Pokemon GO: How to complete the TCG Crossover - Advanced Collection Challenge

A promotional image for the Pokemon GO x Pokemon TCG crossover (Image via Niantic)
A promotional image for the Pokemon GO x Pokemon TCG crossover (Image via Niantic)

There are several challenges that players can complete during the Pokemon GO TCG Crossover event.

Pokemon appearing in the upcoming TCG expansion based on the mobile title will be more frequent in the game during the crossover event. They are the focus of the challenges players are tasked with finishing.

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The toughest challenge of them all is the Advanced Collection Challenge. This requires players not only to catch some of the rarest creatures but to trade for some with a friend.

Here are all of the tasks players need to complete to finish the Advanced Collection Challenge:

  • Trade a Venusaur
  • Trade a Charizard
  • Trade a Blastoise
  • Catch a Snorlax
  • Catch a Slaking
  • Catch a Dragonite

It may seem simple, but getting a friend to trade their strong Kantonian starter evolutions or finding the three powerful Pokemon that need to be caught may be difficult.


How to trade in Pokemon GO

Trainers have to be close to one another to trade in Pokemon GO. Typically, within 100 meters will work, but the closer, the better. They will need plenty of Stardust to complete the trade.

The rarer or more powerful a Pokemon is, the more Stardust is needed to trade them. This amount can be lowered with a better Friendship status, which can be improved by battling together or sending each other Gifts.

Here is how to trade after ensuring the Pokemon are available, and the other trainer is within distance:

  • Reach Trainer Level 10
  • Open the Trainer Profile
  • Select the Friends tab at the top
  • Tap on the trainer that will be the trade partner
  • Press the Trade button to enter the trading screen
  • Select the Pokemon to trade, wait for the other trainer to do the same, and confirm

This will need to be done a few times to obtain all three Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard.


How to catch Snorlax, Slaking, and Dragonite

Once the trading has been completed, it is time to move on to catching the creatures needed for this Pokemon GO challenge. It might be difficult to come across Snorlax, Slaking, and Dragonite in the wild.

There are two guaranteed ways to encounter them during the event, however. Here's how:

  • All three have a chance to appear in 3-Star Raids
  • All three have a chance to be the encounter reward for completing the event-exclusive "Catch 40 Pokemon" Field Research task

Defeating a 3-Star Raid may give an encounter, but it doesn't mean a catch will be a sure thing. Take some friends to defeat these Pokemon in their Raids and hope they stay in the Poke Ball.

For the Field Research task, it can be obtained by spinning PokeStops and Gym dials during the event. Complete it, and one of those three will be the encounter given once it is turned in.


Rewards for completing the Advanced Collection Challenge

Once all six Pokemon have been obtained, either through trading or catching them outright, players can submit the Advanced Collection Challenge and reap the following rewards:

  • 10,000 XP
  • Meltan encounter

Meltan is a very rare and popular Pokemon. It also has a chance to be in its shiny form during the encounter from this Pokemon GO challenge.