Pokémon Go Halloween 2017 event guide

Which Gen 3 Pokémon can you catch? What buddy is best to walk? How do you get the most candy? Here's your Pokémon Go Halloween 2017 event guide!

Halloween 2016 was Pokémon Go's first major event and that makes Halloween 2017 the game's first big repeat. But there's also a big difference: This year's we're getting Gen 3 to go along with our double candy. We're also getting a Mimikyu hat for our trainers, a witch-hat Pikachu, and special boxes. It runs from October 20 at 12:00 P.M. PDT until November 2 at 1:00 P.M. PDT and here's how it all breaks down!

Tell me about the second annual Pokémon Go Halloween event!

Here's what Pokémon Go has announced so far:

Gastly, Drowzee, Cubone, and other spooky Pokémon are back again this Halloween, and this time, they're bringing some special friends! Sableye, Banette, and a few other Ghost-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region will be making their first-ever appearance in Pokémon GO. The rest of the Pokémon first seen in the Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire video games will gradually arrive starting as early as December! We hope Trainers enjoy this special Halloween treat. The Halloween celebration will start on October 20 at 12:00 P.M. PDT and run until November 2 at 1:00 P.M. PDT.

A special Pikachu will be out celebrating Halloween in an all-new costume, and you can, too! Dress up your avatar for the occasion by wearing Mimikyu's Disguise Hat. You'll also earn extra Candy while you're out trick-or-treating with your Buddy Pokémon: Candy rewards from catching, hatching, and transferring Pokémon will be doubled, and your buddy will find Candy twice as fast during the Halloween celebration! Last but not least, you'll have the opportunity to stock up for your upcoming adventures with special boxes from the in-game shop, featuring items such as Raid Passes and Super Incubators.

While you're out looking for Sableye, Banette, and other spooky Pokémon, use your Pokémon GO AR camera to capture festive photos and share them on social media using #PokemonGOHalloween. As always, make sure to remain alert and aware of your surroundings while playing Pokémon GO this season.

When does the Pokémon Go Halloween 2017 event start and end?

• Starts: October 20 at 12:00 P.M. PDT / 3 P.M. EDT.
• Ends: November 2 at 1:00 P.M. PDT / 4 P.M. EDT.

Which Ghost-type Pokémon will be spawning at an increased rate this Halloween?

So far Pokémon Go has announced (or shown off):

• Gastly
• Drowzee
• Cubone
• Houndoom
• Misdreavus
• Crobat

Last year, the complete list included:

• Zubat
• Golbat
• Gastly
• Haunter
• Gengar
• Drowzee
• Hypno
• Meowth
• Cubone
• Marowak

Gen 2 hadn't launched yet, so this year the list also includes, as already shown off:

• Misdreavus

If Pokémon Go wants to expand from that, like they did last year with Cubone, Meowth, and the other non-Ghost-types, they could also include the Dark types:

• Murkrow
• Sneasel
• Houndour
• Houndoom
• Umbreon
• Tyranitar

But really, the game could include any Pokémon it considers spooky. Crobat's inclusion in the video is a prime example. We'll have to wait and see what actually spawns before updating with a definitive list.

What about Gen 3? I want to know about Pokémon Go Gen 3!

Yes! Of course! Though only a few Pokémon from Gen 3 have been listed or shown off so far:

• Duskull
• Dusclops
• Sableye
• Shuppet
• Banette

The complete list of Pokémon Gen 3 Ghost-types, with max CP noted, includes:

• Shedinja (421)
• Sableye (1305)
• Shuppet (872)
• Banette (2073)
• Duskull (523)
• Dusclops (1335)

And, if they throw in some Dark-types as well, also with max CP:

• Poochyena (564)
• Mightyena (1783)
• Nuzleaf (1117)
• Shiftry (2186)
• Sableye (1305)
• Carvanha (874)
• Sharpedo (1986)
• Cacturne (2092)
• Crawdaunt (2317)
• Absol (2280)

But, again, Pokémon Go could choose to include any Gen 3 Pokémon it feels are spooky enough for Halloween.

Which are the best Pokémon to catch during the Halloween event?

Catch them all! If you can't, catch all the Gen 3 you need. If you want more, focus on these:

• Gengar: Still the most damaging Ghost-type in the game. It's super fragile and will quickly turn into grape jelly, but it can deliver some quick pain before doing so. Catch it or evolve it if you can!
• Houndoom: It's no Tyranitar, but it's a good back-up Dark-type and will likely prove much more common than Big Green.

Will there be other Gen 3 Pokémon available as well?

Only Ghost-types and maybe a few other spooky-looking Pokémon for now. The rest will show up starting in December.

What about Pikachu? There's a special hat, right?

A witch hat! Yes, Witchachu is a thing!

And there's a special Mimikyu hat for trainers too? What's a Mimikyu?

Mimikyu is a Gen 7 Pokémon. From Bulbapedia:

Mimikyu is a small Pokémon whose body is almost entirely hidden under a rag. Its beady black eyes are visible through holes in the body of its disguise, and the fringe of an amorphous foot or lower body appears to be visible under the hem of its rag. Occasionally, it will also extend a black appendage from under its rag. The veil itself resembles a Pikachu.

It's strange having a Gen 7 Pokémon hat in a game that's only just beginning to launch Gen 3, but since Mimikyu looks like a super-creepy version of Pikachu, Pokémon Go obviously feels the effect is more important than the chronology.

How much candy is "double candy" during the Halloween event?

Sometimes when Pokémon Go does double candy, it really does double candy. Sometimes it just does "extra" candy. Assuming we really get double candy, here's what that works out to:

• 6 Candies per base-level Pokémon caught in the wild.
• 10 Candies per second-level Pokémon caught in the wild.
• 20 Candies per third-level Pokémon caught in the wild.
• 12 Candies per base-level Pokémon caught in the wild while using a Pinap Berry.
• 20 Candies per second-level Pokémon caught in the wild while using a Pinap Berry.
• 40 Candies per third-level Pokémon caught in the wild while using a Pinap Berry.
• 10 to 30 Candies per 2 KM Egg hatched.
• 20 to 42 Candies per 5 KM Egg hatched.
• 32 to 64 Candies per 10 KM Egg hatched.
• 2 Candy per Pokémon evolved. (This has been excluded or inconsistent over past events.)
• 2 Candy per Pokémon transferred to the Professor.
• 2 Candy per Buddy distance walked.
• 2 Candy, every once and a while, from feeding a friendly Pokémon on a Gym. (Maybe?)

Should you maximize your storage for the Halloween event?

If you haven't already. For Pokémon storage, you'll want to have as much space as possible so you can collect as many Pokémon as possible — especially Gen 3 — and trade in the excess for 2x candy.

For item storage, you'll want as much space for Pokéballs as possible, so you can catch as many of those Pokémon as possible, and also have room for raid passes, super incubators, and the rest of the discounted items in the special boxes.

What buddy should you walk during the Halloween event?

Sure, if you raid a lot, rare candy has destroyed the value of regular candy. You can pretty much evolve and power up whatever Pokémon you want, whenever you want, and your buddy is just that... a buddy.

If you don't raid a lot or you want even more candy, then this is your chance.

Normally, walking a Dratini or Larvitari isn't very efficient. That's because you need 5 km for every candy, making it a long, long road to the 100 candies you need to evolve a Dragonite. For the event, though, you'll get 2 candies every 5 km. It's still not speedy, but it's speedier than usual. Depending how far you travel every day, you could make a dent during the course of the week.

So, figure out what you want to evolve or power up and get ready to make that Pokémon your Buddy! Then top up your current Buddy, so you don't waste your progress, and make the switch!

This is a good chance to get some medals, isn't it?

With increased spawns come increased catches which make it faster to get medals. For the Halloween Event, that includes the Hex medal for Ghost-types:

• Gastly
• Misdreavus
• Haunter
• Gengar

The Delinquent medal for Dark-types:

• Murkrow
• Sneasel
• Houndour
• Houndoom
• Tyranitar

Some of other spooky Pokémon will help with everything from Flying-type to Poison-type to Normal-type medals and more, if you still need them.

Should I get a battery pack?

Most modern smartphones were designed to last roughly 8-10 hours while browsing the web or checking email. They weren't designed to last that long while keeping the screen on constantly with GPS and data running. And who wants to run out of juice when 2x candy bonuses are falling out of the clouds?

So, if you're going to be out long, and you're going to be out late, you're going to want a battery case or, better still, a portable power pack. That way you can stay charged while you go, twice, three times, even four times longer than normal!

Read: Best pocketable power banks to charge your phone on-the-go

What are you planning for the Pokémon Go Halloween event?

Gen 3 is going to be fun. Like get all your family and friends together fun. Halloween especially is a time to trick or treat in groups, and that's a perfect fit for Pokémon Go. Not only is it safer, especially at night, it's considerably more fun.

Team up, spread out, and get those Gen 3 and candy!