Welcome back to the early days of Pokemon Go! Back when it first dropped, Tyranitar was considered a great Pokemon with a lot of missing potential due to the fact that it was largely limited to a Dark Type moveset. Sure, it could use Bite/Stone Edge against Lugia, but the lack of a Rock Type Fast Move genuinely hurt it.
And then we got Larvitar's community day.
Back in its day, this was arguably the most important Community Day to date. With Smack Down, Tyranitar became one of the single most important Pokemon for any raid team, and players were advised to try for an entire team of six. We didn't have Elite TMs back then, so we had no way of knowing when/if Smack Down would return.
But now? Tyranitar is a perfectly fine attacker with limited PvP utility, but it's still nice to return to our roots!
| Event Start | Event End |
|---|---|
| 2:00 p.m. local time | 5:00 p.m. local time |
- Larvitar will spawn en-masse and with a greatly enhanced Shiny rate
- Evolving Pupitar into Tyranitar during event hours and up to 2 hours afterwards to obtain the Elite Fast Move Smack Down
- A $1 ticket will be available in the shop to grant players access to an exclusive paid research line and additional rewards
- The bonus for this event will be 3x Catch XP or 3x Catch Stardust. Niantic currently states Catch XP on the official event page, but Stardust on their Twitter.
- 3 hour Incense and Lure Modules
- Take a snapshot during the event to encounter a few Larvitar Photobombs
Closing
The second Community Day of this month, Smack Down Tyranitar's return is pretty fun. Best of luck to everyone who's planning on hunting for their perfect/shiny/perfect shiny for this event, but before that; let us know about your experiences during Larvitar's first run in the comments below.
For me, it was one of the best overall Community Days that I ever had. While I didn't get any good Shiny Tyrantars, I managed to pick up a 98%, two 96%s, and four others to act as backup attackers. I also encountered a shiny Larvitar during the final seconds of the event that turned non-shiny when caught, as the event had already ended. Overall, a good memory!
Full Announcement
January 2023 Community Day Classic: Larvitar
Saturday, January 21, 2023, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time
Trainers,
Community Day Classic returns in January! This event will feature the Rock Skin Pokémon, Larvitar!
Featured Pokémon
Larvitar will appear more frequently in the wild.
Larvitar
If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!
Featured attack
Tyranitar
Evolve Pupitar (Larvitar’s Evolution) during the event or up to two hours afterward—from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.—to get a Tyranitar that knows the Fast Attack Smack Down.
Smack Down
Trainer Battles: 12 power
Gyms and raids: 16 power
Community Day Special Research story: Larvitar Community Day Classic
Community Day Special Research story: Larvitar Community Day Classic
- For US$1.00 (or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency), you’ll be able to access the Larvitar Community Day Classic–exclusive Special Research story.
- Stay tuned for when tickets for the Special Research story go live.
- Don’t forget: you’re now able to purchase and gift tickets to any of your friends that you’ve achieved a Friendship level of Great Friends or higher with.* To gift a ticket, tap the Special Research ticket in the in-game shop, then tap the Gift button instead of the Buy button.
Tickets are nonrefundable (subject to applicable law and the exceptions set forth in the Terms of Service). Please note that this Special Research will not include an in-game medal.
*Certain restrictions apply. Gifting cannot be completed if the recipient has purchased a Special Research ticket or has been gifted one already.
Event Bonuses
3× XP for catching Pokémon.
Lure Modules activated during the event will last for three hours.
Incense (excluding Daily Adventure Incense) activated during the event will last for three hours.
Take a few snapshots during Community Day Classic for a surprise!
Please be aware of your surroundings and follow guidelines from local health authorities when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change. Be sure to follow us on social media, opt in to receiving push notifications, and subscribe to our emails to stay updated.
—The Pokémon GO team
