Minior Showers in Pokémon GO: Dates, Cores & Bonuses

Minior made its Pokémon GO debut during Minior Showers, a series of events inspired by real-world meteor showers. Six events are scheduled between October 2026 and August 2027, introducing all seven Minior Core colours, increased Stardust rewards, and a unique form-changing battle mechanic.

The first event, Orionids, ran from October 19 to 24, 2026 and introduced Green Core Minior. The next Minior Showers event is Leonids, November 14 to 19, 2026.

During each meteor shower, Minior can appear in the wild in its Meteor Form. The best time to hunt is 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time each day, when Minior encounters become more frequent and shooting stars appear in the in-game sky.

Minior Showers Event Schedule

Six Minior Showers events are scheduled between October 2026 and August 2027. Each begins at 5:00 p.m. on its first day and ends at 11:59 p.m. on its final day, local time.

Each event introduces a new Minior Core colour, with the Geminids event featuring two different regional debuts. Here’s the complete schedule and currently confirmed Core colours.

Important: The Geminids event in December will introduce one new Core colour in the Northern Hemisphere and a different one in the Southern Hemisphere. The specific colours have not yet been announced.

With seven Core colours debuting across six events, collectors will need to follow multiple meteor showers to complete their Minior collection. The availability of individual colours during future events will be updated as details are announced.

How to Get Minior in Pokémon GO

Minior appears in the wild in its Meteor Form during Minior Showers events. This is the rocky, protective shell that hides its colourful core.

You won’t encounter the different coloured cores as separate wild Pokémon. Instead, Minior is encountered in Meteor Form, and its Core colour becomes relevant when its shell breaks during battle.

Here is when to look for Minior:

On the first day of each event, Minior Showers begins at 5:00 p.m. local time. The event remains active through 11:59 p.m. on its final day.

Tip: If you’re trying to collect Minior, prioritise the 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. window. It’s the best opportunity to find more encounters while also taking advantage of the event’s Stardust rewards.

Event Bonuses

During the first Orionids event, catching Minior rewarded 1,000 Stardust, or 1,500 Stardust with a Star Piece. The official announcement confirms increased Stardust during the Minior Showers series, but the precise rewards for later events should be checked when each event begins.

All Seven Minior Core Colours

Minior has seven different Core colours in Pokémon GO. Each has the same Rock- and Flying-type combination, but their different appearances make them a collection goal.

• Minior (Red Core)
• Minior (Orange Core)
• Minior (Yellow Core)
• Minior (Green Core) – Debuted October 19, 2026
• Minior (Blue Core)
• Minior (Indigo Core)
• Minior (Violet Core)

Green Core Minior was the first to become available, during the Orionids event in October 2026. The remaining colours will debut during the five subsequent meteor showers, with two making their debut during December’s Geminids event.

Can Minior Be Shiny?

Shiny Minior was not announced as available during the October 2026 Orionids debut event. The release of its seven regular Core colours does not mean their Shiny variants are also available.

Future Minior Showers may introduce additional availability changes, but a Shiny debut should not be assumed without an official announcement.

How Minior’s Form Change Works

Minior introduces an unusual battle mechanic to Pokémon GO: it automatically changes form when its HP drops below a specific threshold.

Unlike most Pokémon that retain the same battle stats throughout a fight, Minior transforms from a defensive Pokémon into a much more powerful, but fragile, attacker.

The transformation works as follows:

• Minior starts battle in its defensive Meteor Form.
• When its HP drops below 50%, its rocky shell breaks and its Core Form is exposed.
• Its Attack increases significantly, but its Defense drops, leaving Minior much more vulnerable to incoming damage.
• The transformation can trigger from damage taken during battle. Minior does not need to use a Charged Attack to change form.

Initially, Minior’s form-changing mechanic is supported in battles against Team GO Rocket, team leaders, and in the GO Battle League.

Minior will not be eligible for the 2027 Latin America International Championships.

Minior’s Type Weaknesses

Minior is a Rock and Flying-type Pokémon, making it weak to Electric, Ice, Rock, Steel and Water-type attacks.

Its defensive Meteor Form helps it survive longer, but once its core is exposed, even neutral damage can become dangerous because of its much lower Defense.

Is Minior Good in PvP?

Minior has promising potential in the Great League, thanks to the combination of excellent Meteor Form bulk and a powerful Core Form.

Its unusual mechanics reward careful energy management. A key strategy is to build up energy while Minior is protected by its Meteor Form, then unleash powerful Charged Attacks after its core is exposed.

Rollout provides strong energy generation, while Ancient Power, Power Gem, and Acrobatics offer different options for its Charged Attacks.

However, Minior’s Rock/Flying typing leaves it vulnerable to common Great League threats, especially Water, Electric, Rock and Steel attacks. Its much lower Defense in Core Form also makes the timing of its transformation extremely important.

For a complete breakdown of Minior’s stats, movesets, simulations, matchup results and recommended strategies, read JRE’s Minior PvP Analysis: Is It Good in Pokémon GO?

Minior Showers Stardust Rewards

One of the biggest attractions of Minior Showers is the opportunity to earn Stardust.

During Orionids, every Minior catch awarded 1,000 Stardust. Combining the increased Stardust reward with a Star Piece made Minior especially valuable to catch.

These values use the rewards from the October 2026 Orionids event. Star Piece totals assume the 50% bonus is active when eligible Stardust is earned or claimed. Rewards for future Minior Showers may differ.

How to Maximise Your Stardust

• Play during the boosted encounter hours. Minior appears more frequently from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time during each shower.
• Use a Star Piece when you’re ready to catch Pokémon. Each Star Piece lasts 30 minutes and increases eligible Stardust rewards by 50%.
• Combine catching with Research rewards. If event-exclusive Timed Research awards Stardust, claim the rewards while a Star Piece is active.
• Prioritise Minior encounters. During Orionids, each Minior was worth the equivalent of ten ordinary 100-Stardust catches, before bonuses.

During Orionids, Trainers could earn 174,150 Stardust from the regular Timed Research alone by claiming all its Stardust rewards with a Star Piece active, before counting any wild encounters.

Minior Shower Timed Research

The October 2026 Orionids event featured free Timed Research rewarding a Star Piece and a substantial amount of Stardust. A small number of lucky Trainers also received special Bonus Timed Research featuring a 1,000,000 Stardust completion reward.

Note: The following research tasks belong to the October 19–24, 2026 Orionids event, which has ended. Research tasks and rewards for future Minior Showers have not yet been confirmed.

Minior Shower Free Timed Research (1/1)

Task	Rewards
Claim Reward!	1× Star Piece
Use a Star Piece	7740× Stardust
Use a Star Piece	7740× Stardust
Use a Star Piece	7740× Stardust
Use a Star Piece	7740× Stardust
Use a Star Piece	7740× Stardust
Completion Rewards	77400× Stardust

The five individual tasks awarded a combined 38,700 Stardust, with a further 77,400 Stardust for completing the research. That brought the total to 116,100 Stardust, or 174,150 Stardust with a Star Piece active when claiming all the rewards.

Research tip: The five tasks had identical requirements. Activating a Star Piece with all five tasks available could complete them together, allowing you to claim the rewards while that same Star Piece was active.

Bonus Timed Research (1/1)

A small number of lucky Trainers received special Bonus Timed Research with a massive one million Stardust completion reward.

Task	Rewards
Claim Reward!	1× Star Piece
Use a Star Piece	774× Stardust
Completion Rewards	1000000× Stardust

Including the individual task reward, this research awarded 1,000,774 Stardust before bonuses. Claiming all eligible Stardust rewards with a Star Piece active increased the total to 1,501,161 Stardust.

The one-million-Stardust Bonus Timed Research was not available to every Trainer. Its appearance was limited to a small number of lucky accounts, and no guaranteed method of obtaining it was announced.

Explore by Starlight

Every Minior Shower features a special nighttime visual effect in Pokémon GO.

From 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time each day, shooting stars illuminate the in-game sky, matching the real-world meteor shower that inspired the event.

During the same period, Minior has an increased chance of appearing in the wild, making this the ideal time to hunt for new Core colours and earn Stardust.

The meteor shower can be seen on the in-game map and during encounters. During Orionids, players also reported a special meteor shower message appearing in the game’s weather interface.

Minior Showers Frequently Asked Questions

When is the next Minior Showers event?

The next scheduled event is Leonids, November 14–19, 2026. It begins at 5:00 p.m. on November 14 and ends at 11:59 p.m. on November 19, local time.

Which Minior colour is available during each event?

Green Core Minior debuted during Orionids in October 2026. The Core colours for subsequent meteor showers have not yet been announced. December’s Geminids event will introduce two different colours, one in each hemisphere.

What time does Minior spawn more frequently?

Minior encounters are boosted from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time each day during Minior Showers. The events themselves continue until 11:59 p.m. on their final day.

How much Stardust do you get for catching Minior?

During the October 2026 Orionids event, Minior awarded 1,000 Stardust per catch, increased to 1,500 Stardust with a Star Piece. The exact Stardust rewards for future showers should be confirmed when those events begin.

Can you collect every Minior Core colour?

Seven Core colours are scheduled to debut across six Minior Showers events. Collecting every colour will require participating in multiple events, and the December 2026 Geminids event will feature different regional Core debuts in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Does Minior change form outside PvP?

Minior’s form change is initially supported during Team GO Rocket battles, team leader battles, and the GO Battle League. It starts in Meteor Form and exposes its core after its HP falls below 50%.

Is Minior worth keeping for Great League?

Yes, Minior has promising Great League potential thanks to its unusual combination of high bulk and powerful Core Form attacks. Its usefulness depends on its moveset, energy management, and matchups. Check our complete Minior PvP analysis before investing Stardust.

Minior Showers Infographic

For official announcements and any changes to future event details, see the official Pokémon GO Minior Showers announcement.