Pokémon Go A Spooky Message quest steps - how to catch Spiritomb and Spiritomb stats

The chance to catch Pokémon Go's Spiritomb works pretty similarly to the game's Mythical Pokémon, that were also caught through Special Research tasks - but Spiritomb is unique, in that it's the first non-Mythical Pokémon to be caught in this way.

The game's first non-Mythical Special Research Pokémon is available as part of a Special Research quest named A Spooky Message, where players must complete a series of objectives as part of a story-based questline.

Spiritomb has returned for 2019! If you play Pokémon Go between Thursday 17th October to Friday 1st November, you'll automatically start A Spooky Message 2019, even if you've already caught Spiritomb.

How Spiritomb quest 'A Spooky Message' works in Pokémon Go

As part of a March 2018 update, Pokémon Go introduced new Research quests, where players complete objectives for special rewards.

There are two types of these quests - Field Research and Special Research. It's this latter type we'll be focusing on, as where Field Research offers objectives that can be collected by players at any time, Special Research is a story-driven questline with specific steps.

Spiritomb's Special Research quest is named 'A Spooky Message', and will see you Professor Willow take on some particularly spooky challenges, just in time for Halloween.

At at the end? Players will be given Spiritomb, of course, as a reward for its completion - just like Mew and Celebi before it.

The quest is broken down into just three stages this time, with a few challenges to complete per stage, and rewards to be unlocked as you go, too.

Though there is no A Spooky Message end date - once you start the quest, you can take as long as you like - if you haven't already started it, you have to do so by November 1st at 9pm UK time (1pm PST) to add it to your quest list:

Though these are similar to Field Research quests, the specific steps are fixed for every player - so if you don't mind spoilers, you can plan ahead and learn what you need to do to complete them all catch Spiritomb.

Otherwise, there are no restrictions on how fast you can complete A Spooky Message, so provided you fulfil the criteria of each stage, Spiritomb could be yours in no time at all. That said, though there's no 'difficult' steps, a few might take you some time to complete!

How to complete each of Spiritomb's 'A Spooky Message' quest steps

Here are all three steps and their rewards in A Spooky Message. Be wary of spoilers before continuing, if you are worried about learning what each objective entails before unlocking them.

'A Spooky Message' Step 1 of 3

• Catch 10 Ghost-type Pokémon - Duskull Pokémon encounter
• Make 8 Great Throws - 1080 XP
• Use 108 Berries to help catch Pokémon - Lickitung Pokémon encounter

Rewards for completing Step 1: 10x Poké Ball, 1080x Stardust, 8x Silver Pinap Berry

Note - A quick and easy way to complete this step is being able to use a Berry on a Pokémon, but then not catch them, which still counts towards your total!

'A Spooky Message' Step 2 of 3

• Catch 10 Dark-type Pokémon - Misdreavus Pokémon encounter
• Spin 8 PokéStops you haven't visited before - 1080XP
• Catch 108 Pokémon - Spiritomb Pokémon Encounter

Rewards for completing Step 2: 10x Poké Balls, 1080x Stardust, 8x Silver Pinap Berry

'A Spooky Message' Step 3 of 3

• Claim Reward - 1080XP
• Claim Reward - 1080XP
• Claim Reward - 1080XP

Rewards for completing Step 3: 18x Spiritomb Candy, 1080 Stardust.

The Dual Destiny Season is here! It brings the Holiday Part 1 event with it. 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.

Spiritomb stats and what else you need to know about Spiritomb in Pokémon Go

Spiritomb is an unusual Pokémon, featuring one of the most challenging catch methods in the main series games Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, and originally having no weaknesses to any types at all.

Now however, it does have one weakness - the more recently-introduced Fairy-type - but it still has the double-resistance to Normal and Fighting-type attacks in Pokémon Go, and a resistance to Poison, too.

While Legendary Pokémon are still the most powerful beasts to be caught in game through specific steps - and indeed the Mythical Pokémon like Mew and Celebi, that can only be acquired through similar Special Research, are stronger too - Spiritomb could still prove useful.

Spiritomb Stats for Pokémon Go

Like we said though, Spiritomb isn't the only Pokémon to be available through this Special Research method, so be sure to catch Mew and Gen 2's Celebi, too!