With Pokémon GO Unova Tour: Global only days away, now is the time to prep! Preparation is key to making sure you can optimise your time, items, and enjoyment at events like these, and there can be a lot more to think about that you might initially realise!
Which in-game items to bring to Unova Tour
The most important items to bring are PokéBalls (Great and Ultra as well). That is the major thing you don’t want to run out of on the day. Potions and Revives soon fill up when raiding, so keep them to a minimum, keep your berries in check, and focus on those balls.
If your Bag Space is always about full, check why, have you been raiding a lot lately? You’d be surprised how quickly Rare Candy can fill up your bag, so get it invested in Legendaries and other rare Pokémon. Origin Forme Dialga and Palkia can be great dumping grounds for excess rare candies if you use their Adventure Effects.
Other surprising items taking up your bag space might be an excess of Berries, (so get feeding them into gyms for stardust rather than just throwing them away), or evolution items. You don’t need a whole bunch of each evolution item, either use them or throw them, keep just a couple of each safe for evolutions.
Opening your maximum amount of gifts every day pre event will help you with your ball hoarding, so make sure you are sending out as many gifts as you can, and be sure to open your full amount each day. Make sure you hit your limit each day.
If you need more friends, check in your local groups, discords etc, post on social media, fill up that friends list and get yourself more gifts. Just popping your friend code on Twitter can grab you a bunch more friends quickly.
It’s key to also make sure you have any incense, star pieces or lucky eggs you might want to use, and remember you can stack them up now, so get them on at the start of the event and then you won’t have to worry about them running out during. Incense is something you’ll probably want to run the entire event, so make sure you have enough and put them all on as soon as the event starts.
Raids will be a big part of Unova Tour with the global debut of Black and White Kyurem, so it is worth making sure you have some raid passes ready to go in your bag, rather than needing to buy them on the day. Utilise those free passes where you can, but don’t miss out on raids because you needed to buy coins.
The regional Pokémon are egg exclusive, so it is worth hatching your eggs the day before, so you have a totally empty egg storage ready for the event to begin. Make sure you remember to incubate once you have some eggs, and maybe buy some incubators in advance if you are hoping to hatch a shiny. Shiny rates will be higher than usual for ticket holders, so it is worth hatching what you can on the day! You are likely to be doing a lot of walking either way, so make sure that infinite incubator is put to good use.
Coins! It is worth making sure you already have some coins in your bag, rather than needing to buy them on the day, just in case you decide to buy any premium items or boxes.
Pokémon GO Plus
If you will be using a GO Plus or similar, make sure you have plenty of Pokéballs over Great Balls. It will use them up quickly, so use Great/Ultra balls to manually catch, and leave your Pokéballs for the GO Plus. Make sure you also have your GO Plus set to spin for you! If you have the new GO Plus+ it can use all three types of ball, but only Pokéballs for the auto catch option.
The original GO Plus relies on batteries, consider changing them pre-event, while the GO Plus+ is rechargeable, so make sure it is fully charged!
Choose Your Buddy Pokémon Wisely
Particularly for those who are planning to grind raids, we would recommend switching your Buddy Pokémon to one who is a high enough level that you have Buddy Assist activated. With Buddy Assist starting at Great Buddy Level, your Pokémon can bounce your Pokéball back to retry to catch the Pokémon after an unsuccessful throw, giving you a second chance with the same ball. This is a great help for raids with limited balls to catch your Pokémon!
It’s also worth picking a Buddy Pokémon that isn’t spawning during the event so you don’t keep clicking on it accidentally, and that isn’t too big that it potentially hides spawns.
Prepare Your Adventure Effects
Adventure Effects can have a big impact on your day! Using Origin Forme Palkia’s Adventure Effect Spacial Rend can expand the radius at which you can encounter Pokémon, giving you access to even more spawns! Using Origin Forme Dialga’s Adventure Effect Roar of Time can increase the length of time your items last for by pausing them. Ideally you need to assess before Unova Tour which will be more advantageous to you, more spawns, or using less items? We suspect that most trainers would opt to use Spacial Rend with Origin Forme Palkia to boost their spawns to give them even more shiny chances.
If you aren’t sure which will work better for you, we have a full guide to Spacial Rend vs Roar of Time here.
Make sure you have plenty of stardust and the appropriate Pokémon candy to use your chosen Adventure Effect! If you have an excess of Rare Candy it can be worthwhile putting it into your Palkia or Dialga.
Remember the habitat rotation schedule!
Unova Tour has four habitats during event hours, each one repeats once. Here’s the schedule:
- Winter Caverns: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time
- Spring Soiree: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time
- Summer Vacation: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time
- Autumn Masquerade: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time
Note that each habitat has its exclusive spawns, as well as four costume Pikachu which will be highly sought after which can be shiny! You can look for new field research tasks each hour from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. You may find there is a habitat that you consider less desirable, so you could aim to take a break and eat during it.
Now that you know the schedule, you should…
Make a Shiny Checklist
Before the day itself, I’d recommend making yourself a shiny checklist of what you need from the known event spawns. Go through your Pokédex and make a note of what you are missing, you might be surprised to realise how many you need, or realise you have shinies you had forgotten about.
Having a list will help you prioritise what you are going to click on in a cluster of spawns. I’m going old school and am going to make a paper list I can keep in my pocket, rather than a note on my phone, as I don’t intend to be off the Pokémon GO app at any point.
Even if I don’t use my list on the day itself, writing a list out can be a good way to remind you of what shinies you don’t have, so they are in your head as a reminder. You might be surprised to realise while you thought you had the full family for Tympole, that you actually only have two of them, so writing that list out will help remind you of what you need.
The following Pokémon will be available as shinies for the first time in Pokémon GO:
Pokémon Storage Space
With a whopping 8 hours of play time for each day, that is a serious amount of Pokémon to catch! Give your Pokémon storage a huge clear out and be brutal.
If you keep a living dex, make sure you only have multiples of the meta relevant Pokémon. Transfer community day shinies to Pokémon HOME or to Professor Willow. You are never going to need 20+ shinies of one particular Pokémon (unless it is your fave, I get it, I hoard shiny Turtwig!), it’s time to say goodbye to them.
If you can, meet up a friend and reroll trade some of your more rare Pokémon that you have saved, but you are going to have to be brutal. If you don’t have your bag space maxed out, the morning of Unova Tour is the time to go for it. I intend to wait until the morning of Unova Tour to max out my bag space, because otherwise I know it’s just going to fill up without me realised. I know I can’t be trusted not to fill that space!
Do you need one of every Spinda pattern? Do you need to keep that 98% Lapras when you have the hundo? Now is the time to get tough on your collection and get transferring. Have you hoarded a whole bunch of legendary Pokémon for trades? Sorry but it is time to let them go! You don’t need 20 of each legendary, keep your best teams of 6 if you must, but make sure you go through them, you’ll be surprised how many you have. Ultimately, they’ll all be back in raids eventually.
One to keep an eye on is also Costume Pokémon if, like me, you are a fan. I was horrified to discover I had 4 or 5 of some costume Pokémon, for no real reason! Many don’t evolve, so unless they have a gender difference (i.e. Pikachu), I cut it down to one of each.
I also recommend going through your Shadow Pokémon and purifying and transferring them. I say purify first because to hit level 50 you need a lot of platinum badges, and that is a badge you can work on passively. Mind your stardust though, I don’t recommend purifying those 5000 dust Pokémon! You don’t need to keep them all (unless you love them for AR), so get rid of what you don’t need.
Take inspiration from Marie Kondo, does this Pokémon spark joy? No? Off to Professor Willow you go!
Batteries, Chargers and Phones
Make sure you have portable battery packs charged and charger cables at the ready. It is a long event, you are gonna need those chargers! With such long days, you are going to need to charge your phone on the GO, and we would recommend having multiple portable battery packs to charge your phone with. I’ve been caught short with battery packs failing on me previously, hence the recommendation to take more than one with you.
With potential for extreme heat or cold in some parts of the world, battery percentages can drop suddenly, so don’t let it get too low! Keep an eye on that percentage, and keep in mind that most portable chargers will charge more slowly than being plugged into a wall socket.
Make sure you charge overnight so your phone is ready to go, and that you have plenty of data on your phone plan. The last thing you want to happen is to run out of data a few hours into the event!
You’ll want your phone charger (plug and cables), portable battery packs, and phone, so triple check you have them!
Suitable Clothing for Unova Tour
With the event taking place in winter for the Northern Hemisphere, and summer for the Southern hemisphere, there is potential for some extreme weather, so making sure you are dressed suitably is so important.
If it is summer where you are right now, sun screen is key! Don’t burn or give yourself heatstroke, or you’re gonna have a bad time. Make sure you have access to cool drinks, shady spots, and wear light airy clothing that is going to keep you cool, whilst protecting your skin. Cloudy or overcast days can often be the worst for getting sunburnt because you don’t realise the power of the sun.
If you wear your hair in a part, make sure that part is covered in sun screen too, it’s easy to forget. Set timers to reapply and make sure you apply a good half an hour before you go out into the sun to let it sink in and work. Sunglasses and sunhats will help protect you too.
Good comfy shoes are a must no matter what the weather is. Now isn’t the time to wear brand new shoes you haven’t worn before, stick with the old faithfuls that you know aren’t going to give you blisters. Blister plasters may also be a good shout for your backpack.
You may also experience some quite unseasonable weather, with rain and cooler than expected temperatures. A rain coat/waterproof jacket would be a good idea, especially if it can fold up inside your back pack.
If it is winter/autumn, wrap up warm! Multiple thin layers are better than one or two thick layers, and a good waterproof coat.
Sun screen is still needed in winter, that sun can be incredibly harsh.
Gloves you can use your phone with, and good sturdy walking boots to keep you from slipping are great too.
A good backpack is the best choice for carrying anything you need with you. A backpack shares the weight of whatever you are carrying across two shoulders, rather than one, making it better on your back, and easier on a long day. A bag that zips up securely for your valuables is a good idea for crowded areas, and leaving non-essential items at home.
Food and Drink
Plan ahead for snacks, lunch and drinks, as well as bathroom breaks. Consider where you might eat lunch, and use it as an opportunity to not only refuel yourself, but to charge your phone if possible. Not eating and drinking over a long day, especially in hot weather, is an easy way to end up with sun stroke or pass out, so be careful.
Keep hydrated and fed and you’ll have a much more fun day. In extreme weather conditions this is even more important. Refillable water bottles are your pals!
Last Minute Prep
If you are in the Western Hemisphere, you do have an advantage over other parts of the world. With the likes of New Zealand, Australia and Japan starting so long before us for the global event, there will be a lot of available data on social media about the quest lines and what you need to do.
It’s worth checking our social media and website to see what the day entails so you can plan ahead, and keep your expectations in check. Follow us on Twitter!
Make sure you know you are following a reputable, trusted source, there are bound to be dodgy photoshops making the rounds, or people sharing photoshops of fake shinies, so check your sources.
General Tips and Tricks
Check out our full GO Tour guide and raid guides, to find out all the details of the event, to help you plan:
- Global Unova Tour
- How to get Black and White Kyurem
- Reshiram Raid Guide
- Zekrom Raid Guide
- Black Kyurem Raid Guide
- White Kyurem Raid Guide
- Druddigon Raid Guide
- How Good are Black and White Kyurem in PvE and PvP?
If you are planning to really grind, learning the ‘Quick Catch‘ trick can be a real help (though I have to admit, as a leftie, I find it tricky, but I’ve just mastered it recently). There are a bunch of videos on how to do this on Youtube, so check them out here.
Another nifty tip is that when you have clicked on a Pokémon to shiny check it, it will turn to face you. So when you are checking a cluster, the ones you haven’t checked, won’t be facing you, so this should save you time on checking the same Pokémon twice (other than Nosepass, who always turns to face North).
Be sure to prioritise checking an incense spawn over wild spawns, as incense spawns will only last for a very short period of time, and you don’t want to miss out on that shiny check!
Prioritise your catches. Some Pokémon featured are going to be much rarer than others. Regional Pokémon and Unown are all rare spawns. If you have to limit your catches due to item issues, prioritise those you might not normally get to see in the wild.
Don’t forget to take your snapshots!
Keep on top of your Special Research! It is usually easier to complete on the day, rather than after the event.
If you want to meet up with your friends and local community, make sure you all know where you plan to play, and where to meet. Community makes Pokémon GO the game it is, and meeting up with your friends for the event will make it so much more fun than playing on your own. Consider your friends and their accessibility needs. Is the location wheelchair accessible? Are there benches/seating for rests? Shady spots to hide from the sun? Is there safe parking for anyone rural who has to drive in? Does it avoid crossing major roads? Are their public bathrooms? Chat with your fellow players who may be disabled or chronically ill, and see what you can do to support them in being able to take part in the day with your community.
Mega Evolve a Pokémon
Mega evolve a Pokémon! When you have a Pokémon as a Mega, you are rewarded with a bonus catch candy for catching any Pokémon that share the Mega typing. For example, if you have a Mega Venusaur evolved, you’ll get an extra catch candy for catching any Grass or Poison type. We would recommend picking a dual type in order to gain additional candy for two different types of Pokémon, rather than just a single typing, or for even more boosts, Mega Rayquaza, Primal Groudon, and Primal Kyogre, boost three typings. We’ll have a full breakdown on which Mega Pokémon will be optimal shortly.
The following Mega Pokémon are currently available in game, and will reward the following extra candy:
Venusaur (Mega)
|
Grass and Poison |
Charizard (Mega Y)
|
Fire and |
Charizard (Mega X)
|
Fire and Dragon |
Blastoise (Mega)
|
Water |
Alakazam (Mega)
|
Psychic |
Beedrill (Mega)
|
Bug and Poison |
Pidgeot (Mega)
|
Normal and |
Slowbro (Mega)
|
Water and Psychic |
Gengar (Mega)
|
Ghost and Poison |
Gyarados (Mega)
|
Water and Dark |
Aerodactyl (Mega)
|
Rock and |
Ampharos (Mega)
|
Electric and Dragon |
Steelix (Mega)
|
Steel and Ground |
Houndoom (Mega)
|
Dark and Fire |
Manectric (Mega)
|
Electric |
Altaria (Mega)
|
Dragon and Fairy |
Absol (Mega)
|
Dark |
Lopunny (Mega)
|
Normal and Fighting |
Abomasnow (Mega)
|
Grass and Ice |
Kangaskhan (Mega)
|
Normal |
Latios (Mega)
|
Dragon and Psychic |
Latias (Mega)
|
Dragon and Psychic |
Groudon (Primal)
|
Ground Grass and Fire |
Kyogre (Primal)
|
Water Electric and Bug |
Pinsir (Mega)
|
Bug and |
Scizor (Mega)
|
Bug and Steel |
Tyranitar (Mega)
|
Rock and Dark |
Sceptile (Mega)
|
Grass and Dragon |
Blaziken (Mega)
|
Fire and Fighting |
Swampert (Mega)
|
Water and Ground |
Gardevoir (Mega)
|
Fairy and Psychic |
Aggron (Mega)
|
Steel |
Medicham (Mega)
|
Psychic and Fighting |
Banette (Mega)
|
Ghost |
Sableye (Mega)
|
Dark and Ghost |
Glalie (Mega)
|
Ice |
Salamence (Mega)
|
Dragon and |
|
Tyranitar (Mega)
|
Rock and Dark |
Rayquaza (Mega)
|
Dragon and Psychic |
Heracross (Mega)
|
Bug and Fighting |
Garchomp (Mega)
|
Dragon and Ground |
Mawile (Mega)
|
Steel and Fairy |
Gallade (Mega)
|
Psychic and Fighting |
Lucario (Mega)
|
Steel and Fighting |
On the Day Reminders
Some early reminders for those playing the event, to not do these things before Unova Tour starts in your area.
- Don’t send any gifts: There might be field research for sending gifts.
- Don’t open any gifts: If you aren’t in the most densely populated area for PokéStops, these can help replenish Pokéballs during play.
- No taking pictures of buddy or AR photos: Early Smeargle photobombs may reduce your special event photobomb amount, or override it entirely, be warned!
Best Pokémon to Catch
With so many different Pokémon to catch, you have to have your priorities in order!
Regionals
Regionals! In terms of spawns, Heatmor, Durant, Sawk and Throh will be rewards from Party Play!, whereas Panpour, Pansage and Pansear will be in the rotating habitats. As regional exclusive Pokémon, this is your best chance to get a shiny. They will be great to keep for future trades, and getting candy for them after these events will be tricky. Get stocked up on the Pokémon and the candies!
In eggs, the rarest regionals, Maractus, Bouffalant and Sigilyph will be in 10km eggs, so be sure to keep an eye on the eggs you have in your storage and use any Super Incubators you have on these. Heatmor, Durant, Sawk and Throh are also in 5km eggs. Larvesta actually features in every egg, from 2m to 10km, so it’s worth incubating as much as you can in the hopes of getting that elusive yellow Larvesta.
Rare Spawns
In terms of rare spawns, the rarest are Unown letters U, N, O, V and A spawning on incense only, so be sure to keep your incense running the whole day!
The costume Pikachu are, for those who like costume Pikachu, a big hunt. With four different costumes, if you want these, be sure to click every one you see as a priority!
Deerling is the only new shiny in the wild, and with one Deerling representing each season, there are four different forms to hunt for. And if you want a shiny living dex, you need 8, 2 of each!
Other rare spawns include: Drilbur, Minccino, Tirtouga, Archen, Audino (which does have a Mega variant), Alomomola, Rufflet, Yamask, Gothita, Solosis, Golett and both forms of Frillish.
Bonus Stardust
Some Pokémon bring with them additional stardust for catching them. Don’t just shiny check, catch them for even more stardust!
| List of bonus stardust Pokémon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pokémon | Base Stardust | Weather Boosted | Star Piece | Weather + Star Piece |
Audino
|
2,100 | 2,625 Partly Cloudy |
3,150 | 3,938 |
Trubbish
|
750 | 938 Cloudy |
1,125 | 1,406 |
Foongus
|
500 | 625 Sunny Cloudy |
750 | 938 |
Pokémon with Future Evolutions
It is also worth noting that some Pokémon have Gigantamax forms or Mega evolutions, so it may be worth catching as many as possible.
Gigantamax Garbodor is a future Poison type Gigantamax. While you can’t use existing Gardodor for Gigantamax forms, you will want plenty of Candy and XL Candy, so this is a good time to grind it. Audino also features, which has a Mega Evolution that is currently unreleased in GO, so it could be worth catching more of them to special trade for good IVs.
