In Pokémon GO the Rocket event “Rising Shadows” awaits you starting from May 22, which brings you the long-awaited Crypto Raids and new fitting items. We at MeinMMO will show you what you need to know about the new raid format.
What event is it? On Monday, May 22, a new event called “Rising Shadows” will start in Pokémon GO. During this event, the members of Team GO Rocket will play a central role in the game again. While you could previously encounter the villains only at PokéStops and in balloons, Team GO Rocket will also claim the arenas for the first time.
Finally, you can look forward to special Crypto Raids, bringing Crypto-Mewtwo back into the game on May 27 and 28. We have summarized what you need to know about the Crypto Raids, what the new items are about, and what other content awaits you at the event below.
When does the event run? The Team GO Rocket event “Rising Shadows” starts on May 22, 2023, at 10:00 AM local time and runs until May 28, 2023, at 8:00 PM local time.
These are the new Crypto Raids
What kind of raids are these? During the event, the members of Team GO Rocket will become particularly active again and will even take over the arenas for the first time. For this reason, you can encounter various Crypto Raid bosses there. If you defeat them, then you have the chance to secure this.
How strong will the Crypto Raid bosses be? The new Crypto bosses will master the raids at various difficulty levels, so keep an eye out for them in level-1, level-3, and level-5 raids.
However, according to Niantic, they are not supposed to be so easy to defeat since Team GO Rocket relies on strong specimens. Above all, Crypto-Mewtwo will be interesting for you. You can also expect the following monsters:
| Crypto Raids | Pokémon |
| Level-1 Raids | Crypto-Quapsel* Crypto-Machollo* Crypto-Knofensa Crypto-Tanhel* |
| Level-3 Raids | Crypto-Lorblatt Crypto-Tyracroc Crypto-Sniebel* Crypto-Igelavar |
| Level-5 Raids | Crypto-Mewtwo* (only from May 27 at 10:00 AM to May 28 at 8:00 PM) |
And that’s not all, because they come with another special feature: bosses of the level-3 and level-5 raids will get angry when you fight against them. This will enhance their attack and defense. To defeat them, you should not only gather enough trainers with strong counters, but also rely on the new items.
How many trainers you need in the fight against the various Crypto Raid bosses remains to be seen for now.
Can you participate from a distance? No, to participate in a Crypto Raid, you must play on-site. Participation via remote raid is unfortunately not possible.
Will there also be regular raids? Yes, at all arenas that are not occupied by Team GO Rocket during the event, regular raids can still take place. You can expect the following raid bosses there:
| Raids | Pokémon |
| Level-1 Raids | Piepi* Tentacha* Marill* Algitt Robball |
| Level-3 Raids | Magneton Lapras* Flunkifer* Impoleon |
| Level-5 Raids | Kapu-Kime* (until May 24) Regigigas* (from May 24) |
| Mega Raids | Mega-Pinsir* (until May 24) Mega-Altaria* (from May 24) |
However, there is one exception on May 27, 2023. On this day, exclusively Crypto Raids will take place between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time.
What you need to consider: While you would normally receive a team bonus for Premier Balls after a successful raid, there will be no such bonus for the won Crypto Raids. So get ready for fewer balls when catching.
The new items at a glance
What new items are there? In addition to the new Crypto Raids, there will also be three new items that can be useful in the fight against the Crypto Raid boss:
- Crypto Shards: These are mysterious gem fragments that you obtain, similar to mysterious parts, by battling Team GO Rocket. You need to collect these to get a redeemed gem.
- Shard Melter: This item is a device developed by Professor Willow, a kind of converter to assemble the collected mysterious gem fragments.
- Redeemed Gem: Once you have assembled the collected parts, you will be rewarded with a “purified gem”. You need this in the fight against the Crypto Raid boss.
How to track down the members of Team GO Rocket, we will show you in the following video:
What does the redeemed gem bring in battle? To give yourself an advantage in battle, you should utilize redeemed gems. These temporarily weaken the Crypto Raid boss in terms of attack and defense when you use them during the battle.
Can multiple purified gems be used? Yes, you can use multiple of these redeemed gems during a raid to secure an advantage in battle. Your team should definitely utilize this. If you use these simultaneously, the effect will stack. If enough of these gems are used, you can tame the raid boss; it will no longer be angry and can be defeated more easily.
All Spawns & Bonuses for the Event “Rising Shadows”
In addition to the new Crypto Raids, during the event, you can also encounter various wild spawns and look forward to some bonuses. What these are, we have summarized for you below. All Pokémon that you can also find as shiny, we have marked for you with a (*).
All wild spawns:
- Rettan*
- Golbat
- Smogon*
- Hunduster*
- Fiffyen*
- Skunkapuh
- Pionskora*
- somewhat rarer:
- Hisui-Baldorfish
- Zurrokex
All event bonuses:
- Special Crypto Raids with Crypto-Mewtwo from May 27, 2023, at 10:00 AM local time until May 28 at 8:00 PM local time
- Team GO Rocket will increase its activity on May 27 from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM local time
- On this day, only Crypto Raids will take place
- Team GO Rocket spawns more frequently at PokéStops and in balloons
- Event field research on Team GO Rocket
- Reward: mysterious parts and stardust
- free special research “Get out and GO”
- Hero pose for your avatar
How do you like the prospects of the new Crypto Raids? Will you try to fight the new raid bosses? Or do you miss the local community as support? Feel free to let us know here at MeinMMO in the comments and also exchange thoughts with other trainers.
In the coming weeks, there is still a lot planned in Pokémon GO. Here we show you the dates for the community days in June, July, and August.
