Even though Pokémon GO is a few years old, it's still a very popular game on Android. And if you know the best tricks, you'll be able to take full advantage of its possibilities. New to this universe? Don't miss this tutorial on How to use Poké Balls, potions, etc., in Pokémon GO.
Tips and tricks every trainer should know to master Pokémon GO like a pro player and surprise your friends. So don't miss our complete tutorial to learn the secrets of Pokémon GO.
Poké Balls: How to Catch Your Pokémon Without Failing
Poké Balls are the foundation of everything in Pokémon GO. Without them, you can't catch any wild Pokémon. But there are more than one, and each has its own specific purpose. You start the game with a few basic Poké Balls, and as you level up, you unlock more powerful versions.
The normal Poké Ball is the one you will see the most. It works well with common or low-level Pokémon. But when you encounter a stronger or rarer Pokémon, using this can cause you to fail several times. That's where the Super Ball and Ultra Ball come in. The Super Ball improves catch rates, and the Ultra Ball even more so. These are key for difficult Pokémon, especially if they move a lot or are far away.
Then there is the Master Ball. This is a different story. This is an extremely rare item that guarantees 100% capture, regardless of the Pokémon. It's only available during special events or as a very exclusive reward. If you get one, save it for a Legendary Pokémon or a Pokémon you don't want to risk losing.
To use them, tap the Pokémon on the map, and during the encounter, swipe up to throw the ball. If the circle is green, catching it is easy. If it's orange or red, you'll need a little extra help with berries or better balls.
Potions: What they are and how they heal your Pokémon
When you battle in gyms or raids, your Pokémon get hurt. Some end up quite damaged, and others even weakened. This is where potions come in.
There are several types, and each heals a different amount of health points (HP):
- The normal potion heals 20 HP. It is good for minor wounds.
- The Super Potion has been boosted to 50 HP. It's now useful for moderately damaged Pokémon.
- Hyper Potion heals 200 HP. Ideal for your strongest Pokémon that have endured tough battles.
- The maximum potion heals all HP, no matter how much the Pokémon has lost.
Using them is simple: Go to your backpack, find the potion you're interested in, tap it, and choose the injured Pokémon. You'll see a list of his current health points. If he's at full health, he won't let you heal him, but if he's damaged, he'll heal it instantly. Keep in mind that Potions can't be used on Pokémon that are completely fainted. For that, you'll need another item: the Revive.
How Revive Works in Pokémon Go
When a Pokémon falls in battle and its HP reaches zero, it can't be healed with potions. You then need to use a Revive.
There are two types:
- The normal Revive, which returns the weakened Pokémon to half of its HP.
- The Ultimate Revive, which fully restores him, leaving him ready for the next fight.
It works the same as potions: From your backpack, select the item, choose the Pokémon you've KO'd, and that's it. Without this, you won't be able to use it again in gyms or raids.
Berries in Pokémon GO
Berries are another essential item when capturing Pokémon. They are not essential, but they make a difference, especially with difficult Pokémon or those that tend to escape.
You have several types, and each one does a different thing:
- The Razz Berry increases the chance of a Pokémon staying inside a Poké Ball. It's the most common.
- The Latano Berry makes the Pokémon move less, making it easier to throw.
- The Pinap Berry doubles the candy you get if you catch a Pokémon. Ideal for saving time and candy.
During an encounter with a Pokémon, tap the berry icon in the bottom left corner. Choose the berry you want to use and throw it to the Pokémon. You can only use one berry per attempt; if you fail, you can throw another one on the next attempt.
Eggs and incubators or how to get Pokémon by walking
Eggs are another way to get Pokémon. You don't catch them, you hatch them. Eggs come in several types depending on the distance you need to walk to hatch them: 2 km, 5 km, 7 km, 10 km, and 12 km.
To hatch an egg, you need to place it in an incubator. All players start with an infinite incubator, which you can always use, but only for one egg at a time.
Additionally, you can acquire additional incubators (normal or super incubators), which have a limited number of uses but reduce the distance required. These incubators can be obtained as rewards or purchased in the in-game store.
The more you walk, the faster they'll hatch. But be careful: distance only counts if you're moving on foot or cycling at normal speed. Driving or using public transport doesn't count.
Evolutionary items to evolve certain special Pokémon
Some Pokémon don't evolve with candy alone. They require an evolutionary item. There are several in the game, and each one is for a specific Pokémon family.
For example:
- The Sun Stone is used to evolve Gloom into Bellossom or Sunkern into Sunflora.
- The Sinnoh Stone allows Pokémon with forms from the Sinnoh region, such as Porygon 2, to evolve into Porygon-Z.
- The Unova Stone does the same with Pokémon that evolve in the Unova region.
- The Enhancement and Metallic Coating also work for specific cases like Porygon or Onix.
These items are obtained as weekly rewards for spinning PokéStops, completing research tasks, or in special events. If you have the Pokémon, the required number of candies, and the item, you can press the “Evolve” button.
Lures and incense are perfect for attracting Pokémon to you.
In areas where not many Pokémon appear or if you are playing from home, you can use modules that attract them to you or to a PokéStop.
The Lure Module is placed at a PokéStop and attracts Pokémon for 30 minutes. If you're nearby, they'll appear more frequently.
Incense works similarly, but it moves with you. Activate it, and Pokémon will continue to appear nearby for an hour, even if you're not moving. If you walk, they appear even faster. There are variations of these modules with special effects, such as attracting specific types of Pokémon, but the operation is the same.
As you've seen, with these tricks you'll master Pokémon GO like a pro, so put them into practice and catch more Pokémon creatures than ever.