5 ways to excel at Pokemon GO Routes

Pokemon GO's latest event focuses on the new Routes mechanic, but many players have realized that they do not know how to get the most value from it. Such trainers may, therefore, not feel incentivized to give the feature a try. Thankfully, it is much easier to take advantage of than most gamers think.

Much like Routes in the main series, these paths aim to make finding wild Pokemon easier. A lot of strategies that players typically use to find more wild creatures in the past can be doubly applied for Routes.

So, what are some helpful tips that trainers should keep in mind when using Routes in Pokemon GO?

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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5 helpful tips for making the most of Pokemon GO's Routes

1) Gift exchanges

Official artwork for Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

Mateo is the newest character to arrive in Pokemon GO and is directly tied to the new Routes. After completing a Route, players may encounter Mateo, who will give them a choice between three gifts in exchange for one of their own. These gifts contain postcards from other regions, which can be very helpful for those looking to catch the many forms of Vivillon.

These gift exchanges can only be done once per day. This means that players located near Routes have no reason not to follow them at least once per day. Even those who do not care about collecting Vivillon can still earn some free items out of it.

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2) Gather Incense

Since players have to be constantly moving to complete their Route, the use of Incense is highly advised. These items are fairly common and can be obtained for free by spinning photo disks located at any Pokestop or Gym location. The Daily Adventure Incense can also be used once per day for free.

Given how common these items are, players will be missing out significantly if they do not use them. These items will greatly assist players looking for Shiny Pokemon during their experiences with Routes.

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3) Party up

Official artwork for Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

Players can earn more rewards by participating in Routes using the Party Play feature. Not only do Routes make doing party research tasks much easier, but playing with friends makes the journey that much more fun. Though this may be difficult for those in rural areas who may not have as many chances to play with their friends, urban players should always try to walk Routes with at least one additional trainer.

Playing with friends can make any game better. For this reason, the Party Play feature can make grinding events and Routes much more tolerable, especially for those who frequently grind the game. It is also a great way to earn some bonus rewards.

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4) Watch for Lure Modules

Lure Modules work very similarly to Incense in Pokemon GO. These items can be attached to Pokestops and Gyms rather than players. However, their spawn rate-boosting effect remains.

Since landmarks cannot remain mobile, Lure Modules are slightly more helpful as they do not require any movement to take effect. Out of courtesy, many players often place their Lure Modules around Routes as a way to make the time taken to complete one of them more worth it. These items are fairly common as they can be found in Photo Disks or purchased from the shop.

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5) Watch the weather

A screenshot from the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

While it is always wise to keep an eye on the forecast when going out in Pokemon GO, the weather in the mobile game plays a much greater role than many give it credit for. If players are looking to hunt a certain creature, they should wait for its optimal weather conditions.

Thanks to the Weather Boost mechanic, certain Pocket Monsters have a better chance of appearing in some weather conditions (depending on their type). As such, if trainers notice a creature or two is missing from their collection challenge or Pokedex, using weather to their advantage can make a huge difference.