So you’ve started playing Pokémon GO, like seemingly everyone and their mother, but you need to be the very best there ever was. To do that, you’ll need to catch Pokémon that are rarer than the rest. Catching rare Pokemon can’t be easy, of course: they’re called rare for a reason. But you can still get a leg up if you read this guide and hope you have a bit of luck on your side.
First and foremost, walk a lot. Pokémon GO is all about walking a lot. You’ll have to walk about a lot of different places in order to catch different types of Pokémon. For instance, water Pokémon only show up near water bodies, such as rivers and lakes. Some Pokémon only show up at night, like Clefairy and Gastly.
While walking about, keep an eye out for patches of rustling grass. These contain Pokémon, and if you walk near them, you’ll have a high chance of encountering them. According to some observers, there are more of these patches in parks and woods, so try to head to nature.
Also keep in mind that if you tap the grey bar to the lower-right corner of the screen, you get a menu that shows you how close Pokémon are to your location. The more footprints you see below the Pokémon, the further away they are from you. If there’s no footprints below the Pokémon, then you’re very close to it, and might encounter it any second.
Next comes the part where you actually catch the Pokémon in question. To do this, you need to swipe the PokéBall at the Pokémon, which can take some skill, depending on the Pokémon in question. You should pay attention to the white ring around the Pokémon. Tap and hold the PokéBall, and the ring around the Pokémon will contract. When it’s at its smallest size and green in colour, you have the highest chance of catching that Pokémon.
Another thing that might help in catching Pokémon in Pokémon GO is a berry. You can pick up berries at PokéStops, and feed them to wild Pokémon to improve your chances of capturing them. There are other factors involved as well, such as the Pokémon’s CP level and the type of PokéBall you’ve used and so on. Even the way you throw your ball is a factor involved. And if that’s not enough, a particular Pokémon might just teleport out before you can catch it.
Stock up on items. You should check out incense, which attracts wild Pokémon to your location, or the Lure Module, which attracts wild Pokémon to a PokéStop for a limited period of time. A good indication of a Lure Module being at work is when you see a number of people staring at their phones near a PokéStop. But in-game, you’ll see a “raining” effect over the PokéStop if a Lure Module is active.
To use a Lure Module, head to a PokéStop and tap on it, then tap the little white cylinder above the spinning disc. Tap on it to bring out the Lure Modules you have, and tap on the Module to activate it. Remember that when you use a Lure Module, everyone can benefit from it.
You can also hatch eggs, which can be found at PokéStops. Start incubation on the eggs and walk a lot. The game will know if you’re using a vehicle to travel fast, so don’t try to cheat. Hatching an egg will grant you a new Pokémon to use.
If you want to get something really rare, though, you might want to evolve a Pokémon you already have. If you want to improve a Pokémon you already have, keep catching lots of Pokémon of the same kind. For instance, keep catch a Squirtle and send it over to Professor Willow, which will get you a candy. Keep in mind though, that if you have an evolution of Squirtle, such as a Wartortle or a Blastoise, you will be able to use Squirtle candies to improve them nonetheless.
To transfer Pokémon to Professor Willow, select the PokéBall menu, then select the Pokémon menu, then pick the Pokémon in question, and scroll way down its stats to find a Transfer button.
Got any more advice on catching rare Pokémon in Pokémon GO? Let us know in the comments below. You will be happy to know that you will soon be able to trade your Pokemon in Pokemon GO.