Fewest Trades for a Full Pokedex?

[Squiggles]

I ask this here because of the the recent GTS break through. ( Props to LordLandon and all who contribute to the ongoing efforts )
After some searching I have found a PKM database with PARTY saves (usable with sendPKM) and i am curious what the fewest number of "Trades" is to fill a pokedex.
Before you jump the gun and say 493! One for each pokemon. Assume I am willing to evolve traded in naturally.

I Know its under 493 and over 1. Beyond that i can only take a guess.
With poor assumptions on how many Starter and Non Evolution pokemon there are i can only guess its about 200~250 trades.
Less if you properly play the game and have a semi filled pokedex.

[Squiggles]

Ok got bored and figured it my self.
Simple answer is that it takes 268 pokemon to achieve a full pokedex. Give or take about 12 GTS tricks for Trade-evolutions.
106 Pokemon Are Two-Stage(212 Dex entries)
54 Pokemon are Three-Stage(162 Dex entries)
73 "Basic" Pokemon (Legends+ Non evolutionary)
46 Choice Evolutions(can be in 35 but 11 trades is worth the effort)
268~

Break down of Choice Evolutions
-(# of Dex Entries) Basic form or familia descriptor
29 one Stage Then Choice
-3 slow
-8 evee
-4 hitmonX (+ baby form)
-3 nincada
-3 snorunt
-3 clamperl
-5 burmy

17 Two Stage Then Choice
-4 Ralts
-5 Wurmple
-4 Poliwag
-4 Oddish


Using 35 Trades over 46 for Choice:
(# of trades, Minor detail on what to trade)
2 poke+king
3 Wag+whirl+toad
3 odd+gloom+vineplum
8 Eve+ 7 evolutions
3 tyro+lee+chan
3 wurmple + silcoon+Cascoon
3 Ralts+kirlia+gallade
1 Nincada
2 Snorunt+froslass
3 Clamperl+huntail+gorebyss(trade bs)
4 Burmy+cloak evolutions


Ill work up a split .PKM(party) archive later if anyone else is interested.

[hsdubb19]

you can possibly decrease the number by for example, trading over a gallade,
then breed for a ralts and evolve into gardevoir.

[Hucz]

What game is this referring to, HeartGold or SoulSilver?

[sreservoir]

some are obtainable in-game. eevee's line needs to be counted three times in hgss, because glaceon and leafeon are literally unobtainable.

[Ringo]

This also begs the question, are you trying to fill the pokedex, or are you trying to keep one of every pokemon in your pokeboxes??? [I.e. have a Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu on hand all at once]. Back in the Gen III I completed my Kanto dex on both my Fire Red and Leaf Green by trading the version exclusives, and then trading the evolve via trading. It didn't take very much to accomplish. Basically I traded the same evolve through trade on each game at once so they each got the final evolution of each family without having to trade back. I remember it taking very few trades to do [once again this was only the Kanto Dex]. I did the same with my Hoenn dex, but only onto my copy of Emerald. Between the Sevii Islands of FR/LG, the GameCube Games, and Emeralds extended Safarii Zone I had at least one of each evolution family of the Johto region, but never bothered to take the time to trade them all onto one game.

I mention all of this, because I wonder, do you cnsider PalPark the same as trading? If you have a large enough Gen III collection you could easily transfer six a day off each cart through PalPark. [I have all games, plus a second copy of Ruby meaning I COULD transfer 36 Pokemon a day through the PalPark]. Using this method you would only need to trade the Gen IV version exclusives, and the Gen IV evolve via Trade.

I personally like trading because the traded Pokemon gain experience faster. Why would you want to not trade, or trade as few as possible? I used to use my Emerald game as my "breeding game" then transfer the baby Pokemon I planned on keeping to either Sapphire or Ruby to level up faster. I love the GTS because although I don't usually get great stats, I usually get what I want and usually from a foreign country. I am more concerned with filling the globe with as many points right now.

[Pingouin7]

[I have all games, plus a second copy of Ruby meaning I COULD transfer 36 Pokemon a day through the PalPark]

If you got HG/SS, there is no daily limit on Pal-Park.

[Ringo]

If you got HG/SS, there is no daily limit on Pal-Park.

Good point. I do have both, but haven't gotten to Pal Park in either yet. In HG I am leveling up my team for the eigth gym. In SS I have only gone as far as Goldenrod City so that I can use the GTS. After I defeat the Elite Four in HG I plan to get that far on SS. Then I'll resume HG.

I personally am not ready to dump all my Pokemon off my Gen III games because I still like playing them, and still doing some breeding on Emerald so I'm not ready to transfer my collection of Dittos with one or more perfect IV's. Was just showing an example of how to do this with less trading [if in fact the poster doesn't count PalPark as trading].

So far the only PalPark Pokemon I had done was the set of Legendary Beasts I had from Colloseum, as well as a level 5 of each starter. I also transfered the birds and Mewtwo from LG, and the Reg Trio from Emerald.

I'm curious had the original poster also intended one of each form for Deoxy's, Giratina, and Shaymin????

[Ringo]

Your Question got me thinking hard enough to give you the best real answer I can.

Well, I am going to assume for the moment you mean HG and SS: The answer will be 58. [This assumes you are patient enough to wait for a release of Enigma Crystal… Otherwise you would need one more trade for Latios/Latias]

I will detail how I got that answer, please someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think I got them all. Please ecuse my misspellings of Pokemon names.

The Pokemon that are unobtainable within the games are the Sinnoh Starters, and Sinnoh Legendaries. As well as all Pokemon that require a location to Evolve. The Hoenn legendary trio of Golems are also unobtainable. Lastly, all event only Pokemon are unobtainable [as usual].

This leaves the following Pokemon which need to be traded:
-Tuttwig / Chimchar / Piplup [just level up each for their evolutions]
- Uxie / Azelf / Mespirit
- Heatran / Regigagas / Cresselia
- Manaphy [breed with ditto for a Phione Egg ]
- Darkrai / Shaymin / Arceus

Evolve by Location:
-Magnezone
-Probopass
-Leafeon
-Glaceon

Other Sinnoh families unobtainable:
-Crainidos
-Shieldon
-Driffloon
-Glameow
-Skuntank
-Rotom

Hoen Golems:
- Regice / Regirock / Registeel

Event Only:
-Mew
-Celebi
-Jirachi
-Deoxys

Make sure that you are using your Pokewalker, because of the Pokewalker exclusives, such as theotherwise difficult to obtain Spiritbomb.

That makes a total thus far of 30 trades [note I have only given one of each evolution family in this on purpose. To make as few of trades as possible you need to do a little work]

Now, onto the Evolve by trade:
Kadabra
Machoke
Haunter
Graveler

Evolve by Trade with Held Item:
Seadra
Poliwirl
Slowpoke
Onix
Rhydon
Syther
Electrabuzz
Magmar
Porygon
Porygon2
Duskull
Clamperl [Has two trade evolutions]

This adds 17 Trades to the list.

With Arceus in the Ruins you will get a choice between:
-Giratina
-Dialga
-Palkia
You will the need to trade the other two to your game

Lastly Version Exclusives:
I am not going to list them all for each version. However, this will add 9 required trades to whichever version you are using. Once again this is one evolution of each you will need to raise levels or breed for a lower evolution on each.

[Ringo]

I'm surprised no one came on to point out the obvious mistake I made. You will need to trade one of the starters you did not choose, as well as the Kanto, and Hoenn starters you don't take when given those options later in the game. This adds 6 more trades required to the total I suggested above.

That brings the total MINIMUM trades to complete the National Dex in HG / SS to 64, or to 65 if you don't want to wait for the Enigma Crystal event.

This also assumes that you are looking for just a complete Dex, and not attempting to trade for one of each form on for example Deoxys.

Once again, I appologize if I made any mistakes while compiling this. You could shorten the list on at least the evolve via trade and Hoenn region Poke's by PalPark, but I am guessing you consider this transfer to be the same as a trade.

Good luck, and hope I haven't left anything out this time.

--Ringo