Pokemon Go’s 2021 Lunar New Year event guide with Mega Gyarados debut and lucky bonuses
Event Overview
Niantic’s 2021 Lunar New Year celebration marks Mega Gyarados’ first appearance in Pokemon Go alongside traditional lucky bonuses.
Following previous years’ themes (2019’s Pig with Spoink, 2020’s Rat with Minccino), 2021’s Year of the Ox features Tauros as the event mascot. This wild bull Pokemon has its own Timed Research questline that trainers should prioritize.
Pro Tip: Complete the Tauros research early as Timed Research disappears when the event ends, unlike Special Research which remains available indefinitely.
Wild Encounters & Research Tasks
The event’s red-themed spawns include both common and rare finds:
- Common spawns: Krabby, Magmar, Magikarp (great for Shiny hunting)
- Rare appearances: Shiny Gyarados (boosted rates), Tepig (starter Pokemon)
- Regional variants: Field Research tasks reward Meowth, Alolan Meowth, and Galarian Meowth
5km Eggs contain valuable hatches like Torchic and Litleo. Prioritize egg slots for these during the event.
Common Mistake: Don’t overlook Meditite encounters – its evolved form Medicham is excellent for PvP battles.
Raid Battles & Mega Debut
Mega Gyarados arrives with two key advantages:
- Type Advantage: Water/Dark typing makes it strong against Psychic and Ghost types
- Shiny Potential: Possible to encounter Shiny variant from raids
Raid Tier Breakdown:
- One-star: Darumaka (valuable for PvP) and Skorupi
- Three-star: Blaziken (excellent Fire attacker) and Absol
- Five-star: Latios/Latias (Dragon/Psychic legendaries)
- Mega: Focus on Gyarados for new Mega Energy
Advanced Tip: Coordinate with local trainers to maximize Mega Energy gains through repeated Mega Gyarados raids.
Lucky Bonuses & Trading
The event boosts several friendship mechanics:
- 3x higher Lucky Friend chance from interactions
- 50% Stardust discount when powering up Lucky Pokemon
- Extra PokeBalls in gifts (helpful for catching event spawns)
Smart Trading Strategy: Trade duplicate red Pokemon (Magikarp, Meditite) to potentially get Lucky versions with better IVs.
Warning: Don’t waste Lucky Trades on common Pokemon – save them for legendaries or rare Shinies.
Dates & Time-Sensitive Tips
The celebration runs February 9-14, 2021 (10 AM to 1 PM local time).
Priority Checklist:
- Day 1: Complete Tauros Timed Research
- Day 2-3: Focus on Mega Gyarados raids
- Day 4-5: Trade for Lucky Pokemon
- Final Day: Catch remaining red Shinies
Remember: Event-exclusive Field Research disappears after February 14, so complete tasks early.
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