What Level Do You Get Rare Candy XL in Pokémon GO?
The journey to maximizing your Pokémon’s potential in Pokémon GO often leads trainers to seek out the elusive Rare Candy XL. These powerful items are essential for powering up Pokémon beyond level 40, but they aren’t available from the very beginning. So, what level do you need to reach to start obtaining these valuable resources? The answer is Trainer Level 31. Once you reach Trainer Level 31, you can start earning XL Candy, which includes the Rare Candy XL. It’s important to note that prior to a game update, XL Candy was only available once you reached Trainer Level 40.
Understanding Rare Candy XL
Rare Candy XL is a unique item in Pokémon GO that allows you to bypass the usual limitations on XL Candy. Instead of needing specific XL Candy for each Pokémon, a Rare Candy XL can be converted into XL Candy for any Pokémon you choose. This makes them incredibly versatile and desirable for trainers looking to optimize their teams.
How to Obtain Rare Candy XL
While reaching Level 31 unlocks the possibility of receiving XL Candy, including Rare Candy XL, obtaining them isn’t always straightforward. Here are the primary ways to find them:
Leveling Up
One of the guaranteed methods is through leveling up your Trainer Level after reaching Level 40. Every time you successfully level up past Level 40, you receive a limited amount of Rare Candy XL as a reward. While this is a reliable source, the quantities are relatively small, often only a couple per level.
Special Research Tasks
Certain Special Research tasks, often unlocked at specific trainer levels above 40, also reward players with a set amount of Rare Candy XL. These Special Research tasks typically appear at Levels 43, 45, 48, and 50, which can collectively grant up to 31 Rare Candy XL. This provides a significant boost for players working towards powering up their top Pokémon.
Raids
Successfully completing Raids offers another avenue to acquire Rare Candy XL. The chance of receiving these candies as a reward is relatively low for most raids, but the odds significantly improve with 5-Star Raids and Mega Raids. Focusing on these higher-tier raids can greatly increase your chances of securing more Rare Candy XL.
Trading
Trading Pokémon can sometimes yield XL Candy for either player, with the odds increasing the further the Pokémon were originally caught. This offers a somewhat random way to collect XL Candy as a side benefit from your trades.
Other Methods
XL Candy can also be obtained by catching Pokémon, exchanging regular candies, transferring Pokémon, hatching eggs, and walking with a Buddy Pokémon.
Why is Rare Candy XL So Important?
Rare Candy XL is a crucial item for any serious Pokémon GO trainer. Without them, you can’t fully power up your Pokémon beyond Level 40. Leveling a Pokémon from Level 40 to Level 50 requires a whopping 296 XL Candies, so gathering Rare Candy XL becomes a significant part of the late-game strategy. This level of power is often necessary to compete effectively in PvP battles or tackle the most challenging raid bosses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you get XL Candy before level 31?
No. Even if you manage to get XL Candy through trading before reaching Trainer Level 31, the game will remove them. You will only start being able to earn XL Candies legitimately once you reach Trainer Level 31.
2. What is the difference between Rare Candy and Rare Candy XL?
Rare Candy can be converted into regular candy for any Pokémon. Rare Candy XL is specifically designed to be converted into XL Candy, which is needed to power up Pokémon beyond level 40.
3. How many XL Candies are needed to max a Pokemon?
To fully level a Pokémon from Level 40 to Level 50, you need a total of 296 XL Candy.
4. Can you use Rare Candy XL on any Pokemon?
Yes. Rare Candy XL can be converted into XL Candy for any Pokémon of your choice. This is its key advantage over regular XL Candy.
5. Are XL Pokémon better?
While not officially confirmed, many players observe that Pokémon with an XL height often have more HP than those with normal or XS heights, at equal CP.
6. What is the fastest way to farm XL Candy?
The fastest way to obtain XL Candy is by catching Pokemon, participating in raids (especially 5-Star and Mega Raids), and hatching eggs, which offer a chance at larger amounts of XL Candy.
7. Can you trade XL Candy?
No, you cannot directly trade XL Candy. However, when trading Pokémon, both players have a chance to earn XL Candy for the traded Pokémon.
8. Do Lucky Eggs affect XL Candy?
No, Lucky Eggs only affect XP gain. They do not influence the chance of obtaining XL Candy.
9. What happens if you use Rare Candy on a level 100 Pokémon?
In the main series Pokémon games, a Rare Candy used on a level 100 Pokémon that can evolve by leveling up will trigger the evolution without raising its level, provided the evolution requirements are met. Note that this is not applicable to Pokémon GO.
10. Can you convert XL Candy back into regular candy?
No. Once you convert regular candy to XL Candy, or use Rare Candy XL to generate XL Candy, there is no way to convert it back to regular candy.
11. What do you get at level 40 in Pokémon GO?
At Level 40, you receive various rewards, including 40 Ultra Balls, 40 Max Potions, 40 Max Revives, 40 Razz Berries, 4 Lucky Eggs, 4 Incubators, 4 Incenses, 4 Lure Modules, and XL Candy.
12. Do Rare Candies affect IVs or EVs?
No. Rare Candies and Rare Candy XL do not affect a Pokémon’s Individual Values (IVs) or Effort Values (EVs). They only increase the Pokémon’s level.
13. Are Pokémon weaker when leveled with Rare Candy?
In the main series games, Pokémon leveled using Rare Candies can be weaker compared to traditionally trained Pokémon because they may miss out on Effort Values (EVs). However, this is not a major concern in Pokemon GO.
14. How many Rare Candy XL do you get from Special Research?
Completing the special researches available at levels 43, 45, 48, and 50 will give a total of 31 Rare XL Candy.
15. Should I use Rare Candy XL on legendary or normal Pokemon?
The decision depends on your goals. Generally, Rare Candy XL is best used on Pokémon that you use most often in battles, raids, or PvP, especially Legendary or Mythical Pokemon, as they are the most challenging to obtain candy for.