Get ready to ignite your Pokémon Go adventure with the Charmander Community Day Classic! This special event offers a rare chance to catch the fiery starter in abundance, unlock exclusive moves like Dragon Breath and Blast Burn on Charizard, and enjoy extended bonuses such as 3-hour Lures and Incense. Whether you’re hunting for shiny Charmanders or aiming to power up your team, this guide will help you make the most of every blazing moment.
How do I catch a shiny Charmander?
To catch a shiny Charmander in Pokémon Go, your best opportunity is during the Charmander Community Day Classic event, when Charmander spawns are significantly increased and the shiny encounter rate is boosted to about 1 in 25, much higher than the usual 1 in 512 rate. To maximize your chances, use Lure Modules and Incense to attract more Charmander spawns, especially during sunny weather, which naturally increases Charmander appearances. Actively tap and catch as many Charmander as possible within the event’s three-hour window. After catching a shiny Charmander, you can evolve it into shiny Charmeleon and Charizard, completing the shiny evolutionary line. Preparation such as stocking up on Ultra Balls and clearing storage space will help you catch more efficiently during the event.
As per old research by the now-defunct website The Silph Road (via Wayback Machine), Shiny rates on Community Days are about 1 in 24, 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 Charmander to check for shiny ones, running from any that aren’t shiny. Notably, any Charmander you’ve already tapped will face where your player is standing, so that should help identify which ones you may have already checked.
What Community Day move does Charmander’s evolution learn?
Evolving Charmeleon into Charizard during the Charmander Community Day Classic event or within two hours afterward grants Charizard the exclusive Community Day moves: the Fast Attack Dragon Breath and the Charged Attack Blast Burn. Dragon Breath offers moderate power and is effective in both Trainer Battles and Gyms/Raids, while Blast Burn is a powerful Fire-type charged attack with high damage output. This combination makes Charizard particularly strong and versatile during the event period.
If you evolve Charmeleon into Charizard from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. in your local time, it will learn the fast attack Dragon Breath and charged move Blast Burn.
If you miss out on evolving it during this period, you will likely be able to evolve it during a Community Day weekend event in December to get Dragon Breath and Blast Burn. If you don’t want to wait, you can use an Elite TM to get the move.
How does Charizard do in the meta?
Charizard remains a strong contender in the Pokémon Go meta, especially with its access to the exclusive Community Day move Blast Burn, which significantly boosts its performance as a Fire-type attacker. While Blast Burn has been slightly nerfed, Charizard still holds its own against other top-tier Fire-type Pokémon like Moltres and Entei, making it a valuable choice in raids and battles where Fire-type damage is needed. Its versatility is enhanced by Dragon Breath as a fast move, allowing it to perform well in various PvP and raid scenarios. Overall, Charizard’s combination of moves and stats keeps it relevant and competitive in the current meta.
Hoo, boy. While Charizard and its Mega variants isn’t at the tippy top of any attacker tier lists anymore, Mega Charizard Y (the orange one) is still pretty high up there. Mega Charizard X and non-Mega Charizard (whether Shadow or not) are still mentioned on these damage-dealing lists, so you should definitely try to grab some powerful Charmander.
Set up your Charizard with Fire Spin and Blast Burn and opt to Mega Evolve it to Mega Charizard Y for one of the best fire-type attackers in the game, for PvE content.
Charizard can see use in PvP, but rather than giving it both of its Community Day moves, you’re better off giving it Wing Attack with Blast Burn and Dragon Claw for better type coverage and good energy regeneration. Wing Attack is a legacy move, so you’ll need to use an Elite TM to get it, though.
How do I make the most of Charmander Community Day Classic?
To make the most of Charmander Community Day Classic in Pokémon GO, focus on catching as many Charmander as possible during the three-hour event window to take advantage of increased spawns and a higher chance of encountering shiny Charmander. Use extended-duration Lure Modules and Incense to maximize spawn rates, and activate Star Pieces to boost Stardust gains, which are tripled during the event. Clear your Pokémon storage beforehand and stock up on Ultra and Great Balls to improve catch efficiency. Evolve Charmeleon into Charizard during the event or within two hours afterward to obtain exclusive moves Dragon Breath and Blast Burn, enhancing Charizard’s battle capabilities. Participate in event-exclusive Field Research and Timed Research to earn valuable rewards like Charizard Mega Energy and XP. Additionally, engage with local communities or use nest maps to find high-IV Charmander spawns, and consider entering PokéStop Showcases to compete for rewards. Post-event, prioritize evolving and powering up your best Charizards and trade extra Charmander to optimize your collection and battle readiness.
The following bonuses will be active during Charmander Community Day:
- Tripled Stardust for catching Pokémon
- Incense lasts three hours
- Lure Modules lasts three hours
- Charmander special photobombs when taking snapshots
How can I maximize shiny Charmander chances during Community Day Classic
To maximize your chances of catching a shiny Charmander during the Community Day Classic event in Pokémon Go, follow these key strategies:
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Catch as many Charmanders as possible during the three-hour event window, since the shiny rate is significantly increased to about 1 in 25, much higher than usual.
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Activate Lure Modules and Incense, which last for three hours during the event, to boost Charmander spawns around PokéStops and your immediate vicinity, increasing encounter opportunities.
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Choose locations with a high density of PokéStops, such as downtown areas or parks, to maximize spawn rates and item collection, enabling more catches.
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Use Ultra Balls and Great Balls to improve catch efficiency and reduce the chance of Pokémon breaking free, especially important when targeting shiny Pokémon.
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Practice the skip animation trick to speed up encounters, allowing you to check more Charmanders quickly for shininess.
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Engage with local Pokémon Go communities on social platforms to get real-time tips on high-IV or shiny Charmander spawns, improving your odds through shared information.
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Consider purchasing the Special Research ticket for additional Charmander encounters and rewards, which can provide more chances to find shiny Charmanders.
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Take snapshots during the event to trigger surprise Charmander encounters, which may also yield shiny variants.
By combining these tactics-maximizing spawn rates, efficient catching, community collaboration, and utilizing event bonuses-you can significantly increase your shiny Charmander haul during Community Day Classic.
What strategies increase my odds of shiny Charmander during the event
To increase your odds of encountering a shiny Charmander during the Community Day Classic event in Pokémon Go, use these proven strategies:
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Catch as many Charmanders as possible during the event’s three-hour window, since the shiny rate is boosted to about 1 in 25, making volume key to success.
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Activate Lure Modules and Incense simultaneously to stack spawn rate boosts, especially when combined with sunny weather conditions, which naturally increase Charmander spawns.
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Hunt in areas with a high density of PokéStops to maximize spawn opportunities and item collection, enabling you to catch more Charmanders quickly.
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Use the skip catch animation trick to speed up encounters and check more Pokémon per hour, increasing your chances to find a shiny.
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Chain catching or chaining encounters can be effective in some Pokémon games (like Pokémon Let’s Go), but in Pokémon Go, focusing on maximizing spawn rate and catch volume during the event is more practical.
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Participate actively throughout the event, as shiny chances apply to each individual spawn, so continuous catching without breaks improves odds.
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Take advantage of weather boosts by hunting during sunny weather, as Charmander spawns increase, stacking with event bonuses and items for even higher encounter rates.
By combining these methods-high spawn areas, event bonuses, weather boosts, and rapid catching-you can significantly increase your shiny Charmander odds during the Community Day Classic.
