we've got another set of small events coming, and they're coming surprisingly soon! First is a new Limited Research day featuring Sneasel, and shortly after is a new special research line with Ho-oh!
Sneasel Limited Research
| Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. local time | 10:00 p.m. local time |
With a new special research day comes many new opportunities to catch powerful and/or shiny Pokemon of a given species. Weavile, the evolved form of Sneasel, was once a top Pokemon within both of its types. Never quite the best, but always an absolute contender in any raid that called for them. So how does it fare now?
As a Dark Type attacker, it is still just a bit above Honchkrow in terms of DPS and TDO alike. It's definitely usable and strong, but the introduction of Shadows and Megas have greatly reduced the prestige of its formerly lofty station. In particular, its Shadow form is currently the top Dark Type attacker in terms of DPS, and that includes all of the game's current and future Mega Evolutions (when not countering their Mega boosts, which can be shared with Shadow Weavile).
As an Ice Type, the story is much the same, though Weavile hasn't fallen from grace to quite the same degree as it has as a Dark Type. It's still a solid and viable attacker as an Ice Type, surpassed only by Mamoswine, Galarian Darmanitan, Shadow Abomasnow, and the two Ice Type Mega Evolutions. It has strong advantages when its Dark sub-typing comes into play, and the limit of one Mega Evolution at a time per player means that it plays well with many of its superiors.
Overall, it's probably best to not invest in a Weavile, though it does have solid performance in both of its types that can bring a high return on investment for newer players.
Ho-oh Timed Research
| Event Start | Event End |
|---|---|
| January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time | February 7, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. local time |
Ho-oh is making a return in the form of a Timed Research event that we have 13 days to complete. The research will be based around Team GO Rocket, and the Ho-oh rewarded will know Earthquake, an Elite Charged Move only released once before. We have no word as to if this Ho-oh can be shiny or not, but it does leave one question in the minds of many players: when can we expect to see Sacred Fire?
Full Announcement
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Trainers,
Sneasel Limited Research
Get ready for a Limited Research event featuring Sneasel!
On Saturday, January 30, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time, you can complete event-exclusive Field Research tasks that lead to encounters with Sneasel. If you’re lucky, you might even encounter a Shiny Sneasel! You can also look forward to event-exclusive Timed Research.
New Timed Research
From Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Sunday, February 7, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. local time, you can complete a Team GO Rocket–themed Timed Research line that’ll lead to an encounter with a Ho-Oh that knows Earthquake. Good luck in completing this research challenge, Trainers!
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. For the latest on in-game events and feature updates, be sure to check this help center article.
—The Pokémon GO team
