Much like r/NeverBeGameOver did for Metal Gear, and r/MCUtheories did for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this intellectual den of Pokémon researchers endeavors to find the truth behind every secret in the Pokémon universe.
Did you always wonder why Red never talks?
Or why we never see any Pokémon feces in any of the games?
Perhaps you think there’s a way to explain the chronological anomalies of the Pokémon anime soft-reboot? If so then you’ll find kindred spirits and great reading material in this subreddit.
If you’re on your way to completing an international Pokédex or simply need help to put together your competitive Pokémon team, this is an ideal place to start.
It’s the most notorious forum to set up trades, ask for specific Pokémon with certain traits, and possibly catch yourself some Pokérus.
The moderators at r/pokemontrades have a strict and actively enforced set of rules to keep everything clean and legal, with no selling of Pokémon and an absolute ban on hacked or cloned critters.
If that’s too much policing for you then consider visiting r/PokemonPlaza for more chill trades.
If you’ve got nothing to offer in exchange for those direly needed Pokémon, or you’re simply on the lookout for a sizable boost to your Pokédex with minimum effort, then r/Pokemongiveaway is the place for you.
Users here are interested in helping others as well as finding a new home for the Pokémon they don’t need or won’t be taking care of after abandoning the competitive scene.
You can even find some giveaways of Pokérus-infected monsters if you need some quick level ups in a new save file.
So you’ve been battling the Elite Four over and over again, possibly to no avail?
Well a bit of grinding is probably in order.
Yes, I know it can be boring to train your pocket monsters in such a repetitive fashion. But that’s exactly where this Reddit community comes in.
Image macros, funny stories, and general shitposting is what you’ll find in this wonderful corner of the Internet.
Some of the jokes posted in here require in-depth knowledge to understand so it’s bound to make you laugh while you worry about IVs and which traits make a Pokémon better for what.
This place won’t train your Pokémon, but at least you’ll be entertained while you do!
The Pokémon Trading Card Game has been a staple of the genre ever since its inception in 1996.
It used to be that the only place to discuss it was around the school playground and specialized stores. But thanks to the Internet we now we have this wonderful community full of people eager to help newbies craft their decks and generally keep the PTCG community active and healthy.
Being such an experimental game, Pokémon GO has had its fair share of surreal humor.
Strange and sometimes downright terrible Pokestops are one of the main sources of entertainment for PokéGO players worldwide.
This subreddit is dedicated to sharing all kinds of weird occurrences, such as unreachable Pokestops, digitally vandalized descriptions, and simply strange choices for locations to place them on.
Sending gifts from absurd Pokestops might be one of the most fun aspects of the game.
Of course the main Pokémon subreddit can’t be missing from the list.
It may have nothing particularly unique about it, but it’s the largest Pokémon community around and also the most active. Breaking news, new milestones, funny memes, it’s all here.
You can discuss several aspects of any Pokémon game or maybe plan a meetup, or just indulge in your enthusiasm for all things Pokémon through sharing personal stories with others.
One of my favorite features from Pokémon GO is taking pictures of my Pokémon in interesting places with the game’s AR features.
I’m clearly not the only Pokémon photography aficionado in the world, though, as this subreddit is one of the most active PokéGO forums around.
Minuscule Togepi on fingertips, daredevil Pikachu standing high up on monuments, and underwater Tentacool. All of these are common sights in this artsy corner of Reddit.
But by far the best Pokémon subreddit is The Silph Road, a grassroots hub dedicated to creating, maintaining, and organizing Pokémon GO communities all around the world.
Here you can meet other people from your area to go out and catch Pokémon, participate in raids, and even go out on long Pokémon expeditions to unusual places.
It’s a great way to make friends who can enrich your life both inside and outside the game, and it’s a wondrous example of how to keep a community alive and healthy.
The Silph Road is not only the best Pokémon subreddit but one of the most inspiring places on Reddit as a whole.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
