TL;DR
- January’s Research Breakthrough features exclusive Lapras with Ice Beam/Ice Shard moves
- Six categories of Field Research tasks offer diverse Pokemon encounters and valuable items
- Strategic task selection can maximize rewards while minimizing time investment
- Heatran returns to 5-star raids alongside Hatchathon and Community Day events
- Advanced throwing techniques and weather awareness significantly improve completion efficiency
Welcome to a fresh start in Pokemon Go with January’s comprehensive Field Research lineup. Each new month brings renewed opportunities for trainers to expand their collections and earn valuable rewards through systematic task completion.
Field Research represents the backbone of daily Pokemon Go activities, offering structured objectives that differ significantly from Special Research quests. While Special Research follows narrative-driven storylines, Field Research provides randomized tasks distributed through PokeStops that refresh daily. Completing your first Field Research task each day grants a stamp, and accumulating seven stamps triggers a Research Breakthrough – unlocking premium rewards including encounters with rare Pokemon. [Historical Note: January 2020 has concluded, making way for new monthly challenges. Current players can explore February 2020’s Field Research opportunities through updated guides.]
January 2020 introduces a particularly valuable Research Breakthrough reward. Unlike December’s Legendary Pokemon encounter, this month features Lapras equipped with either Ice Beam or Ice Shard. This marks the first availability of these move combinations since 2018, creating significant collector value. Each Research Breakthrough provides another chance to capture this specially-moved Lapras, making consistent daily task completion highly rewarding.
The task distribution system ensures variety and replayability. When spinning PokeStops, you’ll receive randomly assigned tasks from an extensive pool. Strategic players can optimize their route to encounter specific task types, similar to how Class Guide strategies help optimize gameplay in other titles.
Mastering catching and battle tasks requires understanding Pokemon type advantages and weather mechanics. These tasks form the core of Field Research and provide consistent reward opportunities for active players.
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Catch 5 Pokemon with Weather boost | Poliwag or Vulpix encounter; 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, or 5 Poke Balls |
| Catch 10 Pokemon with Weather boost | 500 Stardust, 6 Razz Berries, 2 Pinap Berries, or 5 Great Balls |
| Catch 3 Normal-, Water-, or Ice-type Pokemon | Dewgong encounter |
| Catch 3 different species of Ice-type Pokemon | 3 Rare Candies |
| Catch 5 Fire-type Pokemon | Snorunt encounter |
| Catch 10 Pokemon | Magikarp encounter; 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, or 5 Poke Balls |
| Catch 10 Normal-type Pokemon | 500 Stardust, 6 Razz Berries, 2 Pinap Berries, or 5 Great Balls |
| Use 5 Berries to help catch Pokemon | 500 Stardust, 6 Razz Berries, 2 Pinap Berries, or 5 Great Balls |
| Catch a Dragon Pokemon | Dratini encounter; 1,500 Stardust, 3 Rare Candies, 2 Gold Razz Berries, or 10 Ultra Balls |
| Catch a Ditto | 1,500 Stardust, 3 Rare Candies, 2 Gold Razz Berries, or 10 Ultra Balls |
| Field Research Tasks | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Defeat a Team Go Rocket Grunt | Sneasel encounter |
| Battle in a Raid | Swinub encounter; 200 Stardust, 5 Nanab Berries, 5 Potions, or 2 Revives |
| Battle in a Gym | Mankey encounter; 200 Stardust, 5 Nanab Berries, 5 Potions, or 2 Revives |
| Battle another trainer 3 times | Shellder encounter |
| Win a Gym battle | Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle encounter; 500 Stardust, 10 Nanab Berries, 3 Super Potions, or 4 Revives |
| Battle in a Gym 5 times | Machop encounter; 500 Stardust, 10 Nanab Berries, 3 Super Potions, or 4 Revives |
| Use a super-effective Charged Attack in 7 Gym battles | Electabuzz encounter; 1,000 Stardust, 1 Rare Candy, 3 Hyper Potions, 6 Revives, or 1 Max Revive |
| Win 5 Raids | Aerodactyl encounter |
| Win a level 3 or higher Raid | Kabuto or Omanyte encounter; 1,000 Stardust, 1 Rare Candy, 3 Hyper Potions, 6 Revives, or 1 Max Revive |
| Win 3 Gym battles | Jynx encounter; 1,000 Stardust, 1 Rare Candy, 3 Hyper Potions, 6 Revives, or 1 Max Revive |
| Use a super-effective Charged Attack in a Gym battle | 500 Stardust, 10 Nanab Berries, 3 Super Potions, or 4 Revives |
| Win a Raid | 500 Stardust, 10 Nanab Berries, 3 Super Potions, or 4 Revives |
| Win 3 Raids | 1,500 Stardust, 3 Max Potions, 8 Revives, or 3 Max Revives |
Pro Tip: Weather-boosted Pokemon appear more frequently during specific weather conditions. Rain increases Water-type spawns, while snow boosts Ice-types. Plan your gameplay around forecasted weather to efficiently complete related tasks. For players struggling with specific type catches, focus on nesting areas or use Incense during appropriate weather.
Throwing tasks separate casual players from dedicated trainers. These challenges test your technical skills while offering some of the most valuable rewards in the Field Research system.
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Make 3 Great throws | Gastly, Anorith, or Lileep encounter; 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, or 5 Poke Balls |
| Make 5 Nice throws | Voltorb encounter; 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, or 5 Poke Balls |
| Make 3 Nice throws in a row | 500 Stardust, 2 Pinap Berries, 5 Great Balls, or 2 Ultra Balls |
| Make 3 Great throws in a row | Onix encounter; 1,000 Stardust, 1 Rare Candy, 9 Razz Berries, 3 Pinap Berries, 10 Poke Balls, or 5 Ultra Balls |
| Make 3 Great curveball throws | 1,000 Stardust, 1 Rare Candy, 9 Razz Berries, 3 Pinap Berries, 10 Poke Balls, or 5 Ultra Balls |
| Make 3 Great curveball throws in a row | 1,500 Stardust, 1 Rare Candy, 9 Razz Berries, 3 Pinap Berries, 10 Poke Balls, or 5 Ultra Balls |
| Make 5 Great curveball throws in a row | Spinda encounter |
| Make an Excellent throw | 500 Stardust, 2 Pinap Berries, 5 Great Balls, or 2 Ultra Balls |
| Make 3 Excellent throws in a row | Larvitar encounter |
| Make 5 curveball throws in a row | 500 Stardust, 6 Razz Berries, 2 Pinap Berries, or 5 Great Balls |
| Make 2 Nice curveball throws in a row | 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, or 5 Poke Balls |
Advanced Technique: For consecutive throw tasks, target larger Pokemon like Slowpoke or Sudowoodo that have easier catch circles. Use Nanab Berries to reduce Pokemon movement, making consistent throws more achievable. The ‘in a row’ requirement resets if any throw misses the circle entirely, so prioritize accuracy over speed.
Many players underestimate the value of curveball throws. Not only do they increase catch rate by approximately 1.7x, but mastering them makes consecutive throw tasks significantly easier. Practice on common spawns before attempting these tasks during limited-time events.
These tasks encourage diverse gameplay styles beyond simple catching and battling, promoting exploration and social interaction within the Pokemon Go community.
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Hatch an Egg | Exeggcute encounter; 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, or 5 Poke Balls |
| Hatch 3 Eggs | Magmar encounter; 1,000 Stardust, 1 Rare Candy, 9 Razz Berries, 3 Pinap Berries, 10 Poke Balls, or 5 Ultra Balls |
| Hatch 5 Eggs | Chansey encounter |
| Hatch 7 Eggs | Alolan Vulpix encounter |
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Transfer 3 Pokemon | Lotad encounter |
| Trade a Pokemon | Glalie encounter |
| Evolve a Pokemon | Cubchoo or Eevee encounter |
| Power up Pokemon 5 times | Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle encounter |
| Send 10 Gifts to friends | Clamperl encounter |
| Spin 10 PokeStops or Gyms | 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, 5 Silver Pinap Berries, or 5 Poke Balls |
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Take a Snapshot of your Buddy | Snover encounter |
| Earn 5 Hears with your Buddy | Stantler encounter |
Efficiency Strategy: Combine egg hatching tasks with daily walking routines. Use multiple incubators simultaneously for higher egg tasks. The ‘Send 10 Gifts’ task becomes easier if you maintain an active friends list and regularly open gifts to free up inventory space.
Buddy-related tasks offer excellent opportunities to strengthen your bond with key Pokemon while earning additional encounters. Regular interaction not only completes tasks but also provides candy bonuses and CP boosts during battles.
January 2020 delivers a packed events schedule alongside the standard Field Research offerings. Strategic players can maximize their rewards by coordinating task completion with special events.
The Legendary Pokemon Heatran makes its triumphant return to five-star Raids from January 7 through February 4. This Fire/Steel-type presents unique challenges but offers valuable capture opportunities for completing your Pokedex.
The Hatchathon event continues until January 16, offering boosted egg hatch rates and special bonuses. This creates perfect synergy with egg-related Field Research tasks, allowing you to accomplish multiple objectives simultaneously.
Mark your calendars for Sunday, January 19 – the first Community Day of 2020. While Niantic hasn’t revealed the featured Pokemon yet, Community Days typically feature increased spawns, exclusive moves, and bonus rewards. Planning your Field Research around this event can yield exceptional efficiency, similar to strategic approaches discussed in our Complete Guide for other games.
Event Integration Tip: During the Hatchathon, prioritize egg-related Field Research tasks as you’ll naturally hatch more eggs. Similarly, Community Day typically features catch bonuses that align perfectly with catching tasks. For weapon and item optimization strategies that translate across games, check our Weapons Unlock guide for complementary strategies.
Action Checklist
- Complete one Field Research task daily to maintain stamp progress toward Research Breakthrough
- Prioritize weather-boosted catch tasks during appropriate weather conditions
- Practice curveball throws on common Pokemon to prepare for technical challenges
- Coordinate egg hatching tasks with the Hatchathon event for maximum efficiency
- Save raid passes for Heatran encounters while completing raid-related Field Research
- Maintain active friends list for easy completion of gift-sending tasks
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Pokemon Go: Full Field Research List For January 2020 Complete guide to January 2020 Field Research tasks with strategic tips and exclusive Lapras rewards