Get ready, Trainers! Pokémon GO’s “Legendary Heroes” event is here, bringing the first-ever chance to catch shiny Zacian, special trades at half Stardust cost, and the rare opportunity to evolve Koffing into Galarian Weezing. Choose your path-Sword or Shield-and dive into exclusive Collection Challenges, boosted spawns, and exciting raids from September 26 to October 1, 2024. Don’t miss out on this epic Galar-themed adventure!
The bulk of this event is a Timed Research set that forces you to choose a path between sword and shield. Other than that, special trades will cost half the Stardust and Koffing will be able to evolve into Galarian Weezing (which usually isn’t a thing). Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) is also available shiny for the first time, a somewhat big deal for the Pokémon as you cannot shiny hunt this legendary in the game it’s from and this shiny was only given out via an old code distribution.
Below we list out all the event perks for Pokémon Go’s “Legendary Heroes” event, including its Collection Challenge, boosted spawns, and event Field Research.
Pokémon Go ’Legendary Heroes’ event Collection Challenge
The Pokémon Go ’Legendary Heroes’ event features Collection Challenges that are influenced by the path you choose in the Timed Research quest: Sword Path or Shield Path . Each path has two Collection Challenges, one focused on catching specific Pokémon and the other on trading . Completing these challenges rewards you with XP and encounters with Pokémon such as Larvitar, Skwovet, and Deino .
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Sword Path: Includes a Catch Challenge where you need to catch Pokémon like Seedot, Scraggy, Gothita, and Swirlix by using Incense, as well as Galarian Darumaka, Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble as wild spawns . The Trade Challenge involves trading for Spritzee, Solosis, Lotad, and Croagunk with players who chose the Shield Path .
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Shield Path: Requires catching Spritzee, Solosis, Lotad, and Croagunk using Incense, plus finding Galarian Ponyta, Scorbunny, Grookey, and Sobble in the wild . The Trade Challenge requires you to trade for Swirlix, Gothita, Seedot, and Scraggy .
There are a few Collection Challenges to complete that involve you catching and evolving specific Pokémon. The Collection Challenges you get depend on which path you pick.
’Legendary Heroes: Sword Path’ Catch Collection Challenge
Catch the following to get the rewards:
- Galarian Darumaka
- Swirlix
- Gothita
- Seedot
- Scraggy
- Grookey
- Scorbunny
- Sobble
Rewards: 1,000 XP, Skwovet encounter
’Legendary Heroes: Sword Path’ Trade Collection Challenge
Trade the following to get the rewards:
- Spritzee
- Solosis
- Lotad
- Croagunk
Rewards: 5,000 XP, Larvitar encounter
Legendary Heroes: Shield Path’ Catch Collection Challenge
Catch the following to get the rewards:
- Galarian Ponyta
- Spritzee
- Solosis
- Lotad
- Croagunk
- Grookey
- Scorbunny
- Sobble
Rewards: 1,000 XP, Skwovet encounter
’Legendary Heroes: Shield Path’ Trade Collection Challenge
Trade the following to get the rewards:
- Swirlix
- Gothita
- Seedot
- Scraggy
Rewards: 5,000 XP, Deino encounter
Pokémon Go ’Legendary Heroes’ event Field Research and rewards
During the Pokémon Go “Legendary Heroes” event, players can complete event-themed Field Research tasks obtained by spinning special PokéStops. These tasks reward valuable items such as Rare Candies, Stardust, and encounters with Galarian Slowpoke. The event also features a Timed Research quest with two paths-Sword and Shield-each offering unique rewards including XP, Poké Balls, Incense, and encounters with Pokémon like Galarian Darumaka or Galarian Ponyta. Additionally, special bonuses such as reduced Stardust cost for trades and the ability to evolve Koffing into Galarian Weezing are active, enhancing the overall event experience.
Spinning a PokéStop during the event period may yield one of these tasks:
- Catch 8 Pokémon (Galarian Slowpoke encounter)
- Trade a Pokémon (1 Rare Candy)
- Us an Incense (3 Rare Candy or 1,500 Stardust)
Pokémon Go ’Legendary Heroes’ event boosted spawns
During the Pokémon Go ’Legendary Heroes’ event, several Pokémon will have boosted spawns in the wild, making them appear more frequently for players to catch. Notably, Galarian Ponyta, Koffing, and Galarian Darumaka will see increased appearances alongside Grookey, Scorbunny, Sobble, and Skwovet. Additionally, depending on the player’s choice between the Sword or Shield Timed Research paths, different Pokémon will be boosted when using Incense, such as Seedot and Scraggy for Sword, or Larvitar and Lotad for Shield. This boost in spawns provides ample opportunity to catch these Pokémon, complete event challenges, and prepare for raids featuring legendary Pokémon like Zacian.
These Pokémon will spawn more frequently during the event period:
- Galarian Ponyta
- Koffing
- Galarian Darumaka
- Grookey
- Scorbunny
- Sobble
- Skwovet
These will spawn from Incense, depending on which path you picked:
- Seedot (Sword)
- Scraggy (Sword)
- Gothita (Sword)
- Deino (Sword)
- Swirlix (Sword)
- Passimian (Sword)
- Larvitar (Shield)
- Lotad (Shield)
- Croagunk (Shield)
- Solosis (Shield)
- Spritzee (Shield)
- Oranguru (Shield)
Pokémon Go ’Legendary Heroes’ event raid targets
During the Pokémon Go ’Legendary Heroes’ event, raid targets span multiple tiers, offering a variety of Pokémon from the Galar region. One-Star raids feature Galarian Ponyta, Galarian Darumaka, Goomy, and Jangmo-o. Three-Star raids include Turtonator and Drampa, while the Five-Star raid spotlights Zacian, with its shiny form debuting for the first time in Pokémon Go. Mega Raids will have Mega Gardevoir available. Players have a chance to encounter shiny variants of these raid Pokémon, especially Zacian, making these raids a key highlight of the event.
How can I maximize shiny Zacian encounters during the event
To maximize your chances of encountering shiny Zacian during the Pokémon GO Legendary Heroes event, focus on winning as many 5-star Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) raids as possible, since shiny Zacian is a raid reward with roughly a 1 in 20 shiny rate.
Key tips include:
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Team up with at least three to four trainers to reliably defeat Zacian, as it is a powerful Legendary Raid Boss with a max CP of 4329.
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Use optimal counters that exploit Zacian’s weaknesses to Poison- and Steel-type moves, such as Dusk Mane Necrozma (Metal Claw/Sunsteel Strike), Shadow Metagross (Bullet Punch/Meteor Mash), Mega Gengar (Shadow Claw/Sludge Bomb), and others listed in top counters guides.
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Use Golden Razz Berries and aim for Excellent throws with curveballs to improve catch rates, and if you encounter a shiny Zacian, it is guaranteed to be caught, so consider using Pinap Berries to maximize candy gain.
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The more raids you win, the more Zacian encounters you get, increasing your chances to match the shiny odds, so raid frequently during the event window.
By preparing a strong raid team, coordinating with other players, and raiding as often as possible, you can maximize your shiny Zacian encounters during the event.
What are the best strategies to increase my chances of shiny Zacian during raids
To increase your chances of catching shiny Zacian during raids in Pokémon GO, follow these best strategies:
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Raid frequently with a strong team: Zacian appears in Tier 5 raids with a shiny rate of about 1 in 20, so the more raids you win, the more encounters you get to try for shiny.
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Use optimal counters exploiting Zacian’s weaknesses: Focus on Steel- and Poison-type moves since Zacian is weak to these. Top counters include Dusk Mane Necrozma (Metal Claw/Sunsteel Strike), Shadow Metagross (Bullet Punch/Meteor Mash), Mega Gengar (Lick/Sludge Bomb), and others like Jirachi, Excadrill, and Melmetal.
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Raid with at least three to four players: Zacian can be defeated with three trainers if all use strong counters, but four or more is recommended for a smoother battle and faster wins.
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Maximize catch rate on shiny encounters: Use Golden Razz Berries and aim for Excellent curveball throws to increase catch chances. If you encounter a shiny Zacian, it is guaranteed to be caught, so use Pinap Berries to maximize candy gain.
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Consider event-specific bonuses: Some events may grant additional bonuses or special research that can help you obtain Crowned Sword Zacian form or increase shiny chances, so stay updated on official announcements.
By combining frequent raids, optimal counters, teamwork, and catch rate boosts, you can significantly improve your odds of encountering and catching shiny Zacian during the event.
