Morpeko, the quirky Electric/Dark-type Pokémon from the Galar region, has finally arrived in Pokémon GO – but catching it won’t be as simple as finding it in the wild. Instead, trainers must dive into special research tasks or battle their way through the GO Battle League to add this mood-swinging Pokémon to their team. What makes Morpeko truly unique is its ability to switch between Full Belly and Hangry Modes mid-battle, changing not only its appearance but also the type of its powerful Charged Attack, Aura Wheel. Ready to master Morpeko’s dual forms and electrify your gameplay? Here’s how to catch it and toggle its modes in Pokémon GO.
Similar to Greavard’s debut in last year’s Halloween event, Morpeko is not available in the wild in Pokémon Go – meaning you have to complete research, or enter the Go Battle League, to find one.
How to get Morpeko in Pokémon Go
Morpeko is not available in the wild in Pokémon Go, so to get it, players need to complete specific event-related research tasks or participate in the GO Battle League. During the Halloween 2024 event, Morpeko can be caught by completing Field Research tasks such as winning two raids, or through timed research challenges like the Spiritomb Challenge and the paid Morpeko Onesie Premium Timed Research. Additionally, Morpeko can be earned as a reward in the GO Battle League, with higher encounter rates in the premium track. These methods are currently the only ways to obtain Morpeko in the game.
Making its first appearance in 2024’s “Halloween Part 1” event, Morpeko can be caught from the following sources:
- Halloween 2024 Field Research (“Win 2 Raids”)
- “Spiritomb Challenge” free Timed Research reward
- “Morpeko Onesie” paid Timed Research reward
- Go Battle League reward for all ranks during the event, then from Rank 16 once the event ends; will be encountered more frequently in the premium track in both cases
To summarize, Morpeko does not appear in the wild or in eggs, meaning you’ll have to either complete Field Research, one of the Timed Research steps, or earn rewards in Go Battle League – with Morpeko more likely to appear for those using a Premium Battle Pass.
Though it’s confirmed Morpeko will remain as a Go Battle League reward following the event, it’ll likely disappear from the other sources until Halloween next year, so be sure to use this easier opportunity to catch one while you can.
How to change Morpeko modes in Pokémon Go
To change Morpeko’s modes in Pokémon Go, players need to use its Charged Attack, Aura Wheel, during battles. Each time Morpeko uses this Charged Attack, it switches between its two forms: Full Belly Mode, where Aura Wheel is Electric-type, and Hangry Mode, where the move changes to Dark-type. This form change happens only in battles against Team GO Rocket or in the GO Battle League, and the type of Aura Wheel shifts accordingly with the form. The transformation alternates with each use of the Charged Attack, cycling between Full Belly and Hangry modes until the battle ends or Morpeko is defeated.
To change Morpeko forms in Pokémon Go, use Charged Attack Aura Wheel in battle. Aura Wheel’s typing will also change when you do. The two modes and their respective move typing is as follows:
- Full Belly form (electric-type Aura Wheel)
- Hangry form (dark-type Aura Wheel)
Note the ability to change forms only works in Go Battle League and when battling Go Team Rocket. Niantic mentions the word “initially”, suggesting this may well change in future.
Can Morpeko be shiny in Pokémon Go?
Morpeko is currently not available as a Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon GO. When it debuted during the Halloween 2024 event, only the regular form of Morpeko could be caught, with its Shiny variant expected to be introduced in a future event, possibly another Halloween or Galar-themed celebration. Players can preview what Shiny Morpeko would look like in both its Full Belly Mode and Hangry Mode through images from other Pokémon games, but for now, only the standard version is obtainable in Pokémon GO.
On its debut, Morpeko cannot be shiny in Pokémon Go. Our best guess is you’ll have to wait until a future Halloween event for it to make its debut – but based on Greavard not having a shiny one year on, there could be quite the wait.
Want to discover the secret to switching Morpeko’s modes mid-battle in Pokémon Go
To switch Morpeko’s modes mid-battle in Pokémon GO, you need to use its unique Charged Attack called Aura Wheel. Morpeko starts each battle in Full Belly Mode, where Aura Wheel is Electric-type. After using Aura Wheel, Morpeko automatically switches to Hangry Mode, changing its appearance and turning Aura Wheel into a Dark-type attack. This Hunger Switch ability causes Morpeko to alternate between Full Belly and Hangry Modes every turn, making its form and Charged Attack type change dynamically during the battle. This form change can only be triggered in battles, such as in the GO Battle League or Team GO Rocket encounters, not outside of combat.
How does using Charged Attack Aura Wheel trigger Morpeko’s mode switch in battle
Using the Charged Attack Aura Wheel in battle triggers Morpeko’s mode switch by activating its Hunger Switch ability. Morpeko begins the battle in Full Belly Mode, where Aura Wheel is an Electric-type move. After using Aura Wheel, Morpeko automatically changes to Hangry Mode, transforming its appearance and turning Aura Wheel into a Dark-type attack. This switch happens at the end of the turn when Aura Wheel is used, and the mode alternates each time the Charged Attack is deployed, cycling between Full Belly and Hangry Modes throughout the battle.
