Best tips and tricks to get Zorua and Zoroark in Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO possesses some species that can be a real challenge to find and capture. Zorua and Zoroark, introduced in October 2022, may be among the trickiest as Zorua can transform into other Pocket Monsters and mimic them, like Ditto. Zoroark can only be obtained by evolving Zorua. However, there are a few things to help players snag these creatures.

For the most part, there aren't any ways to force Zorua to appear in Pokemon GO. Trainers simply have to trigger the in-game RNG in most cases, but the search can be made a little easier by flagging Zorua regardless of what form it takes.

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Recommendations for hunting Zorua and Zoroark in Pokemon GO

Use an atypical Buddy Pokemon

Zorua ties its transformation to a trainer's Buddy Pokemon (Image via Niantic)

As far as Pokemon GO is concerned, Zorua can only transform into whichever Pocket Monster a player is currently using as a buddy. Considering this case, trainers can react by using a Pokemon that wouldn't ordinarily appear in the wild, such as a legendary/mythical creature or a shiny.

Using a shiny is particularly effective as they normally don't appear on the map. So, seeing a shiny is a dead giveaway that the creature in question is Zorua in disguise. This method is a surefire way to flag Zorua no matter its form.

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Keep moving, but not too quickly

Pokemon GO refreshes creature spawns as trainers move (Image via Niantic)

If Pokemon GO fans are serious about finding a Zorua, they must keep moving while playing, as it allows the game to refresh Pokemon spawns as trainers make their way through the map. If players are spotting the same stale spawns in their area and aren't moving around much, it may be time to look to greener pastures.

However, it's important to note that trainers shouldn't move too quickly, as it will lock the game's spawning behavior and keep Zorua, or any other Pokemon, from appearing. So, it's best to keep the slow and steady pace of exploring on foot or by a slow-speed vehicle like a bike instead of zipping around in a car.

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Keep the Incense and Lure Modules handy

Incense and Lure Modules can coax Zorua out of hiding in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

Since Zorua is a wild spawn, anything capable of increasing the total number of spawns nearby is worth investing in. This means investing in Lure Modules and Incense, which can boost the spawn numbers around a Pokestop or trainer, respectively. Using them simultaneously can be particularly productive.

Combined with the use of a Legendary/Mythical/Shiny Pokemon as a player's buddy, it should become pretty clear right away when a Zorua spawns in the wild.

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Play during Halloween events

Pokemon GO's Halloween events tend to include Zorua (Image via Niantic)

By default, Zorua doesn't have a particularly high spawn rate in Pokemon GO. This factor changes substantially when the game is running a Halloween event. Due to its werewolf-like inspiration, Zorua first appeared the day after 2022's Halloween celebration, as well as this year's event.

Keeping an eye on the calendar until October and Halloween arrive is one sound way of improving one's chances of finding this elusive Pokemon, though it isn't ideal for trainers who aren't fans of waiting.

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Set Zorua as your buddy to help its evolution

Evolving Zorua can be made easier with the Buddy System in Pokemon GO (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Since Zorua doesn't appear all that often, when trainers have one, setting it as their buddy is an invaluable asset to get Zoroark. As a buddy, Zorua can pick up additional candies as players travel instead of requiring them to catch additional Zorua in the wild, making the candy-gathering process more consistent.

Fortunately, Zorua only requires 50 candies to evolve into Zoroark. Although catching additional Zorua in the wild and using Pinap Berries on them is still encouraged, keeping this Pokemon as a buddy will help speed up the process of evolving it into Zoroark in a more timely fashion compared to wild catches alone.