Pokémon Go Squintle Community Day Classic Event Guide and Research Tasks

Squirtle returns to Pokémon Go’s Community Day Classic spotlight, offering trainers a prime shot at its shiny form and exclusive Blastoise move.

As expected with a Community Day event, Squirtle will spawn in huge numbers with a high chance for it to appear shiny. There are also several other bonuses and perks, which we’ve list out below.

How do I catch a shiny Squirtle?

During Squirtle Community Day Classic, shiny Squirtle appears more often in the wild, giving players a great chance to expand their shiny collection. The best approach is to use Incense and Lure Modules throughout the event to attract more Squirtles. Focus on catching as many as possible, since shiny odds improve with higher encounter numbers. Check each Squirtle carefully, transfer extras to save space, and trade duplicates with friends for a chance at better IVs.

As per old research by the now-defunct website The Silph Road (via Wayback Machine), shiny rates on Community Days are about 1 in 25, which means that if you keep playing throughout the three-hour window, you should find quite a few shiny Pokémon.

If you’re short on time or Poké Balls, you can pop an Incense, then quickly tap each Squirtle to check for shiny ones, running from any that aren’t shiny. Notably, any Squirtle you’ve already tapped will face where your player is standing, so that should help identify which ones you may have already checked.

How do I catch a Squirtle with sunglasses?

Squirtle wearing sunglasses can appear during the Community Day Classic event, either as a wild spawn or from Field Research tasks tied to the event. Using Incense and Lure Modules increases your chances of finding one. Catch as many Squirtle as possible to improve your odds of encountering the costumed version, and use Pinap Berries to gather more Candy for evolving it into Wartortle and Blastoise.

Sunglasses-wearing Squirtle will not spawn in the wild. According to the official page for the Squirtle Community Day Classic from Niantic, it will be obtainable from event Field Research.

Said research will just require you to catch Squirtle to complete, so make sure to spin PokéStops to pick up this research, if you wanted a sunglasses-wearing turtle.

What Community Day move does Squirtle’s evolution learn?

Blastoise obtained during Squirtle Community Day Classic learns the Charged Attack Hydro Cannon, a powerful Water-type move that greatly enhances its battle performance. Players evolving Wartortle into Blastoise during the event, or up to two hours afterward, will automatically receive this exclusive attack. Hydro Cannon makes Blastoise a strong choice in both trainer battles and raids, giving it an advantage over Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type opponents.

If you evolve Wartortle into Blastoise from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. in your local time, it will learn the charged move Hydro Cannon.

If you miss out on evolving it during this period, you can use an Elite TM to get the move.

How does Blastoise do in the meta?

Blastoise performs moderately well in the current Pokémon Go meta, especially in Great and Ultra League formats. Its access to Hydro Cannon gives it strong Water-type pressure, while moves like Ice Beam or Skull Bash add coverage and bulk. However, its reliance on charge moves and vulnerability to Electric and Grass types keep it from being a top-tier pick. With proper team support, Blastoise can still secure solid wins against Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type opponents.

Blastoise is no longer the cream of the crop, but Mega Blastoise is now one of the strongest water-type attackers around. If you plan on investing in Megas at all (which you should, if you’re able to), you should consider grabbing a powerful Blastoise and setting it up with Water Gun and Hydro Cannon.

Blastoise does do pretty well in Ultra League, since it can be both bulky and it’s set up with Hydro Cannon, one of the best moves in the game.

How do I make the most of Squirtle Community Day Classic?

Focus on catching as many Squirtle as possible during the event window to gather enough Candy for evolutions and powering up strong Blastoise. Use Pinap Berries to double Candy, take advantage of the boosted spawn rates, and trade with friends for better IVs or Lucky Pokémon. Don’t forget the bonus features such as extended lure durations and increased Stardust from catches, which make longer sessions more rewarding. Evolving Wartortle during the event grants Blastoise the featured move, giving it an edge in battles and raids.

The following bonuses will be active during Squirtle Community Day Classic:

• ¹⁄₄ hatch distance for eggs placed into Incubators during the event
• Incense lasts three hours
• Lure Modules lasts three hours
• Squirtle special photobombs when taking snapshots

Best counters to Blastoise with Hydro Cannon

Blastoise with Hydro Cannon is a strong Water-type attacker in Pokémon Go raids and gyms, vulnerable primarily to Electric and Grass moves. Top counters exploit these weaknesses for fast damage output.​

Best Electric Counters

Electric-types dominate due to super-effective damage and resistance to Water moves.

• Mega Ampharos (Volt Switch, Zap Cannon)

• Zekrom (Charge Beam, Wild Charge)

• Electivire (Thunder Shock, Wild Charge)

• Therian Thundurus (Volt Switch, Thunderbolt)

• Zapdos (Thunder Shock, Drill Peck or Thunderbolt).​

Best Grass Counters

Grass options handle potential Ice coverage moves better but have less bulk against Hydro Cannon.

• Mega Venusaur (Vine Whip, Frenzy Plant)

• Roserade (Razor Leaf, Grass Knot)

• Rillaboom (Scratch, Grass Knot)

• Shadow Kartana (Razor Leaf, Leaf Blade)

• Tapu Bulu (Bullet Seed, Grass Knot).​

Raid Tips

Prioritize Shadow or Mega variants for higher DPS, dodge Hydro Cannon when possible, and avoid frail picks like Jolteon. Weather boosts (Rain) make Blastoise tougher.​

Which Electric counters deal most damage per second

Electric counters to Blastoise with Hydro Cannon prioritize high DPS through fast Electric movesets that exploit its Water typing. Shadow and Mega variants often lead due to boosted attack stats.

Top DPS Rankings

Rankings from Pokémon Go damage calculators show these Electric counters delivering the highest damage per second against Blastoise.

Optimization Tips

Use Shadow Pokémon for 20% DPS gain despite frailty; pair with shields in raids. Weather-boosted Rain fights increase Hydro Cannon threat, so dodge charged attacks.​