TL;DR
- Galarian Ponyta available as Research Breakthrough reward throughout May
- Complete one Field Research task daily for seven days to earn breakthrough
- Focus on weather-boosted and type-specific tasks for optimal rewards
- Master curveball techniques for rare Pokemon encounters like Gible and Spinda
- Strategic task selection can maximize stardust and rare candy earnings
Pokemon Go trainers can now access the refreshed May 2021 Field Research lineup, featuring new objectives and valuable rewards to pursue throughout the month. The standout attraction this period is the exclusive Research Breakthrough encounter with the mystical Galarian Ponyta, available each time players complete seven days of research tasks.
The Research Breakthrough system requires consistent daily engagement – you’ll need to secure one stamp per day by finishing your initial Field Research assignment, requiring a minimum of seven separate days to achieve the breakthrough. This mechanic encourages regular play while providing a guaranteed path to obtaining rare Pokemon variants that might otherwise require special events or egg hatching.
Field Research assignments differ significantly from Special Research storylines in both distribution and structure. These tasks are primarily obtained by spinning Photo Discs at PokeStops, where you’ll randomly receive one challenge from the current monthly pool. Successful completion grants various rewards including direct Pokemon encounters, stardust bonuses, rare candies, and valuable evolution items.
May also features the ongoing Luminous Legends X event, bringing additional legendary raid opportunities. Xerneas appears in five-star raids from May 4-18, followed by Yveltal from May 18-31, creating multiple avenues for high-level gameplay alongside the Field Research system.
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Catch 5 Pokemon with Weather boost | Poliwag or Vulpix encounter OR 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 5 Fairy-type Pokemon | Clefairy or Snubbull encounter |
| Catch 5 Dark-type Pokemon | 1 Max Revive |
| Catch 3 Pokemon | Hoothoot encounter OR 1 Sunstone |
| Catch 10 Pokemon | Magikarp encounter OR 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 |
| Use 10 Berries to help catch Pokemon | Marill encounter |
| Catch a Dragon-type Pokemon | Dratini encounter OR 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 |
|---|---|
| Win a Raid | Beldum encounter |
| Win 5 Raids | Aerodactyl encounter |
| Win a level 3 or higher Raid | Kabuto or Omanyte encounter |
| Battle 5 Team Go Rocket Grunts | Scyther encounter |
| Battle in the Go Battle League | Drilbur encounter |
Strategic Insight: Weather-boosted tasks offer excellent efficiency since the same Pokemon count toward both the weather requirement and general catch objectives. For dragon-type challenges, focus on areas near water biomes where Dratini spawns more frequently, effectively completing two difficult tasks simultaneously.
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Make 3 Great throws | Gastly, Anorith, or Lileep encounter OR 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, or 5 Poke Balls |
| Make 5 Nice throws | Voltorb encounter OR 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 OR 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, 3 Rare Candies, 2 Gold Razz Berries, or 10 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 | Gible 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 Throwing Technique: For consecutive throw challenges, target larger Pokemon with bigger catch circles like Tauros, Snorlax, or Sudowoodo. These targets make maintaining your throwing streak significantly easier compared to smaller, more erratic Pokemon.
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Earn 5 Hearts with your Buddy | Jigglypuff encounter |
| Reach “Good Buddy” with a Pokemon | 1 Sinnoh Stone |
| Trade a Pokemon | Pidgeotto encounter |
| Send 3 gifts to friends | Snubbull encounter |
| Field Research Task | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Evolve a Pokemon | Eevee encounter |
| Power up Pokemon 3 times | 3 Ultra Balls |
| Power up Pokemon 5 times | Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle encounter |
| Power up Pokemon 5 times | 10 Beedrill Mega Energy or 10 Venusaur Mega Energy |
| Power up Pokemon 10 times | 20 Beedrill Mega Energy or 20 Venusaur Mega Energy |
| Spin 10 PokeStops or Gyms | 200 Stardust, 3 Razz Berries, 1 Pinap Berry, or 5 Poke Balls |
| Take a snapshot of a Bug-type Pokemon | Weedle encounter |
| Use an Incense | Aerodactyl encounter |
Resource Management Strategy: The power-up tasks provide excellent opportunities to utilize low-level Pokemon that you plan to transfer anyway. This approach minimizes stardust expenditure while still completing the research requirement efficiently.
Task Prioritization Framework: Focus first on tasks that offer Pokemon encounters you need for your Pokedex or that provide rare candy rewards. Weather-dependent tasks should be completed immediately when conditions align, as you cannot control when suitable weather will return.
Time Optimization: Group similar tasks together – if you have multiple berry usage or catching challenges, tackle them simultaneously to maximize efficiency. Always keep one easy task slot available for quick daily completion to maintain your Research Breakthrough progress.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid: Don’t waste premium items like Incense solely for research completion unless the reward justifies the cost. Similarly, avoid evolving high-value Pokemon just to complete research; instead, use common species or those you have in abundance.
Advanced Player Tips: Experienced trainers should focus on tasks with rare candy rewards and those offering meta-relevant Pokemon like Gible, Dratini, and Beldum, as these provide the most long-term value for raid and PvP preparation.
Action Checklist
- Complete one Field Research task daily to maintain Research Breakthrough stamp progress
- Prioritize weather-boosted catch tasks during appropriate conditions
- Focus on throw skill challenges using large-circle Pokemon for consistency
- Complete social tasks (gifts, trades) during community hours for efficiency
- Claim Research Breakthrough after seven stamps for Galarian Ponyta encounter
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