December Community Day is coming to Pokemon GO this weekend! Settle in Trainers, this is going to be a long one and it will not be anything like our usual guides for Community Day because we have a lot to cover this time around. After all, it is featuring multiple Pokémon, and unlike previous CDs, it lasts the entire whole weekend (with a few gotchas).
Exclusive moves and increased shiny rates will be available through the entire weekend, so don’t stress about that. We got you covered with 100% IV search strings, Pokemon tier list and general event guide.
December Community Day Infographics
December Community Day Event Times in Various Regions
The December Community Day reunion starts and ends like most any event, synced to times in Pacific Standard Time, but the catch is that there will be extra bonuses during Community Day-esque hours (If any more time conversions are needed, use this site here):
| Overall Event | November 30th, 2018 at 1 p.m. PST to December 2nd, 2018 at 11 p.m. PST |
|---|---|
| Community Day Bonuses Start Times | |
| Asian-Pacific region | Dec. 2nd, 2018 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. JST (GMT+9) |
| Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India | Dec. 1st, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. UTC (GMT +0) |
| Americas and Greenland | Dec. 1st, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PST (GMT −8) |
Event bonuses include:
- 2x catch experience
- 2x catch stardust
- 2x Incubator Effectiveness
- 3 hour long lures
- Exclusive moves of all Pokemon available for the weekend
Item recommendations for Pokemon GO Reunion CD
This will be a drain on your bag space moreso than any event prior. If you wanted to maximize all of your gains, you will need all manners of berries, star pieces, Pokéballs, and more. That is why we are going to detail the items you are most likely to need and why they will help you out.
| Star Piece | Stardust is one of the most valuable resources in the game, next to candy, TMs, and Sinnoh Stones (for now). So the chance to increase your gains, during your greatest time of catching and the default x2 bonus, is a great opportunity indeed. |
|---|---|
| Gotcha / GO Plus / Poké Ball Plus | These are good for spinning the stops while you are walking, or catching that random Roselia or something that pops up. |
| Egg Incubator / Super Incubator | The walking distance will be reduced regardless of which you use, but you will find more hatches with the Super Incubator, which in turn means more Stardust and XP. |
| Lucky Egg | While it might not be incredibly useful for those Level 40s out there, those on the path to the max level will find the benefits of a Lucky Egg great, both during the regular event and the 2x bonus. |
| Pinap / Silver Pinap | While we would not recommend the use of Silver Pinaps, both of these could be used to increase your candy gains, and considering how meta-relevant some of the Exclusive Moves, candy will definitely be needed. |
| Poké Balls | Goes without saying, you need balls to catch Pokémon, stock up on the higher end ones as much as you can prior to the event to get easy catches. |
| Raid Passes | Weird suggestion right? No, because in the case of Tyranitar, during the bonus hours, it will have Smack Down when caught in the raid. So picture it, do a raid, with a Star Piece and Lucky Egg on, and catch a Ttar with Smack Down and a good chance at high IVs. |
December Pokémon 100% Search Strings
No Community Day guide would be complete without a look at the CP potential in caught Pokémon. So, even post stat rework, we got all the 100% IV possible CPs of each Pokémon. Now keep in mind, besides the likes of level 30 and 35 weather boosted Pokemon, none of these are guaranteed 100% IVs, but if they are 100% then they have to be one of these.
Bulbasaur Sunny Cloudy
1&p15,cp49,cp83,cp116,cp150,cp184,cp217,cp251,cp285,cp318,cp350,cp382,cp414,cp446,cp477,cp509,cp541,cp573,cp605,cp637,cp669,cp700,cp732,cp764,cp796,cp828,cp860,cp892,cp923,cp955,cp971,cp987,cp1003,cp1019,cp1035
Charmander Sunny
4&cp13,cp43,cp73,cp102,cp132,cp161,cp191,cp221,cp250,cp280,cp308,cp336,cp364,cp392,cp420,cp448,cp476,cp504,cp532,cp560,cp588,cp616,cp644,cp672,cp700,cp728,cp756,cp784,cp812,cp840,cp854,cp868,cp882,cp896,cp910
Squirtle Rainy
7&cp13,cp41,cp70,cp99,cp127,cp156,cp184,cp213,cp241,cp270,cp297,cp324,cp351,cp378,cp405,cp432,cp459,cp486,cp513,cp540,cp567,cp594,cp621,cp648,cp675,cp702,cp729,cp756,cp783,cp810,cp824,cp837,cp851,cp865,cp878
Pikachu Rainy
25&cp13,cp41,cp69,cp98,cp126,cp154,cp183,cp211,cp239,cp268,cp294,cp321,cp348,cp375,cp402,cp428,cp455,cp482,cp509,cp536,cp562,cp589,cp616,cp643,cp670,cp696,cp723,cp750,cp777,cp804,cp817,cp830,cp844,cp857,cp871
Eevee Partly Cloudy
133&cp15,cp47,cp79,cp112,cp144,cp176,cp209,cp241,cp273,cp306,cp336,cp367,cp397,cp428,cp459,cp489,cp520,cp550,cp581,cp612,cp642,cp673,cp703,cp734,cp765,cp795,cp826,cp856,cp887,cp918,cp933,cp948,cp964,cp979,cp994
Dratini Windy
147&cp14,cp44,cp74,cp105,cp135,cp165,cp196,cp226,cp256,cp287,cp315,cp344,cp373,cp401,cp430,cp459,cp488,cp516,cp545,cp574,cp602,cp631,cp660,cp689,cp717,cp746,cp775,cp803,cp832,cp861,cp875,cp890,cp904,cp918,cp933
Chikorita Sunny
152&cp13,cp41,cp69,cp97,cp126,cp154,cp182,cp210,cp239,cp267,cp294,cp320,cp347,cp374,cp400,cp427,cp454,cp481,cp507,cp534,cp561,cp587,cp614,cp641,cp668,cp694,cp721,cp748,cp775,cp801,cp815,cp828,cp841,cp855,cp868
Cyndaquil Sunny
155&cp13,cp43,cp73,cp102,cp132,cp161,cp191,cp221,cp250,cp280,cp308,cp336,cp364,cp392,cp420,cp448,cp476,cp504,cp532,cp560,cp588,cp616,cp644,cp672,cp700,cp728,cp756,cp784,cp812,cp840,cp854,cp868,cp882,cp896,cp910
Mareep Rainy
179&cp14,cp43,cp73,cp103,cp133,cp163,cp193,cp223,cp253,cp283,cp311,cp339,cp368,cp396,cp424,cp453,cp481,cp509,cp538,cp566,cp594,cp623,cp651,cp679,cp708,cp736,cp764,cp792,cp821,cp849,cp863,cp877,cp892,cp906,cp920
Larvitar Sunny Partly Cloudy
246&cp14,cp46,cp77,cp108,cp140,cp171,cp203,cp234,cp265,cp297,cp327,cp356,cp386,cp416,cp445,cp475,cp505,cp535,cp564,cp594,cp624,cp653,cp683,cp713,cp743,cp772,cp802,cp832,cp862,cp891,cp906,cp921,cp936,cp951,cp966
Beldum Snow Windy
374&cp13,cp43,cp72,cp102,cp131,cp161,cp190,cp220,cp249,cp279,cp307,cp334,cp362,cp390,cp418,cp446,cp474,cp502,cp530,cp558,cp585,cp613,cp641,cp669,cp697,cp725,cp753,cp781,cp809,cp837,cp851,cp865,cp879,cp892,cp906,cp920,cp934,cp948,cp962,cp976
December Community Day FAQ
What Pokémon should I focus on for the event? What are the meta relevant Pokémon to go for?
This is quite the loaded question, as mostly it is dependent on your own focus. In my personal case, I never got a shiny Pikachu, so this is my chance. For some, they want higher IV versions of their current Pokémon. For others, they might not have gotten a shiny they wanted or as many as they wanted. Then still there are those that just never got a opportunity to play during a Community Day due to work, life, and other obligations. Objectively speaking however, when you look at the meta relevance of each Pokémon and their exclusive moves, you can make a few conclusions:
- Metagross / Meteor Mash: Metagross is the absolute best Steel type in the game right now, and a fantastic generalist with Meteor Mash. If it is weak to Steel, like Rock, Ice, and Fairy are, or just do not resist it, Metagross will be one of the top counters with no true competition in sight.
- Tyranitar / Smack Down: Tyranitar might have some competition from Rampardos and Rhyperior, but a Smack Down Tyranitar can arguably outbeat both in the long run, and it is the current de facto leader of the Rock type meta.
- Venusaur / Frenzy Plant: Venusaur soared to prominence when it got Frenzy Plant, and while it faces stiff competition from Roserade, and will be almost entirely outclassed by Frenzy Plant Sceptile when it comes along, it is currently one of the best Grass types around.
Shiny rate during December community day?
While my original draft of the article had it as a resounding “idk, no one knows,” Niantic Support went to clarify this very question that had been on everyone’s mind, stating the shiny rates will be boosted throughout the entire event.
Hi Trainer, you will see increased shiny form Pokémon of the featured Pokémon across the entire weekend. The 3-hour window is just for the bonus rewards. Hope that helps! ^KM
— Niantic Support (@NianticHelp) November 29, 2018
For those that missed their shinies, this is your greatest chance to get whichever you want!
Can we use TMs?
No. There was some inconsistent wording in the initial announcements that could be open to interpretation, but it says clear, “Note: Fast TMs and Charged TMs will not grant exclusive moves during Community Day. To learn the exclusive move, you must catch or evolve the featured Pokémon during Community Day hours.” Unless something changes in this generic announcement of theirs, they most likely will not be able to be changed with TMs.
General Event Tips and Tricks
- Be patient – there will be errors and bugs at the start of the event, both the global start and the bonus hours. It is best to restart the app in some, if not most, cases.
- To ensure that you have Lures up the entire duration, do not lure prior to the bonus start, as those will only last 30 minutes. You will know when Community Day is on, just watch for the lag spike, errors aplenty, the spinning Pokéball, and the almost inevitable need to restart. Lures will last for three hours then.
- Use Incense to attract even more Pokémon to you while you’re out hunting. If you are wondering, yes Incense can spawn Community Day ‘mons, that can be shiny. Incense is worth it.
- Chat with your fellow Trainers and grow your local Pokémon Go community. Make good use of the QR code feature to make some new friends!
- Most importantly, have fun, get some shinies, and hope for good network connections!
December Community Day Tier List
Given the amount of Pokemon featured in this event, it’s quite important to remember which of them are simply… better than the others. Let’s go over them and see how they stack up together. For a full version of this list please read this amazing breakdown written by Kratos: Pokemon GO December Community Day: Best Exclusive Moves to Look For
S Tier
Metagross, Tyranitar and Venusaur are the best Pokemon you can evolve during December Community Day, as the moves they get are a straight up mega-buff to their performance:
- Metagross needs Meteor Mash to be viable, and that move alone makes him one of the best attackers in the game, period. His type chart is insane and MM makes it shine.
- Smack Down Tyranitar is a god among currently available Rock types and it’s a nightmare to fight against
- Frenzy Plant Venusaur is a high DPS Grass type with little competition in the space, especially at lower levels, it’s staggering how this move can make a simple Venusaur shine
A Tier
Charizard and Dragonite reside as convenient upgrades, but nothing ground breaking. Draco Meteor is outclassed by Outrage, and Blast Burn Charizard is a great upgrade for Charizard, but there are stronger Fire types out there. These Pokemon are great to have and make up worthy team members, but they are not something which you can’t live without.
B Tier
Pokemon like Typhlosion, Blastoise and Meganium have significant move pool upgrades with their CD exclusive moves, and while interesting, their stats make them quite unattractive compared to other Pokemon from S and A tiers. Eevee is particularly troublesome here, as Last Resort is not particularly useful on any Eeveelution. Evolve at your convenience.
C and D Tier
Ampharos and Pikachu are nothing to write home about stat wise and their exclusive moves are more of a homage to the Pokemon lore than they are actually useful. Pikachu’s Surf attack can fill a weird niche against Rock types aiming to take it down, but Ampharos’ Dragon Pulse is not something you want on an Ampharos.
