Pokémon Go: How to use Rare Candy and what to use it on

Rare candy in Pokémon Go can be used on any Pokémon at any time. Here's how to get it, how to use it, and what you should use it on!

Rare candy is a new item in [Pokémon Go])(/./pokemon-go), introduced alongside Raid Battles. You get it by beating Raid Bosses and, unlike the usual, species-specific candy, you can convert it for use on any kind of Pokémon in your collection.

At first, you can't get enough of it. Then, you're flush with it and can't stop using it. Eventually, though, it starts to fill up your storage and you need to figure out what to do with it.

What is rare candy in Pokémon Go?

When Pokémon Go introduced Battle Raids, the game also introduced several new items as rewards for winning them. That included technical machines (TMs) and, you guessed it, rare candy.

Previously, you earned candy for a Pokémon by hatching it, catching it, evolving it, or walking it, and the candy you earned was specific to the Pokémon you hatched, caught, evolved, or walked. For exceedingly rare Pokémon, like Larviatar (including Pupitar and Tyranitar) or Dratini (including Dragonair and Dragonite), it could take weeks or months to get enough candy to fully evolve or power up.

Rare candy, though, can be used on any kind of Pokémon. All you have to do is get it and convert it.

How do you get rare candy in Pokémon Go?

You get rare candy by winning Raid Battles. You win Raid Battles by beating the Raid Boss. You beat the Raid boss by getting together with fellow Pokémon Go players and kicking @$$.

The higher the raid tier and the more powerful the Raid Boss, the more rare candy you'll get. Beat a Tier 1 Magikarp, maybe you get 1-2 rare candies. Beat a Tier 5 Lugia, maybe you get 10 or more.

The more Battle Raids you win, the more Raid Bosses you beat, the more rare candy you get.

Can you buy rare candy in Pokémon Go?

No, alas. The closet you can come to buying rare candy in Pokémon Go is buying premium raid passes so you can win more Battle Raids and get rare candy as a reward.

How do you use rare candy in Pokémon Go?

Once you have rare candy, you can use it on any Pokémon you wish.

1. Tap the Menu button, bottom middle (looks like a Poké Ball).
2. Tap the Items button, bottom right.
3. Tap on Rare Candy (scroll down towards the bottom).
4. Browse or search for the Pokémon you want to use the rare candy on.
5. Tap on the Pokémon to convert one (1) rare candy to one (1) candy of that Pokémon's type.
6. Keep tapping on the Pokémon until you've converted all the rare candy you need.

And yes, everyone wishes you could convert multiple rare candy as once.

Which Pokémon should you choose for your rare candy?

Getting and converting rare candy is easy, knowing what to convert it to is hard. It could be because you don't have much and you're terrified of wasting it. Or, it could be that you have a good amount and really want to start making use o fit. Or, it could be because you have so much it's clogging up your storage and you need to figure out what more to do with it.

The first step to figuring out where your rare candy should go is figuring out where it can help you the most.

The best attackers

Attackers have become the most important Pokémon in the game, especially the Raid Battle game. You them and you want up to a half-dozen of them powered up to level 30 or higher. That takes a lot of candy — including rare candy.

The best defenders

Gyms are now about getting your 50 coins and/or your gold badge, and that means defenders who can last 8:20 to fully cash-up, or up to 16 days to fully badge out. Since any high level CP decays quickly now, you want to power them up high… but only as high as you get the turnover you want, or can afford to feed it for as long as you need. And since you can have up to 20 Gyms, but only have one of each kind in any one Gym at the same time — and no Legendaries! — you'll need to have not only a few of the best, but a few of several types of the best.

The best of the rest

Once you've got all your attackers and all your defenders all evolved and all powered up, if and when you have rare candy left over — or piling up! — there's really only one thing left to do with it: Save some for the future, and spend some on your favorite Pokémon. You know the ones: they aren't great attackers, they aren't great defenders, but they're cool and you've always just loved them.

That can include:

• 100% or close to 100% Pokémon you want to max out just because.
• Legendaries that are perfect or close to it and you want at least one powered up. (Legendaries also require you to walk them 20 KM to get a candy, which is incredibly inefficient.)
• Regionals you've managed to collect and want to show off.
• Any other Pokémon you like.

Any rare candy questions?

If you have any questions about how or when to use your rare candy, drop them in the comments below!