BONUS SECTION – GTS TIPS

One of the coolest new additions to Pokemon D/P is the GTS trading system, which allows you to exchange pokemon with traders across the world regardless of language barriers. Now that you have the National Dex, the GTS is a great way to fill in some of the holes in your pokecollection.

But the GTS can be a bit daunting at first. The system seems to be flooded with people making absurd demands (who the heck is going to trade a Level 100 Celebi for a Mudkip?), and it seems like your offer may get lost amongst all the clutter. Fear not, for we have compiled some of our best GTS trading tips for you.

1. If you can’t find any decent offers for a certain Pokemon you’d like to trade for, try stepping down an evolutionary rung or two. People might want an unreasonably powerful pokemon in exchange for an Empoleon, but you’re far more likely to find someone offering a Piplup for a weaker/less popular pokemon.
2. If you get foreign pokemon, their names might not always be readable. However, to make up for this, all foreign trades get a whopping 70% more EXP from battles, making them grow amazingly fast. You’re willing to put up with a little moonspeak for a poke that will earn almost double the EXP of its counterparts, right?
3. Think carefully about your offer before you make it. How fair is this trade? Will my trade partner and I both benefit? There are many generous people on GTS, but the odds of someone giving you a max-leveled pokemon or a Legendary are slim. You’re much more likely to complete a trade if the pokemon you’re asking for is equal to or slightly above below the relative desirability of the poke you are putting on offer.
4. Be patient! Sometimes it may take a while for your trade to show up to other players on GTS. Try to wait at least a few hours before checking in to see if your trade offer has been accepted. Also, try to keep in mind various time zones. When it’s nighttime in North America, it’s morning in Japan, and all the Japanese players will be starting to log on. If you put a poke up for trade late at night, chances are good that you’ll wake up to find a Japanese pokemon waiting for you in the morning.
5. Don’t pay too much attention to all the crazy trade requests you see on GTS. The reason why there are so many of them is because nobody’s taking them, and they’ve been lying dormant for days. A fairer trade will be snapped up quickly, so if you find a trade offer you think is a good deal, don’t hesitate! If you wait too long, somebody else might be able to get it before you.

Need some advice on pokes to put up for trade? Here are a few suggestions we have. These pokes are always in demand, and as long as you ask for a somewhat reasonable trade in return, you shouldn’t have too many problems landing a trade for them.

1. Female Combees/Vespiquen
2. Male Kirlia/Ralts
3. Starter pokemon of any generation and their evolutions (particularly females)
4. Eevee and its various evolutions
5. Spiritomb
6. Feebas/Milotic
7. Version exclusives: Murkrow, Honchkrow, Misdreavus, Mismagius, Glameow, Purugly, Stunky, Skuntank, etc.
8. Fossil pokemon (Cranidos, Shieldon, etc.)
9. Pokemon with multiple-language Pokedex entries: Psyduck, Ekans, Pikachu, Wobbuffet, Ponyta, Staryu, Heracross, Sneasel, Teddiursa, Houndour, Roselia, Slakoth, Wingull
10. Almost any variety of shiny pokemon, save for extremely common pokes