- Spinda is achieved in October with five great curveball pitches in a row and appears in 4 or 5 form.
- Minior debuts with seven core colors and a form-changing mechanic tied to battles against Team GO Rocket and the GO Battle League.
- Giovanni is once again the target of Team GO Rocket and keeps Shadow Zekrom as the featured encounter during the Harvest Festival: Takeover.
- The Twilight Paths season changes Trainer battles with a third charged attack for some super max level megas.
October's Pokémon GO news is packed with new developments. Between research tasks, raids against Team GO Rocket, and adjustments to Trainer battles, players have several events that require planning and more than just button-mashing. The Twilight Paths season serves as the backdrop for many of these changes.
In Spain and the rest of Europe, schedules are based on local time, so it's advisable to carefully check the windows for each event before arranging to meet up with other trainers. Spinda, Minior, Giovanni, and Trainer battles are some of the names that appear most frequently in recent reports.
Minior, Spinda and the field investigations
Spinda is once again one of the most sought-after Pokémon through Field Research. This month's main task requires five consecutive impressive curveball throws , a challenge that doesn't allow for rushing and demands precise aim. The reward is a Spinda with a Form 4 or 5.
This Normal-type Pokémon became famous for its unique patterns in the main series games, though in Pokémon GO the variety is limited to nine different forms . Since June 2019, each newly caught Spinda can also appear in its Shiny version, adding an incentive to obtain limited-edition and collectible Shiny Pokémon .
The arrival of Minior is another highlight. This Meteor Pokémon can be found in the wild during meteor showers such as the Orionids, Leonids, Geminids, Eta Aquarids, Southern Delta Aquarids, and Perseids, with appearance times depending on local time. Its cores appear in seven different colors , and one color will appear first in each hemisphere.
In battle, Minior starts in Meteor Form until its health drops below 50%, at which point it reveals its core. While in Meteor Form, it has higher defense and lower attack ; upon revealing its core, it gains attack but loses defense. Initially, it can only change forms in battles against Team GO Rocket, its leaders, or the GO Battle League.
It has also been noted that Minior will not be usable in the 2027 Latin America Pokémon International Championship. This is a competitive detail that limits its presence in that tournament, although it does not affect its capture or its regular use in the game.
If Spinda's task doesn't appear at the first PokéStop, don't despair. You can spin another PokéStop or delete the received research and keep looking, because each PokéStop offers a specific task per day . Having active friends in the community also helps you find the right task faster.
Field research isn't the only way to earn rewards, but it is one of the most consistent. Completing seven tasks on different days will earn you a research achievement with bonus Stardust and items , as well as encounters with rare creatures.
Team GO Rocket: Leaders, Radars, and Giovanni
Team GO Rocket continues to wreak havoc at PokéStops. To take on their leaders, you'll need to gather Mystery Components and assemble a Rocket Radar, a process that's become commonplace for those hunting Shadow Pokémon. Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra don't all have a single fixed lineup, so it's best to bring a varied team.
Battles against Gym Leaders aren't won through brute force alone. It's advisable to exploit weaknesses, start with a bulky Pokémon that can withstand the initial shields, and repeat the battle if the opposing team's choice isn't effective. Gym Leaders use their shields on their first charged attacks , so launching quick, well-timed attacks makes all the difference.
Defeating a Gym Leader grants around 1.000 Stardust and items such as Max Revive, Max Potion, Unova Stone, or Sinnoh Stone. It also allows you to catch a Shadow Pokémon, which can be Shiny if you're lucky.
The biggest reward appears after defeating all three leaders and unlocking Giovanni. In the Harvest Festival: Takeover event, the Team GO Rocket boss can be found at PokéStops after obtaining the Super Rocket Radar , which is acquired by progressing through the GO Pass or earlier with the Deluxe version.
Giovanni doesn't play with the same team in every match. He usually starts with Dark Persian , then might choose between Rhyperior, Machamp, or Dark Kangaskhan, and leaves Dark Zekrom for last. That's why it's pointless to build a team focusing solely on the legendary Pokémon.
Ground, Ice, Dragon, and Fairy-type attacks work well against Shadow Zekrom. Pokémon like Primal Groudon, Garchomp, or Rhyperior are solid choices, especially since Ground types resist its Electric-type moves. Once captured, you have to decide if it's worth purifying: Shadow Zekrom gains Attack but loses Defense , and purification requires a lot of resources.
Changes to Trainer Battles
The Twilight Paths season has brought with it a major overhaul of Trainer battles. The most striking change is that some Mega-Evolved Pokémon at their ultimate level can use a third Charged Attack, expanding their coverage and forcing a rethink of teams.
The old Competitors Cup has been replaced by a new battle system . Now, the damage and energy of quick attacks are applied at the end of the turn, a technical detail that favors one-turn moves and speeds up the arrival of charged attacks.
In practice, this means that shields become more valuable and decoys gain prominence. Sending in a cheap charged attack to force an opponent to use a shield and saving a more powerful one for later is a strategy that can decide many battles. Mega Dragonite, Mega Malamar, and Mega Victreebel are some examples of Pokémon that make good use of this third move.
The list of Mega Evolutions capable of reaching the super max level is still limited. Among them are Mega Chesnaught with Seed Bomb+, Mega Delphox with Mystic Flare+, Mega Dragonite with Outrage+, Mega Falinks with Brick Break+, Mega Greninja with Surf+, Mega Malamar with Psychic+, and Mega Raichu X with Thunderbolt+, among others.
For less experienced players, the recommendation is simple: experiment, adjust, and don't get stuck on a single team. The new system rewards understanding the turns, anticipating damage exchanges, and knowing when to use a shield. Patience and observation are just as valuable as having Pokémon with good stats.
More quotes for the community
In addition to battles and research, Pokémon GO continues its focus on in-person encounters and community activities. Max Battles appear at energy nodes scattered across the map, and the app lets you see where they're happening and find nearby meetups organized by community ambassadors.
For those who play in Spain, the agenda also includes events like San Diego Comic-Con Málaga, where official booths, giveaways, bonuses, and meet-ups with other trainers have been announced. A Pikachu with a Málaga location background is among the attractions of the event, designed to take the game off the screen and into the streets.
Another global event is Pokémon Night Out, scheduled to take place at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Although the physical event is being held in the United States, players worldwide can watch the official live stream on Twitch for at least 30 minutes to earn an exclusive Timed Research and a baseball jersey for their avatar.
In the personalization section, the ADIDASxPOKEMON code has also been revealed, which unlocks avatar shoes inspired by the collaboration between adidas and Pokémon. It's a cosmetic bonus that complements other regular promotional codes and does not affect performance in battle.
The season has also been marked by less playful matters, such as monetization changes and layoffs at Niantic following the sale of this and other games. These are issues that affect the business and should be monitored closely, although they don't currently change the daily experience of capturing, battling, and completing tasks.
October brings a diverse landscape to Pokémon GO: Spinda remains tied to Field Research, Minior arrives with its colored cores, Team GO Rocket continues its hunt for Shadow Pokémon, and Giovanni has Shadow Zekrom as his main target. Meanwhile, Trainer Battles adapt to the third charged attack and the new turn-based system. The key to staying on top of things is checking local times, choosing your teams wisely, and taking advantage of community meetups when the game requires more than one trainer.
