I live next to a human abandoned house and there is a lone gengar living there. I know this because sometimes it comes over to mine and as soon as it sees me or my Pokémon or gets very scared and leaves. So… that leaves me with the question when you see Pokémon like gengar and alakazam in the wild, Pokémon who can’t evolve unless traded, does that mean they were abandoned by their trainer?

Not necessarily. For many pokémon that evolve by trading, trade evolution is only the faster of two options. Trade evolution pokémon may also evolve  by themselves, just like many others do; the only thing is that the pokémon in question must be of considerable age and battle experience to do so.

However, it’s difficult to say with this particular gengar. Its timidity may indicate that it hasn’t seen humans in years (which means it’s old and has evolved on its own) or that it’s endured trauma (which may indicate that it’s been abandoned). On the other hand, the fact that it visits you may indicate that it’s curious, which seems to imply the former (that you’re the first human it’s interacted with in a very, very long time).

Regardless of the reason behind its behavior, it wouldn’t hurt to show that you mean this gengar no harm, but certainly be cautious. While I advocate making friends with any pokémon, a gengar’s curiosity may also indicate that it’s examining you for your potential as food. Consider investing in sage before attempting to befriend this gengar.

Best of luck, anonymous!