Niantic has announced that March will be a very busy month for Pokémon GO players, filled with a plethora of special events, raids, bonuses and more.
For those of you planning to participate, here’s a quick look at what’s happening, when, as well as “how to” tips for each raid boss.
Research Breakthrough Encounter: Ferroseed (w/bonus Stardust)
March’s Tier 5 Legendary: Thundurus
Giovanni: Shadow Entei
Special Events:
Pokémon Spotlight Hour (Each Tuesday)
Mystery Bonus Hour (Each Thursday)
Team GO Rocket Weekend
Starts: March 6th, 8am
Ends: March 9th, 10pm
Features:
– Poison & Dark types (in wild)
– Absol (in wild)
– Shiny Skorupi
Team GO Rocket 3-Hour Event
Saturday, March 7th: 2-5pm
Features:
– More Rocket Grunts/Leaders at Pokéstops
– 2x Stardust for Rocket Grunt/Leader Defeats
– Charge TM’s will work on Shadow Pokémon*
– Team GO Rocket Music in-game
– Previously catchable Rocket Leader Shadow Pokémon will be available
(Meowth, Stantler, Absol, Sneasel, Bagon, Scyther)
*NOTE: If you Charge TM a Shadow Pokémon to change its move and then purify it, the monster will lose the new move and learn Return.
Community Day (Postponed)
Sunday, March 15th: 11am-2pm
Featuring: Abra
Special Move: TBD
Bonuses:
– 3-hour lures
– 3x Catch XP
Genesect-Themed Weekend Event
Starts: March 20th, 8am
Ends: March 23rd, 10pm
Features:
– Normal, Fire, Water, Electric, & Ice types (in wild)
– Nincada/Shiny Nincada (in wild, 5km eggs)
– Karrablast & Shelmet (5km eggs)
– Bug & Steel types (Tier 1-4 Raids)
– Bonuses: 2x Catch & Hatch Stardust
– Special Research Ticketed Event (see below)
“A Drive to Investigate” Research Ticketed Event
Starts: March 20th, 8am
Ends: March 26th, 10pm
Features:
– Early access to Genesect
– “A Drive to Investigate” medal
– Genesect-themed Avatar Items
– Encounters w/Bug & Steel types
– Encounter w/ Durant (regional)
– Encounters w/ Scyther, Skarmory, Nincada, & Shieldon
NOTE: All encounters will occur by completing research objectives.
Items:
– 5 Battle Passes
– 3 Super Incubators
– 3 Charged TM’s
– 3 Fast TM’s
– 3 Incense
– 3 Star Pieces
– 1 Poffin
– 15 Rare Candies
– 1 Glacial Lure
NOTE: Players will have to purchase (w/currency, not Pokécoins) a $7.99 ticket to access this Special Research. If you choose not to participate, Genesect will be accessible through EX Raids starting in April.
Psychic Spectacular
Starts: March 27th, 8am
Ends: March 30th, 10pm
Features:
– New Psychic types from Unova will debut
– Solosis (daytime encounter, 2km eggs)
– Gothita (nighttime encounter, 2km eggs)
– Shiny Baltoy
– See more Psychic types in the wild
– Find more Psychic types in raids
– Psychic type Field Research
– Hatch more Psychic types from 2km eggs
(i.e. Ralts, Abra, Wynaut, etc.)
NOTE: After the event is over, Solosis & Gothita will become hatchable from 5km eggs.
Legendary Raid Weekends:
Darkrai
Starts: March 6th, 8am
Ends: March 9th, 10pm
Altered Forme Giratina
Starts: March 13th, 8am
Ends: March 16th, 10pm
Cobalion
Starts: March 17th, 4pm EST
Ends: March 23rd, 4pm EST
Lugia
Starts: March 24th, 4pm EST
Ends: March 31st, 4pm EST
NOTE: All 4 of the above Legendary monsters will have the possibility of being shiny. Cobalion & Lugia will receive Event Exclusive moves.
Legendary Raid Boss “How To’s”
Darkrai (March 6th-9th)
Basics:
– Pure Dark Type
– Part of the Lunar Duo (w/Cresselia)
– Resistant to Dark, Ghost, & Psychic attackers
Weak To: Fighting, Bug, & Fairy
Counters:
Lucario: Counter/Aura Sphere
Conkeldurr: Counter/Dynamic Punch
Machamp: Counter/Dynamic Punch
Hariyama: Counter/Dynamic Punch
Blaziken: Counter/Focus Blast
Gardevoir: Charm/Dazzling Gleam
Togekiss: Charm/Dazzling Gleam
# of Trainers Needed for a Defeat:
3 Trainers – If your team of counters are each powered up to Level 35 (8,000 Stardust)
4-6 Trainers – If your team of counters are powered up to Level 30 (5,000 Stardust)
Perfect IV’s:
100% IV: 2136CP
100% WB IV: 2671CP
Darkrai is boosted in Foggy weather.
Movesets:
Best Movesets: Snarl/Dark Pulse or Snarl/Shadow Ball
Hardest Moveset to Beat: Shadow Ball
Shiny:
Altered Forme Giratina (March 13th – 16th)
Basics:
– Ghost/Dragon type
– Good fighter, but not quite as good as Origin Forme Giratina
Weak To: Dragon, Ice, Fairy, Ghost, Dark
Counters:
Dialga: Dragon Breath/Draco Meteor
Rayquaza: Dragon Tail/Outrage
Garchomp: Dragon Tail/Outrage
Palkia: Dragon Tail/Draco Meteor
Salamence: Dragon Tail/Draco Meteor
Dragonite: Dragon Tail/Outrage
Latios: Dragon Breath/Dragon Claw
# of Trainers Needed for a Defeat:
3 Trainers – If your team of counters are each powered up to Level 35 (8,000 Stardust)
4-5 Trainers – If your team of counters are powered up to Level 30 (5,000 Stardust)
Perfect IV’s:
100% IV: 1931CP
100% WB IV: 2414CP
Altered Forme Giratina is boosted in Windy and Foggy weather.
Movesets:
Best Moveset: Shadow Claw/Dragon Claw
Hardest Moveset to Beat: Dragon Breath/Dragon Claw
Shiny:
Cobalion (March 17th – 23rd)
Basics:
– Part of a Legendary trio called the “Swords of Justice” (Cobalion, Terrakion, Verizion)
– Introduced in Pokémon Black & Pokémon White games
– Unova Region, Generation V monster
– Comparable to Aggron
Weak To: Fighting, Fire, & Ground types
Counters:
Lucario: Counter/Aura Sphere
Chandelure: Fire Spin/Overheat
Blaziken:
Counter/Blast Burn
Counter/Blaze Kick
Darmanitan: Fire Fang/Overheat
Conkeldurr: Counter/Dynamic Punch
Machamp: Counter/Dynamic Punch
Moltres: Fire Spin/Overheat
Heatran: Fire Spin/Fire Blast
# of Trainers Needed for a Defeat:
3 Trainers – If your team of counters are each powered up to Level 35 (8,000 Stardust)
4-5 Trainers – If your team of counters are powered up to Level 30 (5,000 Stardust)
Perfect IV’s:
100% IV: 1727CP
100% WB IV: 2159CP
Cobalion is boosted in Snowy & Cloudy weather.
Movesets:
Best Moveset: Metal Claw/Iron Head
Hardest Moveset to Beat: Stone Edge
Event Exclusive Move: Sacred Sword
Shiny:
Lugia (March 24th – 31st)
Basics:
– Dual Psychic/Flying type
– Similar to a Groudon, Lugia is very close & easy to hit
– A Lugia with Sky Attack is great at Defeating Machamp
– A Lugia with Hydro Pump is great against any Pokémon weak to water types
Weak To: Electric, Dark, Ice, Ghost, Rock
Counters:
Darkrai:
Snarl/Dark Pulse
Snarl/Shadow Ball
Raikou: Thundershock/Wild Charge
Electivire: Thundershock/Wild Charge
Tyranitar: Bite/Stone Edge
Giratina Origin Forme: Shadow Claw/Shadow Ball
Weavile: Snarl/Avalanche
Zapdos: Thundershock/Thunderbolt
Hydreigon: Bite/Dark Pulse
Rampardos: Smack Down/Stone Edge or Rock Slide
# of Trainers Needed for a Defeat:
4 Trainers – If your team of counters are each powered up to Level 35 (8,000 Stardust)
5-6 Trainers – If your team of counters are powered up to Level 30 (5,000 Stardust)
Perfect IV’s:
100% IV: 2115CP
100% WB IV: 2645CP
Lugia is boosted in Windy weather.
Movesets:
Best Moveset:
Extrasensory/Future Sight
Extrasensory/Sky Attack
Hardest Moveset to Beat: Hydro Pump
Event Exclusive Move: Aeroblast
Shiny:
Sources: Niantic, Gamepress (pic), aminoapps (pic), pokemongofandom (pic), bulbapedia (pics)
Article Co-written/Edited by Stephanie Sanderson
