Max Battles have arrived Pokémon GOGive trainers a new way to test their power alongside their favorite Pokemon. In addition to getting the chance to battle powerful, giant-sized opponents and potentially capture them once you win, these battles are also where you can show off your own Dynamax Pokemon and unleash their Max abilities.
Raid battles have been a staple of Pokémon GO For years now, trainers have been given the opportunity to team up with each other to take on powerful raid bosses. Now, with the arrival of the Max Out season, there is a new type of battle for trainers to enjoy: Max Battles. Here’s everything you need to know about this new challenge, including how to Dynamax your own Pokemon.
What is a Max Battle in Pokémon GO?
A super-sized version ofa raid battle
Max Battles are a new kind of battle with gigantic Dynamax Pokemon from the main line Pokemon Sword & Shield Games. They take place at Power Stops located around the game map and work with you Defeat a powered-up, oversized version of a regular Pokemon. You can take them on by yourself, or team up with up to three other trainers to help boost your chances of winning.
What sets Max Battles apart from regular Raid Battles is that you will Only able to use Pokemon that are capable of Dynamaxing. These are indicated in your Pokemon storage by an X symbol that appears next to their sprite. You’ll start a battle with regular Quick Attacks and Charged Attacks, but after Dynamaxing your Pokemon, you’ll be able to use special Max Attacks that do huge amounts of damage.
You will only be able to take on three Pokemon in a Max Battle Pokémon GOUnlike traditional raid battles that let you select a team of six. There is also no timer on the battles. Instead, once all your Pokemon weaken, the Max Battle will end.
It costs 250 max particles to enter a max battleAlthough they won’t be deducted from your inventory unless you win. When you take part in a Max Battle, you can Dynamax one of your own Pokemon that is capable of doing so. If you successfully defeat your Dynamax opponent, you’ll get a chance to capture them in a giant Poke Ball. You can then use that Pokemon in future Max Battles.
How to find a max battle
Track power spots using the nearby feature
Max battles take place in Power Spots, which are a new kind of landmark on the map. They appear as pink towers with a giant X symbol and floating orbs above them. You can often find them in the distance on the map, but if you can’t see any, tap the “Nearby” button in the bottom-right corner of the screen and scroll over to the Power Spot tab to find a list of power Spots that are near your current location.
It is important to point out that Power Spots only appear for a limited time (usually around two days) before you move on to a new location. A timer will appear when you tap a Power Spot to let you know how long it will be until it disappears, so make sure you visit before that happens. Power Spots are also completely separate from PokéStops and Gyms, so they will never take their place on the map.
How to win a max battle
Use strategy and team up with other trainers
After you’ve paid your 250 Max Particle entry fee and started a Max Battle, you’ll be asked to pick up to three Dynamax-capable Pokemon for your team. Just like regular raid battles, you will Want to choose Pokemon that are effective against your opponent. For example, if you’re fighting a Dynamax Charmander, a Squirtle on your team would be a great choice, as Water-type attacks are super-effective against Fire-type Pokemon.
You’ll start a Max Battle with your Pokemon in its regular form, so approach this like a regular raid battle; Attack as quickly as possible and unleash charged attacks when you can. Like you Do damage and swipe on the screen to collect energy bubblesYou will slowly fill up a max meter at the top of the screen. Once the meter is full, your Pokemon will Dynamax, which is where the real fun begins.
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With your Pokemon now in its Dynamax state, you will have three turns before it returns to normal. At this point, you can slow down and think strategically about your plan of action. Your main option is to unleash a Max AttackA powerful attack based on the typing of your Pokemon’s fast attack, but you can also use Max Guard To reduce damage taken from your opponent’s attacks, or Max spirit To heal yourself and allied Pokemon.
If you manage to win a Max Battle, you’ll get a chance to capture the Dynamax boss you defeated. This works just like Raid Battles, where you’ll get a limited number of Premier Balls to throw based on your performance, although there’s a fun animation where it turns into a giant Premier Ball just before you throw it. Remember to use Razz Berries and aim for excellent curve balls to increase your chances of catching them.
Rewards for winning a Max Battle
Loads of XP, Razz Berries and XL Candy
Along with the chance to add another Dynamax Pokemon to your collection, there are several rewards offered for winning a Max Battle. After defeating a Squirtle in a Max Battle, I was rewarded with 10,000 XP, two Golden Razz Berries and one Squirtle Candy XL. It is likely that your rewards may vary, but this should give you an idea of what you will receive. You can also pay 200 Poké Coins to double your reward.
Finally, after you win a max battle in Pokémon GOYou will have the opportunity to Leave one of your Dynamax Pokemon behind in the power spot. Doing this will increase the attack bonus in that power spot, meaning other trainers will have an easier time winning their own max battles. The more trainers that benefit from the attack bonus you provide, the more candy you will receive as a reward.
- platforms
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iOS, Android
- Released
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July 6, 2016
- developer(s)
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Niantic, The Pokemon Company
- Publisher(s)
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Niantic