How to best prepare for Rayquaza Raid Hour in Pokemon GO on February 22

With the GO Tour: Hoenn global event on the horizon, Niantic is giving Pokemon GO players a chance to obtain some of the most popular creatures from the region via the new Primal Rumblings event. One of the most exciting parts of this event is the return of the Legendary Pokemon, Rayquaza.

While the community always welcomes an opportunity to acquire Rayquaza, Niantic took things further by making it the spotlight creature of their next Raid Hour. This occasion will drastically increase the likelihood of Rayquaza appearing in raid locations for an hour.

With the Raid Hour so close, many players will want to not only participate but also optimize how they spend the specified time. So how can trainers prepare for this event?

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the opinions of the writer

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Everything to know about Pokemon GO's upcoming Rayquaza Raid Hour

Official artwork for Pokemon GO featuring Rayquaza (Image via Niantic)

To participate in Raid Battles in Pokemon GO, players will need raid passes, which are some of the most valuable items in the game. Players can find one per day by spinning the photo disk located at every raid location. Alternatively, they can be purchased from the in-game shop.

Raid passes are offered at the exchange rate of $1 USD per ticket. Though it may seem like a small amount, the price can quickly add up if trainers keep finding subpar Rayquazas. However, if the average player just wants one Rayquaza for the purpose of Pokedex completion, this step is hardly necessary unless a previous raid attempt failed.

Another resource that players will need before the Raid Hour starts is medical consumables. Potions and Revives are crucial in Pokemon GO due to the changes from the main series' battle system. Every participant in a battle is guaranteed to take damage. With this in mind, players will need to heal their party eventually.

Potions and Revives can be purchased from Pokemon GO's in-app store (at the exchange of $1 USD per bundle of Max Potions or Max Revives). However, players can also find these items for free, albeit in a much shorter supply, by spinning any photo disk that they come across on their travels.

Finally, players will need some counter picks against Rayquaza once they enter a Raid Battle. Some of the best choices are bulky Pokemon that can hit Rayquaza for super effective damage. No candidate fits this exact description better than the Ice and Ground-type Pokemon, Mamoswine.

Players will also need a party to challenge these raids with. Since Rayquaza is a Five-Star Raid Boss, a team of five or more trainers should be present when challenging it. Players looking for a group are encouraged to use social media platforms or forum sites. There are bound to be tons of trainers looking for a raid party there.

The Rayquaza Raid Hour will take place on February 22, from 6:00 pm local time to 7:00 pm local time.