It appears that a few days ago Pokémon GO quietly shared some new information on the upcoming Max Battles mechanic with Japanese media, including Famitsu. Here’s what we know! Thanks to Joe from Serebii for spotting these Japanese news articles!
Please be aware, some of the contents of this information are translated from Japanese using Google Translate, so there may be some slight confusion in translation.
Step One: Power Spots
To get access to Power Spots you need to collect 250 Max Particles:
- Walk 2km starting in the new season and Power Spots will appear in the game. These are different from PokéStops and gyms, meaning they will be treated as new spots without overwriting existing ones.
- The Power Spots are highlighted with the pink colour and are quite noticeable on the map.
Step Two: Join Max Battles
- Challenge with up to 4 people, including yourself
- Each person can bring up to 3 Dynamax Pokémon in their team, but participation is possible with just one Dynamax Pokémon
- Only Dynamax Pokémon can participate in this Max Battle. Existing Pokemon are not eligible, and it seems that your first Dynamax Pokémon can be obtained by completing the tutorial.
- In addition to accessing power spots, the Max Particles required to participate in the Max Battle can also be collected by walking, which is a setting that takes into consideration environments where there are no power spots nearby.
Step Three: Start the Max Battle
- Max Meter → When it reaches its maximum, you can Dynamax your Pokémon
- Visualization of the target → When three lines appear above a Pokemon’s head, it means it is being targeted by the Max Battle Boss
- You can avoid this by swiping to Dynamax, you need to fill up the Max Meter at the top of the screen to its maximum, and the meter fills up by swiping towards an attack or the Max Charge (purple button) that appears from time to time.
- In addition, you will need to teach each Pokemon individual Max Moves that can be used while Dynamaxing.
- To begin with you only have one Dynamax Pokemon that you acquire in the tutorial. You may not have many Max Moves, but with your one Dynamax Pokémon you will still be able to participate in Max Battles to increase your collection of Dynamax Pokémon and skills.
Actions when in Dynamax state:
- Max Move → Powerful special attack. The power varies depending on the type of your normal attack
- Max Spirit (requires unlock) →Recovers HP for yourself and your allies
- Max Guard (requires unlock) →Reduces damage from opponents
Each Dynamax Battle has a limited amount of turns to complete, which means more strategy needs to be implemented in order to defeat it.
Step 4: After Max Battle is Over
- You are given the chance to catch the Dynamax Pokémon
- Place a Pokémon at a power spot → It will help other Pokémon and trainers in battles. When it returns, you will receive a reward based on how it was helpful.
- Strengthening Dynamax Pokémon → To strengthen a Max Move, you will need Max Particles and the appropriate candy. You can gain XP by strengthening it incidentally
- The Dynamax Pokémon that you can encounter during the GO Big event are Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Skwovet, and Wooloo, along with their evolved forms.
Additional Information and Q&A
Famitsu were also able to ask game designer Hide Kitahata a selection of questions about Max Battles in a Q&A session.
Q. Will the registered Pokédex be the same as before?
A. It will be registered in a dedicated Pokédex.
Q. Where will Dynamax Pokémon be stored?
A. It will be in the conventional Pokémon box. Dynamax Pokémon will have a unique icon so they can be identified at a glance.
Q. What is the limit of Max Particles that can be collected in a day?
A. 800 Max Particles.
Q. Can you take AR photos of Pokémon in Dynamax state?
A. It is an idea that is being considered, but it is not possible at the moment.
Q. Are Max Particles consumed even if you lose a battle?
A. No, they are consumed at the moment of victory.
Q. Will Dynamax Pokémon be able to be shiny?
A. As before, during the battle, it remains the same. It may be a shiny on the capture screen.
It has also been noted that existing Pokémon cannot be Dynamaxed.
Kitahata stated that the aim was to “give a new experience to trainers who have been playing for a long time.” Whereas Famitsu noted that from a trainer’s perspective, they want to use the Pokémon they already have as they have curated their collections IVs etc.
You will also be able to use PokéCoins in order to improve your rewards from Max Battles. In the example given, you could get an additional Golden Razz Bery, Rare, Candy, Hyper Potion and 10 Premier Balls for 100 PokéCoins.
