Pokémon Go is holding its second annual Adventure Week Event from May 24 to June 5, 2018. It'll feature increased Rock-type spawn, which means increased chances to get Omastar, Kabutops, Aerodactyl, Golem, etc. Also, Buddy walking distance will be quartered, and new field research will help round things out. Here's what you need to know!
What is this Pokémon Go Adventure Week rock-type event of which you speak?
It's the Pokémon Go Rock-type event, and this is the second year the game has run it. Here's what Pokémon Go has to say:
Adventurous new research is on tap during an exciting in-game celebration! Starting on May 24 at 1:00 P.M. PDT, unique Field Research will be available with some exciting rewards, including a Raid Battle appearance by Pokémon such as Aerodactyl.Throughout the celebration, Rock-type Pokémon such as Geodude, Lileep, and Nosepass will appear more frequently in the wild. There are also incentives to trek around: your Buddy Pokémon will earn Candy 4× faster throughout the event! Plus, you'll receive extra XP for spinning the Photo Discs at PokéStops or Gyms—up to 10 times the usual amount if this is your first time encountering a unique PokéStop or Gym!Fortune favors the bold, Trainers, so join this adventure before it ends on June 5. Get up and GO!
When does the Adventure Week event start and end?
Here are the official times:
- Start: Thursday, May 24, 2017 at 1 p.m. PDT / 4 p.m. EDT
- End: Thursday, June 5, 2017 at 1 p.m. PDT / 4 p.m. EDT
So, almost two weeks of rock-type fun!
Hold on. Wait. Spinning new PokéStops the best way to level up... ever?
It could be!
- 2100 XP for spinning a new PokéStop you've never spun before.
- 4200 XP for spinning a new PokéStop with a Lucky Egg on.
If you go somewhere with a high density of PokéStops, like a part of a city you've never been to before, you could rack up XP faster than any other way in the game, ever. 4,200 for one stop, 42,000 for 10 stops, 420,000 for 100 stops, 4,200,000 for 1000 stops,
Spin 4,762 new PokéStops with Lucky Eggs on and you go from Level 1 to Level 40 in one event flat.
How do the increased spawns work?
Typically, you get spawns or cluster spawns for common Pokémon like Pidgey, Rattata, Sentrat, Hoothoot, etc.
For the "type" events, there's a high probability any or all of those common spawns will be replaced with a rock-type spawn instead, like Geodude, Omanyte, Kabuto, etc.
How to catch rare Pokémon in Pokémon Go
But... no increased Larvitar spawns this year?
Not so far. Since the June Community Day is completely focused on Larvitar, though, that makes sense.
at about Slugma and Magcargo?
Last year, Slugma, a fire-type, was spawning at increased levels as well, because it's evolution, Magcargo, is fire/rock-type. This year, at least so far, that hasn't been the case.
Perhaps because, with the introduction of Gen 3, there are enough rock-types around that Pokémon Go doesn't need to stretch things out.
Where's Rhyhorn?
Good question! Rhyhorn spawns don't seem to be as universally boosted this year as last.
What are the Rock-type Pokémon in Pokémon Go?
Pokémon Go has so far introduced the Pokémon first encountered in the Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn regions. That means Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 3, and includes:
- Geodude
- Graveler
- Golem
- Onix
- Rhyhorn
- Rhydon
- Omanyte
- Omastar
- Kabuto
- Kabutops
- Aerodactyl
- Sudowoodo
- Shuckle
- Magcargo
- Corsola
- Larvitar
- Pupitar
- Tyranitar
- Nosepass
- Aron
- Lairon
- Aggron
- Lunatone (Regional)
- Solrock (Regional)
- Lilieep
- Cradily
- Anorith
- Armaldo
- Relicanth (Regional)
- Regirock (Legendary)
Which are the best Rock-type Pokémon to focus on for Adventure Week?
Anything you need to complete your Pokédex, to start. Otherwise, a lot of things are charging in Pokémon Go. Larvitar is about to have a Community Day that will let you evolve Tyranitar with Smack Down as a Fast Move, likely making it the best (for now) Rock-type attacker in the game. Other Rock-types may later get Smack Down as well, further mixing things up. And, in Gen 4, Rhydon will be able to evolve into Rhyperior.
Still:
- Geodude and Graveler evolve into Golem, which for now remains the best Rock-type attacker and useful in a range of Raids.
- Omanyte, Kabuto, and Anorith are all simply cool Rock-types that, if they got Smack Down in the future, wouldn't be the best, but would be better than they are now.
Plus...
Are there any new Shiny rock types for Adventure Week?
There are! Three new Rock-type Shiny Pokémon and their evolutions!
- Shiny Kabuto
- Shiny Kabutops
- Shiny Omanyte
- Shiny Omastar
- Shiny Aerodactyl
Complete list of Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Go
What's the best way to score a Shiny Rock-type Pokémon during Adventure Week?
Field Research quests seem to be the best way to score a Shiny Rock-type Pokémon during Adventure Week. While the exact odds aren't known, they could be as good as Community Day odds, which are thought to be 1/~25. These are the ones you want to look out for:
- Aerodactyl: Evolve an Omanyte or Kabuto
- Kabuto: Earn 3 Candies walking with your Buddy
- Omanyte: Hatch 2 eggs
Aerodactyl is also available in Tier 3 Raids. The odds of encountering a Shiny in a Raid aren't as good as Field Research or Community Day, but they're better than in the wild.
Lastly, "Shiny Check" can help you get through higher volumes of Kabuto and Omanyte when you do encounter them in the wild. It's been theorized that the odds of encountering a Shiny in the wild are only 1/512. So, instead of trying to catch 'em all, tap 'em, see if they're Shiny and, if not, run from the encounter and move on to the next one.
Are rock-types actually good for anything in Pokémon Go?
Golem remains a powerful Raid counter for fire and especially fire / flying type Raid Bosses. It will soon be outclassed by Smack Down Tyranitar during the June Community Day, but it never hurts to have a few extra Golems around for when you need them.
Also sounds like a great time to get gold in the Hiker medal for rock-types, doesn't it?
It does indeed! If by some chance you haven't gotten your rock-type Hiker gold yet, you should make sure you get it by the end of the Adventure Week event — and the 1.3x catch bonus it will give you going forward!
How to get every medal in Pokémon Go
What are the Buddy walking distances for the event?
For the entire week, Pokémon Go walking distances have been quartered. And yes, that means you'll earn candy 4x faster! Here are the new distances:
- 1 KM is now 0.25 KM
- 2 KM is now 0.5 KM
- 5 KM is now 1.25 KM
Will there be a special rock-type hat like there was a Magikarp hat?
There was last year but not this year — the Expedition Hat. Still, you should be able to get last year's hat and wear it anyway, if you want to get all retro.
- Tap the Avatar button, button left.
- Tap the Style button, bottom right (looks like a hanger).
- Tap Hats, far left.
- Tap the Expedition Hat, far left.
- Tap Choose.
- Tap Exit, button center (looks like an X).
- Tap Exit, button center (looks like an X).
- Tap Exit, button center (looks like an X).
- Tap Exit, button center (looks like an X).
- Phew, go play!
Any Pokémon Go Adventure Week rock-type event questions?
If you have any questions about the Pokémon Go rock-type event, drop them in the comments below!
