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To Dynamax in Pokémon GO, bring an eligible Max Pokémon to a Max Battle at a Power Spot and fill the battle’s Max Meter by attacking. When the meter is full, your Pokémon Dynamaxes for three turns. To get your first Max Pokémon, complete the “To the Max!” Special Research or win a battle at a Power Spot and take the resulting encounter.

How to get a Dynamax Pokémon

Niantic says you can get your first Max Pokémon by completing the “To the Max!” Special Research or visiting your first Power Spot. To obtain a Power Spot boss, defeat it in a Max Battle; winning grants an encounter and a chance to catch it. Power Spot locations and available bosses change, so check the map and Nearby menu in your game.

Find a Power Spot

Power Spots appear on the map and in the Nearby menu. A spot’s listing can show its boss species, battle difficulty, remaining time, distance, and whether other Trainers are waiting. Spots may move or disappear, so the information is local and time-sensitive. See Niantic’s Power Spots help article for details.

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Win the encounter

Tap a Power Spot, spend the required Max Particles to enter, and choose a party of three Pokémon. At least one must be a Max Pokémon, and only Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon can participate. A standard Max Battle allows up to four Trainers to challenge the boss together. Victory awards items and an encounter with a chance to catch the boss; it does not guarantee a catch.

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How to trigger Dynamax in a Max Battle

  1. Join a Max Battle: Tap a Power Spot, pay the displayed Max Particle cost, and select three eligible Pokémon, including at least one Max Pokémon.
  2. Build the Max Meter: Use Fast Attacks, Charged Attacks, and dodges against the boss. Watch the meter at the top of the battle screen. Swipe toward energy that appears in the arena to fill it faster.
  3. Dynamax when the meter fills: Your Max Pokémon transforms for three turns. Use its Max Moves during that phase.

Dynamax is a Max Battle mechanic. A Max Pokémon can appear in ordinary form in other contexts, but Niantic says you cannot Dynamax or use Max Moves in Trainer Battles.

How Max Particles work

Max Particles are the resource used to enter Max Battles and train a Max Pokémon’s moves. Collect them by tapping the bubbles at Power Spots or while exploring, including through Adventure Sync. The Pokémon GO Help Center lists a limit of 800 Max Particles collected per day and a maximum of 1,500 held in the Item Bag; these are game limits and may change. Check the current Max Particles and Dynamax help article for the rules.

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The entry cost varies with the boss’s strength. Niantic’s instructions say particles are spent only after you successfully defeat the boss. If you lose, you can rejoin that battle before the Power Spot closes without paying the particles again.

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What to do with Max Moves

Max Pokémon can use three kinds of Max Move: Attack, Max Guard, and Max Spirit. Attack is a powerful charged move whose type depends on the Pokémon’s Fast Attack. Max Guard reduces damage, while Max Spirit restores some HP to the user and its allies. You can train these moves using Candy and Max Particles.

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  • There’s a Pikachu within your Pokémon GO Plus + that can sing you lullabies and act as your morning alarm; Pikachu grows friendlier the more you sleep, unlocking even more sounds!
  • Spin PokéStops or throw Poké Balls automatically in Pokémon GO for hands-free gameplay (and Great Balls and Ultra Balls can be thrown too!)

After a win, you can station one of the Pokémon from your battle party at the Power Spot. It can earn Candy and help future challengers by providing a damage bonus.

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Dynamax or Gigantamax: what’s the difference?

Feature Dynamax Gigantamax
Who can use it Eligible Max Pokémon Only certain species, and only rare eligible individuals of those species
Appearance and moves The Pokémon enlarges and gains access to Max Moves The Pokémon changes appearance and gets a unique Max Move
Battle size Up to four Trainers in a standard Max Battle Up to 20 Trainers in a Gigantamax Max Battle
Catch difficulty Varies by encounter Niantic says Gigantamax bosses are harder to catch

Gigantamax is therefore not an upgrade you can apply to any Max Pokémon: eligibility depends on both species and the individual Pokémon. See Niantic’s Gigantamaxing Pokémon help article for the official distinctions.

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What to check before you travel to a Power Spot

  • Confirm the spot and boss are still listed in your map or Nearby menu; locations and rotations can change.
  • Check the displayed battle difficulty, remaining time, and whether other Trainers are waiting.
  • Make sure you have the required Max Particles and a party of three that includes at least one Max Pokémon.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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