Catch Mastery: What to Hunt
what's actually worth your time / candy
The Catch Mastery event runs for one day only: Saturday, September 26th, from 10 AM to 8 PM local time. This is your chance to stock up on candy and XP, plus hunt for shiny Cherubi and Drifloon with increased chances. Mega Malamar will also be available in raids, offering a great opportunity for a powerful Dark/Psychic addition to your team.
Mega Malamar, a Dark/Psychic type, is a featured Mega Raid during the event. It's a soloable raid, making it accessible for many trainers. In PvP, Malamar is a strong contender, ranking #20 in Great League and #15 in Ultra League. Its weaknesses are Bug (2.56x multiplier) and Fairy (1.6x multiplier). Top counters include Mega Heracross, Volcarona, Crowned Sword Zacian, and Mega Gardevoir.
Keep an eye out for Cherubi appearing in the wild and in event-themed Field Research tasks. This Grass-type mon has increased shiny chances during the event, making it a prime target for shiny hunters. Cherubi is weak to Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, and Bug types. Utilize strong counters like Mega Charizard Y, White Kyurem, Eternatus, Mega Rayquaza, and Mega Heracross to defeat it quickly in any potential encounters.
Drifloon, a Ghost/Flying type, will also be appearing more frequently in the wild and in Field Research with increased shiny chances. This makes it another excellent target for your shiny collection. Drifloon is weak to Electric, Ice, Rock, Ghost, and Dark types. Consider counters such as Zekrom, White Kyurem, Shadow Rhyperior, Dawn Wings Necrozma, and Mega Tyranitar for efficient battling.
This event is all about rewarding skilled throws. You'll earn 2x XP for all Nice Throws or better. Additionally, successful catches with Nice, Great, or Excellent Throws will grant 4, 5, or 6 candy respectively. To maximize your candy haul, always use a Pineapp Berry, effectively doubling these amounts to 8, 10, or 12 candy per catch! Focus on hitting those throws to get the most out of every encounter.
Participate in event-themed Field Research for encounters with Cherubi and Drifloon. A free Timed Research will offer more encounters and Stardust. A paid Timed Research for $2 (or local equivalent) will double your encounters, effectively increasing your shiny checks. Purchasing this ticket from the web store offers an additional bonus of two Rare Candies and more reward points for your Reward Road progress.