Do Raids Happen During Community Day in Pokémon GO?
Yes, raids can definitely happen during Community Day in Pokémon GO, but with a few key nuances. While Community Day itself is focused on a specific Pokémon and boosted spawn rates, raids continue to occur during these events. However, the type of raids that are most prevalent and relevant to Community Day often shift. Let’s dive into the details and explore how these two aspects of Pokémon GO intersect.
Community Day and Raids: A Symbiotic Relationship
While a Community Day focuses on catching a particular Pokémon, Niantic often introduces complementary raid events to enhance the experience. These raids can be specifically designed to tie in with the featured Pokémon or offer other exciting challenges for trainers.
Four-Star Raids: The Community Day Companion
One common scenario is the introduction of four-star raids after the main three-hour Community Day event concludes. These raids feature an evolved form of the Community Day Pokémon. The unique aspect of these raids is that upon defeating the raid boss, more of the Community Day Pokémon (and sometimes its regional variant, if applicable) will spawn around the Gym for a limited time, usually 30 minutes. This provides players with an extra opportunity to catch the featured Pokémon, especially if they missed out during the main event or are looking for higher IV (Individual Value) specimens.
Other Raid Tiers Still Active
It’s important to remember that even during Community Day, other raid tiers (one-star, three-star, five-star, and Mega Raids) are still active, provided they fall within the usual raid availability hours (typically 5:00 AM to 7:45 PM local time, with raids potentially extending to 9:30 PM depending on when the egg hatches). However, the focus tends to shift towards the Community Day-related four-star raids after the main event.
Understanding Raid Mechanics
To fully understand how raids fit into Community Day, it’s essential to grasp the basics of raid mechanics in Pokémon GO:
- Raid Eggs: Before a raid begins, a raid egg appears atop a Gym. The color and markings on the egg indicate the difficulty level of the impending raid.
- Raid Timer: A countdown timer on the raid egg indicates when the raid boss will appear.
- Raid Duration: Once the raid egg hatches, the raid boss is available for 45 minutes.
- Raid Tiers: Raids are categorized into tiers (one-star to Mega Raids), reflecting the difficulty of the boss and the rewards offered.
- Raid Passes: To participate in a raid, you need a Raid Pass. These can be obtained daily for free by spinning a Gym Photo Disc, purchased from the in-game store, or earned through special research.
Community Day Strategies: Balancing Catches and Raids
During Community Day, trainers often have to make strategic choices about how to allocate their time. The primary focus is usually on catching as many of the featured Pokémon as possible, taking advantage of the increased spawn rates, boosted Shiny odds, and special bonuses like increased Stardust or XP. However, raids offer another avenue for rewards and can be a welcome break from the catching frenzy.
FAQs: Raids and Community Day
Here are 15 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to further clarify the relationship between raids and Community Day in Pokémon GO:
FAQ 1: Can I find Shiny Pokémon during Community Day Raids?
Yes, any Pokémon encountered in a raid has a chance to be Shiny, including those appearing in Community Day-related raids. However, the Shiny odds are usually the standard raid odds, not the boosted Community Day odds.
FAQ 2: Are Community Day Four-Star Raids Soloable?
Generally, no. Four-star raids are designed to be challenging and usually require multiple trainers to defeat. While exceptionally strong and prepared players might be able to solo some four-star raids, it’s not recommended for most players.
FAQ 3: Do Community Day raids offer the featured Community Day move?
No, you can not get the Community Day move in raids. You must evolve your Community Day Pokemon during the event or shortly after.
FAQ 4: What happens if I miss the 30-minute spawn boost after a Community Day Raid?
The increased spawns around the Gym only last for 30 minutes after the raid is defeated. If you miss that window, you won’t get the bonus spawns.
FAQ 5: Do Remote Raid Passes work for Community Day Four-Star Raids?
Yes, Remote Raid Passes can be used to participate in Community Day-related four-star raids, allowing you to join from anywhere.
FAQ 6: Are Elite Raids active during Community Day?
Yes, Elite Raids can be active during Community Day. These are especially difficult raids that require coordination and a strong team of trainers.
FAQ 7: Can I find the Community Day Pokémon in regular raids during Community Day?
Typically, no. The featured Community Day Pokémon is primarily found in the wild with boosted spawn rates. Occasionally it may appear in a one-star raid.
FAQ 8: How do I coordinate Community Day raids with other trainers?
Use local Pokémon GO communities on platforms like Discord, Facebook, or Reddit to find and coordinate with other trainers for Community Day raids.
FAQ 9: Do all gyms participate in Community Day Four-Star Raids?
No, not all Gyms will host Community Day four-star raids. It depends on Niantic‘s event setup and the activity level of Gyms in your area.
FAQ 10: Can I stack the 30-minute spawn boost from multiple Community Day raids?
No, the spawn boost only applies to the Gym where you defeated the raid boss, and the timer doesn’t stack. Each raid gives a new area where the featured Pokémon will appear.
FAQ 11: Are Mega Raids more common during Community Day?
Mega Raids aren’t specifically more common during Community Day, but they are often part of the broader Pokémon GO event calendar and can coincide with Community Day.
FAQ 12: How much do Remote Raid Passes cost?
Remote Raid Passes can be purchased in the in-game store for varying prices depending on the bundle. Check the store for the latest offers.
FAQ 13: Do Lucky Eggs affect raid rewards?
No, Lucky Eggs only affect XP gains, not the rewards received from completing a raid.
FAQ 14: What happens if I lose a Community Day raid?
If you lose a raid, you won’t get the chance to catch the raid boss or receive the rewards. You can try the raid again, but you’ll need another Raid Pass.
FAQ 15: Will Rayquaza return to raids?
There is no way of knowing when a legendary Pokemon will return to raids. Keep an eye on the Pokemon GO social media accounts for up to date information.
Conclusion: Raids as a Community Day Enhancer
In summary, raids do happen during Community Day in Pokémon GO, adding another layer of engagement to the event. While the focus remains on catching the featured Pokémon, Community Day-related four-star raids and other raid tiers provide opportunities for extra challenges, rewards, and social interaction with fellow trainers. Strategic planning and coordination are key to maximizing your Community Day experience, balancing the excitement of catching with the thrill of raids. You may want to learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org. And don’t forget to evolve your Pokemon to get their exclusive move!