Everyone wants to evolve Haunter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A and finally roll with a Gengar. The catch: this evolution line doesn’t work like most. You can’t just grind levels — there’s an extra step involved.
Here’s how to evolve Haunter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Update (Dec. 10): Added more context on where to find Gengar.
How to evolve Haunter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Haunter only evolves through trading. As long as you’ve got a Haunter and someone to trade with, it’ll become a Gengar — no level requirement. That does mean you’ll need either a Nintendo Switch Online subscription for online trades or a local partner with a copy of Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Do this to evolve Haunter into Gengar:
- Press X to open the menu.
- Select “Link Play.”
- Choose “Link Trade.”
- Pick “Nearby Players” for local or “Faraway Players” for online.
- Enter an 8-digit Link Code to connect with your trade partner.
- Select your Haunter and complete the trade.
Your Haunter evolves automatically as soon as the trade goes through — no prompt needed.
If you’re coordinating with someone who also wants a Gengar, you can swap Haunter for Haunter so you both end up with one. The same trick works for other trade evolutions (like Kadabra). If you care about getting your original back, make sure to trade back afterward.
Haunter/Gengar trade code in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
No partner lined up? You can try the community Link Code “0066 0066” to match with players also looking to evolve Haunter. Just a heads-up: randoms aren’t obligated to return your original Pokémon.
Where to catch Gengar in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
If you don’t have Nintendo Switch Online, there’s a shot to catch Gengar during Main Mission 20. Missed it? Gengar can also appear as an alpha under Prism Tower in Wild Zone 20. It’s not guaranteed, so you may need to reload the area a few times until one spawns.