Shiny Pokemon GO Festival of Lights guide: Prepare for carpal tunnel

On Friday November 5, 2021 the Pokemon GO Festival of Lights begins, and Dedenne appears for the first time. Dedenne, the Antenna Pokemon, had not been available in Pokemon GO before the launch of this event. This launch does not include Shiny Dedenne, but some potential still exists for Shiny Pokemon elsewhere during this 9-day event.

As is sometimes the case with certain Pokemon GO events, I'd like to give you an early carpal tunnel warning. Because of the bonuses and features of this event, you will very likely find yourself motivated to tap and gesture across your smartphone display, repeating the same set of taps many, many times per day. Be careful!

Try to vary your movement and switch between tasks with this event, or you'll find your wrist and hand muscles giving you pain the likes of which you've never felt before. I warn you here, for this event, because this event includes a "45 Gifts per day" bonus. You'll also see "increased rewards" in Gifts during this event.

This event will deliver 2x Friendship level increases as well. If you've been waiting on exchanging Gifts and battling your best buddies in Pokemon GO to truly get those friendship levels blasting – now's the time!

During this Festival of Lights event, trainers around the world will see a collection of Lightning-type, Fire-type, or otherwise colorful and/or celebration-themed Pokemon more frequently in the wild. Among these are the following Pokemon that do not have Shiny versions in the game yet: Slugma, Tynamo, Cottonee, Fennekin, Litwick, and Dedenne. Also note: Dedenne does not evolve – this Pokemon is an as-is sort of monster.

Wild spawn Pokemon that'll appear during this event with the potential to be Shiny Pokemon include: Pikachu, Electrike, Blitzle, Whismur, Magnemite, and the rarest of the bunch: Darumaka.

If you're hatching newly-acquired 7km eggs in the game, you'll find Vulpix, Budew, Magby, Chinchou, Pichu, and Alolan Geodude hatching forth. All of these Pokemon have the potential to appear as Shiny Pokemon.

Field Research rewards include encounters with Litleo, Dedenne, and an array of Pokemon that have Shiny potential: Vulpix, Magnemite, Electabuzz, Darumaka, Blitzle, Electrike, and Magmar.

Raids will include 1-star Pokemon Charmander, Vulpix, Chinchou, Litwick, and Dedenne. The 3-star raid Pokemon appearing during this event include Bellossom, Magmar, Electabuzz, and Alolan Raichu. The big bosses, the 5-star Pokemon in raid battles during this event include Virizion, Terrakion, and Cobalion, each of whom will known the "exclusive move" Sacred Swoard if captured during this event.

This event's Mega Raids will include the most strange pyramid-head-looking Pokemon in the universe: Mega Manectric. Such spikes, with the potential for Shiny Pokemon capture. The same goes for every other Raid Pokemon during this event, save Bellossom and Litwick.

If you live in India, you'll see additional celebratory bonuses. On November 7 from 4PM to 7PM local time, trainers in India will get 2x Catch Candy from the capture of any Pokemon. Trainers in India will also see a significant increase in wild spawn frequency for Blitzle and Dedenne during that time.

The in-game shop will have a free Festival of Lights t-shirt – make sure you claim said shirt during the event. There'll also be some not-free items with a Dedenne-inspired theme.