Pokemon Go: All Mythical Pokemon & how to catch them

Daniel Megarry
Mythical Pokemon Mew and Meloetta appearing in Pokemon Go

Mythical Pokemon are some of the hardest creatures to catch in Pokemon Go, as they usually require you to complete specific tasks first. Here’s every Mythical in Niantic’s game so far, as well as details on how to get them.

While many Trainers see Legendaries as the ultimate prize in Pokemon Go, thanks to their powerful moves and impressive stats, they’re not too difficult to obtain as long as you have a solid team of counters to defeat them first in Raid Battles.

Mythicals, on the other hand, are often much harder to get as you’ll typically need to complete a Special Research story, which can only be obtained during special events. Also, most Mythicals can’t be traded, making them even rarer.

Below, you’ll find details about every Mythical that’s made its debut in Pokemon Go, how to catch them, and whether or not their Shiny variations are available yet.


Contents


All Mythical Pokemon in Pokemon Go

Here are all of the Mythicals that have made their debut in Pokemon Go so far:

Mythical Pokemon
How to Obtain Shiny Availability
Mew Mew A Mythical Discovery Special Research Yes
Celebi Celebi in Pokemon Go Distracted by Something Shiny Special Research Yes
Jirachi Jirachi A Thousand-Year Slumber Special Research Only during special events
Deoxys (Normal) Deoxys Normal Forme 5-Star Raid Battle Yes
Deoxys (Attack) Deoxys Attack Forme 5-Star Raid Battle No
Deoxys (Defense) Deoxys Defense Forme in Pokemon Go 5-Star Raid Battle No
Deoxys (Speed) Deoxys Speed Forme 5-Star Raid Battle No
Darkrai Darkrai 5-Star Raid Battle Yes
Victini Victini Investigate a Mysterious Energy Special Research No
Keldeo Keldeo in Pokemon Go Something Extraordinary Special Research No
Meloetta Meloetta The Melody Pokemon Special Research No
Genesect Genesect Pokemon Go 5-Star Raid Battle Yes
Hoopa (Confined) Hoopa  Misunderstood Mischief Special Research No
Hoopa (Unbound) Hoopa Unbound in Pokemon Go Mischief Unbound Special Research No
Meltan Meltan in Pokemon Go Meltan Mystery Box Only during special events
Melmetal Melmetal Evolved from Meltan Only during special events
Shaymin shaymin pokemon go Pokemon Go Fest 2022 Special Research “Grass and Gratitude” No
Diancie Diancie pokemon go Pokemon Go Fest 2023 Special Research No
Zarude Zarude in the Gen 8 Pokemon Go Pokedex Search for Zarude! Special Research No

How to catch Mythical Pokemon in Pokemon Go

The majority of Mythicals can only be caught in Pokemon Go after completing limited-time Special Research stories, although a small few (such as Darkrai) can be caught after defeating them in 5-Star Raid Battles, similar to Legendaries.

If you missed out on a previous Special Research story, the bad news is that there’s no way to claim them again. The good news is that Mythicals often reappear in future Special Research stories, although this can take years to happen.

As for Mythicals that need to be defeated in Raid Battles first, you’ll simply have to wait for them to return to 5-Star Raids. This can also take a while, so keep an eye on our Pokemon Go Raid Boss schedule, which is updated every month.

The main exception to this rule is Meltan, which can be caught by using a Mystery Box (we’ve got a guide to unlocking a Mystery Box right here). Then, you’ll need a whopping 400 Candy to evolve it into Melmetal.

What is the best Mythical in Pokemon Go?

Pokemon Go Deoxys Defense Forme
Deoxys in its Defense Forme is a solid choice for the Go Battle League.

One of the best Mythicals to spend your time powering up is Melmetal. Although it will take ages to evolve, it’s a great PvP choice for all three leagues in the Go Battle League, particularly the Master League.

Next, we’d recommend Deoxys (Defense Form) for the Great League and Ultra League. The other forms of Deoxys aren’t really worth your attention, as they simply don’t have any use in PvP or PvE.

Finally, it’s probably worth investing your time and resources into Darkrai, although instead of PvP, you’ll want to save this one for Raid Battles against powerful Ghost, Psychic, and Dark-type Pokemon.


Good luck catching those Mythicals! For more tips and tricks, check out some of our other Pokemon Go guides:

Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go | All upcoming Spotlight Hours | Current Raid bosses | All LegendariesArlo counters guide | Cliff counters guide | Giovanni counters guide | Sierra counters guide | Grunt counters guide | How to catch a Ditto | What are Strange Eggs? | Fastest way to get Best Buddy status | Pokemon Go catching tips | Pokemon Go promo codes

About The Author

Daniel graduated from university with a degree in Journalism and English Language, before spending five years at GAY TIMES covering LGBTQ+ news and entertainment. He then made the switch to video game journalism where he produces news, features, and guides for Pokemon, Fortnite, Nintendo, and PlayStation games. Daniel also has a passion for any games with queer representation.