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How to get Popplio in Pokemon GO, and can it be shiny?

By Samir Dhakal
Modified Aug 28, 2024 05:49 GMT
Methods to obtain Popplio in Pokemon GO, and can Popplio be shiny?
Popplio in Pokemon GO (Image via TPC/Niantic)

There are many ways players can get their hands on Popplio and Shiny Popplio in Pokemon GO. These Water-type Pokemon from the Alola region are in high demand in the community. Developer Niantic introduced the regular variant of Popplio as part of the Welcome to Alola event on March 1, 2022. Shiny Popplio makes its debut in the game during the Community Day event on August 31, 2024.

This article covers everything you need to know about how you can obtain the standard and shiny variants of Popplio in Pokemon GO.

Popplio in Pokemon GO: How to get it, weaknesses, and counters

Popplio, as seen in the game (Image via TPC)
Popplio, as seen in the game (Image via TPC)

You can choose any one of the following ways to obtain Popplio in Pokemon GO:

  • Catch Popplio in the wild
  • Hatch Eggs (not reliable)
  • Beat Raid Battles
  • Complete Research Tasks
  • Take GO Snapshot
  • Win GO Battle League (not reliable)
  • Trade

1) Catch Popplio in the wild

Popplio’s spawn rate is boosted in Rainy weather. If you go to the places that experience this condition, you can encounter and catch the critter in the wild.

You can use weather forecasting applications to find out which locations have Rainy weather in your vicinity.

Moreover, you can activate a Lure Module or Incense to turn on the lure effects and attract Pokemon that spawn in certain weather conditions to your location. While the former item can be attached to a PokeStop, you have to use the latter on yourself.

2) Hatch Eggs

You can find Popplio by hatching Pokemon eggs. However, note that you cannot depend on this method, as Niantic has only featured the critter in eggs once over the course of years.

Popplio may come back to 5 KM Pokemon eggs again in the future because it was available in them from March 1, 2022, to June 1, 2023.

3) Beat Raid Battles

Since Popplio is a single Water-type creature, it is automatically 160% weak to Electric- and Grass-type moves. You can teach these attacks to your Pocket Monsters to defeat Popplio in Pokemon GO.

However, you need to make sure that you pick the proper set of Pokemon to face Popplio. This is because you want to increase the damage output of Electric- and Grass-type moves significantly.

Counters to beat Popplio in Raid Battles:

  • Mega Sceptile: Bullet Seed and Frenzy Plant
  • Kartana: Razor Leaf and Leaf Blade
  • Zekrom: Charge Beam and Fusion Bolt
  • Shadow Raikou: Thunder Shock and Wild Charge
  • Xurkitree: Thunder Shock and Discharge
  • Zarude: Vine Whip and Power Whip
  • Shadow Zapdos: Thunder Shock and Thunderbolt

Also Read: 5 things to look forward to in Pokemon GO Max Out

4) Complete research tasks

Popplio, as seen in the anime (Image via TPC)
Popplio, as seen in the anime (Image via TPC)

When research tasks are completed, trainers are rewarded with different kinds of in-game items and Pokemon encounters.

If you happen to find one that offers an encounter with a Popplio in Pokemon GO, you can finish it to get the creature.

5) Take GO Snapshot

In the past, you could capture a GO Snapshot and earn an encounter with Popplio. The Alola to Alola event made this Water-type Pokemon encounterable to trainers when they took in-game photographs of Pocket Monsters.

6) Win GO Battle League (GBL)

During the sixth season of Interlude in Pokemon GO, Niantic provided trainers the opportunity to obtain Popplio by securing wins in the GO Battle League mode.

You cannot get this Pokemon’s encounter right now, but you may be able to do so when it returns to the game via GBL rewards.

7) Trade

The last way to obtain Popplio in Pokemon GO would be to trade with your friends. If they have an extra Popplio to share with you, you can obtain it by performing a trade within a 100-meter distance.

Remember, both friends will need Stardust in their accounts to complete the trade.

Also Read: When are Shiny Skwovet and Shiny Wooloo coming to Pokemon GO?

Every known way to obtain Shiny Popplio in Pokemon GO

You can obtain Shiny Popplio in Pokemon GO using the following methods:

  • Catch Shiny Popplio in the wild
  • Win Raid Battles
  • Hatch Eggs
  • Complete Research Tasks
  • Trade

Check out our other Pokemon GO guides: