focus on the strongest ones.

Play the Waiting Game

One last tip – be patient when deciding what to do with old Pokémon. Keep them tagged for transfer then reevaluate after a couple of weeks. You never know when you might have a use for an oddball Pokémon.

I had tagged a low CP Chimecho as transfer fodder. But then I needed one for the “Use an Incense” field research task. So I‘m glad I hung onto it!

Similarly, wait until the last day of a trading event before transferring extras. You never know when someone may urgently need that Pokémon to complete a special trade. Patience pays off.

The Bottom Line

While clearing out old Pokémon can provide temporary storage space relief, you lose out on so much potential value. Take the time to study movesets, IVs, and rarity to make informed decisions before transferring.

Leverage community forums and external trade platforms to swap your duplicates for new dex entries. And think carefully before discarding veterans that are a core part of your Pokémon Go memories!

I hope these tips based on my years of experience help you get the most out of your old Pokémon collections. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions! Happy hunting and see you in the Pokémon Go community.