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Pokémon Go Johto Collection Challenge: How to complete the Collect Challenge and Johto Celebration event field research tasks

It's time for the Johto Collection Challenge!

The Johto Collection Challenge is part of the Johto Celebration event in Pokémon Go, which is a run up event for the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto occurring in February.

Collection Challenges task you with catching a specific Pokémon during in-game events in Pokémon Go. The Johto Collection Challenge focuses on Gen 2 Pokémon that are native to the Johto region.

These Pokémon can be found by hatching eggs, completing Johto Celebration field research tasks, catching from them in the wild or from raids.

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List of Pokémon and rewards for the Johto Collection Challenge in Pokémon Go explained

The Johto Collection Challenge tasks you with catching nine Gen 2 Pokémon during the Johto Celebration event. If you want to complete this challenge, you must ensure that you caught all of these Pokémon during the event.

Smeargle.

Here are the Pokémon you need to catch:

  • Chikorita (in the wild, field research tasks and one-star raids)
  • Cyndaquil (in the wild, field research tasks and one-star raids)
  • Totodile (in the wild, field research tasks and one-star raids)
  • Sudowoodo (in the wild, field research tasks - 'Catch 5 Grass-type Pokémon')
  • Sunkern (in the wild)
  • Murkrow (in the wild)
  • Smeargle (Photobombing)
  • Miltank (in the wild, field research tasks and three-star raids)
  • Larvitar (5km eggs, one-star raids, 'Defeat a Team Go Rocket Leader 3 times' Johto research quest reward)

Completing the Johto Collection Challenge will reward you with 15 PokéBalls, 10 Ultra Balls and an Incense.

Tips for completely the Johto Collection Challenge in Pokémon Go

Below you can find some tips that will help you complete the Johto Collection Challenge in Pokémon Go:

  • Since Smeargle can only be found by having it photobomb your Pokémon Go Snapshot pictures, catching it can be quite a grind if you're not lucky. Due to this, we recommend spacing out the amount of time you spend taking photos. This will hopefully result in a Smeargle encounter, without completely filling your phone's gallery with random Pokémon pics.
  • Larvitar may be a hard Pokémon to find if you're focusing on hatching 5km eggs, so keep an eye out for it in one-star raids.
  • Miltank and the Johto starter Pokémon will also be appearing in raids throughout the Johto Celebration event and, thanks to the Remote Raid passes, you can take part in raids at home.
  • Placing a Lure Module on a PokéStop will attract more Pokémon to that location and you can determine the type by using one of the special - Glacial, Magnetic or Mossy - Lure Modules.
  • Don't forget to use Incense to attract Pokémon location - this will work whether you're staying inside or going for a walk!
  • Completing the Johto Celebration event field research tasks will reward you with Pokémon from the Collection Challenge. You may, however, have to spin a good number of PokéStops to find the exact challenge you need.

The Dual Destiny Season is here! It begins with the Just My Cup of Tea event, which also sees the arrival of Sinistea and the Dual Destiny quest 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.


Field research tasks for the Johto Celebration event in Pokémon Go

During the Johto Celebration in Pokémon Go, you'll be able to collect and complete a number of event exclusive field research tasks. If these tasks are saved in your field research collection, they can even be completed after the event ends.

Since some of these challenges will reward you with Pokémon from the Johto Collection Challenge list, it's a good idea to complete them during the event.

Here are the Johto Celebration field research challenges and their rewards:

  • Use 2 Berries to help catch Pokémon reward - Chikorita, Totodile or Cyndaquil encounter
  • Use 7 Berries to help catch Pokémon reward - Miltank encounter
  • Catch 5 Grass-type Pokémon reward - Sudowoodo encounter
  • Take a snapshot of your buddy reward - Mareep or Chinchou encounter

Thank you to SilphScience from reddit for help with this information!

You can earn encounters with the Johto Collection Challenge by completing field research tasks.

Johto Celebration Event research quest in Pokémon Go explained

The Johto Celebration Event research quest in Pokémon Go is a timed research test that runs from the beginning of the Johto Celebration Event to Sunday, 7th February, ending at 8pm (local time). Though this means you have an extra week to complete the quest, you still need to complete it in time to receive all of it's rewards or else risk loosing out on them forever.

This timed research is also Team Go Rocket themed, so make sure you keep an eye out for any Rocket Balloons that fly past you.

Below you can find all the steps and challenges you need to complete for the Johto Celebration Event research quest - just be wary of spoilers:

Thank you to Amiibofan101 from reddit for the help with this information.

Ho-Oh.

'Johto Celebration Event' Step 1 of 2

Rewards: 15 PokéBalls, 1 Incense and 5000 XP

'Johto Celebration Event' Step 2 of 2

  • Defeat Team Go Rocket Leader Arlo - 2 Max Revives
  • Defeat Team Go Rocket Leader Cliff - 3 Hyper Potions
  • Defeat Team Go Rocket Leader Sierra - 2 Max Potions

Once you complete this final step, you'll unlock an encounter with Ho-Oh, which, if you're lucky, could be shiny.

How the Johto Collection Challenge works in Pokémon Go

Collection Challenges in Pokémon Go were released in January 2021 and run alongside certain in-game events. Each Collection Challenge will see you catching a number of Pokémon that, thanks to the event, are appearing more frequently in the wild.

Once you've completed the Collection Challenge by catching all of these, you'll be rewarded with a number of items and progress for your Elite Collector medal.

The Johto Collection Challenge is running alongside the Johto Celebration event and will be available from Tuesday, 26th January at 10am (local time) to Sunday, 31st January, ending at 8pm (local time).

Collection Challenge can be found on the 'Today View,' which is accessed by pressing the field research button (the little binoculars) in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. You may need to scroll to your left, depending on whether or not you've been looking at your current field or special research tasks.

After accessing 'Today View,' you'll find a list of the Pokémon you need to catch to complete the Collection Challenge. Catching a Pokémon in the Collection Challenge rooster will tick it off the list to help you keep track of which ones you've caught and which you haven't.

Catching Pokémon will tick them off the Collection Challenge list.

Remember - you need to complete a Collection Challenge before its associated event ends and it vanishes forever.

Have fun completing the Johto Collection Challenge!

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