Pokemon GO Sparring Partners Raid Day overview: Best tips and tricks

The Pokemon GO Sparring Partners Raid Day will take place from 2 - 5 pm local time on Sunday, April 13, 2025. The event marks the return of Mega Heracross and highlights creatures like Hariyama in three-star raids and Scraggy in one-star raids.

This article covers all the features and bonuses of the Pokemon GO Sparring Partners Raid Day as well as the best tips and tricks to make the most out of it.

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Pokemon GO Sparring Partners Raid Day features and bonuses

Features

The following raids will be available:

• Mega Heracross in Mega Raids
• Hariyama in three-star raids
• Scraggy in one-star raids

The Fighting-type Charged Attack Upper Hand will be available for the first time during the event. It has the following stats:

• Trainer Battles: 70 power and a chance to lower the opposing target's Defense by one stage
• Gyms and raids: 50 power

Heracross, Hariyama, and Scraggy will learn this attack. It is still not confirmed if Scrafty — Scraggy's evolved form — will retain this move.

Bonuses

• Remote Raid Pass limit will increase to 20 from Saturday, April 12, at 5 pm to Sunday, April 13, 2025, at 8 pm PDT.
• Receive up to five additional free Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs (for a total of six).
• Increased chance of encountering Shiny Heracross, Hariyama, and Scraggy from Raids.

Other than this, there will be one free and one paid Timed Research quest during the Sparring Buddies event.

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Best tips and tricks for Pokemon GO Sparring Partners Raid Day

Prepare teams to counter

All three creatures featured in the event are weak to Fairy-type damage. Therefore, if you want a one-team-solution, that's the way to go. If not, a Flying-type team is best against Mega Heracross, while Scraggy succumbs easily to Fairy damage. Against Hariyama, you can use Fairy-, Flying-, or Psychic-type creatures.

Mega evolve a Mega Gallade

Mega Gallade is your best friend for the Pokemon GO Sparring Partners Raid Day. It has access to Charm, which will be super-effective against all enemies. It also gives you the additional Candy bonus when capturing any of these creatures due to its part-Fighting-type.

Use a Star Piece

Raid Day events like these are great opportunities to farm Stardust. Crack open a Star Piece and combine it with Origin Dialga's Roar of Time to maximize the gains.

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In other news, the details of the Pokemon GO Fest 2025 have been announced.

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