Niantic
A new Special Research quest is going live in Pokemon GO to players who have purchased a ticket to the event on March 20 at 8:00 a.m. local time.
Players around the world are starting to access the event and the steps have been chronicled on The Silph Road Subreddit.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for A Drive to Investigate in Pokemon GO.
Disclosure: Niantic’s PR Team gave the reporter a ticket to cover the Special Research quest.
Before You Play
Before you can do the Special Research quest, you need to purchase a ticket. Tickets can be purchased within the app in the store for $7.99 from now until until March 26 at 8:00 p.m. local time, according to our previous guide. The ticket is nonrefundable and you can’t use PokeCoins to purchase it.
To actually get the Special Research quest once you’ve purchased a ticket, you need to open the Pokemon GO app during the event anytime between March 20 at 8:00 a.m. to March 26 at 10:00 p.m. local time. Once you’ve collected the Special Research, you can complete it at any time.
Step 1
Battle another trainer five times – 1,000 Stardust
Catch 25 normal-type Pokemon – three Rare Candies
Give your buddy one treat – Trubbish
Completion Reward: Five Premium Raid Passes, Pinsir, Genesect Cap
Tip: We assume that playing in the GO Battle League will count toward the requirement of battling another trainer, especially with the need for social distancing right now, but we haven’t tested that at the time of writing.
It just so happens that accompanying the Special Research quest is a weekend event for all players from March 20 to 23. During that time, normal-, fire-, water-, electric- and ice-type Pokemon will be more frequently encountered in the wild. That will help you with the requirement of catching 25 normal-type Pokemon. Partly cloudy weather will make normal types more common.
Step 2
Power up Pokemon five times – 1,000 Stardust
Catch 25 fire-type Pokemon – three Rare Candies
Send three Gifts to friends – Karrablast encounter
Completion Reward: Three Charged TMs, Skarmory encounter, three Super Incubators
Tips: This step is a bit simpler than the first, though try not to get Gifts from PokeStops where people usually frequent so you don’t spread any sicknesses. The weekend event will help you out with catching fire-types. Be on the lookout for Houndour as those are said to spawn more frequently during the event according to Niantic and that will help you out with the requirement. Sunny weather will make fire types more common.
Step 3
Transfer three Pokemon – 1,000 Stardust
Catch 25 water-type Pokemon – three Rare Candies
Hatch an Egg – Shelmet encounter
Completion Reward: three Incense, Scizor encounter, Genesect Bag
Tips: Be on the lookout for Marill as those are said to spawn more frequently in the wild according to Niantic and that will help you out toward your requirement of catching water-types. Rainy weather will make water types more common.
Step 4
Make three great throws in a row – 1,000 Stardust
Catch 25 electric-type Pokemon – three Rare Candies
Play with your Buddy – Kabuto encounter
Completion Reward: Three Fast TMs, Genesect encounter, Glacial Lure Module
Tips: Magemite will spawn more frequently during the weekend event, making the catching requirement easier. Rainy weather will make electric types more common.
Step 5
Battle a team leader three times – 1,000 Stardust
Catch 25 ice-type Pokemon – three Rare Candies
Take three snapshots of Genesect – Durant encounter
Completion Reward: Poffin, 10 Genesect Candy, three Star Pieces
Tips: Ice-types are more common in snowy weather, but that might not be too common with Spring just around the corner. Be sure to take advantage of the Glacial Lure Module you got in the last step. Snorunt will also be encountered more often during the weekend event.
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