Get ready to unleash the power of Machop this May 24, 2025, as Pokémon GO’s Machop Community Day Classic returns with a bang! For three thrilling hours, Machop will swarm the wild with increased shiny odds, triple Stardust rewards, and exclusive moves like Payback for evolved Machamp. Whether you’re hunting shiny variants, stacking candies, or snapping AR photos with Machop photobombs, this event is packed with bonuses and special research tasks that every trainer won’t want to miss.
How do I catch a shiny Machop in Pokémon Go?
To catch a shiny Machop in Pokémon Go, the best opportunity is during the Machop Community Day event, when Machop spawns are significantly increased and shiny encounter rates are boosted to about 1 in 24. Use Incense and Lure Modules to maximize spawn rates, and focus on areas with Cloudy weather for an additional spawn boost. During the event, quickly tap each Machop to check for shiny variants and run from non-shiny ones to save time and Poké Balls. Taking advantage of bonuses like triple Stardust and extended duration of Incense and Lure Modules will help you catch more Machop and increase your chances of finding a shiny. Additionally, completing event research tasks can reward you with more encounters and maintain increased shiny odds even after the event ends.
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 Machop to check for shiny ones, running from any that aren’t shiny. Notably, any Machop you’ve already tapped will face where your player is standing, so that should help identify which ones you may have already checked.
This is a great time to practice your quick catch, too, to max out your Machop Candy gains.
What Community Day move does Machop’s evolution learn?
During Machop Community Day Classic in Pokémon Go, evolving Machoke (Machop’s evolution) into Machamp from the start of the event until May 31, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. local time will grant your Machamp the exclusive Charged Attack Payback, a Dark-type move. This move is only available to Machamp evolved during the specified Community Day window or by using an Elite Charged TM after the event. Payback has a power of 110 in Trainer Battles and 95 in gyms and raids, offering Machamp additional coverage against Psychic- and Ghost-type opponents.
If you evolve Machoke into Machamp from May 25 at 2 p.m. until May 31 at 10 p.m. in your local time, it will learn the charged move Payback.
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 Payback. If you don’t want to wait, you can use an Elite TM to get the move.
How does Machamp do in the meta?
Machamp remains a strong and accessible choice in the Pokémon Go meta, particularly for PvE content like raids and gym battles. While it is no longer the absolute top Fighting-type attacker-being outpaced by certain Legendary, Shadow, and Mega Pokémon-it still ranks just below premium options like Lucario and Conkeldurr, making it a reliable and budget-friendly pick for most players. Machamp excels against Normal, Rock, Ice, Steel, and Dark-type raid bosses, and is especially useful for newer or returning players who may not have access to rarer alternatives. In PvP, Shadow Machamp is a viable contender with the right moveset, though it faces stiff competition from other Fighting-types. With the debut of Gigantamax Machamp-expected to be the top Fighting-type in Max Battles-players may want to prioritize collecting resources during Community Day to power up this new variant for future use. Overall, Machamp continues to be a staple for both new and veteran trainers, offering versatility and strong performance across various game modes.
Whew, okay! Let’s talk about it. In short, Machamp is a powerhouse when it comes to PvE content. While yes, it does get outclassed by Legendaries, shadows, and Megas, it remains a really solid pick, ranking only below Lucario and Conkeldurr when you factor out those aforementioned categories.
I personally love using my powered-up Machamp to help me take out the Team Rocket leaders and Giovanni. While veteran players might shrug at the thought of a Machamp (who needs that when you can just run a Mega Lucario or powered-up Terrakion?), this event is a great one for newer players who might not have that stuff yet.
This is all compounded with the fact that Machamp is getting its Gigantamax debut on May 25, literally the day after this Community Day event. That said, Gigantamax Machamp is the definitive fighting-type pick in Max Battles. So if you may want to hold off on powering up any of the Machamp you get on the Community Day and instead opt to power up the Gigantamax Machamp you can get the next day (if you’re into Max Battles). That Gigantamax Machamp will be able to be used as a regular attacker in the various types of game content, so we recommend just powering up a Gigantamax one if you only have enough candy for one. (That being said, you should get out there and try to grab as much Machop Candy as you can during this event.)
Machamp’s best PvE moveset is Counter and Dynamic Punch, so you don’t have to worry about evolving it during the Community Day period or anything like that. Specifically, you’ll likely want your Gigantamax Machamp to use Low Kick instead of Counter, since it’s a shorter attack and thus grants more max energy.
For PvP, shadow Machamp actually isn’t a horrible choice, but you’ll want to set it up with Karate Chop, Cross Chop, and Stone Edge (according to PvPoke).
How do I make the most of Machoke Community Day?
To make the most of Machoke Community Day in Pokémon Go, prepare by stocking up on Poké Balls, Pinap Berries, and Star Pieces to maximize catches and Stardust gains. Activate Incense and Lure Modules, which will last for three hours, to increase Machop spawns and your chances of encountering shiny variants. Take advantage of the triple Stardust bonus and complete the special timed research tasks for extra rewards, including encounters with Machop featuring special backgrounds. Evolve Machoke into Machamp during the event or up until May 31 to obtain a Machamp with the exclusive Charged Attack Payback. Additionally, use Pinap Berries to gather more Candy for powering up your Pokémon and consider trading Machop or Machoke for Lucky Trades to reduce candy costs. Don’t forget to take AR snapshots during the event for surprise photobombs and keep an eye on completing all research tasks before the deadline to maximize your rewards.
The following bonuses will be active during Machoke Community Day:
- Tripled Stardust for catching Pokémon
- Incense lasts three hours
- Lure Modules lasts three hours
- Machop special photobombs when taking snapshots
That said, you should definitely pop a Star Piece and an Incense and try to nab some powerful Machop.
If you can Mega Evolve Heracross, Blaziken, Medicham, Lopunny, Lucario, or Gallade, you’ll score additional Machop Candy per catch.
As a reminder, you can trade your Machop or Machoke before evolving it to completely negate the candy cost to turn it into a Machamp. (Usually it’ll cost 100 Machop Candy, but if you trade it ahead of time, it’ll cost none! Yay!)
How can I increase my chances of catching a shiny Machop during Community Day
To increase your chances of catching a shiny Machop during Pokémon GO’s Machop Community Day, follow these key strategies:
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Catch as many Machop as possible during the three-hour event window when Machop spawns are significantly increased and shiny odds are boosted to about 1 in 24-25, giving you multiple opportunities to encounter shiny variants.
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Use Incense and Lure Modules to maximize the number of Machop spawns around you, as these bonuses last for the entire event duration, increasing your encounter rate.
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Stock up on plenty of Poké Balls before the event starts to avoid running out while chasing shiny Machop.
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Quickly check each Machop for shininess and flee non-shiny ones to save time and Poké Balls, as shiny Machop will sparkle and have a distinct color.
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Complete event-themed Field Research tasks that reward additional Machop encounters with increased shiny rates, extending your chances beyond just wild spawns.
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Activate a Star Piece and Lucky Egg to maximize Stardust and XP gains while catching, making the most of your shiny hunting session.
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Practice quick catch techniques to efficiently catch many Machop and accumulate candies for evolving to Machamp with the exclusive move Payback available if evolved during or shortly after the event.
By combining these strategies, you can significantly boost your odds of encountering and catching a shiny Machop during Community Day.
How does using Incense and Lures during Community Day boost shiny Machop odds
Using Incense and Lure Modules during Machop Community Day significantly boosts your chances of catching a shiny Machop by dramatically increasing the number of Machop you encounter. Both Incense and Lures last for three hours during the event, ensuring a steady stream of Machop spawns directly to your location or nearby PokéStops. Since shiny odds are fixed per encounter (about 1 in 25 during Community Day), the more Machop you see, the more opportunities you have to find a shiny.
In summary:
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Incense attracts more Machop to your location, even if you’re moving, increasing your encounter rate.
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Lure Modules placed on PokéStops boost Machop spawns in the area, further multiplying your chances.
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The increased number of encounters directly translates to more chances at shiny Machop, as each encounter has the same boosted shiny probability.
Activate both Incense and Lures as soon as the event starts to maximize your shiny hunting potential.
