The Season of Mythical Wishes is entering its final month, which means Team GO Rocket needs to crash an event ASAP. With the Crackling Voltage event well underway, Team GO Rocket isn’t waiting any longer and will turn this Electric-type Pokémon focused event into a Shadow Pokémon battling ring.
Everything planned for the Crackling Voltage event will still be happening, which you can see with its own event guide. As for the Team GO Rocket takeover portion, it’ll be like previous takeover events: increased appearances of Team GO Rocket Grunts and balloons, new Shadow Pokémon, a new Team GO Rocket Special Research story, and more.
We break it all down in our Team GO Rocket takeover event guide below:
Pokémon GO’s Season of Mythical Wishes – Team GO Rocket takeover
Begins: Wednesday, February 1st, 2023 at 12 a.m. your local time.
Ends: Sunday, February 5th, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. your local time.
Pokémon debuts – Shadow Registeel and more Shadow Pokémon
Looking to build out your Shadow and Purified Pokémon Pokédex? Well, get ready to battle a bunch of Team GO Rocket Grunts and assemble a Super Rocket Radar to lure out Giovanni.
Shadow Registeel debuts and will be available to catch after defeating Team GO Rocket Boss Giovanni.
Shadow Alolan Vulpix, Shadow Spoink, Shadow Registeel, Shadow Pidove, Shadow Blitzle, and Shadow Joltik will also be debuting during this event (as well as their evolved forms, except waiting for confirmation on Shadow Alolan Ninetails). These Shadow Pokémon can be found by battling certain Team GO Rocket Grunts and Leaders. More will be known when the event is live.
Event Bonuses
- Team GO Rocket will appear more frequently at PokéStops and in balloons.
- You can use a Charged TM to help a Shadow Pokémon forget the Charged Attack Frustration.
Event Boxes
If any special event boxes or bundles are released during the event, they’ll be listed here once the event is live.
Shadow Pokémon
Team GO Rocket Grunts, Team GO Rocket Leaders (Cliff, Arlo, and Sierra), and Team GO Rocket Boss Giovanni will be battling with new Shadow Pokémon.
- The following are new additions to the game: Shadow Alolan Vulpix, Shadow Spoink, Shadow Registeel, Shadow Pidove, Shadow Blitzle, and Shadow Joltik.
- Thus, the following Shadow Pokémon are new and can be obtained via evolving a Shadow Pokémon rescued from Team GO Rocket: Shadow Alolan Ninetails (unconfirmed), Shadow Grumpig, Shadow Tranquil, Shadow Unfezant, Shadow Zebstrika, and Shadow Galvantula.
As for which Team GO Rocket members will be battling with which Shadow Pokémon, we know the following:
- Team GO Rocket Grunts: Shadow Alolan Vulpix, Shadow Spoink, Shadow Blitzle, Shadow Joltik, and more.
- Team GO Rocket Leader Cliff: Shadow Magnemite
- Team GO Rocket Leader Arlo: Shadow Nidoran ♂
- Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra: Beldum
- Team GO Rocket Boss Giovanni: Shadow Registeel
Eggs
The following Pokémon will be hatching from Eggs that are obtained from Team GO Rocket Leaders (Cliff, Arlo, and Sierra):
- 12 km Eggs
- 1-Egg Rarity: Larvitar*, Scraggy, Pawniard*, and Vullaby*.
- 2-Egg Rarity: Sandile and Pancham.
- 3-Egg Rarity: Absol*, Skorupi*, Deino*, Skrelp, and Salandit.
Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might hatch a Shiny one!”
Field Research Tasks
There will be an event-exclusive Field Research Task available and the reward is a Mysterious Component. These Field Research Tasks can be found when spinning PokéStops (and acquired if you have an open slot in your Field Research menu) when the event is active.
A complete list of tasks and rewards will be shared here once the event is live.
- Task: Defeat 2 Team GO Rocket Grunts
- Reward: 1 Mysterious Component
Remember, this Team GO Rocket takeover event takes place within the Crackling Votalge event. Therefore, the following Field Research tasks from the main event are also available:
- Task: Catch 5 Pokémon
- Reward: Plusle* OR Minun* Encounter
- Task: Walk 3 km
- Reward: Emolga Encounter
- Task: Power up Pokémon 3 times
- Reward: Voltorb* OR Hisuian Voltorb Encounter
- Task: Power up Pokémon 5 times
- Reward: Helioptile* Encounter
Note: Pokémon marked with an * means that “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!”
Special Research – Shadowy Skirmishes
An event-exclusive Special Research Story titled Shadowy Skirmishes will be available and it’ll focus on battling Team GO Rocket. If Trainers have a previous Team GO Rocket Special Research Story (i.e.: Ultra Beast Protection Efforts, Field Notes: Team GO Rocket, etc.), they must completely finish that Special Research before getting the latest one. This Special Research will be able to claim until Wednesday, March 1st, 2023 at 10 a.m. your local time (also when the Season of Mythical Wishes ends).
A complete list of tasks and rewards of this Special Research will be shared here once the event is live.
| Shadowy Skirmishes | |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Reward |
| Defeat 6 Team GO Rocket Grunts | Helioptile* Encounter |
| Make 3 Nice Curveball Throws in a row | Helioptile* Encounter |
| Earn 2 Candies exploring with your Buddy | Helioptile* Encounter |
| Completion Rewards | 2,000 XP, 15 Poké Balls, and 10 Revives |
| Step 2 | Reward |
| Defeat 6 Team GO Rocket Grunts | 10 Hyper Potions |
| Catch 4 Shadow Pokémon | 10 Poké Balls |
| Purify 2 Shadow Pokémon | 10 Pinap Berries |
| Completion Rewards | 2,000 XP, 15 Great Balls, and 1 Rocket Radar |
| Step 3 | Reward |
| Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Arlo | 1,500 XP |
| Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Cliff | 1,500 XP |
| Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra | 1,500 XP |
| Completion Rewards | 2,500 XP, 1,000 Stardust, and 1 Super Rocket Radar |
| Step 4 | Reward |
| Find the Team GO Rocket Boss | 5 Max Potions |
| Battle the Team GO Rocket Boss | 20 Ultra Balls |
| Defeat the Team GO Rocket Boss | 5 Max Revives |
| Completion Rewards | 3,000 XP, 1 Lucky Egg, and 2 Golden Razz Berries |
| Step 5 | Reward |
| Claim Reward! | 2,500 XP |
| Claim Reward! | 2,500 XP |
| Claim Reward! | 2,500 XP |
| Completion Rewards | 5,000 XP, 2,500 Stardust, and 2 Silver Pinap Berries |
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Written by Jennifer Burch
Illustrator, designer, writer and big Nintendo geek, you can find Jennifer with an N3DS within reach 24/7. As the oldest of three, she has survived many Mario Party, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart sessions intact in addition to getting her brothers hooked on some really weird games. (Cubivore anyone?)
