Pokemon GO Mega Evolution guide: How to get Mega Energy, how to Mega Evolve, and more

Mega Evolution in Pokemon GO, introduced in August 2020, refers to a powerful transformation a creature undergoes, boosting almost all of its stats. This is not a permanent transformation. In the main series games, it lasts for the duration of a battle and must be triggered using special items. In Pokemon GO, Mega Evolution takes place using Mega Energy specific to the Pocket Monster and lasts for eight hours.

In the Pokemon franchise, Mega Evolutions were first introduced in Pokemon X and Y, with new Mega Evolutions being introduced again during the Omega Ruby-Alpha Sapphire era.

This article covers everything you need to know about Mega Evolutions in Pokemon GO.

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How Mega Evolution works in Pokemon GO

To Mega Evolve a creature in Pokemon GO, you must select a creature capable of this mechanic and collect the resource—Mega Energy—needed to trigger the process.

Some Mega Evolved Pokemon in Pokemon GO (Image via TPC)

List of Pokemon that can Mega Evolve in Pokemon GO

1. Mega Venusaur
2. Mega Charizard X
3. Mega Charizard Y
4. Mega Blastoise
5. Mega Beedrill
6. Mega Pidgeot
7. Mega Alakazam
8. Mega Slowbro
9. Mega Gengar
10. Mega Kangaskhan
11. Mega Pinsir
12. Mega Gyarados
13. Mega Aerodactyl
14. Mega Ampharos
15. Mega Steelix
16. Mega Scizor
17. Mega Heracross
18. Mega Houndoom
19. Mega Tyranitar
20. Mega Sceptile
21. Mega Blaziken
22. Mega Swampert
23. Mega Gardevoir
24. Mega Sableye
25. Mega Mawile
26. Mega Aggron
27. Mega Medicham
28. Mega Manectric
29. Mega Altaria
30. Mega Banette
31. Mega Absol
32. Mega Glalie
33. Mega Salamence
34. Mega Latias
35. Mega Latios
36. Mega Rayquaza
37. Mega Lopunny
38. Mega Garchomp
39. Mega Lucario
40. Mega Abomasnow
41. Mega Diancie
42. Mega Gallade
43. Mega Audino

Each of these creatures needs a certain amount of Mega Energy to evolve for the first time. This ranges from 100 (Pidgeot, Slowbro, etc.) to 200 (starters) to 300 (Gyarados, Altaria, etc.).

Once you have the required amount of Mega Energy, you can Mega Evolve the creature from your party by simply clicking on the button in your creature's card in your party. After this, the Pocket Monster will remain in this state for eight hours. Only one creature can be Mega Evolved at once.

Once the timer expires or a creature is forced to return to its regular state, a short cooldown period is applied. If you wish to Mega Evolve the same critter during this period, you must expend more Mega Energy. Otherwise since April 2022, the second time onwards the process can be repeated for free.

You can check our Pokemon Go Evolution Calculator to learn what your Pokemon's CP will be post the transformation.

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Things to remember when exploring Mega Evolution in Pokemon GO

• You can Mega Evolve only one creature at a time. If another Pokemon is Mega Evolved, the initial one will return to its base form, and its cooldown period will start.
• You can also Mega Evolve Pokemon in a raid lobby.
• Shadow and Clone beasts cannot undergo Mega Evolution.
• Purified critters can undergo Mega Evolution.
• Mega Evolved beasts cannot defend Gyms.
• You cannot use Mega Pokemon in trainer battles, unless it is the Master League: Mega Evolution Edition.
• Mega evolved Pokemon cannot take part in Max Battles.

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How to get Mega Energy in Pokemon GO

Win Mega Raids

This is the best way of getting Mega Energy in the game. Every time you defeat a beast in Mega Raid, you will earn about 100-300 Mega Energy specific to the creature. The specific numbers depend on the time you took to achieve the feat, and are as follows:

Time take to complete Mega Raid	Mega Energy Received
0:00 - 0:30	250
0:31 - 1:15	225
1:16 - 2:30	200
2:31 - 3:45	175
3:46 - 5:00	150

Research Tasks

You can, at times, get Mega Energy by completing Field Research, Timed Research, or Special Research tasks.

Walk as a buddy

You set a Pocket Monster capable of Mega Evolution in Pokemon GO as your Buddy and walk with it for it to collect Mega Energy. You can walk any critter in the evolutionary line of that creature to gain Mega Energy specific to that species.

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Pokemon GO Mega Evolution: Damage boost, cost reduction, and candy bonuses

When Mega Evolved Pokemon take part in raid battles, attacks used by other trainers that share the same type as the Mega receive a 30% damage boost. Other types of attacks receive a 10% boost.

Every time you Mega Evolve a Pokemon, you increase its Mega Level. Ones with higher Mega Levels have a reduced Mega Energy cost and provide better bonuses. These bonuses include XP and Candy when catching a same-type Pokemon and any Pokemon from defeating a raid.

Mega Level	How many times Mega Evolved	Cooldown Period (in days)	Reduction in Mega Energy Cost	Mega Evolved bonuses
0	0	14	100%	1 extra Catch Candy
Base Level	1	7	20%	1 extra Catch Candy
High Level	7	5	10%	1 extra Catch Candy10% extra Candy XL chance50 extra XP
Max Level	30	3	5%	2 extra Catch Candies25% extra Candy XL chance100 extra XP

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With the release of Pokemon Legends: Z-A around the corner, a bunch of new Mega Evolutions will come to the game, creating potential avenues for newer innovations in the mobile game.

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Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:

• Ditto disguises
• Buddy Evolution Adventure Together guide
• Best Fast Attacks in Pokemon GO
• Sierra counters
• Cliff counters
• Arlo counters
• Giovanni counters
• Team GO Rocket Grunts
• Pokemon Type Calculator