Pokémon Go ‘Beloved Buddies’ event guide

These Pokémon partnerships showcase perfect synergy in battle and collection

Pokémon Go’s “Beloved Buddies” event honors the strongest bonded Pokémon pairs and operates from February 11th through 15th. This limited-time celebration marks the inaugural appearance of Dhelmise, the seaweed anchor Pokémon that becomes available for capture initially during this period.

Beyond Dhelmise’s first appearance, several valuable bonuses activate throughout the event timeframe. Players receive doubled experience points for every successful Pokémon capture, Lure Modules remain active for 60 minutes rather than the standard 30 minutes, and additional Stardust rewards apply when catching specific Pokémon including Diglett, Slowpoke, Shellder, Dunsparce, Cutiefly, and Formantis.

New trainers should particularly leverage this occasion to obtain Volbeat or Illumise based on their geographical location. These species typically remain restricted to specific zones, meaning trainers normally encounter only one variant locally while the counterpart remains inaccessible without travel. This temporary worldwide availability presents a rare collection opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.

Our comprehensive breakdown covers all Pokémon Go “Beloved Buddies” event advantages, featuring the Collection Challenge mechanics, spawn increases, enhanced shiny odds, and additional content.

Similar to previous events within the “Dual Destiny” season, this Timed Research presents a decisive branching option between Team Leaders: Candela or Arlo? Your selection primarily hinges on your existing Pokémon roster completeness and whether you value Team Go Rocket battle encounters. This iteration features slightly diversified rewards beyond the encounter differences, though the variations remain minimal.

Consult our detailed analysis covering optimal selection between Candela or Arlo in our specialized “Beloved Buddies” Timed Research strategy guide for maximum benefit.

Pro Tip: Choose Arlo if you need stronger Ghost-type counters for raid battles, as his path typically rewards Pokémon with better type coverage. Candela’s path generally benefits players seeking to complete their Fire-type collections or needing budget raid attackers.

The following Collection Challenges remain active during the entire event duration:

Primary Reward: 15 Great Balls, 3,000 Stardust

Secondary Reward: 15 Great Balls, 3,000 Stardust

Completion Strategy: Focus on areas with diverse biomes to encounter all required Pokémon efficiently. Using Incense during peak playing hours increases spawn variety by approximately 40%. Prioritize completing these challenges early to ensure you don’t miss time-limited rewards.

Raid Preparation: For three-star raids, bring strong Water-type attackers against Hippowdon, while Grass and Electric types work best against Dhelmise. One-star raids can be soloed easily, making them perfect for quick reward farming. Dhelmise raids offer the highest catch priority since it’s a new Pokémon addition.

Boosted Spawn Strategy: The doubled XP bonus makes this event ideal for mass evolution sessions. Combine lucky eggs with excellent throw bonuses for maximum experience gain. Water-type biomes near oceans, rivers, or lakes will have increased Dhelmise spawn rates. Use your hourly Lure Modules in areas with multiple PokéStops to create optimal farming locations.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t waste premium raid passes on one-star raids when you can catch those Pokémon in the wild. Save them for Dhelmise three-star raids or wait for future legendary rotations. Also, remember to activate star pieces before claiming your Stardust rewards from Collection Challenges.

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