Pokémon GO’s Season of Max Out’s Max Battles, Max Particles, Power Spots, and Dynamax Pokémon guide

During Pokémon GO’s Season of Max Out, Dynamax Pokémon and Max Battles debuted. We’ve come full circle, as Pokémon GO’s Raid system was a major influence in Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Dynamax Raids. Initially slated for Tuesday, September 10th, 2024, parts of the Max Battle system launched nearly a week early (Wednesday, September 4th, 2024). So, Trainers were able to get their first Dynamax Pokémon (Wooloo and Skwovet), collect Max Particles, and work on the To the Max! Special Research. Max Battles featuring Bulbasuar, Charmander, and Squirtle will debut on Tuesday, September 10th, 2024 and we’ll see even more Max Battle contenders released in the future. (For more details about the Season of Max Out, you can check out our Season of Max Out guide hub.)

To get all the details on what it takes to participate in Pokémon GO’s Max Battles, how to get Dynamax Pokémon, and more, check out our guide below:

 

Pokémon GO’s Season of Max Out – Max Battles, Max Particles, Power Spots, and Dynamax Pokémon guide

 

 

With a new mechanic added to Pokémon GO, there are some new terms to learn:

• Max Battles: Similar to Raids, Max Battles feature Dynamax Pokémon. These battles can take place locally (only) in Power Spots. To start, One-Star Max Battles will be available (with Three-Star debuting during the Psychic Spectacular event). To participate in Max Battles, you need at least one Dynamax Pokémon and a set number of Max Particles (i.e.: 250 Max Particles). You can battle with up to three Dynamax Pokémon on your team. Up to four Trainers can participate in a Max Battle. You can only complete Max Battles in-person – no Remote Max Battling.
• Max Particles: A “currency” that can be used to participate in Max Battles and leveling up Dynamax Pokémon’s Max Moves. These can be earned by walking 2 km (300 Max Particles), visiting Power Spots (100 Max Particles or 120 Max Particles if it’s your first visit of the day), as a reward in Special Research Stories (To the Max! Special Research), and can be purchased in the Pokémon GO shop (in-game or Web Store). There is a daily limit of earning 800 Max Particles per day.
• Power Spots: These temporary “PokéStops or Gyms” will appear throughout the map and be active for two days. Visiting Power Spots will reward Trainers with 100 Max Particles (120 Max Particles if it your first time visiting). These Power Spots may also be home to Dynamax Pokémon that you can challenge in Max Battles. Upon successfully defeating a Dynamax Pokémon at a Power Spot, Trainers can leave a Pokémon at the Power Spot (similar to Gyms) to earn rewards, give other Trainers a damage bonus when taking part in a Max Battle there, increase the chance of wild Pokémon encounters, and more.
• Dynamax Pokémon: These Pokémon have the ability to undergo Dynamaxing – a mechanic where Pokémon grow in size, have a boost in strength, and can use Max Moves. In Pokémon GO, you can only get Dynamax Pokémon from collecting your first 1,000 Max Particles (Dynamax Wooloo*), complete the To the Max! Special Research (Dynamax Wooloo* and Dynamax Skwovet*), and successfully defeating a Dynamax Pokémon in a Max Battle and capturing it afterwards (Dynamax Bulbasaur*, Dynamax Charmander*, Dynamax Squritle*, and etc.). You can evolve your Dynamax Pokémon and level up their Max Moves.
  • Gigantamax Pokémon: Debuting at the end of October, Pokémon that can Gigantamax can only be acquired by defeating Gigantamax Pokémon in Six-Star Max Battles. Winning these Max Battles will reward Trainers with a reward catch encounter with a Pokémon that can Gigantamax. (So yes, you’ll have to train these Gigantamax Pokémon’s Max Moves with Candy and Max Particles.)

 

Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!”

 

Official Dynamax tutorial video

For a quick look at Max Battles, Dynamax Pokémon, and more, you can watch this tutorial video released by Niantic:

 

 

Quickstart – How to participate in Max Battles

To participate in Max Battles, you’ll need to have Max Particles (250 Max Particles for a One-Star Max Battle), at least one Dynamax Pokémon, and find a Power Spot hosting a Max Battle.

 

Earning Max Particles

 

 

To get Max Particles, Trainers can do the following:

• Interact with a Power Spot (120 Max Particles for the first Power Spot interaction of the day, 100 Max Particles for other interactions afterwards at that same Power Spot).
• Complete select tasks in the To the Max! Special Research.
• Walking 2 km.
  • You must interact with a Power Spot first so that the Nearby Power Spot menu will unlock (it’s included in the Nearby Pokémon, Nearby Raids, and Nearby Routes menus). This menu shows how many Max Particles you currently have and how many kilometers you’ve walked in order to claim more Max Particles.
• Purchase Max Particle Packs via the in-game shop (with PokéCoins) or the Pokémon GO Web Store (with your local currency, no PokéCoins).

 

You can only earn 800 Max Particles per day and carry up to 1,000 at a time. For One-Star Max Battles, you’ll only need 250 Max Particles to battle.

 

Getting a Dynamax Pokémon

There are two different ways to acquire Dynamax Pokémon before participating in a Max Battle:

• Complete Step 1 of the To the Max! Special Research to get a reward catch encounter with a Dynamax Wooloo*. (Step 2 of the Special Research will reward Trainers with an encounter with Dynamax Skwovet*).
• Upon collecting 1,000 Max Particles for the first time Professor Willow will appear on screen congratulating you. Afterwards, a reward catch encounter featuring Dynamax Wooloo* will start.
  • Note: There is a daily limit of earning 800 Max Particles, yet you can exceed this limit depending on how you collect Max Particles. For example, if you’re at 700 Max Particles for the day, but earn 300 Max Particles from walking 2 km, you will have 1,000 Max Particles. You won’t be penalized for going over in this instance.

 

You can enter a Max Battle with up to three Dynamax Pokémon.

 

Find a Power Spot (hosting a Max Battle)

 

 

Power Spots are gray tower-like structures with a floating Dynamax symbol and neon magenta orbs (Max Particles) OR neon-magenta platforms featuring Dynamax Pokémon. They are not PokéStops or Gyms, but Power Spots function similarly to both. Based on limited information, we know that:

• Power Spots are temporary, appearing for a maximum of 2 days.
• Power Spots are tied to businesses, parks, and more (and names may be incorrect due to utilizing data from 2017 and it is currently 2024).
• Power Spots may or may not contain Dynamax Pokémon (Power Spot Boss).
  • This may change on Tuesday, September 10th, 2024 when the GO Big event starts. From that point, it is possible that all Power Spots will have Max Battles. You will be able to tell by the Pokémon “standing” on top of the Power Spot.
• Power Spots will give Trainers Max Particles when interacted with.
  • 120 Max Particles for the first interaction with that Power Spot for the day. 100 Max Particles for future interactions of that same Power Stop throughout the day.

 

Currently, Power Spots will feature One-Star Max Battles. When you find a Max Battle you want to participate in, select the Power Spot, and go to the battle screen. You and up to three Trainers (for a total of four Trainers) can challenge the Dynamax Pokémon (Power Spot Boss). All Trainers must have the required Max Particle cost and at least one Dynamax Pokémon. Once all requirements are met and the Battle button is selected, you’ll enter a Max Battle in 15 seconds.

 

Battling in a Max Battle

 

 

At the start of the Max Battle, your Pokémon won’t be Dynamaxed. Instead. you’ll battle as if you were challenging a Pokémon in a Raid. You can attack with your Fast Attack (by tapping the screen) and utilizing Charged Attacks when the meter is filled. While attacking, your Pokémon’s Max Meter will fill up (you can also tap Max Meter energy icons on the screen to add to the meter). Once the Max Meter is filled, your Pokémon’s Dynamax ability will active for three turns. From there, you can use a Max Attack, Max Guard, and Max Spirit.

• Max Attack: Based on your Pokémon Fast Attack type, this Max Attack move will damage the Power Spot Boss.
• Max Guard: This move reduces damage taken from a Power Spot Boss.
• Max Spirit: Using this move will heal your Pokémon and your fellow Trainers’ Pokémon.

 

After defeating a Power Spot Boss in a Max Battle, you’ll get a reward catch encounter with the Pokémon. You will also be able to leave one of the three Pokémon you battled with at the Power Spot to earn additional rewards and assist with future Max Battles. Your Pokémon will be returned when the Power Spot disappears OR your Pokémon assisted with a set number of Max Battles.

 

Indepth breakdown of Max Particles, Power Spots, Dynamax Pokémon, and Max Battles

 

Max Particles

According to Niantic, Max Particles “are mysterious energy found concentrated at Power Spots, enabling Dynamax Pokémon to transform.” These particles will act as a “currency” when it comes to participating in Max Battles and leveling up your Dynamax Pokémon’s Max Moves. There are different ways to collect Max Particles:

• Visiting a Power Spot and interacting with it (100 Max Particles or 120 Max Particles if its your first interaction with that Power Spot that day).
• Walking.
  • You must interact with a Power Spot first so that the Nearby Power Spot menu will unlock (it’s included in the Nearby Pokémon, Nearby Raids, and Nearby Routes menus). This menu shows how many Max Particles you currently have and how many kilometers you’ve walked in order to claim more Max Particles.
    • 1 km will reward Trainers with 100 Max Particles. (This has been spotted in images from Niantic and may have been removed in favor of the 2 km option.)
    • 2 km will reward Trainers with 300 Max Particles.
• Rewards from a Special Research Story (To the Max! is the only Special Research Story that has rewarded Trainers with Max Particles).
• Earn with Adventure Sync (payout hasn’t been specified yet, also might be tied to the “Walking 2 km” method).
• Purchasing Max Particle Packs via the in-game shop or the Pokémon GO Web Store.
• Reward code that can be redeemed via the Offer Redemption web page.
  • Niantic will issue a code for 250 Max Particles by Monday, September 16th, 2024 if they reach the required followers for this promotion on their TikTok account.
  • Code: LJRAMRU3RYCMC

 

Using Max Particles

Max Particles can be used in the following ways:

• To participate in Max Battles (against Power Spot Bosses).
  • One-Star Max Battles require 250 Max Particles.
  • Three-Star Max Battles require 400 Max Particles.
  • Six-Star Max Battles require 800 Max Particles.gig
• Level up Max Moves along with Pokémon Candies.
  • These Max Moves include the Dynamax Pokémon’s attack (Max “Attack Name”, a Max version of the Pokémon’s Fast Attack type), Max Guard (reduces damage from a Power Spot Boss), and Max Spirit (heals your Pokémon and your fellow Trainers’ Pokémon).

 

 

Max Particle Limits

Currently, Trainers are limited to how many Max Particles they can collect in a day. Only 800 Max Particles can be earned per day. Though, Trainers can “earn” more than 800 Max Particles two different ways:

• Planning how many Max Particles are earned through Special Research, interacting with Power Spots, and walking.
  • For example, if you’re at 780 Max Particles for the day, but earn 300 Max Particles from walking 2 km, you will have 1,080 Max Particles. You won’t be penalized for going over in this instance (including only being allowed to “carry” 1,000 Max Particles at a time).
• Purchasing Max Particle Packs via the in-game store and/or the Pokémon GO Web Store.

 

Power Spots

 

 

Power Stops are “volatile locations that emit Max Particles.” While not considered as PokéStops or Gyms, Power Stops share some similarities.

• Power Spots will appear throughout the map “randomly”.
  • PokéStops or Gyms cannot be Power Spots.
  • So far, it appears that Power Spots are like PokéStops and Gyms when it comes to locations. Business, parks, plazas, and more have been featured as Power Spots.
• Power Spots will only be active for a max of 2 days. Timers are included in the Nearby Power Spot Menu stating when a Power Stop will close (i.e.: 4:59 a.m. your local time).
• Trainers can collect 120 Max Particles from their first interaction with a Power Spot. Further interactions with that same Power Stop on the same day will result in only 100 Power Spots.
  • If a Trainer visits and collects Max Particles from three different and new Power Spots on the same day only once, they will collect 360 Max Particles.
  • If a Trainer visited one Power Spot three times on the same day, they will have collected 320 Max Particles.
• Power Spots with a Dynamax symbol and neon magenta orbs above it will only contain Max Particles.
• Power Spots with a neon magenta platform featuring a Dynamax Pokémon will contain a Power Spot Boos that Trainers can challenge in a Max Battle.
• Pokémon (that were used in a successful Max Battle) can be left at the Power Spot to assist with other Max Battles.
  • Trainers will be rewarded Candy, Candy XL, and possibly more when leaving their Pokémon in a Power Spot.
  • More Pokémon placed in a Power Spot may affect wild Pokémon spawn rates.

 

Dynamax Pokémon

 

 

Dynamax Pokémon can only be acquired through Max Battles, completing steps in the To the Max! Special Research Story, and collecting 1,000 Max Particles for the first time. A Pokémon’s base or starting form will only be in Max Battles (so far), with evolved forms only being available by evolving a Max Pokémon (with Max Particles and Pokémon Candies).

 

Dynamax Pokémon debut

Niantic will be adding various Dynamax Pokémon to Pokémon GO throughout the Season of Max Out (and beyond). So far we know of the following Dynamax Pokémon and which dates they’ll be added into the game:

• Wednesday, September 4th, 2024: Dynamax Skwovet* and Dynamax Wooloo*.
• Tuesday, September 10th, 2024: Dynamax Bulbasaur*, Dynamax Charmander*, and Dynamax Squirtle*.
• Wednesday, September 18th, 2024: Dynamax Beldum*.
• Tuesday, October 1st,2024: Dynamax Grookey, Dynamax Scorbunny, Dynamax Sobble, and Dynamax Falinks*.
• Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024: Dynamax Gastly*.
• Monday, November 18th, 2024: Dynamax Drilbur*.

 

Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!”

 

Max Battles

Up to four Trainers can participate in Max Battles locally provided that each Trainer has at least one Dynamax Pokémon (maximum 3) and the necessary Max Particles (i.e.: 250 Max Particles). To imitate a Max Battles, Trainers will have to find a Power Spot that has a Power Spot Boss to challenge.

Max Battles, like Raids, will be divided into difficulty tiers: One-Star and Three-Star are currently confirmed. As of Wednesday, September 18th, 2024, One-Star Max Battles and Three-Star Max Battles are available.

Max Battles will only be available from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. your local time. Timers for the Power Spot Bosses have been tweaked since the feature was rolled out. Currently, Power Spots will have a countdown timer (from seconds, minutes, hours to up to “2 DAYS”) for the Power Spot Boss currently residing in the Power Spot OR for when a Power Spot Boss will “enter” the Power Spot. You can challenge a Power Spot Boss until you’ve successfully defeated them. You can revisit the Power Spot for a Wild Encounter bonus (the Pokémon encounter icon will be in the bottom left corner of the screen when interacting with the Power Spot).

 

Battling in a Max Battle

 

 

Trainers that have the required Max Particles and at least one Dynamax Pokémon can challenge a Power Spot Boss (another Dynamax Pokémon) in a Power Spot.

• At the start of battle, every Trainer’s Pokémon will not by in its Dynamax state.
• Trainers can attack the Power Spot Boss by tapping the screen (using their Pokémon’s Fast Attack) and selecting their Pokémon’s Charged Attack when the Charged Attack meter is filled.
• Trainers can do a swipe motion to assist their Pokémon in dodging attacks from the Power Spot Boss.
  • You’ll want to swipe when a prompt appears over your Pokémon – this means that the Power Spot Boss is targeting your Pokémon.
• As you attack the Power Spot Boss, your Dynamax Meter will fill up.
  • You can also fill your Dynamax Meter by tapping on Energy Icons that appear on the battlefield (neon purple-magenta orbs with the Dynamax symbol).
• When your Dynamax Meter is filled, your Pokémon will automatically Dynamax and stay in this form for three turns.
  • You’ll be able to use your Pokémon’s Max Attack, Max Guard, and/or Max Spirit.
    • Max Attack: Based on your Pokémon Fast Attack type, this Max Attack move will damage the Power Spot Boss.
    • Max Guard: This move reduces damage taken from a Power Spot Boss.
    • Max Spirit: Using this move will heal your Pokémon and your fellow Trainers’ Pokémon.

 

Max Attack Moves

 

Currently, some Max Attack moves have been implemented into Pokémon GO. Max Attack names, for the most part, are the same as Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Max Moves. Your Dynamax Pokémon will only have one Max Attack and its typing is based on their Fast Attack type (i.e.: a Dynamax capable Wooloo that knows Tackle as their Fast Attack will know the Max Attack move Max Strike).

 

 

Max Battle Rewards

 

 

After successfully defeating a Power Spot Boss, Trainers will get more than just a reward catch encounter with a Dynamax Pokémon.

Prior to the reward catch encounter, Trainers will…:

• … be able to place a Dynamax Pokémon from their team in the Power Spot. Doing so will assist other Trainers in future Max Battles and reward you with Candy, Candy XL, and possibly more.
  • Your Pokémon will return to you once the Power Spot disappears OR your Pokémon assisted with a set number of Max Battles.
  • Similar to Gyms, only a set amount of Pokémon may be place in a Power Spot.
• … see a Reward payout screen that may include Golden Razz Berry, Rare Candy, Rare Candy XL, healing item(s) (i.e.: Super Potion), XP, and the number of Premier Balls that will be available during the reward catch encounter.
  • Trainers will be given the option to upgrade the rewards with the use of PokéCoins (100 PokéCoins appears to be the going rate).

 

There are other bonuses when placing a Pokémon in a Power Spot. According to Niantic, the “more Pokémon placed at the Power Spot may also increase the chances of a wild encounter around the Power Spot.” The spawn rate for this has yet to be discovered. This wild encounter can be found on the Power Spot screen in the bottom left-hand corner (look for the Pokémon encounter “?” icon).

 

Special Research – To the Max!

Launched prior to the GO Big event, To the Max! Special Research will introduce Trainers (level 13 and up) to Dynamax battles and giving you two Dynamax Pokémon to battle with (Wooloo* and Skwovet*). Trainers that complete this Special Research will be rewarded with XP, Stardust, a Dynamax Band (an Avatar Item), and more.

 

 

Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!”

 

Avatar Item – Dynamax Band

While a Dynamax Band isn’t required to have your Dynamax Pokémon undergo their transformation, the cosmetic item is being added to Pokémon GO. Trainers that complete Step 3 of the To the Max! Special Research Story will receive the Dynamax Band as an Avatar Item that can be equipped (found in the Accessories tab).

 

 

 

More Pokémon GO guides

 

Looking for more help with Pokémon GO? Check out our other guides!

 

 

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