A reddit user reported that Pokemon GO Incense indeed attracts rare Pokemon. As per report, Incense should be used in an area where there is no Pokemon on the tracker.
We’ve observed similar theories on Pokemon GO research sub reddit, TheSilphRoad. The method seems to be working as intended.
Thanks to /u/SquareIsTopOfCool, we got a text version of the theory also:
Pokemon Go: Incense Theory
How to get rare Pokemon with incense? Activate them in areas where:
- NO WILD POKEMON SPAWN
- NO STREETS ARE
- NO POKESTOPS ARE
- NO GYMS ARE
I made a few tests. On 7/28/2016, from 7:45 AM to 8:05 AM, 1 incense yielded:
- Horsea CP 71
- Nidoran♀ CP 236
- Electabuzz CP 834
- Tentacool CP 220
- Diglett CP 15
- Graveler CP 557
[Video shows screencaps of OP’s trainer with Pokemon]
Another incense, on 7/27/2016 from ??? PM (time not visible) to 5:15 PM, yielded:
- Rhyhorn CP 47
- Meowth CP 194
- Gloom CP 298
- Seel CP 127
- Slowpoke CP 80
- Growlithe CP 17
[More screencaps of OP with Pokemon]
Still not enough? [Screencaps of OP with Pikachu and Abra]
6 incenses total yielded:
- Bulbasaur
- Ekans
- 3 Pikachus
- Vulpix
- Nidoran♀
- Diglett
- Jigglypuff
- Meowth
- Abra
- 2 Growlithes
- Graveler
- Ponyta
- Slowpoke
- Horsea
- Gastly
- Rhyhorn
- Staryu
- Electabuzz
- Omanyte
- and more…
[Side-by-side comparison of Wild Incense and City Incense. Wild Incense shows the above Pokemon; City Incense shows a Weedle, a Pidgey, a Rattata, and a Zubat.]
My explanation: Incenses spawn Pokemon that are normally around in the area. If there are no Pokemon in the area, it just takes completely random Pokemon.
Thanks for watching and leave a like if you think the theory is correct 😀
[Note: I did some summarizing and added/changed punctuation in a few places to make it easier to understand in text form. Hope it helped those of you who can’t watch the video!]