Pokémon Go Dynamax, including how to Dynamax and get Dynamax Pokémon
Including how to level up Max Moves.
Dynamax in Pokémon Go refers to a new mechanic which sees your Pokémon grow to ginormous size for a short period of time in battle.
It took nearly five years for Dynamaxing to make its way into Pokémon Go after first debuting in Pokémon Sword and Shield for the Nintendo Switch, but now you can finally see your Pokémon take on enormous forms. So tall, in fact, little clouds appear around their heads. There's a host of Dynamax Pokémon to catch in Pokémon Go and hopefully we'll see more arrive soon.
The first Dynamax Pokémon to appear in Pokémon Go were Dynamax Wooloo and Skwovet, which were released as part of the 'To the Max!' quest on Wednesday 4th September 2024. The arrival of Max Battles, however, on Tuesday 10th September 2024 saw the Gen 1 starter Pokémon gain Dynamax Pokémon and, going forwards, more Dynamax Pokémon will be released into Pokémon Go.
It's still a good idea to look at everything Dynamax in Pokémon Go - from how to Dynamax to how to get Dynamax Pokémon to Max Moves.
On this page:
How to Dynamax in Pokémon Go
To Dynamax in Pokémon Go, you need to be partaking in a Max Battle. During these fights, every Fast and Charged Attack your Pokémon uses will add energy to the Max Meter at the bottom of the screen. You can even collect additional energy by moving your Pokémon during these fights to add to this meter.
Once the Max Meter is filled, you'll be able to Dynamax one of your Pokémon for three turns during a Max Battle. There's a short window of time where you can select which Pokémon you wish to Dynamax. As long as the Pokémon hasn't fainted, they can grow to giant size! This is a great opportunity to switch out to a Pokémon better suited for the Power Spot Boss you're facing.
A Pokémon will remain in its Dynamax form for three turns, with each turn being symbolised by the use of a Max Move. Every Dynamax Pokémon has three moves, but, aside from the attack move (name dependant on your Pokémon's type), these moves must be unlocked. The Dynamax Pokémon will also automatically use its attack Max Move after a short counter has run down unless you pick it or another attack.
After these three moves have passed, your Pokémon will return to its regular size. If you want to Dynamax it again, then get on filling that Max Meter with enegry once more!
How to get Dynamax Pokémon in Pokémon Go
The main method for getting Dynamax Pokémon in Pokémon is by defeating them in Max Battles and capturing them after a successful defeat. Make sure you take a look at our Max Battle guide to learn everything about this unique Pokémon Go mechanic - from how to join a Max Battle to how to win one.
Much like in a raid, you'll be given some Premier Balls after defeating a Power Spot Boss. For defeating a one-star boss, for example, you will be given 10 Premier Balls, but you can increase this amount by spending 200 Poké Coin.
Still, even if you do increase your Premier Ball limit, you must capture the Dynamax Pokémon before these balls run out if you want to add it to your collection. No balls left but the Pokémon still stands free? Well, better get ready to partake in another Max Battle then!
You may even be lucky even to encounter a shiny Dynamax Pokémon from winning a Max Battle!
Yet, currently, there are two ways in which you can earn Dynamax Pokémon outside of Max Battles. We highly recommend doing so as well, because you'll need at least one Dynamax Pokémon to compete in any Max Battle.
The first method is by progressing through the 'To the Max!' special research quest. Completing the first step will earn you an encounter with a Dynamax Wooloo, while the second step earns you an encounter with a Dynamax Skwovet.
The second method involves collecting 100 Max Particles and, after doing so, you'll earn an encounter with a Dynamax Wooloo. It's important to note that posts on The Silph Road subreddit suggest that this feature may be bugged. Personally, I received this encounter the day after Max Particles were released (Thursday 5th September) after collecting the 300 Max Particles tied to walking 2km and having already collected over 800 Max Particles. Due to this, we recommend trying to collect 1,000 or over Max Particles to see if you receive this second Wooloo encounter, but don't be surprised if it doesn't appear.
According to a Pokémon Go blog post about Max Battles and in-game Power Spot tutorial, Dynamax Pokémon may also appear in the wild around a Power Spot. Though we're waiting until Max Battles are live in-game to determine how exactly this spawning works.
Finally, let's establish two important facts about Dynmax Pokémon in Pokémon Go - namely that you can evolve and trade Dynamax Pokémon. This means, as nutjitsu_dev proves over on The Silph Road subreddit, you can get a Lucky Dynamax Pokémon. With that out of the way, it's time to take a look at Max Moves and how they work.
The Max Out Season is here! The GO Big is currently running in Pokémon Go. You can now catch Dynamax Pokémon through Max Battles. First, however, you need to visit Power Spots to collect Max Particles and complete the To the Max! quest. Don't forget to try out Routes, Gift Exchange and Party Play while you're hunting down rare Pokémon, fighting in the Go Battle League or competing in PokéStop Showcases.
Max Moves in Pokémon Go explained
Max Moves in Pokémon Go refers to the three attacks Dynamax Pokémon have access to while Dynamaxing for three turns. These moves are:
- Attack - An attack based upon the Dynamaxed Pokémon's type. This move's name will also change depending on the Pokémon's type; Wooloo, for example, is a Normal-type Pokémon, so the attack is called Max Strike.
- Max Guard - Reduces damage from the Power Spot Boss.
- Max Spirit - Heals both your Pokémon and your allies.
While you'll have access to the attack from the moment you catch a Dynamax Pokémon, both Max Spirit and Max Guard have to be unlocked. You can also level up all three of these Max Powers to increase the amount of power they hold.
How to level up and unlock Max Moves
Levelling up and unlocking Max Moves requires both Max Particles and Candy for the Pokémon who's moves you wish to improve. This means you'll need Wooloo Candy if you want to improve a Dynamax Wooloo's Max Moves. As an added bonus, you'll receive XP every time you level up or unlock a Max Move.
Both Max Spirit and Max Guard cost 400 Max Particles and 50 candy to unlock. This means you'll need 800 Max Particles and 100 Candy to access a Dynamax Pokémon's full Max Moveset. You'll also receive 4,000 XP for every Max Move you unlock and these moves will be available to this Pokémon forever.
Each Max Move has three separate levels referred to as, believe it or not, One, Two and Three. Every move starts at Level One, so it only needs to level up twice to reach its max level. The cost of levelling up a Max Move is also the same no matter the move.
Levelling up one Max Move from Level One to Level Two costs 600 Max Particles and 100 Candy for the Dynamax Pokémon you're currently improving. Reaching Level Three, however, costs 800 Max Particles and 40 Candy XL for the Dynamax Pokémon you're trying to approve. You will earn 6,000 XP for levelling up a Max Move.
Dynamax Pokémon currently available in Pokémon Go
Since Dynamax Pokémon can be evolved, there are currently 13 Dynamax Pokémon available in Pokémon Go:
- Bulbasaur
- Ivysaur (Evolve Bublasaur using 25 Bulbasaur Candy)
- Venusaur (Evolve Ivysaur using 100 Bulbasaur Candy)
- Charmander
- Charmeleon (Evolve Charmander using 25 Charmander Candy)
- Charizard (Evolve Charmeleon using 100 Charmander Candy)
- Squirtle
- Wartortle (Evolve Squirtle using 25 Squirtle Candy)
- Blastoise (Evolve Wartortle using 100 Squirtle Candy)
- Skwovet
- Greedent (Evolve Skwovet using 50 Skwovet Candy)
- Wooloo
- Dubwool (Evolve Wooloo using 50 Wooloo Candy)
Keep in mind that certain Dynamax Pokémon, such as Dubwool, can only be obtained by evolving the previous Pokémon in their evolution lines or via trading.
More Dynamax Pokémon will be released as time moves forward in Pokémon Go as part of future events.
What are Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon?
Introduced for the first time in Pokémon Sword and Shield for the Nintendo Switch as a Gen 8 mechanic, Dynamax is the name given to a temporary transformation Pokémon can undertake, which sees them growing to a massive size. They also take on a reddish hue and gain little clouds around their heads just to make sure you know they're super big now.
Dynamaxing a Pokémon lasts for three turns and, during this time, they gain access to a different moveset referred to as Max Moves. These attacks have slightly different abilities compared to the Pokémon's moveset.
Gigantamax refers to Pokémon who take on a different form when Dynamaxing, such as Pikachu returning to its original and better chubby form from the 90s (the best Pikachu) and Meowth becoming long cat. Not every Pokémon has a Gigantamax form though, so don't be surprised if your new Dynamax Pokémon just transforms into a slightly bigger version of itself. In fact, while 32 Pokémon have the ability to Gigantamax, there are 33 Gigantamax forms since each Urshifu style - Single Strike and Rapid Strike - have their own unique Gigantamax form despite technically being the same Pokémon.
In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Gigantamax Pokémon also have a unique move known as a G-Max move, but, at the time of writing, we haven't heard whether these will be arriving in Pokémon Go.
While the Pokémon Go Pokédex does have a G-Max section, Gigantamax Pokémon are currently not in Pokémon Go. The numbers listed within it, however, do suggest we'll see Gigantamax Pokémon being added into the game soon.
Good luck using Dynamax Pokémon in Pokémon Go!