Event Overview
Get ready for the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic, a special event in Pokémon GO centered around the fan-favorite Grass and Poison-type Pokémon, Bulbasaur. Scheduled to take place on January 22nd from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time, this three-hour window gives Trainers an excellent opportunity to catch large numbers of Bulbasaur in a short period. During this limited timeframe, players can expect increased wild spawns of Pokemon Go Bulbasaur, providing a higher chance to encounter a Shiny version.
Additionally, evolving Ivysaur, Bulbasaur’s evolved form, into Venusaur during the event or up to two hours afterward will result in a Venusaur that knows the exclusive Charged Attack Frenzy Plant. This powerful move is a staple in both PvE and PvP gameplay, making it a valuable addition to any team. To make the most of this event, Trainers are encouraged to stock up on Poké Balls, Pinap Berries, and Incense, and consider using Lure Modules on PokéStops to attract more Bulbasaur. With the right preparation, this Community Day Classic offers a great chance to bolster your collection with powerful or Shiny Venusaur, making it a must-play for new and veteran Trainers alike.
Bonuses and Features
During the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic, several exciting bonuses and features will enhance the overall gameplay experience. Bulbasaur will appear more frequently in the wild, giving Trainers plenty of chances to catch them and build up their collection. The odds of encountering a Shiny Bulbasaur are significantly increased during the event, with a shiny rate estimated at around 1 in 25 encounters. To assist with leveling up, a three times catch XP bonus will be active for the full duration of the event, making it a great time to use Lucky Eggs and maximize experience gains.
Incense and Lure Modules activated during the event will remain effective for three hours, ensuring a steady stream of wild Pokémon spawns. Additionally, players can take up to five snapshots during the event, each potentially triggering a surprise Bulbasaur photobomb that results in an extra Bulbasaur encounter, adding even more fun and catching opportunities to the event.
Preparing for Bulbasaur Community Day
To get the most out of the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic, a bit of preparation can go a long way. With the expected surge in Bulbasaur spawns, having enough Poké Balls is essential. Stocking up on Ultra Balls will improve your catch rate, especially for high-CP or Shiny Bulbasaur. Clearing out your Pokémon storage in advance is also important, as you’ll likely catch a large number of Bulbasaur during the three-hour window. Aiming for at least 500 free storage slots will help you avoid interruptions and give you room to sort and trade later.
Choosing the right location can significantly enhance your experience. Areas with a high concentration of PokéStops tend to yield more spawns, especially when combined with active Lure Modules. If the weather isn’t ideal for playing outside, consider indoor-friendly places with multiple PokéStops within range, such as malls, libraries, or cafés. Activating Lure Modules at these spots will attract more Pokémon, and using Mossy Lure Modules can further increase the spawn rate of Grass and Poison-type Pokémon like Bulbasaur. Powering up PokéStops to level three adds another boost to spawn frequency, though this requires coordination and planning ahead.
Playing with friends can add another layer of strategy and rewards. Coordinating trades after the event is a great way to earn additional Candy, and for those at Trainer Level 40 or above, trades are guaranteed to yield one XL Candy. Trades also offer a chance for the Pokémon to become Lucky, which means lower Stardust costs and a guaranteed minimum stat floor. If you’re close to reaching a new friendship level with someone, timing the interaction during the XP bonus window with a Lucky Egg can lead to substantial XP gains. Even if your friends are in different time zones, syncing your friendship level-ups can help maximize rewards throughout the day.
During the Community Day
Once the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic begins, your primary goal should be to catch as many Bulbasaur as possible within the three-hour window. With an increased shiny rate, the odds of encountering a Shiny Bulbasaur are higher than usual, so making every encounter count is important. Using Berries like Razz Berries or Golden Razz Berries can improve your chances of a successful catch, especially for high-CP or Shiny Pokémon that are more likely to resist capture.
To save time and boost efficiency, consider using the Quick Catch technique, which skips the catching animation and allows you to quickly move on to the next Pokémon. If you’re prone to missing throws, having a Buddy Pokémon at Great Buddy level or higher can be helpful, as the Buddy Bounceback feature will occasionally return missed Poké Balls for a second chance.
Shiny hunting is one of the most exciting aspects of Community Day events. With a shiny rate of roughly 1 in 25, encountering more Bulbasaur naturally increases your chances of finding a Shiny. Make it a priority to keep moving and checking spawns to maximize encounters throughout the event.
The three times catch XP bonus offers a valuable opportunity to earn massive experience gains, particularly by landing Excellent Throws. A successful Excellent Throw normally awards 1,000 XP, which triples to 3,000 XP during the event. Using a Lucky Egg doubles that to 6,000 XP per catch. Since Bulbasaur’s catch circle can be slightly tricky, practicing your throwing technique before or early in the event can pay off in the long run. You might consider spending the first hour focused on honing your Excellent Throws to take full advantage of the bonus. Additionally, holding off on your First Catch of the Day until the event begins and activating a Lucky Egg just beforehand can yield a large XP boost.
Remember to take up to five snapshots during the event, as each one can trigger a Bulbasaur photobomb, resulting in an extra encounter. These additional spawns can be another chance at a Shiny or high-IV Bulbasaur and contribute to your progress on the Camera medal, which tracks surprise encounters from snapshot photobombs.
Evolving Ivysaur to Venusaur
A central feature of the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic is the opportunity to obtain a Venusaur with the exclusive Charged Attack, Frenzy Plant. To unlock this move, you must evolve Ivysaur, Bulbasaur’s evolved form, into Venusaur during the event window or within two hours after it ends, giving you until 7:00 p.m. local time. Frenzy Plant cannot be acquired using a regular Charge TM, so evolving during the designated time is the only way to get it. This move is one of the strongest Grass-type Charged Attacks available, making Venusaur an excellent option for both raids and competitive PvP formats.
For those with Shadow Ivysaur, special attention is needed. If the Shadow Pokémon still knows the move Frustration, evolving it during the event will not result in a Venusaur with Frenzy Plant. Frustration occupies the primary Charged Move slot and blocks the acquisition of Community Day moves, even if a second move has been unlocked. The only way to obtain a Shadow Venusaur with Frenzy Plant is by evolving a Shadow Ivysaur that has previously had Frustration removed during a Team GO Rocket event.
It’s important to keep this in mind when planning your evolutions. Shadow Ivysaur can currently be encountered by defeating the “Don’t tangle with us” Team GO Rocket Grunt, which can appear at PokéStops and in Team GO Rocket balloons. However, any Shadow Ivysaur caught during the event will likely still have Frustration unless you’ve already removed it. Future Team GO Rocket events may offer another chance to remove Frustration, and there is often an end-of-year Community Day recap event where exclusive moves return for a limited time. Planning ahead for these opportunities is essential if you want a competitive Shadow Venusaur with Frenzy Plant.
Utilizing Items Effectively
Make strategic use of your in-game items to elevate your Bulbasaur Community Day Classic experience. Starting with Incense, be sure to activate it at the beginning of the event to continuously draw Bulbasaur to your location, especially if you’re playing in a rural area with fewer wild spawns. Incense activated during the event lasts for three hours, giving you uninterrupted coverage.
You can also try the Incense refresh trick—briefly opening your Friends list and then returning to the map—to potentially accelerate the rate of spawns from Incense. At the same time, placing Lure Modules on PokéStops in high-traffic areas can amplify spawn rates. Mossy Lures are particularly useful for this event as they specifically boost the appearance of Grass and Poison-type Pokémon like Bulbasaur.
To take full advantage of the three times catch XP bonus, use Lucky Eggs to double that gain, resulting in a total of six times catch XP for every Pokémon caught. This is especially beneficial if you’re aiming to level up or gain large XP boosts. Activate Lucky Eggs at the beginning of your play session, and time them with friendship level-ups if you have planned those in advance. If you’re playing for the full three hours, using six Lucky Eggs throughout the event can maximize your experience gains.
If your goal is to collect as much Bulbasaur Candy as possible, make Pinap Berries your go-to item. These double the candy you receive from each catch, helping you stockpile resources for future evolutions, powering up a high-IV Venusaur, or strengthening Shadow Venusaur for competitive play. The event is a great opportunity to farm hundreds of Candy, and using Pinap Berries on nearly every catch will make a big difference.
A special Community Day Box will be available in the in-game shop for 1,280 PokéCoins, usually containing a bundle of useful items like Ultra Balls, Lucky Eggs, Star Pieces, and occasionally an Elite Charged TM. Whether the box is worth the cost depends on your current inventory and plans, but it can be a helpful bundle for players looking to stock up.
Don’t forget to claim the 30 free Ultra Balls from the shop during the event, which can help keep your catching momentum going. Additionally, a paid Special Research story will be available for $0.99 USD or equivalent in your local currency. This short questline typically rewards you with bonus Bulbasaur encounters, items, and extra in-game resources, making it a worthwhile option for those who want even more value from the event.
Bulbasaur in Pokémon GO
Understanding Bulbasaur’s potential in Pokémon GO can help you decide which ones are worth evolving into Venusaur during the Community Day Classic. If you’re hunting for perfect IVs, a Bulbasaur with 477 CP from a Research task will have a 100% IV at Level 15. In the wild, a Level 30 Bulbasaur with 955 CP is also a perfect IV specimen. When the weather is either Cloudy or Sunny—both of which boost Poison and Grass types—a Level 35 Bulbasaur with 1035 CP would be the 100% IV benchmark. It’s important to remember that CP alone doesn’t guarantee perfect IVs, so checking individual stats with the in-game appraisal system or an IV checker app is essential.
For those interested in PvP, Venusaur is a strong choice in both Great League and Ultra League formats. Ideal PvP IVs differ from what you’d seek for raids or gym battles. For Great League, the top-ranked Venusaur typically has an IV spread of 0 Attack, 14 Defense, and 11 HP. In Ultra League, the best spread is often 1 Attack, 15 Defense, and 14 HP.
These configurations allow Venusaur to hit the CP cap with optimal bulk, making it more durable in prolonged matches. Using tools like Poké Genie can help you accurately assess the PvP potential of your catches. While advanced players may also consider breakpoints—specific IVs where Fast Moves start dealing extra damage against key opponents—focusing on top-ranked PvP IVs is a solid strategy for most trainers.
In raid battles, Venusaur has a different role. Shadow Venusaur equipped with Vine Whip and Frenzy Plant stands out as one of the highest damage-per-second Grass-type raid attackers in the game. If you have a Shadow Ivysaur that has already had Frustration removed, evolving it during the event will give you an extremely powerful Grass attacker.
Regular Venusaur, while still viable, is less competitive when compared to other Grass-type attackers like Roserade or Breloom. However, Mega Venusaur is a different story—it’s currently the best Grass-type Mega Evolution, and having Frenzy Plant makes it even more effective in raid teams. That said, Grass types aren’t always the most in-demand raid attackers, so it’s helpful to keep your team balanced depending on the raid boss’s weaknesses.
Mega Evolution During Community Day
Utilizing Mega Evolution during the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic offers valuable advantages, especially when it comes to maximizing your Candy gains. When a Pokémon is Mega Evolved, any wild Pokémon you catch that shares a type with the Mega Evolution will provide one additional Candy. Since Bulbasaur is both a Grass and Poison type, Mega Evolving a Pokémon that shares either of these types will boost your Candy collection during the event.
Suitable Mega Evolutions for this purpose include Mega Venusaur and Mega Abomasnow for Grass-type synergy, and Mega Beedrill and Mega Gengar for Poison-type benefits. Choose the one that best aligns with your available Mega Energy and your priorities for the day. If you Mega Evolve Venusaur using energy obtained from Special Research, you’ll likely accumulate enough energy through ongoing activities during the event to offset your initial cost, making it an efficient choice.
Acquiring additional Mega Energy is relatively straightforward if you’ve already Mega Evolved the Pokémon before. Once a Pokémon is registered in your Mega Pokédex, walking with a member of its evolutionary line while it is your buddy will generate more Mega Energy. You can also earn Mega Energy through specific Field Research tasks.
For example, completing “Catch 10 Grass-type Pokémon” can reward Mega Venusaur Energy, while “Use 10 supereffective Charged Attacks” can yield Mega Abomasnow Energy. Another common task, “Power up Pokémon five times,” may reward either Mega Venusaur or Mega Beedrill Energy. Additionally, spinning PokéStops has a chance to provide Mega Beedrill Energy, so keep an eye out as you explore. Planning ahead with your Mega Evolution strategy can lead to more efficient gameplay and a better return on your time spent catching during the event.
Completing Research Tasks
During the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic, taking advantage of the available research tasks can enhance your event experience and provide valuable rewards. The “Bulbasaur Community Day Classic” Special Research story, available for $0.99 USD, grants additional Bulbasaur encounters along with other in-game rewards like Stardust, XP, and items. This special research is often considered a good value for the extra rewards and encounters it offers, helping you catch more Bulbasaur and gain useful items throughout the event.
In addition to Special Research, there will be Field Research tasks available at PokéStops. These tasks are typically straightforward, with many requiring you to catch a certain number of Bulbasaur. For this event, the Field Research task will likely involve catching three Bulbasaur, which will reward you with useful items. Completing Field Research tasks is also a great way to make progress on your Ranger medal, with 2,500 completed tasks contributing to your medal progress. Make sure to spin PokéStops after the event begins at 2:00 p.m. local time to receive the specific tasks related to the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic. These tasks can provide additional opportunities to catch Bulbasaur, collect items, and earn progress toward your medals.
Post-Community Day Activities
Once the three-hour Bulbasaur Community Day Classic event window ends, you still have valuable activities to engage in to make the most of the day. You have until 7:00 p.m. local time—two hours after the event concludes—to evolve Ivysaur into Venusaur and teach it the exclusive move, Frenzy Plant. This extended window allows you to take your time with evolving your best Ivysaur, especially those with high IVs or good potential for PvP battles.
During this time, consider trading the Bulbasaur you caught during the event with friends. Trading Pokémon not only provides extra Candy but also gives the chance for Pokémon to become Lucky, which is useful for reducing Stardust costs and improving IVs. If you’re Level 40 or higher, every trade guarantees one XL Candy for the traded Pokémon, making trades even more rewarding. If you’ve caught Bulbasaur from different locations, especially those over 100 km apart, you’ll get an additional Candy bonus. However, keep in mind that Shadow Pokémon cannot be traded, so you won’t be able to exchange any Shadow Bulbasaur for this purpose.
Prioritize evolving your best Ivysaur before the 7:00 p.m. cutoff to ensure they learn Frenzy Plant, as this exclusive move can significantly boost your Venusaur’s performance in battles. Also, remember to check the IVs of your Bulbasaur before evolving, as the higher the IVs, the better your chances of having a strong Venusaur.
General Tips and Tricks
To enhance your experience during the Bulbasaur Community Day Classic, consider using the quick catch technique to speed up your catching process. This technique allows you to skip the catching animation, saving you valuable time and enabling you to catch more Bulbasaur in the three-hour event window.
Make sure your phone’s battery is fully charged before you start playing, or bring a portable charger with you, as you’ll likely be playing for an extended period. It’s also important to stay hydrated, particularly if you’re playing outdoors, as it can be easy to forget when you’re immersed in the event.
Lastly, be aware of your surroundings and follow local health guidelines while playing, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience. Whether you’re playing in a park, café, or your neighborhood, being mindful of your environment will make the event even more enjoyable.
Bulbasaur: A Closer Look
Bulbasaur, known as Fushigidane in Japan, was one of the original Pokémon introduced in the 1996 Pokémon Red and Blue games. As a dual-type Grass and Poison Pokémon, Bulbasaur’s name is a portmanteau that reflects its dinosaur-like appearance and the bulb on its back. The seed on Bulbasaur’s back grows as it does, absorbing sunlight for energy, allowing it to survive for days without needing to eat. Bulbasaur evolves into Ivysaur and eventually into Venusaur.
The conception and design of Bulbasaur was handled by Atsuko Nishida, who drew inspiration from the concept of Venusaur. However, despite their English names suggesting a dinosaur influence, Ken Sugimori confirmed that the design of Bulbasaur and its evolutions is based on frogs, blending reptilian features with plant elements. This unique combination made Bulbasaur stand out from other early Pokémon.
In the world of Pokémon media, Bulbasaur has enjoyed significant visibility. It was one of Ash Ketchum’s main Pokémon in the anime’s first season. Another Bulbasaur was later obtained by May, a supporting character, who evolved it into Venusaur. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, the protagonist Red owns a Bulbasaur named Saur. Bulbasaur also made an appearance in the Detective Pikachu movie, where its distinct, top-heavy movement was inspired by a bulldog.
Bulbasaur enjoys a high level of popularity and is widely regarded as a well-liked Pokémon, often ranking highly in official popularity polls. Pokémon series producer Junichi Masuda has mentioned Bulbasaur as one of his favorites, praising its cute design and the creative combination of a monster and a plant. While it is sometimes considered less popular than Charmander and Squirtle, Bulbasaur has a strong fan following, with movements like “BulbaGanda” on social media aimed at spreading support for the Pokémon.
By following these tips and utilizing the information provided, you’re sure to have a successful and enjoyable Bulbasaur Community Day Classic! Remember to have fun and catch ’em all!
