Pokemon GO's Season of Mischief brought no shortage of remarkable events and exciting Pokemon encounters to the mobile game, but in spite of everything it poured into the event, Niantic doesn't plan on taking a break. The ending of the Season of Mischief is also the immediate beginning of the next Pokemon GO season: the Season of Heritage. The event's storyline is pretty mysterious for now, involving a large locked door that Professor Willow has newly discovered, but Niantic has shared quite a few details about the Season of Heritage's special bonuses and objectives already. There's a lot for trainers to do.
The Season of Heritage will get its first event almost immediately. A Swinub Incense Day starring Ice- and Ground-type Pokemon will help kick off the first week of the season. It'll also get its first Community Days on December 18 and 19, with more Community Days to come on January 16 and February 12. On top of that, Pokemon GO Tour: Johto will wrap up the Season of Heritage's events on February 26 and 27, presumably by bringing Johto Pokemon to the forefront of the game. These are only the Season's events, though; the Season of Heritage has tons of other long-term objectives and bonuses for Pokemon GO players to enjoy.
The Season of Heritage's Pokemon Encounters
As fans might expect, the Season of Heritage will change what Pokemon spawn in Pokemon GO to match the real-world changing seasons, as well as the Season of Heritage's themes. However, the new Pokemon spawns are divided up between different biomes and geographic regions, so Pokemon GO players have a little exploring to do.
- Cities: Porygon, Snubbull, Glameow, Bronzor, Lillipup, Trubbish, Solosis
- Forests: Caterpie, Taillow, Croagunk, Joltik, Ferroseed, Karrablast, Shelmet
- Mountains: Clefairy, Aerodactyl, Teddiursa, Meditite, Numel, Hippopotas, Munna
- Bodies of Water: Psyduck, Lapras, Wingull, Barboach, Finneon, Feebas, Bidoof
- Northern Hemisphere: Delibird, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Cottonee, Vanillite, Winter Form Deerling
- Tangela, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Carvanha, Combee, Summer Form Deerling
Season of Heritage Egg Hatches
It's not just wild Pokemon spawns that'll change in the Season of Heritage. Each Egg in a Pokemon GO player's inventory now has a new pool of potential Pokemon to spawn, including some pretty rare and valuable monsters.
- 2km Eggs: Poliwag, Bellsprout, Swinub, Meditite, Barboach, Swablu, Bunnelby
- 5km Eggs: Onix, Azurill, Happiny, Munchlax, Snover, Froakie, Hippopotas
- 10km Eggs: Audino, Darumaka, Mienfoo, Rufflet, Espurr, Goomy, Noibat
- 5km Adventure Sync Eggs: Cranidos, Shieldon, Frillish, Skrelp, Clauncher, Dedenne
- 10km Adventure Sync Eggs: Dratini, Bagon, Beldum, Riolu, Deino, Noibat
Team Leader Monthly Bonuses and Timed Research
One particularly special feature of the Season of Heritage is a series of Timed Research events starring each of the Pokemon GO team leaders, who'll offer special monthly bonuses and Timed Research during their respective months. Team Mystic's Blanche kicks off the season during December, granting players double Stardust on their first Pokemon catch of the day while asking players to collect a certain total of Stardust during the month for the following rewards.
- 500 Stardust: 10 Poke Balls
- 1,000 Stardust: 10 Razz Berries
- 3,000 Stardust: A Rhyhorn encounter
- 6,000 Stardust: 15 Pinap Berries
- 10,000 Stardust: An Onix encounter
- 15,000 Stardust: 25 Poke Balls
- 20,000 Stardust: 15 Nanab Berries
- 30,000 Stardust: A Staryu encounter
- 40,000 Stardust: 20 Great Balls
- 50,000 Stardust: 2 Silver Pinap Berries
- 60,000 Stardust: An Alolan Exeggutor encounter
- 70,000 Stardust: 25 Ultra Balls
- 85,000 Stardust: A Deino encounter
- 100,000 Stardust: 5,000 XP
- 120,000 Stardust: 1 Lucky Egg and a Deino Hat Avatar Item
Once January rolls around, Team Instinct's leader Spark will offer new Timed Research to players who pre-purchase tickets for Pokemon GO Tour: Johto, this time asking players to earn as much XP as they can. Spark will also double the XP bonus of each first catch of the day.
- 1,000 XP: 15 Poke Balls
- 6,000 XP: 1 Lure Module
- 15,000 XP: A Cranidos encounter
- 25,000 XP: 15 Razz Berries
- 35,000 XP: 25 Poke Balls
- 47,500 XP: A Porygon encounter
- 60,000 XP: 20 Great Balls
- 70,000 XP: 15 Pinap Berries
- 90,000 XP: A Shedinja encounter
- 110,000 XP: 25 Ultra Balls
- 130,000 XP: A Togetic encounter
- 150,000 XP: 3 Golden Razz Berries
- 175,000 XP: A Goomy encounter
- 200,000 XP: 2,500 Stardust
- 240,000 XP: 1 Star Piece and a Goomy Hat Avatar Item
Finally, Team Valor's Candela will offer a third set of bonuses in February as another Pokemon GO Tour: Johto pre-purchase exclusive. Candela's Timed Research wants players to catch as many Pokemon as possible while empowering Egg hatches with extra Candy XL and double XP gains.
- 15 Pokemon Caught: 20 Poke Balls
- 35 Pokemon Caught: 1 Incense
- 55 Pokemon Caught: A Krabby encounter
- 80 Pokemon Caught: 15 Razz Berries
- 105 Pokemon Caught: 15 Great Balls
- 135 Pokemon Caught: A Gligar encounter
- 165 Pokemon Caught: 15 Nanab Berries
- 200 Pokemon Caught: A Primeape encounter
- 235 Pokemon Caught: 2 Silver Pinap Berries
- 275 Pokemon Caught: A Galarian Zigzagoon encounter
- 315 Pokemon Caught: A Pupitar encounter
- 365 Pokemon Caught: 3 Golden Razz Berries
- 425 Pokemon Caught: A Noibat encounter
- 500 Pokemon Caught: 5,000 XP
- 600 Pokemon Caught: 1 Remote Raid Pass and a Noibat Hat Avatar Item
Season of Heritage's Overarching Bonuses
Beyond the special Pokemon encounters and the Team Leaders' Research, there are also slightly different Seasonal Bonuses that'll be active for the next three months. Incense power is increased, and it's even stronger while players are walking. Players fighting in Raids remotely still deal increased damage, and PokeStops are guaranteed to drop Gifts. Additionally, trading Pokemon grants increased Candy during the season and it's guaranteed to give trainers Candy XL.
Players should keep their eyes on Pokemon GO in the coming months. Just like how many events tied into Season of Mischief, there's no doubt that Niantic is already planning some surprises that involve the new storyline it's weaving. The Dragonspiral Descent event coming on December 7 and December Raids featuring Zekrom, Reshiram, and Kyurem suggest Unovan Pokemon might impact the Season of Heritage, but Pokemon Legends: Arceus seems to influence the season's aesthetics too. In these early days of a season, it's never easy to predict what awaits Pokemon GO fans, but Niantic seems to have some exciting things in mind.
Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS devices.