Pokemon GOtook the world by storm in 2016 in a way that no other installment in thePokemonseries was able to do since the release ofPokemon Red and Blue. The game has evolved since then, and incorporated several events to keep players going, including Special Research tasks given to the player by Professor Willow. Rewards are rather consistent: Candies, balls, healing items tend to be given to players that complete the tasks.
However, what makes these tasks stick out is the opportunity to catch some peculiar Pokemon, especially rare ones. Mythical Pokemon tend to be the advertised prize for completing these tasks, but sometimes, the events save a different surprise, or sometimes, nothing extraordinary at all. Indeed, despite the way they are promoted,Pokemon GO’s Special Research tasks don’t always live up to expectations.
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S-Tier: ‘Mythical Pokemon’
These tasks represent the Special Research feature at its best. Starting withthe classic Mew, they are the perfect opportunity to offer something fresh in this game. Pokemon that are extremely rare in bothGOand the main series games can be caught in these events at their best. This is especially beneficial due toPokemonGO’s compatibility with the newer mainlinePokemontitles. Indeed, ifPokemonfans have a chance to do the Special Research tasks, they have a chance to go through the most streamlined process of getting a Mythical in the history of the franchise.
Mythical Pokemon are notoriously hard to get. As close as five years ago,Pokemonfans had to rely on codes, store-exclusive events, ridiculous trade deals, and even glitches to get these Pokemon as legitimately as possible. These tasks are a wonderful way to circumvent one of the franchise’s most infamous roadblocks, and asZarude’s eventindicates, clearly includes newer Pokemon too.
What makes these Special Research tasks the strongest is how satisfying their rewards are. The Pokemon you’re able to get for completing the tasks put the “Special” in “Special Research.”
Tasks (and their Focal Pokemon) included in this tier:
A-Tier: ‘Rare Pokemon’
These Pokemon are rare in bothGOand the main series games.Spiritomb’s rarityis especially consistent. While they do not have the same prestige as the Mythical and Legendary Pokemon that accompany them in this event, these events are an engaging experience. They provide players with a chance to make the collecting and evolving process far less tedious than they otherwise would be.
The Pokemon in this tier list are eccentric conceptually and often mechanically, likePorygon and its evolution methods. What they share is their designs that stand out, and how scarce they tend to be in the games. Their Special Research tasks are worth the investment because these Pokemon don’t appear out of thin air compared to a lot of their peers.
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B-Tier: ‘Uncommon Pokemon’
These tasks might not promise an ultra-rare Mythical Pokemon that cannot otherwise be obtained, but they remain a great help for players that do not feel like grinding candy for hours, rely on random eggs hatching, or depend on random, successful encounters. In addition to the usual balls, healing items, and candies generously distributed by the events, these tasks are capable of making a player’s life genuinely easier. The Pokemon that can be caught are not exceptionally hard to find, but their appearances are infrequent enough to make these tasks tempting, especially tasks that give you a Starter likeFrom Scalchops to Seamitars.
C-Tier: ‘Com Mons’
While this is better than having nothing at all, centering entire tasks around Pokemon that are just as common in this game as they are in the main series feels redundant. It’s not very challenging to catch the Pokemon represented by these events, and then catch dozens of members of the same species to get enough candy and evolve them.
Granted, a lot of these events, such as “Investigating Illusions” and “Making a Splash,” do end with an encounter of the evolved form of the represented Pokemon, and saves time and resources for some people as a result. However, because of how common these Pokemon tend to be, an averagePokemon GOplayer will likely have found the represented monsters a long time ago. Thankfully, while these tasks are average,events like “BIDOOF"show that Niantic has a sense of humor and can brighten even the dullest of objectives.
D-Tier: ‘No Focal Pokemon’
At the very bottom is a tier dedicated to every other task that hasn’t been mentioned yet. Not only Special Research Tasks that do not provide an any Pokemon to catch, but tasks that do not take advantage of the unique opportunity the Special Research Tasks as a concept offer to both the developers and the player.
Despite the Special Research Tasks often being the only way to acquire certain Pokemon, plenty of them offer a grand total of zero rare Pokemon for the player’s efforts. While some of them do offer encounters, they’re often Pokemon the player can catch elsewhere or can be represented in a Special Research Task of their own. It’s not that the Pokemon are necessarily bad or even unappealing. but the developers could’ve chosen different monsters to represent these events to make the journey worthwhile, likeLegendary Pokemon that appear in Raids.
There are some exceptions, like “Level 50 Challenge,” which is one of many events to offer aMewtwo encounteras a prize, but there are so few of them that these particular events feel like a waste of time. If a player is particularly dedicated and wants to catch specific Pokemon they might have missed beforehand, then more power to them. Unfortunately, the best you’ll get out of these events tends to be items that will fill up your bag after a couple of missions.
