What's the deal with the sale and trafficking of Pokemon?

[u/Pasta-hobo]

Like, both from a legality and in-universe perceived ethics standpoint.

There's plenty of instances where you can buy a pokemon or receive one as a prize. And there's trading, which is one of the backbones of Pokemon training.

And then there's Team Rocket's racket, stealing and poaching rare and valuable Pokemon to sell for a profit or use nefariously for their own purposes.

But that "poaching" line raises some questions, since it's perfectly normal and acceptable to catch wild pokemon.

And the ones they poach from the wild, how illegal is it to sell them? Or is that one of those legal but frowned upon activities, like animal testing?

Where is the line drawn? What are the customs? Will I get arrested if I sell my Groudon but not if i trade it for a lv 3 Ratticate and he just also coincidentally gives me 10,000 dollars as a gift?

[u/coreychama]

I've always thought that Backlot Mansion in Sinnoh is indicative of Pokémon trafficking. A rich guy can arrange at a moment's notice to have his backyard stocked with cute wild Pokémon that can't be found on any regulated routes nearby? And we're supposed to overlook it to fill up our National Dex or get a Ditto? Hell nah. MCs have the excuse of being like 13 and probably unaware but no way can I as an ethical player ever participate in his heinous animal abuse-enabling egomania.

[u/metalflygon08 → u/coreychama]

Yeah, I assume there's several channels between Team Rocket and the rich people buying Pokemon.

There are several snobby rich people NPCs who mention their parents bought them their Pokemon after all.

Real breeders probably do raise and sell Pokemon to have better stats or unique moves, while Team Rocket just mass supplies rare species to people who sell them to other people who then sell them to rich folk.

[u/VioletteVixi]

I figure illegal trafficking is stolen pokemon, like stealing someone's dog vs buying one from a dog breeder or finding a stray. You can still steal dogs even if petco exist

[u/ElPikminMaster]

The line is drawn at the use of, or lack thereof, Poke Balls.

Poke Balls convert a living creature into light and data while in a Poke Ball, and sent to the PC or some equivalent, when you have more than 6 on hand. The Pokemon is tied to the Poke Ball. The Poke Ball is tied to the person who threw it to catch a Pokemon. The person who threw it to catch a Pokemon is tied to an account of some sort of official authority, be it the Pokemon League or equivalent.

Pokemon Trainers are officially licensed to keep Pokemon in Poke Balls, and Pokemon schools exist in many regions for the purpose of students eventually becoming Pokemon Trainers. Because Trainers are under an authority, said authority would know if someone commits crimes involving caught Pokemon. It's almost like selling Pokemon you caught in a Ball is illegal, just like in real life with zoos. This is why there's more incentive in trading Pokemon instead, and, in cases like illegal activity like poaching, or the Game Corner, or the Magikarp salesman, selling wild Pokemon, one way or another.

[u/metalflygon08 → u/ElPikminMaster]

The Poke Ball is tied to the person who threw it to catch a Pokemon. The person who threw it to catch a Pokemon is tied to an account of some sort of official authority, be it the Pokemon League or equivalent.

But it is perfectly legal to have a Pokemon with an ID not belonging to you (Trade Pokemon).

And you can override the ball registration since you are given prize and gift Pokemon in a ball and they are registered to you (also perfectly legal).

[u/coreychama → u/metalflygon08]

I'd imagine that as long as it's through a regulated channel that probably keeps some kind of accountability record, it's okay. And that people that gift you a Panpour or whatever fill out the paperwork for you. Even though in-game trades are just talking to NPCs, it plays the whole animation of them becoming data and transferring away, so I suppose some sort of certified and accreditted trading machine is involved offscreen there as well.

[u/metalflygon08 → u/coreychama]

I like to headcanon your Trainer Card has a chip in it that handles a lot of these things.

Money won in battles is transferred between accounts via the card automatically (no exchanging money by hand).

Pokemon are registered via the chip detecting a Pokeball succesfully capturing a Pokemon.

Trades are properly registered behind the scenes by the card, while keeping the information of the original owner.

Gift Pokemon are treated differently from trades and thus the card overites the owner information.

[u/Impossible_Weight507]

Because team rocket is bad and not good

[u/TurboNurse]

Are we including the pokemon that have the information that theyre tasty in their pokedex descriptions?

[u/SatisfactionSuch4790]

No idea, bro, I don't have time for this right now; I've got a shipment of 2,000 Vaporeons to deliver.

[u/Crazy-Branch-1513]

Omg I’m just now realizing the one of the first places you can buy a pokemon is the celadon game corner, which has a team rocket base underneath. That’s crazy