NPC Traders

NPC Traders are non-playable characters that are scripted to broker trades with players to exchange Pokémon in return for them. The transactional mode is from player-to-player trades in the sense that it is done with NPCs—typically with Boolean trading provisos and naturally much less negotiable latitude than one would have trading with a player.

NPC Traders will mostly only trade away their Pokémon, predominantly for another Pokémon; this lends itself into another acquisitory avenue for obtaining Pokémon, as many NPCs will trade Pokémon that are either impossible or considerably more difficult to acquire, otherwise.

Mechanical overview

NPC Traders typically have one-off usability; they will only trade one Pokémon and have no renewable resources to trade you thereafter, meaning that the Pokémon that they trade oftentimes can only be traded once from them. Since many NPC-traded Pokémon are also defaultly equipped with a Held Item, some enviable items can also be obtained as a byproduct of these trades.

For the Pokémon that they stipulate from you in return for their own, they are indiscriminate of any of your Pokémon’s individualities, such as its stats; as long as it is a Pokémon that is the species that it is brokering for, they will trade for it, regardless of its IVs, EVs, Nature, Abilities, level, and so forth.

Most NPC-traded Pokémon have no chance of shininess; the anomalous ones will be noted below.

If the NPC trade is not executing, it is likely attributable to the fact that the Pokémon’s ID has yet to be registered in the database, thereby making it initially untransferable; this is resolvable by either waiting several minutes for it to save in the database or by relogging to force-save it to expedite its registration.

Available NPC Traders

Kanto

Kanto traders
Your Pokémon
Pidgey
NPC’s Pokémon
Oddish
Location Viridian City NPC Name Madeline
Level
5
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Common
Notes

The traded Pidgey must have 15-plus IVs in both the Attack and Speed stats. You do not have to relinquish Pidgey itself in the trade; you only need to show it to Madeline, and she’ll bequeath her Oddish. The Oddish also has a chance of shininess.

Your Pokémon
Nidoran Female
NPC’s Pokémon
Nidoran Male
Location Route 2-to-Viridian City gatehouse NPC Name ???
Level
5
Held Item
Rarity tier
Common
Your Pokémon
Abra
NPC’s Pokémon
Mr. Mime
Location Route 2 Stop3 NPC Name ???
Level
20
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Rare
Your Pokémon
Poliwhirl
NPC’s Pokémon
Jynx
Location Cerulean City House 3 NPC Name ???
Level
30
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Uncommon
Your Pokémon
Clefairy
NPC’s Pokémon
Cleffa
Location Cerulean City House 5 2F NPC Name ???
Level
20
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Uncommon
Your Pokémon
Spearow
NPC’s Pokémon
Farfetch’d
Location Vermilion City (House 1) NPC Name ???
Level
10
Held Item
Rarity tier
Common
Your Pokémon
Magmar
NPC’s Pokémon
Magby
Location Celadon Department Store (5th floor) NPC Name ???
Level
20
Held Item
Rarity tier
Uncommon
Notes

There is only a 5% chance that it will originatively hold the Magmarizer.

Your Pokémon
Golduck
NPC’s Pokémon
Lickitung
Location Route 18 (Bike Road Stop 1F) NPC Name ???
Level
30
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Uncommon
Your Pokémon
Mr. Mime
NPC’s Pokémon
Mime Jr.
Location Fuchsia City Mart NPC Name ???
Level
20
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Rare
Your Pokémon
Raichu
NPC’s Pokémon
Electrode
Location Cinnabar Island Lab (Room 1) NPC Name ???
Level
30
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Common
Your Pokémon
Venonat
NPC’s Pokémon
Tangela
Location Cinnabar Island Lab (Room 1) NPC Name ???
Level
10
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Common
Your Pokémon
Ponyta
NPC’s Pokémon
Seel
Location Cinnabar Island Lab (Room 3) NPC Name Tony
Level
10
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Common

Johto

Johto traders
Your Pokémon
Bellsprout
NPC’s Pokémon
Onix
Location Violet City (abreast of the school) NPC Name ???
Level
8
Held Item
Rarity tier
Common
Your Pokémon
Dugtrio
NPC’s Pokémon
Magneton
Location Route 31 NPC Name Peter
Level
15
Held Item
Rarity tier
Common
Your Pokémon
Bellsprout
NPC’s Pokémon
Onix
Location Violet City (abreast of the school) NPC Name ???
Level
8
Held Item
Rarity tier
Common
Your Pokémon
Heracross
NPC’s Pokémon
Pinsir
Location Goldenrod Mart 4 NPC Name ???
Level
15
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Rare
Your Pokémon
Drowzee
NPC’s Pokémon
Machop
Location Goldenrod City (southward of the Pokémon Center) NPC Name ???
Level
15
Held Item
Rarity tier
Common
Notes

The Machop has a chance of shininess. Additionally, if you lose the Macho Brace, it will be repurchasable for 20,000 and continually buyable after 18 days have elapsed.

Your Pokémon
Haunter
NPC’s Pokémon
Xatu
Location Ecruteak City NPC Name ???
Level
15
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Unhuntable
Your Pokémon
Krabby
NPC’s Pokémon
Voltorb
Location Olivine City (outseeing the shore beyond the lighthouse) NPC Name ???
Level
20
Held Item
Rarity tier
Common
Your Pokémon
Dragonair
NPC’s Pokémon
Shelgon
Location Blackthorn City NPC Name ???
Level
15
Held Item
Rarity tier
Rare

Hoenn

Hoenn traders
Your Pokémon
Ralts
NPC’s Pokémon
Slakoth
Location Petalburg City (House 2) NPC Name ???
Level
5
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Uncommon
Your Pokémon
Buizel
NPC’s Pokémon
Ferroseed
Location Valley of Steel Western Peak NPC Name Laila
Level
10
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Rare
Your Pokémon
Bisharp
NPC’s Pokémon
Klefki
Location Valley of Steel Eastern Peak NPC Name Cronky
Level
10
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Rare

Sevii Islands

Sevii Islands traders
Your Pokémon
Dragonite
NPC’s Pokémon
Goodra
Location Altering Cave NPC Name ???
Level
40
Held Item
None
Rarity tier
Unhuntable