Niantic Legendaries are now available in Pokemon Go.
Two legendary Pokemon are currently available in Pokemon Go. You can encounter Articuno and Lugia in Raid Battles, and after the battle ends, you have a chance to catch one of these Pokemon for yourself. But doing so can be extraordinarily difficult, so what exactly is the catch rate for these legendaries?
Right now, the base capture rate for Articuno is three percent. It used to be two percent, but Niantic recently increased it. When Zapdos and Moltres appear in the game, they are both expected to have base capture rates of two percent as well. However, it appears that the base capture rate of Lugia is still two percent.
“Base capture rate” indicates what your odds are of capturing a Pokemon without the use of any items or techniques that make catching Pokemon easier. For example, berries give you a better chance of capturing Pokemon, as does throwing curve balls. You also have a higher chance of capturing a Pokemon if your throw is “excellent” versus just “nice.”
On Reddit this week, user Epimetheos put together a helpful graphic showing how berries, curve balls and capture bonuses increase your odds of capturing legendary Pokemon. The following graphic applies specifically to Articuno:
As you can see, even just performing an excellent throw with a curve ball increases your odds of capturing a legendary to a little less than eight percent. If you use a Golden Razz Berry, have a gold medal, and throw a curve ball, your odds go up to about 23 percent. This is about as high as you’re going to be able to get the percentage.
For capturing Lugia, here’s what your chances look like, keeping in mind that the base capture rate is two percent rather than the three for Articuno:
It’s certainly true that legendary Pokemon are difficult to capture, then, but even just working on your throws ups your chances of taking one home significantly.
If you want an Articuno of your own, now’s the time to go to as many raids as possible, as this bird is only going to be available until July 31st. At that point, it will be replaced in raids by Moltres for a week, and then Moltres will be replaced by Zapdos. All three of these Pokemon will have a base capture rate of three percent.