Pokemon Go has been out for quite some time, but there is still more and more being added and updated to the game each and every month. Along with catching so many different variations of your favourite Pokemon, you can battle others, hatch eggs, send gifts, and do so much more all within Pokemon Go. The game even has community days, focused around specific Pokemon, and a plethora of quests for you to take on. In this article, we are going to be focused on Raids in Pokemon Go.
What are Pokemon Go Raids?
Raids in Pokemon Go are when a specific Pokemon takes over a Gym. It does not matter what team is currently in this gym or what Pokemons are residing there. The Pokemon in the gym will be paused, so players will not be able to see them or interact with them while a Raid is in progress. Instead, a giant version of the specific Pokemon in the Raid will be showcased on the top of the gym.
Sometimes, Mega Raids can appear too, which is just like a regular raid, but the Pokemon inside the gym is Mega Evolved.
How can I find Raids?
You can find Raids by either looking around the map or selecting the Pokemon Nearby banner (on the bottom, right-hand side of the screen) and then swiping over to Raids. In this section, you can see all local raids scheduled nearby. Some Raids will have eggs on them with a time showcasing when they will appear, while other, ongoing raids will show how long until they end and what Pokemon are there. Both types of notifications will show monster faces under them, which indicates how challenging a Raid is. The more faces, the more people should be in to take it on.
How do I enter a Raid?
There are three ways to enter a Raid. If you are within spinning distance of the Gym (so you could spin the stop), you can simply fight the gym as normal, but use a Raid Pass to enter, which will be your ticket to playing in this raid. You can invite up to 5 friends to fight along with you. If you are looking at local raids that you aren’t quite close enough to actually spin the stop, you can use a Remote Raid Pass to enter. You can also invite up to 5 Pokemon Go friends to join you in this Raid. If you have a friend that is either near a Raid or Remote into a Raid, they can invite you to join their raid. You are unable to invite any of your own friends to this raid, as you are already a plus one.
What about Ex Raids?
Ex Raids are the rarest type of Raid. These Raids are invite-only, at Ex Gyms. Gyms will have a little EX GYM Label by their name, to indicate that a raid can happen at it. These gyms are often sponsored or in large parks. If you complete a raid at an EX gym, you can have the chance to be invited back to catch a Legendary Pokemon. You can also invite one of your Ultra Friends to join you.
EX Raids often have a themed, Legendary pokemon or an Exclusive Move that can be obtained by them, however, the Pokemon will be added into the Raid rotation after about a year of Ex Gym exclusive. Previously, Mewtwo, Deoxys and Regigigas have appeared in Ex Raids. Currently, the active pokemon in Ex Raids are Regigigas.
How do I get Raid Passes?
There are three types of passes: Remote Raid Passes and Raid Passes. You can purchase Remote Raid Passes in the in-game Shop. These cost 100 PokeCoins for one or 300 PokeCoins for three. You can sometimes find them in Special Boxes within the store as well. For orange (default) Raid Passes, you can spin a gym stop once a day to gain one, as long as you do not currently have one in your inventory. During select times, this might be increased to two Raid Passes per day through spinning. Premium Raid Passes are exactly like orange raid passes, however, you can purchase as many of these as you like. You can also use them in Pokemon Trainer Battles.
To get Ex Raid Passes, you will need to take part in lots of raids. The more raids you are in, the more likely you are to receive an Ex Raid Pass. You can increase your chances by having a Gold Gym Badge in an Ex Raid Gym, completing a large, unspecified number of Raid Battles, and having raided an Ex Raid Gym with 20 or more other players in the last week.
How do I get more PokeBalls in Raids?
When you complete a raid, you have the chance to catch the Pokemon you have been fighting against. You will not be using your own PokeBalls to do this, but instead using a limited number of Premier Balls. You can gain more Premier Balls from being the user who does the most damage in the battle, from finishing the raid faster, and from having friends in your raid. You will end up having a bonus ball from each friend you have in the raid, with stronger friends giving you more balls.
Pokemon Featured in Raids in December 2023
All dates start at 10:00 am local time.
Five Star Raids
- Reshiram: December 1 – December 9
- Zekrom: December 9 – December 16
- Kyurem: December 16 – December 23
- Regigigas: December 23 – January 1
Mega Raids
- Mega Scizor: December 1 – December 9
- Mega Altaria: December 9 – December 16
- Mega Abomasnow: December 16 – December 23
- Mega Glalie: December 23 – January 1
Original article by Jupiter Hadley, updated by Sumant Meena.
