How To Catch Rare Pokemon In Pokemon Go

Participate In High-Level Raids

Raids are one of the newest features to hit Pokemon Go, an addition to the game that utilized both teamwork and gyms to take on some powerful and sometimes rare Pokemon. There are a couple of different levels of raids, and similar to the different versions of the eggs, you'll find tougher Pokemon the higher you go, and you'll also get a chance to catch them if you can defeat them first.

Currently ranging from levels one to four, the higher raid tiers feature Pokemon such as Lapras, Tyranitar, Snorlax, and Dragonite, all of which you'll have a chance at catching if you can take them down. Be warned though that some players are having quite a difficult time with the higher raids.

You can check out a list of Pokemon Go raid bosses here as well as some tips for the battle here.

Don't Ignore All The Common Pokemon

Common Pokemon such as Natu, Spinarak, Eevee, and other frequent finds may be frustrating to come across over and over, but it's best not to ignore them as they can later help you out when it comes to catching rarer Pokemon.

The way that these lesser catches can help you isn't by helping you find a rarer Pokemon but by making it easier to catch when you do come across it. As you catch a number of Pokemon that are of the same type, you'll notice that your medals on your Trainer profile keep track of your stats. Aside from just tracking your catches, these medals also grant players a Catch Bonus for whatever type the medal applies to. By catching all of those lesser Pokemon, you'll be able to have a much easier time catching a rare one of the same type when you find it.

In addition to the bonuses, leveling up is also important when it comes to finding stronger Pokemon. Catching these common ones will level you up faster and give you a much quicker shot at nabbing some rare catches.

Keep Up With Nest Migrations

There's a behind-the-scenes spawn system going on in Pokemon Go that'll sometimes determine where a particular species of Pokemon will spawn with certain regularity. Some of these spawning hotspots called nests will guarantee a particular species of Pokemon will spawn there at the rate of several times an hour, but the nests will migrate, so it's important to keep up with the movements before your shot at a Pokemon is gone.

While these nests have been around for awhile, it wasn't until quite recently that Niantic acknowledged the existence of these "nest migrations" as they've been called. The nests typically rotate approximately every two weeks, giving you a pretty decent window if you're looking to rack up on some uncommon catches. Keeping up with these nests is also a perfect way to accumulate candy in order to get much rarer evolutions.

Hatch Those Eggs

The Pokemon eggs that you pick up while walking around making your normal catches may sit in your inventory for awhile depending on what your incubator situation is like, but those eggs are a valuable shot at getting some rare Pokemon, or at least some strong ones.

Keeping in line with some of the basic Pokemon knowledge from the other games, there are a couple of Pokemon that you can only get from eggs. Cliffa, Pichu, Magby, the classic Togepi, and other baby Pokemon can only be obtained via hatching eggs.

Aside from the baby Pokemon, the three different types of eggs — a 2km, 5km, and 10km version — will yield different results when hatched. As could be expected, the longer it takes to hatch them, the better shot you have at getting a rare Pokemon. Depending on how many eggs you're hauling around, investing in a couple of incubators to speed up the hatching process might not be a bad idea.

Know When And Where To Look

Much like the Catch Bonus mentioned previously, you can help yourself quite a bit when it comes to searching for a particular Pokemon if you know its type and where that type might be prone to spawn. Certain times of the day also contribute to when the Pokemon will spawn.

Many of these type-specific finds can be discerned through a bit of common sense, though it may not seem like the first way for new players to look at the situation given that there are so many different Pokemon to go after. The area that you're looking in can directly affect what spawns around you; for example, water Pokemon are much more likely to be found near bodies of water, so even though they're extremely rare, you still have a shot at a Blastoise if you stick to coasts and similar areas. Schools and commercial areas have also been known to have more electric Pokemon as well.

If you're doing your hunting at night, you can expect to find different Pokemon then as well. Ghost Pokemon will be much easier to find as the day goes on, specifically late at night and in the early morning.

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