5 Pokemon GO January Community Day Classic candidates that would have been better than Ralts

Niantic has announced Ralts as the featured highlight for the Pokemon GO Community Day Classic, scheduled for Saturday, January 25, 2025, from 2 pm to 5 pm local time. While Ralts is a fan-favorite due to its potential evolution into Gallade or Gardevoir, many trainers feel underwhelmed by the selection. Although it has been quite some time since Ralts was featured in a Community Day (2019), it remains relatively easy to encounter in the wild, making its selection less thrilling compared to many other potential candidates.

Given that Community Day Classic events are meant to rekindle nostalgia while offering strong gameplay utility, here are five Pokemon that would have been better picks than Ralts.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

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5 better candidates than Ralts for the Pokemon GO January Community Day Classic

1) Totodile

Totodile as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Feraligatr, Totodile's final evolution, is a PvP powerhouse in the Great and Ultra Leagues when it knows the exclusive move, Hydro Cannon. With its Water typing and solid stat distribution, Feraligatr performs exceptionally well against many meta-relevant picks.

Additionally, Totodile’s Shiny form is still relatively rare for many players, making it a highly desirable Community Day Classic candidate. Totodile last had its Community Day on January 12, 2019, making this starter a more desirable candidate than Ralts.

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2) Dratini

Dratini as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Dratini is a perennial favorite among trainers due to its final evolution, the mighty Dragonite. The latter, especially with Dragon Breath and Outrage, is one of the most versatile critters in Pokemon GO, excelling in both PvP and PvE.

While Dratini has had multiple events in the past, including a Community Day Classic in 2022, many newer players missed out on catching or powering up a strong Dragonite. Featuring Dratini again would give those players an opportunity to compete effectively in Master League and raid content.

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3) Gible

Gible as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Few Pokemon generate as much excitement as Gible. Its evolution, Garchomp, is one of the most dominant Ground- and Dragon-types in the game. With access to its signature move, Earth Power, during Community Days, Garchomp becomes a raid beast and a Master League staple.

While Gible had its own Community Day in 2021, its Shiny form remains highly coveted, and many trainers are still hunting for high-IV versions. A Gible Community Day Classic would not only attract hardcore players but also newer trainers eager to strengthen their raid and PvP rosters.

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4) Machop

Machop as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Machamp, the final evolution of Machop, is a PvP and PvE legend. With its excellent Fighting-type moves like Counter and Dynamic Punch, Machamp tears through opponents in the Great League, Ultra League, and raids.

Machop had its Community Day in January 2021, but Fighting-type Pokemon remains in high demand due to its utility in Team GO Rocket battles and raids. A Machop Community Day Classic would have been an excellent way to kickstart the year with a practical and battle-ready Pokemon.

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5) Deino

Deino as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Deino’s evolution, Hydreigon, is a must-have Pokemon for Dark- and Dragon-type roles. When it knows Brutal Swing, Hydreigon is a raid star, capable of countering many Psychic- and Ghost-type bosses with ease.

Deino is also known for its elusive Shiny form, which remains one of the rarest among Community Day Pokemon. Featuring Deino in a Community Day Classic would generate significant excitement among players who missed its original event in 2022.

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Ralts is undoubtedly popular and the utility of both Gardevoir and Gallade in Pokemon GO is fairly impressive. However, the CD move, Synchronoise, leaves a lot to be desired. Moreover, the Mega Gallade Raid Day on January 11, 2025, will give players ample opportunity to farm Candy.

The other creatures are relatively rarer yet highly useful. January 2025's Community Day Classic could have been a fantastic opportunity to revisit some of Pokemon GO’s most impactful Pokemon, such as Totodile or Gible.

While Ralts is still a solid choice for newer players, it lacks the broader appeal and competitive impact of the alternatives. Hopefully, Niantic will take these factors into account when planning future Community Day Classic events.

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Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:

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• Buddy Evolution Adventure Together guide
• Best Fast Attacks in the game
• Sierra counters
• Cliff counters
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• Giovanni counters
• Team GO Rocket Grunts
• Pokemon Go Evolution Calculator
• Pokemon Type Calculator