Pokémon Spotlight Hour will feature a different Pokémon and a special bonus for one hour at 6:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday during the month of March. This Spotlight Hour takes place on March 19th, 2024, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm local time, with a bonus of 2x XP for catching Pokémon.
This Spotlight Hour is the third March 2024 Pokémon spotlight, and it is especially interesting as it features multiple Pokémon! Vulpix, Poliwag, Snorunt and Hippopotas can all be encountered from the ‘Catch 5 Weather Boosted Pokémon’ Field Research task this season. This ties in nicely with the Weather Week event that finished on Monday 18th March.
Trainers who plan to participate should be prepared with a Mega Pokémon to maximise candy gains per ‘mon caught. Here’s everything you need to know:
Strap in tight, we’ve got details on each of the four Pokémon featured in this week’s spotlight. Overall, the Pokémon are all different types so the Mega bonus will not overlap. If you’re looking for candy, we would recommend mega evolving for the Pokémon you most need the candy for. Other than that, go wild with catching and gain as much XP as possible!
Spotlight Hour
Bonuses
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You will get 2x XP for catching Pokémon
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All featured Pokémon and their evolutions can be shiny in Pokémon GO
Note on XP Bonus
If you do not want to catch the featured Pokémon, you can make use of the 2x catch XP bonus by catching any saved Scatterbug, or opening a Mystery Box or Coin Bag! Remember to stack 2 Lucky Eggs if you’re out for the duration of Spotlight Hour.
Vulpix Fact Sheet
Vulpix
Vulpix is a Fire-type Pokémon with a Max CP of 998 in Pokémon GO. Vulpix’s best moveset is Quick Attack and Weather Ball. It is weather boosted by Sunny weather, and it was originally found in the Kanto region. Shiny Vulpix is available in Pokémon GO.
Vulpix is weak to Ground, Rock, and Water-type moves. It takes reduced damage from Bug, Fairy, Fire, Grass, Ice, and Steel-type moves.
Vulpix evolves into Ninetales which costs 50 Vulpix Candy.
Shiny Vulpix
Shiny Vulpix has lighter colouring, with little green socks on its feet. It could be easy to miss if you are very quickly shiny checking, so keep your eyes peeled trainers! Good luck
Vulpix CP and IV Chart
Mega Pokémon that boost Vulpix
The following Pokémon will grant you extra bonuses when catching Vulpix if they are Mega/Primal evolved:
A Note on Mega Catch Bonus
While a Pokémon is Mega-Evolved, additional XP and Candy is granted when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with it, or for any raid boss caught. These do not stack with each other. Additionally, High and Max Level Mega-Evolved Pokémon grant an increased chance to obtain Candy XL when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with it.
Is it worth evolving Vulpix?
Ninetales is a fan favourite Pokemon from the original games and series. Despite its beautiful design, Ninetales sadly hasn’t had much viability for usage in Pokémon GO. As a Fire type Ninetales is outranked by the likes of easily accessible Pokémon such as Flareon and Rapidash, and it doesn’t even come into question when compared to the Fire type legendaries. For raiding purposes, it was outmatched by nearly all other Fire types that have 3 stage evolutions. Sadly pure Fire types don’t have a huge place in the meta, and are only really needed against Grass and Steel types.
Poliwag Fact Sheet
Poliwag
Poliwag is a Water-type Pokémon with a Max CP of 937 in Pokémon GO. Poliwag’s best moveset is Bubble and Bubble Beam. It is weather boosted by Rain weather, and it was originally found in the Kanto region. Shiny Poliwag is available in Pokémon GO.
Poliwag is weak to Electric and Grass-type moves. It takes reduced damage from Fire, Ice, Steel, and Water-type moves.
- Poliwag evolves into Poliwhirl which costs 25 Poliwag Candy.
- Poliwhirl evolves into Poliwrath which costs 100 Poliwag Candy.
- Poliwhirl evolves into Politoed which costs 100 Poliwag Candy. You need to use a King’s Rock to evolve.
Shiny Poliwag
Shiny Poliwag is probably the hardest shiny from this Spotlight to spot (haha). You’re looking for a slightly lighter blue tone, but that is the only discernable difference!
Poliwag CP and IV Chart
Mega Pokémon that boost Poliwag
The following Pokémon will grant you extra bonuses when catching Poliwag if they are Mega/Primal evolved:
A Note on Mega Catch Bonus
While a Pokémon is Mega-Evolved, additional XP and Candy is granted when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with it, or for any raid boss caught. These do not stack with each other. Additionally, High and Max Level Mega-Evolved Pokémon grant an increased chance to obtain Candy XL when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with it.
Is it worth evolving Poliwag?
In every scenario where we pitted Poliwrath against Politoed, Poliwrath came on top and that includes:
- Gym offense (STAB testing & Normal mix defenders)
- Gym defense (STAB testing & Normal mix attackers)
- Prestiging with a variety of defenders
After all the tests we’ve done, there is no scenario in which Politoed is better than Poliwrath. Poliwrath has better stats, higher CP, access to better moves and simply a better overall position in the meta.
Just to reiterate one final time: both of these are worthy evolves, but prioritise Poliwrath first and foremost. Counter is a big boon to its performance, and represents THE fast move Poliwrath will want going forward in almost every format where it will appear. And it SHOULD start appearing a lot more!
Snorunt Fact Sheet
Snorunt
Snorunt is a Ice-type Pokémon with a Max CP of 1004 in Pokémon GO. Snorunt’s best moveset is Powder Snow and Avalanche. It is weather boosted by Snow weather, and it was originally found in the Hoenn region. Shiny Snorunt is available in Pokémon GO.
Snorunt is weak to Fighting, Fire, Rock, and Steel-type moves. It takes reduced damage from Ice-type moves.
- Snorunt evolves into Froslass which costs 100 Candy. You need to use a Sinnoh Stone to evolve. Only Female Snorunt can evolve into Froslass.
- Snorunt evolves into Glalie which costs 100 Candy.
- Glalie can Mega evolve into Mega Glalie. Evolving Mega Glalie costs 200 Mega energy the first time, and 40 energy every other time.
Shiny Snorunt
This is an easy one! Shiny Snorunt changes from the straw like colour to a frosty blue!
Snorunt CP and IV Chart
Mega Pokémon that boost Snorunt
The following Pokémon will grant you extra bonuses when catching Snorunt if they are Mega/Primal evolved:
A Note on Mega Catch Bonus
While a Pokémon is Mega-Evolved, additional XP and Candy is granted when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with it, or for any raid boss caught. These do not stack with each other. Additionally, High and Max Level Mega-Evolved Pokémon grant an increased chance to obtain Candy XL when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with it.
Is it worth evolving Snorunt?
Mega Glalie (Frost Breath/Avalanche) is the best Ice-type mega in raw power, but it is virtually identical to Mamoswine (and Galarian Darmanitan). Just like Mega Abomasnow is to Weavile and Glaceon. Still, definitely worth running in group raids for the 30% mega boost to other players.
Unlike mega evolutions of many other types, the two Ice-type megas don’t have extraordinary stats at all. Mega Glalie has 252 base attack to Mamoswine’s 247. Mega Abomasnow has 240 base attack to Weavile’s 243. The two megas have better fast moves (and Weather Ball Ice ≈ Avalanche on Abomasnow), but that doesn’t do much.
Comparing the two megas, Mega Abomasnow does have 24% more bulk than Mega Glalie, which gives Mega Abomasnow an advantage in larger lobbies by providing the boost for longer. Assuming you run L40 mega and everyone else runs L40 Mamoswine:
- 2-3 players: Mega Glalie better
- 4 players: Same
- 5+ players: Mega Abomasnow better
But the difference is EXTREMELY small (1-2% either way). I would say they’re virtually identical, so don’t stress about which one to use.
For the FOMO-concerned players: Glalie already has the best Ice moves. The only possible way to improve it would be to make Ice Spinner, Icicle Crash or Freeze-Dry new moves in PoGo and have them be OP… Nah, I don’t expect that to happen (at least until a future Vanillite CD).
Hippopotas Fact Sheet
Hippopotas
Hippopotas is a Ground-type Pokémon with a Max CP of 1535 in Pokémon GO. Hippopotas’s best moveset is Sand Attack and Dig. It is weather boosted by Sunny weather, and it was originally found in the Sinnoh region. Shiny Hippopotas is available in Pokémon GO.
Hippopotas is weak to Grass, Ice, and Water-type moves. It takes reduced damage from Poison, Rock, and Electric-type moves.
- Hippopotas evolves into Hippowdon which costs 50 Candy.
Shiny Hippopotas
There is a gender difference for Hippopotas, meaning the ultimate collectors among you will want to try to get a shiny of each varient. The female Hippopotas have a light marking on the eye section of their head, whereas the colouring are swapped round for the male.
Hippopotas CP and IV Chart
Mega Pokémon that boost Hippopotas
The following Pokémon will grant you extra bonuses when catching Hippopotas if they are Mega/Primal evolved:
A Note on Mega Catch Bonus
While a Pokémon is Mega-Evolved, additional XP and Candy is granted when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with it, or for any raid boss caught. These do not stack with each other. Additionally, High and Max Level Mega-Evolved Pokémon grant an increased chance to obtain Candy XL when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with it.
Is it worth evolving Hippopotas?
Hippowdon can be used for some limited Metas but is generally not seen in the meta.
