Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: The Pokémon Company
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Pokémon Go guides and walkthroughs
Pokémon Go now has Mega Evolution, allowing you to make strong Pokémon and make them even stronger. In this Pokémon Go guide, we’ll show you how to get Mega Energy and use it to power up your Pokémon with Mega Evolution, explaining candy, candy bonus, raids and more along the way.
There’s also Primal Reversion, which works very similarly to Mega Evolution (to a point where it might as well be the same thing). Primal Reversion is only for Kyogre and Groudon and is technically a different thing.
Perks of Mega Evolution
Mega Evolution makes your Pokémon stronger, yes, but there’s also a few other perks you get when you have and use a Mega Evolved Pokémon.
One perk includes bonus candy for that type of Pokémon. You’ll also have a higher chance to get XL Candy for Pokémon of the same type, if you’re at least level 40. If you have a Mega Pidgeot (normal-type) active, you’ll get bonus Buneary Candy when you catch Buneary or Lopunny (also normal-type). (This amount isn’t multiplied by Pinap Berries.)
You’ll also get increased catch XP from Pokémon the same type as your Mega Evolved Pokémon.
When you raid with Mega Evolved Pokémon, they boost stats of your allies’ Pokémon, as well as give an additional type boost to Pokémon of the same type. For example, if you use a Mega Lopunny, normal- and fighting-type moves will get boosted.
Increasing Mega Levels
After the Mega Evolution revamp, your Mega Evolved Pokémon now have Mega Levels, which increase the more your Mega Evolve them. As the Pokémon increases its Mega Levels, the bonuses listed above will increase.
How to get Mega Energy in Pokémon Go
To Mega Evolve your Pokémon, you’ll have to collect Mega Energy for that specific Pokémon. Find Mega Pokémon in Mega Raids, take them on, and earn Mega Energy for that specific Pokémon. The faster you beat them, the more Mega Energy you’ll be rewarded.
It will take multiple raids of the same Pokémon before you’ll have enough energy to Mega Evolve, and most Mega Evolutions rotate in and out of raids. Not all Mega Evolutions will be available year-round, so make sure to stock up on any Mega Energy you want before the Pokémon leaves Mega Raids.
You can also get Mega Energy from some Field Research and Timed Research Tasks as rewards.
If you previously Mega Evolved the Pokémon, you can set it as your buddy and walk with them to amass Mega Energy as well.
How to Mega Evolve your Pokémon in Pokémon Go
You can only have one Mega Pokémon at a time. If you Mega Evolve a different one, your first Pokémon will revert back to normal and you’ll need to collect Mega Energy to evolve it again.
Using a Mega Pokémon in a raid gives other Pokémon an attack boost, with an additional attack boost given to Pokémon of the same type. These boosts do not stack.
Your Pokémon will only be Mega Evolved for a time period, which you can check on the information screen for that Pokémon. Once it returns to normal, you can Mega Evolve it again for no energy cost after a cooldown. You can use Mega Energy to decrease the cooldown time.
Available Mega Pokémon in Pokémon Go
Tons of other Pokémon will be able to Mega Evolve, though you’ll need to wait for Pokémon Go to add that specific monster’s mega evolution to the game. If you want to get ahead of the curve, make sure to start collecting high IV versions of these now before they release.
Pokémon Go guides and walkthroughs
- Getting started 11
- Eggs and Incubator guide
- Regional Pokémon list
- Gyms, coins, and defenders guide
- Friendship and Lucky Friends guide
- How to get Lucky Pokémon
- How to find Shiny Pokémon
- Shadow Pokémon guide
- Pokémon Home guide
- Leveling up, XP, and Lucky Eggs
- Powering up and Stardust
- Furfrou forms and trims
- Where to find items 5
- How to get PokéCoins
- How to get XL Candy
- Sinnoh Stones guide
- Unova Stones guide
- Elite TMs, Charged TMs, and Fast TMs guide
- Battling 6
- Best attackers and movesets
- Type strength and weaknesses chart
- Go Battle League and PvP guide
- How to check your Pokémon’s IVs
- Leader counters for Sierra, Arlo, Cliff
- Giovanni counters, team
- Research Tasks and quests 9
- Level 41-50 task guide
- A Mythical Discovery (Mew) guide
- A Ripple in Time (Celebi) guide
- Let’s Go, Meltan guide
- The Feeling of Victory (Victini) guide
- A Thousand-Year Slumber (Jirachi) guide
- Finding Your Voice (Meloetta) guide
- Misunderstood Mischief (Hoopa) guide
- Search for Zarude guide
- Pokémon Go raid guides 36
- How to raid
- How to use a Remote Raid Pass
- Articuno raid guide
- Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie raid guide
- Cobalion raid guide
- Dialga raid guide
- Entei raid guide
- Genesect raid guide
- Giratina raid guide
- Groudon raid guide
- Heatran raid guide
- Ho-oh raid guide
- Kyogre raid guide
- Kyurem raid guide
- Landorus raid guide
- Latias raid guide
- Latios raid guide
- Mewtwo raid guide
- Moltres raid guide
- Palkia raid guide
- Raikou raid guide
- Regice raid guide
- Regirock raid guide
- Registeel raid guide
- Rayquaza raid guide
- Regigigas raid guide
- Reshiram raid guide
- Terrakion raid guide
- Thundurus raid guide
- Virizion raid guide
- Xerneas raid guide
- Yveltal raid guide
- Zacian raid guide
- Zamazenta raid guide
- Zapdos raid guide
- Zekrom raid guide
- How to evolve Pokémon 13
- How to evolve Bonsly
- How to evolve Burmy
- How to evolve Combee
- Eevee Evolutions: Flareon, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Umbreon, Espeon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon
- How to evolve Eevee into Sylveon
- How to evolve Feebas
- How to evolve Happiny
- How to evolve Inkay
- How to evolve Nosepass
- How to evolve Magneton
- How to evolve Pancham
- How to evolve Spritzee
- How to evolve Swirlix
Source: Polygon
