Pokémon Go players make a troubling discovery with trading Dynamax Pokémon

Be careful when trading Dynamax Pokémon.

Can you catch Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Go
Image via Niantic

When it comes to playing Pokémon Go, there are just some setbacks that don’t sit well with the game’s online community. The latest issue was discovered by a player after trading a Dynamax Pokémon with another and seeing the results after the trade had been completed.

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Shared on a Reddit thread in The Silph Road community, a player explained that after trading a Dynamax Pokémon with another, the Max Moves of that Pokémon had gone down to their base level. These are powerful moves a Dynamax Pokémon can use during a Max Battle, the latest feature to arrive during Pokémon Go‘s Max Out season. The investment for leveling up these Max Moves is relatively costly, and not being able to get these at full power after completing a trade is already not sitting well with the community.

How to Dynamax Pokémon in Pokémon Go
Max Moves are the attacks a Dynamax Pokémon uses in their Dynamax form. Image via Niantic

Dynamax Battles occur at Power Spots, which can randomly appear for a short time anywhere in your neighborhood. This is where you can find Dynamax Pokémon in Pokémon Go, and you can battle and catch them. You can only use Dynamax Pokémon in these battles, limiting your Pokémon choices and making these Max Moves even more vital during these encounters. You can’t use these attacks or a Pokémon’s Dynamax form anywhere else.

Lowering a Pokémon’s Max Move levels down to one after a trade feels like an intentional choice. Niantic should be doing it to prevent high-level players from boosting these attacks and then trading them to other players. You level up a Pokémon’s Max Move by feeding them Candy and XL Candy, along with Max Particles. XL Candy is one of the most demanding resources to track down and don’t always drop when you catch a Pokémon.

Given these details, Pokémon Go players will want to be careful about trading Dynamax Pokémon in the future. If any player does want to make a trade, they’ll be better off not leveling up Max Moves before they do it as no one receives the investment.

There are two interesting details players further discussed in the Reddit thread: Dynamax Pokémon are not Special Trades, and a Dynamax Pokémon keeps the unlocked Max Moves. The Max Guard and Max Spirit require an unlock method to use, meaning the owner may want to unlock these attacks but not upgrade them before trading with another Pokémon Go player. It’s also good to see Dynamax Pokémon are not Special Trades, which means players can trade these ‘mons as much as they want with other players.

Author
Image of Zack Palm
Zack Palm
Zack Palm has been writing about video games for the past five years. He spends his free time trying to learn about a new board, reading high-fantasy series, or working on his latest DnD character.