[X] My Assistant

[Zerxer]

The Secret Santa Exchange is now open for deposits! Sorry for the late notice. Please note that your party will be locked to a maximum of 5 after you've deposited, to ensure you have a space available when the exchange runs. This will negatively affect your ability to perform in the current coin event, so keep that in mind in case you want to wait until shortly before the deposits close (reset on Monday, the 26th).

This year, I will have deposits open until reset of the 26th (the day after Christmas). This is because of the fact I'm late, but also because of the exchange taking in to account a user's activity on the day before the exchange. This way no one feels compelled to be overly active on Christmas Day itself; enjoy the holiday elsewhere if you can!

Once you know what Pokémon you want to enter into the exchange, you will use its Options dropdown and choose "Secret Santa Exchange" under the "Move to" option.

The exchange itself will happen after 11:55pm EST on December 26th, meaning you have from now until the end of Monday (server time). Depending on my availability, it will likely be hours later, or the next afternoon, but the ability to deposit will be disabled closer to reset.

Some reminders (and notes for newcomers):

• You can only enter ONE Pokémon in the exchange and you will not be able to undo your choice.
• The Pokémon will immediately be converted into an egg of its BASE form, again meaning you cannot undo your choice.
• When the exchange runs after reset (on the night of Monday, December 26th), your Pokémon's egg will be given to someone else, and you will receive an egg from another person OF EQUAL RARITY.
• Rarity is dex rarity, not how "rare" you perceive it to be by availability on the site.
• Rarity is by BASE rarity. This means submitting certain novelties, such as a MEGA or some other Novelty evolution, will likely have a NON-NOVELTY base rarity (Common, Uncommon, Rare). A Mega Charizard would be a regular Charmander. Snowman Froakie would be a regular Froakie. A Winter Vulpix, however, would be considered a Novelty and would be given as a Winter Vulpix egg.
• Summonable legendaries are in their own rarity grouping, rather than with all legendaries (Very Rare). This means submitting a Ho-oh, Lugia, etc, will get you an equivalent summonable legendary back; you will not get something like an Articuno.
• Ultra Beasts are also in their own rarity grouping.
• Novelties are allowed again, except for: any Zygarde and Magikarp (the color novelties).
• Additional Pokémon that are not allowed: Manaphy, Phione, Arceus, Meltan, Melmetal, Black Kyurem, White Kyurem, all Zygarde.
• Submitting a SHINY means you will get a shiny in return, of equal rarity.
• THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU WANT, NOR THAT YOU WILL EVEN GET SOMETHING THAT YOU DO NOT ALREADY HAVE (although giving you something not already in your dex is the primary objective, but depending on how many people enter, and which Pokémon are entered, and how full your dex is, this may not have a 100% success rate)
• YOUR PARTY LIMIT WILL BE DECREASED TO 5 UNTIL THE EVENT ENDS, TO ENSURE YOU HAVE A SPOT OPEN IN YOUR PARTY FOR YOUR NEW EGG. Keep this in mind in case you want to wait until the 26th to deposit your Pokémon.
• The exchange script will prioritize users based on their December 26th activity — those who were more active that day will be first to get an exchange Pokémon, which helps ensure they get something new.
• I might not be available precisely at reset on the 26th, which means the actual exchange will take place later that night if not the next afternoon. Just an FYI.

I will open this thread for replies after the actual exchange happens.