Link-cable evolutions · Original GBC · Not HGSS

Trade evolutions & evolution item locations

In Pokemon Gold and Silver, ten species evolve only when traded. Four need a plain link-cable handoff; six must hold Metal Coat, King’s Rock, Dragon Scale, or Up-Grade during the trade. This page lists every evolution, where to get each item, how to find the base mon, and how to track progress with the site’s Trade Planner and map tools.

10 trade evolutions 4 plain · 6 held-item Return trade to keep OT Everstone blocks Same rules in Gold & Silver
Composite of Scizor, Steelix, Kingdra, Slowking, and Porygon2 trade evolutions with required items in Pokemon Gold and Silver
Scizor · Steelix · Kingdra · Slowking · Porygon2 — hold the right item, then trade

Fast answer

Hold item → trade → evolve on arrival

Put the required held item on the mon (if any), open a Game Boy link cable trade, and send it. Evolution happens on the receiving cartridge after the trade animation. Trade it back immediately if you want the evolved form on your save. Remove any Everstone first. Items: King’s Rock (Slowpoke Well B2F), Metal Coat (S.S. Aqua first trip), Dragon Scale (Mt. Mortar 2F), Up-Grade (Silph Co 1F, post-game Kanto).

10Total trade evolutions
4Plain trade (no item)
6Need held evolution item
4Key item sources mapped

Full list

All 10 trade evolutions

Open Trade Planner

Held items

Evolution item locations

Full items catalog Shops

Politoed · Slowking

King’s Rock

Held on trade
Slowpoke Well B2F map view where the Gym Guide gives King’s Rock
  • Guaranteed gift: Gym Guide on Slowpoke Well B2F (Surf required to reach the lower floor after the Azalea Rocket story).
  • Uses: Trade holding King’s Rock → Politoed (from Poliwhirl) or Slowking (from Slowpoke).
  • Branch note: Poliwhirl + Water Stone is Poliwrath instead; Slowpoke levels into Slowbro at 37 without the rock.
  • Wild 2% hold: Slowpoke, Slowbro, Poliwhirl, and Poliwrath can carry King’s Rock in normal wild encounters. Politoed and Slowking have item-slot data but are not normal wild farming sources.
  • Battle hold: May make the foe flinch while held in battle.
Item page Map · Well B2F Slowpoke Poliwhirl

Steelix · Scizor

Metal Coat

Held on trade
S.S. Aqua cabin block containing the granddaughter and her grandfather for the Metal Coat gift
  • Guaranteed gift: On the first S.S. Aqua voyage after the Elite Four, find the granddaughter in the captain’s cabin. She returns to her grandfather in the nearby cabin area, where he gives Metal Coat; he is not standing in the captain’s cabin.
  • Uses: Trade holding Metal Coat → Steelix (from Onix) or Scizor (from Scyther). One coat per evolution unless you farm extras.
  • Wild 2% hold: Magnemite and Magneton can hold Metal Coat. Farm them after you unlock more of Johto/Kanto if you need a second coat for both Steelix and Scizor.
  • Battle hold: Powers up Steel-type moves while held.
Item page Map · S.S. Aqua Post-game access Magnemite

Kingdra

Dragon Scale

Held on trade
Mt. Mortar 2F Inside map view with Dragon Scale item ball
  • Guaranteed ball: Visible item ball on Mt. Mortar 2F Inside (tile 14, 5). Bring Surf / Waterfall / Strength as needed for your route through Mortar.
  • Uses: Trade holding Dragon Scale → Kingdra (from Seadra).
  • Wild 2% hold: Horsea, Seadra, Dratini, and Dragonair are normal wild farming sources. Kingdra and Dragonite have the item slot in species data but no normal wild Gold/Silver encounters.
  • Seadra sources: Raise Horsea from Whirl Islands fishing/Surf, then level to Seadra before the trade.
Item page Map · Mortar 2F Map · Whirl Islands Horsea

Wild held rates in Gen II: species that only list a rare hold item get it on about 2% of wild encounters. Guaranteed story gifts are the reliable path; wild holds are backup farming.

Mechanics

How trade evolution works on GBC

Partner checklist Local saves

Link-cable steps

  • Both players open the Cable Club trade center (Pokémon Center 2F).
  • Give the evolution item to hold on the mon you are sending (if required).
  • Confirm the trade. Evolution plays on the receiving game.
  • Immediately trade the evolved mon back if you want it on the original save file.

Common failures

  • Everstone equipped — removes the evolution check entirely.
  • Wrong item held (or item in bag, not held).
  • Wrong species stage (e.g. trading Onix without Metal Coat still arrives as Onix).
  • Emulators need a working link-cable / multiplayer trade solution; local single-cart play cannot complete these alone.

NPC trades are different

  • In-game NPC trades (e.g. Kyle’s Onix for Bellsprout in Violet) do not trigger communication evolutions.
  • They still give useful base forms (Onix for Steelix, Machop for Machamp line after leveling).
  • Track NPC rows separately in the Trade Planner.

Dex & OT notes

  • Trade evolutions fill the evolved species in the Pokédex when you receive them.
  • A return trade keeps the evolved mon on your team; Original Trainer fields follow normal Gen II trade rules.
  • For living-dex planning, pair this page with Catch checklist and version exclusives in the Trade Planner.
Result Send Held item When you can usually finish it
AlakazamKadabra—Anytime after Abra → Kadabra (Lv.16)
MachampMachoke—After Machop → Machoke (Lv.28)
GolemGraveler—After Geodude → Graveler (Lv.25)
GengarHaunter—After Gastly → Haunter (Lv.25)
PolitoedPoliwhirlKing’s RockAfter Surf + Slowpoke Well B2F gift
SlowkingSlowpokeKing’s RockSame King’s Rock route
SteelixOnixMetal CoatPost-E4 S.S. Aqua Metal Coat
ScizorScytherMetal CoatBug Contest Scyther + Metal Coat
KingdraSeadraDragon ScaleMt. Mortar scale + Seadra
Porygon2PorygonUp-GradeKanto coins + Silph Co gift

Progress

Trade evolution checklist

0 of 15 checked

Checklist stores in this browser via localStorage. Sync a full run with Run Progress and Trade Planner statuses.

Troubleshooting

FAQ & gotchas

Why didn’t my mon evolve on trade?

Check Everstone, confirm the held item is equipped (not just in the bag), and confirm you traded the correct stage (Kadabra, not Abra; Seadra, not Horsea).

Can I evolve without a second cartridge?

Not on original GBC hardware. Emulators need a link/multiplayer trade feature. The in-game NPC trades never trigger these evolutions.

I only have one Metal Coat

Prioritize Scizor or Steelix, then farm Magnemite/Magneton for a second coat, or trade with a partner who has a spare coat on their cart.

Poliwhirl became Poliwrath instead

You used a Water Stone. Politoed only comes from trading Poliwhirl while it holds King’s Rock—no stone involved.

Is this the same in Crystal?

Trade evolution rules and these items are shared across G/S/C. Crystal still needs a link partner. Some story timing for Kanto differs; this page targets original Gold/Silver map links.

Friendship Crobat is not a trade evo

Crobat, Espeon, and Umbreon use friendship (and time for Eevee forms)—not the link cable. Use the Eevee guide and Mechanics Lab.

Linked tools

Trade PlannerVersion exclusives, 10 trade evolutions, NPC trades, and Gen I imports. Items catalogKing’s Rock, Metal Coat, Dragon Scale, Up-Grade, stones, and shops. Catch checklistMark Scyther, Onix, Seadra, and the rest for a living dex. Pokédex archiveStats, learnsets, and evolution labels for every species. Interactive mapJump to Slowpoke Well, Mt. Mortar, S.S. Aqua, and Silph Co. Team PlannerSlot Scizor, Gengar, or Kingdra into a Johto team. Run ProgressBadge and story tracker while you queue trade windows. Eevee → Espeon/UmbreonFriendship evolutions that do not need a link cable. Gold vs SilverExclusives you may still need to trade between carts. More G/S guidesWhitney, HMs, legendaries, starters, and stuck-point tools.
Original GBC Gold/Silver Not HeartGold/SoulSilver 10 communication evolutions Data aligned with site Trade Planner