Buddy Up! is a special Pokémon GO event that focuses on Buddy Pokémon and brings various bonuses associated to spending time with your buddy. The event lasts from Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. to Monday, April 27, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time.
During the event, Volbeat and Illumise will be available worldwide and Trainers will be able to encounter shiny Volbeat and shiny Illumise. Additionally, Woobat will be available in the wild for the first time.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Pokémon GO Buddy Up! Event.
Date and Time
| Starts | Ends |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. local time |
Monday, April 27, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time |
New shiny Pokémon
| Shiny Volbeat | Shiny Illumise |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Features
Shiny Volbeat and shiny Illumise available worldwide during the event
Volbeat
|
Illumise
|
Volbeat and Illumise, normally found only in specific regions, will be appearing everywhere in the wild, in Eggs, and as reward encounters from Field Research tasks! If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Volbeat or a Shiny Illumise!
Woobat in the wild
Woobat
For the first time, you’ll be able to encounter Woobat in the wild and after completing certain Field Research tasks. Woobat will be available in the wild and in 2 km Eggs after Buddy Up is over.
Increased spawns
The following Pokémon will be appearing more frequently in the wild:
Meowth (Alola)
|
Chansey
|
Eevee
|
Feebas
|
Lillipup
|
Joltik
|
Increased 5 km hatches
The following Pokémon will be hatching from 5 km Eggs and at a higher rate:
|
Meowth (Alola)
|
Eevee
|
Feebas
|
|
Lillipup
|
Joltik
|
Event-exclusive Field Research
Enjoy event-exclusive Field Research tasks that reward Stardust and encounters with:
| Research task | Reward |
|---|---|
| Give your buddy a treat |
Meowth (Alola)
|
| Take a snapshot of your buddy |
Volbeat
|
| Play with your buddy |
Illumise
|
| Earn a candy walking with your buddy Woobat |
Woobat
|
Raid bosses
| Tier | Bosses |
|---|---|
| 1 | Eevee(s), A-Vulpix(s), Joltik, Snubbull(s), Cubchoo |
| 2 | Herdier, Roselia(s), Lumineon, Lanturn, Mantine |
| 3 | Arcanine, A-Raichu(s), Starmie, Vaporeon, Abomasnow |
| 4 | A-Marowak(s), Togetic, Ludicolo, Lapras(s), Blastoise |
| 5 | Landorus |
Bonuses
- Buddy Pokémon will be bringing you more surprises more often! Look out for more items and Souvenirs. Your buddy might even bring you a new kind of gift!
- The distance to earn Buddy Candy and hearts with your buddy will be halved.
- It’ll be easier for your buddy to get excited!
- Feed your buddy Berries and Poffins, and it’ll join you on the map for twice as long.
- Earn twice the XP for evolving Pokémon, your buddy or otherwise!
Event guide
Well, there isn’t much to be said about maximizing the gains from this event, so let’s focus on what can be gained from the event.
#1 Priority
Catching either Volbeat or Illumise to fill up your Pokédex. Outside of that, shiny hunting Illumise and Volbeat is an activity you should partake in, be it through wild encounters or Field Research tasks.
#2 Priority
If you’re allowed to walk around in your city, your top priority should be getting Candy for Pokémon that you need Candy for.
Our database can be particularly helpful there:
#3 Priority
Double evolution experience is also nice if you are under level 40 and want to use the oldest method of experience grinding in Pokémon GO:
- Activate a Lucky Egg
- Filter your Pokémon list by typing “evolve” into the search bar
- Evolve as many Pokémon you can during Lucky Egg
- Prioritize Pokémon you don’t need and that have low Candy evolution cost
Infographic
