Pokémon GO Fest 2025: Global features over 50 meta-relevant spawns, with new shiny debuts, regional Pokémon, and more. Here are the ones worth catching for PvP, raids, and shiny hunters.
✅ Best Pokémon to Catch at Global GO Fest 2025
- In the wild: Best catches at Global GO Fest 2025 include Swinub, Tentacool, Jangmo-o, Larvitar, Deino, Teddiursa, Flabébé, Frigibax (shiny debut), and Carbink (shiny debut). These Pokémon are valuable for battles, raids, and collections—make them your top targets.
- In raids: the Crowned Forms of Zamazenta and Zacian are absolute must haves.
Rotating Habitats
Event-themed Pokémon will appear in rotating habitats during both days of the event. Enjoy each habitat hour twice during event hours. The rotations are as follows:
- Moonless Volcano: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time
- Galvanic Dojo: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time
- Hypnotic Tundra: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time
- Fae Swamp: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time
Moonless Volcano – Top PvP & Raid Pokémon
Houndour
Houndour
Houndour evolves into Houndoom, which is a solid dark-type raid attacker. Its Mega form is one of the best, both as a fire and dark-type raid attacker.
Duskull
Duskull
Duskull’s final evolution, Dusknoir, is fantastic for both the Great League and the Ultra League. The regular variant performs slightly better in the Ultra League, whereas Shadow Dusknoir performs a bit better in the Great League. Though for the Great League, it might actually be worth it to keep a Dusclops around as well. As Dusclops, in its regular form, might be one of the best Great League Pokémon available right now, thanks to better bulk and spamminess.
Golett
Golett
Golett evolves into Golurk, which in its shadow form is solid for the Great League and the Ultra League. It can also work as a decent shadow ground-type Raid Attacker.
Fletchling
Fletchling
Fletchling’s final evolution is Talonflame. It has fallen out of favor in the Great League in recent seasons, but it can still be a fun spice pick. Plus, to add to that, Talonflame is still pretty decent in the Ultra League as well.
Flabébé
White Flower Flabébé
Another high-value Pokémon with many uses. Florges, Flabébé’s final form, is a decent spice pick for the Great League, solid in the Ultra League, and one of the absolute best Pokémon in the Master League despite not being a legendary. It is also a solid Fairy-type Raid Attacker. Worth noting that there is a unique color variation of Flabébé in every habitat during Global GO Fest that are typically regional exclusives, so well worth the hunt!
Skrelp
Skrelp
Skrelp and its evolution, Dragalge, have a rather unique Poison and Dragon typing. It can be an okay spice pick in the Great League, but it definitely performs better in the Ultra League thanks to it having quite a healthy dose of resistances. As a bonus, it can be an okay poison-type Raid Attacker as well.
Fuecoco
Fuecoco
Fuecoco, the fire starter of Paldea, eventually evolves into Skeledirge. Skeledirge is solid for the Great League and Master League (Especially Master League Premier). And it’s also a decent fire and ghost-type raid attacker.
Carbink
Carbink
Carbink is an excellent Pokémon for the Great League, thanks to its immense bulk and a personal favorite of mine. GO Fest 2025 is also the debut of shiny Carbink, making it a fantastic choice for collectors as well.
Galvanic Dojo
These are the Pokémon you can find training hard in the Galvanic Dojo:
Machop
Machop
Being a rather attack-weighted fighting type, Machop’s evolutions, Machoke and Machamp, both perform well in their shadow forms in the Great League, and Machamp alone performs well in the Ultra League and the Master League Premier. Not only that, Machamp is a solid fighting-type raid attacker as well.
Electabuzz
Electabuzz
Electabuzz’s evolution, Electivire, in its shadow form, can be a spice pick for the Great League and a pretty decent one in the Ultra League. But where Electivire really shines is as a raid attacker, as even in its regular form, it is one of the best electric-type raid attackers.
Teddiursa
Teddiursa
Teddiursa’s final form, Ursaluna, is one of the few rare non-legendary Pokémon that’s good for the Master League. Not only that, it’s one of the best ground-type Raid Attackers as well. In this case, with Tackle and High Horsepower.
Chespin
Chespin
Chespin’s final evolution, Chesnaught, is one of the best grass-type raid attackers. Though, as with most grass-type starter Pokémon, you need Frenzy Plant to bring out 100% of Chesnaught’s potential.
Pancham
Pancham
One of the most “upper middle” Pokémon we have on here, Pancham’s evolution Pangoro is solid for the Great League and the Ultra League, and a sort-of decent dark-type raid attacker if you don’t have alternatives.
Dedenne
Dedenne
Changes to the recent season have potentially made Dedenne the best electric-type Pokémon for the Great League. The combination of Thundershock and the Self-defense buffing Parabolic Charge makes Dedenne a mouse-sized menace. And this is without even talking about its fairy-type coverage.
Hypnotic Tundra
Prepare to be mesmerized by these Pokémon in the Hypnotic Tundra:
Alolan Sandshrew
Alola Sandshrew
Alolan Sandshrew and its evolution, Alolan Sandslash, have a rather unique typing of steel and ice; as such, it’s quite decent in the Great League and the Ultra League.
Swinub
Swinub
Swinub’s final evolution, Mamoswine, is one of the best ice and ground-type raid attackers, even in its regular form. Mamoswine has very solid full mono-type moves for raids as well, Powder Snow and Avalanche for ice Mamoswine, Mud-Slap and High Horsepower for ground Mamoswine. Not only that, Swinub itself has play in 500 CP Little Cup formats.
Spheal
Spheal
A Pokémon with multiple uses under the right circumstances. Spheal’s evolution, Sealeo, has recently gotten Surf, which makes it a decent pick for the Great League. And Spheal’s final evolution, Walrein, has consistently seen play in the Ultra League and Master League Premier formats. Usually, the shadow forms of these Pokémon perform better under most circumstances, including as an ice-type raid attacker for Walrein.
Piplup
Piplup
Piplup’s final evolution, Empoleon, is a solid water-type raid attacker and a decent steel-type raid attacker. It had some chances to play a part in PvP as well.
Frigibax
Frigibax
Much like Spheal mentioned before, Frigibax is a Pokémon with many uses. By itself, it can be used in the Little Cup format; its mid-stage evolution, Arctibax, is a solid spice pick for the Great League, and its final evolution, Baxcalibur, is a solid Pokémon for the Master League. It is also one of the best ice-type Raid Attackers and a solid dragon-type Raid Attacker.
GO Fest 2025 also marks the debut of Frigibax’s shiny, so this is one for the collectors as well.
Bergmite
Bergmite
Bergmite evolves into Avalugg. And Avalugg is a solid ice-type raid attacker with Ice Fang and Avalanche.
Fae Swamp
Don’t get tricked by the pixies in the Fae Swamp:
Clefairy
Clefairy
Clefairy’s evolution, Clefable, is a solid pick for the Great League and the Ultra League. You even have a choice between spamminess with Fairy Wind or severe fast attack damage with Charm. Not only that, but Clefable is a solid fairy-type raid attacker as well.
Tentacool
Tentacool
Tentacool’s evolution, Tentacruel, is surprisingly one of the best Pokémon for the Ultra League, and an okay spice pick for the Great League. Its exceptional Ultra League performance is thanks to its extreme bulk in the Ultra League and its unique water and poison typing, giving it more targets to deal with.
Mareanie
Mareanie
Mareanie’s evolution, Toxapex, is for the Great League what Tentacruel is for the Ultra League. A very bulky water, poison type that can tank a lot of hits and whittle down Pokémon that are weak to it.
Popplio
Popplio
Popplio is the water starter of Alola, which evolves into Primarina as its final form. It’s a personal favorite Pokémon of mine, which is why I’m happy it has multiple uses. Primarina is a fantastic water and fairy-type raid attacker without any shadow form necessary. Though you do need the legacy move Hydro Cannon if you want to use Primarina as a water-type raid attacker. Speaking of which, Primarina is also a fantastic Master League Pokémon with Hydro Cannon available.
Morelull
Morelull
Morelull gives 500 Stardust on a successful catch, 625 if weather boosted, 750 if Star Piece active, and 938 if both weather boosted and Star Piece active. And you can never have too much Stardust!
Togetic
Togetic
Togetic is a solid pick for the Great League, and its evolution, Togekiss, is solid for the Master League. Though nowadays, you have better options for the Master League. Not only that, Togekiss is a fantastic fairy-type raid attacker and an okay flying one.
All habitats
These Pokémon appear in all habitats, but are featured on a specific day of the event.
Saturday
Larvitar
Larvitar
Larvitar’s final evolution, Tyranitar, is one of the best rock-type and dark-type raid attackers. It has a shadow form and a mega form, both of which perform better. However, even regular Tyranitar can get you quite far, especially as a dark type.
Shieldon
Shieldon
Shieldon evolves into Bastiodon, a great Pokémon for the Great League. It has extreme bulk, and its dual typing of rock and steel gives it several type resistances as well. To top it off, it can deal consistent damage with Smack Down.
Shelmet
Shelmet
Shelmet itself has play in certain 500 CP Little Cup formats. Not only that, its evolution, Accelgor, is a pretty decent bug-type raid attacker.
Vullaby
Vullaby
Mandibuzz, Vullaby’s evolution, has been one of the best in the Great League for a while thanks to its fantastic typing and immense bulk. Of course, Mandi is fantastic in the Ultra League as well. However, you’ll need a fully XL’d Mandi to be viable there with close to 15/15/15 IVs.
Sunday
Cubone
Cubone
Marowak, Cubone’s evolution, became fantastic for the Great League before the end of last year. It’s a frail, heavy-damage dealer with Mud Slap and the spammy Bone Club. Its ground typing makes it strong against popular poison types such as Clodsire and Toxapex.
Ralts
Ralts
Ralts has two final evolutions, Gardevoir and Gallade. Both Gardevoir and Gallade are decent psychic-type raid attackers, and Gardevoir is a great fairy-type raid attacker. Both of these Pokémon have mega and shadow forms that perform even better as raid attackers. Mega Gallade is even a very solid fighting-type raid attacker.
Karrablast
Karrablast
Karrablast evolves into Escavalier, which is a solid bug-type Raid Attacker with a move combination of Bug Bite and Megahorn.
Deino
Deino
Much like a few other Pokémon, Deino has multiple uses. Firstly, Deino itself is a solid 500 CP Little Cup Pokémon. It’s a dragon, so of course it does a lot of neutral damage, but the fact that it’s also a dark type means it can also threaten the top Pokémon in Open Little Cup, Bronzor.
Finally, we reach Hydreigon, its evolution. One of the few non-legendaries to be solid for the Master League. In fact, it can beat Giratina’s Origin Form, Mewtwo, and Kyogre. It’s also a solid Dark type Raid Attacker, being ranked #5 on our list.
Jangmo-o
Jangmo-o
Jangmo-o is a Pokémon that has multiple uses in PvP. It’s decent in the Little Cup format, its middle-stage evolution is a fun spice pick for the Great League, and its final-stage evolution Kommo-o is solid for the Ultra League. Not only that, it can do well in the Master League as well, and especially the Master League Premier format. It’s even a decent Dragon type Raid Attacker!
Raid Exclusives
There are a few Pokémon featured exclusively in raids, and they are a mixture of both meta breaking, and ideal for those who adore costume Pokémon.
Meta Breaking
On Saturday Crowned Shield Zamazenta is in raids, and on Sunday Crowned Sword Zacian is in raids. Both Zamazenta and Zacian are absolutely top tier Steel type attackers, beating out all current forms of Metagross and Dusk Mane Necrozma. Zacian is also in competition for the top spots as a Fairy type attacker.
It’s important to note that these two Pokémon will also be able to be used in Dynamax and Gigantamax battles, making them essential hunting!
Costumer Collectors
For the costume collectors, we have 4 brand new costumes to collect! Falinks in the train conductor costume, and Dapper Pikachu in 3 different colours, one for each of the Pokémon GO teams.
While not meta relevant, these are a must have for costume fans!
Collector’s Corner
These Pokémon do not provide any gameplay benefits; however, along with shiny Frigibax and Carbink, and costumed Pokémon that you can get from raids, these Pokémon make for great collectors’ items:
Ticket Holder Bonus Pokémon
Skiddo appears in the Galvanic Dojo habitat, Pachirisu in the Hypnotic Tundra, Torkoal is in Moonless Volcano, and Klefki in the Fae Swamp habitat. Pachirisu is normally only available in Canada, Torkoal is limited to Western Asian and South-Eastern Asian Regions, and Klefki is typically only found in France. Skiddo, on the other hand, has only appeared at live events such as GO Safari or GO Fest. As such, all of these Pokémon are worth adding to your collection. They will only appear if you have Incense activated (except daily adventure incense)
Unown (SWORD and SHIELD Forms)
These Unown will also only be available for ticker holders. Saturday event hours will give you Unown that spell out SHIELD, and Sunday event hours will reward you with SWORD.
Conclusion
Another year, another exciting GO Fest. This time around, there seems to be quite a big selection of useful Pokémon to catch. And of course, with this being a Galar-themed season, we have the legendary dogs’ special form debuting globally as well. I hope you have a wonderful time this GO Fest and stay safe out there! But before you leave, it’s worth noting that this guide only accounts for those that we know for sure will be available during the Global GO Fest period.
Also worth noting is that we have a huge preparation guide ready that you might want to check, whether this is your first GO Fest or if you want to be completely prepared to face GO Fest 2025.
Goodbye for now, Pokémon trainers. Priom-out!
