Getting Started

Galarian Birds can be a real challenge in Pokémon Go, often feeling like the bane of many trainers' existence. But what if there were strategies to turn the odds in your favor, helping you to encounter and even catch these elusive Pokémon more frequently? This comprehensive guide will delve into everything you need to know about Galarian Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres to improve your chances and expand your collection.

Understanding Galarian Bird Spawns and Shiny Odds

Galarian Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are exclusive spawns from the Daily Adventure Incense. This special incense can be used once a day, lasts for 15 minutes, and requires you to be actively walking for it to work. Introduced into Pokémon Go five months ago, their shiny forms boast a 1 in 20 shiny odds. If you encounter a shiny Galarian Bird, it will not flee, but it is not a guaranteed catch, so be prepared for a potentially lengthy capture attempt. Be cautious of game crashes, as this can result in losing the encounter.

The Challenge of Catching Galarian Birds

These legendary birds are notoriously difficult to catch, featuring an abysmal 0.3% catch rate and a staggering 90% flee rate. This means that if your first Poké Ball attempt fails, there's a very high chance they'll escape. While they sometimes stay for multiple attempts, it's always recommended to use a Golden Raspberry and an Ultra Ball to maximize your initial chances.

Are Galarian Birds Any Good?

Beyond their rarity, let's assess the utility of each Galarian Bird:

Galarian Articuno

A Psychic/Flying type with a max CP of 4059 at level 50. It has 250 Attack, 207 Stamina, and 197 Defense. Unfortunately, Galarian Articuno isn't a great raid attacker due to stronger Psychic-type alternatives, and it performs poorly in the Great Battle League (GBL), making it arguably the weakest of the trio.

Galarian Zapdos

A Fighting/Flying type with a max CP of 4012. It boasts 252 Attack, 207 Stamina, and 189 Defense. While not a strong raid attacker, Galarian Zapdos ranks 132 in the Open Master League in GBL. With potential move updates, its viability could increase, as it was strong before a previous counter nerf.

Galarian Moltres

A Dark/Flying type with a max CP of 3580. It has 207 Stamina, 202 Attack, and 231 Defense. Galarian Moltres shines as a rank 16 Flying-type attacker in Pokémon Go. In GBL, it's ranked 58 in the Open Great League, 18 in the Open Ultra League, and 59 in the Master League. It's also a popular choice in official Play! Pokémon tournaments. For PvP, Galarian Moltres is generally considered the best option with the strongest current moveset.

Exclusive Moves

Each Galarian Bird has an exclusive move not yet implemented in Pokémon Go:

Galarian Articuno: Freezing Glare (Psychic)
Galarian Zapdos: Thunderous Kick (Fighting)
Galarian Moltres: Fiery Wrath (Dark)

These moves could potentially buff the Pokémon significantly if released in future events.

Maximizing Galarian Bird Encounters

The odds of encountering a Galarian Bird from your Daily Adventure Incense are incredibly low, estimated between 1 in 500 and 1 in 1000. While it's largely RNG, several strategies can help improve your chances:

Walk in a Straight Line

Unlike regular incense, Daily Adventure Incense tracks your movement via GPS. To trigger new spawns, you need to move a certain distance from your last GPS point. Walking in a straight line, such as down a road, optimizes this by maximizing the distance covered between spawn points. Avoid walking in circles or on curvy paths, as this limits effective distance. If you have limited space, wait for a spawn, then immediately turn around and walk as far as possible in the opposite direction.

Utilize Weather Boosts

Try to use your Daily Adventure Incense when the weather is windy. Windy weather boosts all three Galarian Birds due to their shared Flying typing. While cloudy weather boosts Galarian Zapdos and foggy weather boosts Galarian Moltres, windy conditions offer a chance for all three, increasing your overall encounter potential.

Explore New Routes

Community findings suggest that walking a route you've never discovered before can provide a 10-20% boost in incense spawns, including Daily Adventure Incense spawns. More spawns mean more potential Galarian Bird encounters.

Watch for Boosted Incense Events

Niantic occasionally boosts Daily Adventure Incense duration (e.g., from 15 to 30 minutes) or increases the chance of encountering Galarian Birds during specific events. Stay informed about these events to make the most of your incense.

100% IVs

Knowing the 100% IV CP values for each Galarian Bird can be crucial. If you encounter a Galarian Bird with a CP that matches a known 100% IV value for its level, it might be a perfect IV Pokémon, making it a prime candidate for a Master Ball.

Boosting Your Catch Rate

Once you've encountered a Galarian Bird, here's how to maximize your chances of catching it:

Use Ultra Balls and Golden Razz Berries

Always use Ultra Balls, as they have the highest catch rate multiplier among standard Poké Balls. Pair them with a Golden Razz Berry for the best possible catch bonus.

Land Excellent Throws

Aim for Excellent Throws. The smaller the circle, the higher the catch multiplier. While Great Throws can work, Excellent Throws significantly improve your odds. Practice hitting Excellent Throws on Zorua disguised as Galarian Birds during events where Zorua spawns frequently.

Platinum Medals

Achieving Platinum medals for Flying, Psychic, Fighting, and Dark-type Pokémon provides a +4 catch bonus for Pokémon of that type. Work on these medals to passively increase your catch rate.

Adventure Effects

Recent adventure effects can significantly aid in catching Galarian Birds:

Freeze Shock (Black Kyurem): Costs Kyurem candies and Stardust. This effect has two benefits:
1. Freezes the Pokémon: Prevents the Galarian Bird from attacking or moving, making it easier to land throws.
2. Increased Catch Rate: Makes the Pokémon easier to catch, though the exact multiplier is unknown.
Ice Burn (White Kyurem): Costs Kyurem candies and Stardust. This also has two benefits:
1. Slows Catch Ring: The catch ring moves much slower, making it easier to hit Excellent Throws.
2. Increased Catch Rate: Similar to Freeze Shock, it makes the Pokémon easier to catch.

Recommendation: Ice Burn is generally preferred for its ability to slow the catch ring, which greatly assists in landing Excellent Throws. If you're already proficient at Excellent Throws, Freeze Shock is a great alternative to keep the Pokémon still.

Roar of Time (Dialga Origin Forme): Costs Dialga candies and Stardust (5 candies and 5000 Stardust for every 6 minutes). This effect freezes your Daily Adventure Incense timer, allowing you to extend its duration beyond 15 minutes. This is ideal for maximizing encounters.

Choosing an Adventure Effect: If your goal is to encounter more Galarian Birds, Roar of Time is your best bet. If you prioritize catching a specific encounter, Freeze Shock or Ice Burn will be more beneficial. You can only have one adventure effect active at a time.

Master Balls and Safari Balls

Master Ball: If you're desperate to catch a regular Galarian Bird, a Master Ball guarantees a 100% catch. However, avoid using it on shiny Galarian Birds, as they will not flee.
Safari Ball: During events like "Wild Area 2024," Safari Balls were introduced. These balls significantly boost catch rates for any Pokémon, including Galarian Birds, changing the catch circle to a yellowish color indicating a much higher chance. If Safari Balls ever return, they would be incredibly valuable for Galarian Bird encounters.

Conclusion

Galarian Birds are a formidable challenge in Pokémon Go, but with the right strategies, you can significantly improve your chances of encountering and catching them. From optimizing your Daily Adventure Incense walks and leveraging weather boosts to utilizing adventure effects and powerful Poké Balls, every tip can bring you closer to adding these rare legends to your collection. Keep hunting, trainers!