The 30th Anniversary: All Out event is over, but did you enjoy it? It was a unique event for Pokémon GO, while we have had Legendary Pokémon on incense before at GO Fest, this was the first time almost all Pokémon that have been released in GO could spawn! All the spawn points in game were activated meaning a joyful abundance of wild spawns, and incense was an absolute must-use to try to get those Legendary Pokémon spawning.
The reaction to the event online has been very mixed. Some trainers were frustrated that Legendary Pokémon were almost guaranteed to flee, whilst others were filled with delight at the prospect of even seeing those giant Legends on the map.
So, was this unusual event a hit or a miss?
Wild Spawns
First up, let’s take a look at the wild spawns. Trainers reported a huge mix of spawns, with everything from Honedge and Charcadet in the wild, through to evolutions like Salazzle, Doublade and Morgrem! It felt exciting to know you could encounter almost anything in the wild, though your biome did impact what could spawn. It encouraged travel and getting outside to play properly to take advantage of the spawns, and if you had the chance to head to a different biome you could be surprised by a fresh set of different wild spawns to where you usually play.
Seeing people post their excitement at seeing something as rare as a Salazzle on their nearby as a shadow, and then them dashing out to find it, felt like 2016 all over again. While your spawn variety might be dictated by your biome and therefore not feel as fresh over several days, the event being spread over 3 days meant if you had the time you could potentially adventure somewhere different if you wanted to see something different.
Incense Spawns
It became clear quite quickly with Incense that the key to the best spawns was to keep moving. Ideally in long straight-ish lines where possible. On average trainers reported a Legendary Pokémon every 10 minutes or so on their Incense! The Legendaries spawning on Incense spawned from the classic Kanto birds, to their Galarian counterparts, to the Regis, to the Lake Guardians, Solgaleo and Lunala, and more! It was hilarious seeing Pokémon as massive as Lunala on the in-game map, and while they were tricky to catch, they were catchable. And could even be shiny! I wasn’t lucky enough to encounter any shinies on my walks, but I did encounter plenty of different Legendary Pokémon, and each one was SO exciting to see and try to catch. This event got me out and walking like few have in recent years outside of GO Fest, GO Tours and the Wild Area! I walked around 13km on Saturday morning, and another 11km on Monday evening. Ideally if I didn’t have plans I would have walked way more! I caught a fair few of these encounters, including Articuno, two Regirock, Regigigas, Dialga, Virizion, Tapu Fini, Regieleki, Reshiram, and most exciting, Enamorus! None were good IVs, but all had a decent CP so will make good Lucky Trade fodder. While some encounters fled after one throw, plenty stayed around for a couple of attempts at catching, making me very glad I had a hoard of Ultra Balls and Golden Razz Berries.
Freeze Shock
One of the keys to having a good chance at catching Legendary Pokémon was utilising Black Kyurem’s Adventure Effect Freeze Shock.
Freeze Shock casts electrically charged ice for 10 minutes. During this time, the Pokémon you encounter won’t be able to move, making them easier to catch. This also makes Pokémon easier to catch, including with connected accessory devices such as the GO Plus+. If you don’t yet have a Black Kyurem with Freeze Shock, here is how to obtain one:
You need to fuse Zekrom with a Kyurem that knows the Charged Attack Glaciate, Glaciate will become the [ice] type Charged Attack Freeze Shock. Freeze Shock will change back to Glaciate when Zekrom is separated from Kyurem.*
To use Freeze Shock’s Adventure Effect, you need:
- 5,000 Stardust
- 5 Kyurem Candy
If another event like this occurs, we highly recommend running Freeze Shock during your Incense walks to give you your best shot at catching any Legendary Pokémon you may encounter.
Final Thoughts
While the 30th Anniversary: All Out event may not have been to everyone’s tastes, I personally think it is what Pokémon GO is all about. It encouraged adventure and exploration, and it felt so fresh and exciting! I would love to see this be a mini annual event around the anniversary of Pokémon, because while it was an incredible event, it also shouldn’t be something that happens too often. Legendary Pokémon shouldn’t be easy to catch, or be available too frequently on Incense, they are Legendary Pokémon! They should be rare. It meant every Legendary catch felt so much more fulfilling and rewarding. While I understand many were frustrated that they didn’t manage to catch any, wasn’t it just a hype moment to even see one spawn on the map? This wasn’t an event for sitting at home running an Incense and hoping for the best, it was designed to push you out on the move, and that is exactly what it did.
And if you were lucky enough to encounter a shiny, how does it feel to be Arceus’ favourite?
