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Pokémon Go Dynamax mechanics revealed in early launch – here's how they work

Originally posted on Video Games on SI | By Oliver Brandt | Last updated Sep 4, 2024 6:10 AM ET

Dynamax Pokémon are starting to roll out in Pokémon Go, with the feature now live in a number of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and many countries in Asia. While Max Battles aren’t available yet, players can now start collecting Max Particles and catch a few Dynamax Pokémon along the way.

In this guide we’ll go over everything you need to know about how the Dynamax mechanic works in Pokémon Go, including how to collect Max Particles and how to catch your first Dynamax Pokémon.

Pokémon Go: How to get Max Particles

Max Particles (MP) are a new resource in Pokémon Go that allows you to power up your Dynamax Pokémon and compete in Max Battles. They can be collected in one of two ways: by visiting Power Spots, or by walking.

Power Spots are new PokéStop-like structures in the world, and thankfully they don’t take over or replace Stops or Gyms. Instead, it seems like most Power Spots are tied to locations like shops, businesses, and churches — essentially, places that wouldn’t necessarily be eligible to be turned into Stops, but are generally accessible in some way to the public.

Niantic / GLHF

When you visit a Power Spot, you can click on the structure to be brought to a screen that allows you to obtain Max Particles, for which you’ll gain 120 MP per Spot. It seems like each Spot can only give out MP once per day, and Power Spots are listed on the newly-upgraded nearby page.

Walking also lets you earn Max Particles, with 300 MP being given for every 2km walked. You can only earn 800 MP per day, but if you’re below that when you claim your walking MP or MP from a Power Spot you’ll be able to go above that limit. You can also only store 1000 MP at a time, but the same caveat applies.

Pokémon Go: How to catch Dynamax Pokémon

Right now, Dynamax Pokémon aren’t available in the wild, but the tooltip for Power Spots says that they will appear at Power Spots at some point in the future. This looks like it will behave similarly to raids, where players can battle against Power Spot Bosses in Max Battles, and then catch those Pokémon after successfully defeating them. The game also says that visiting a Power Spot can spawn a Pokémon, and that “Dynamax Pokémon might even appear if there are Gigantamax Pokémon placed at the Power Spot,” alluding to the ability to leave Pokémon at Spots to help other trainers and earn Candy.

That said, there are ways to get some Dynamax Pokémon early. Currently we’ve found two methods. The first is a Dynamax Wooloo, which is a reward for completing the first stage of the To the Max! special research quest. The second method is by maxing out the MP counter to 1000, which will also at this stage spawn a Dynamax Wooloo.

Niantic / GLHF

Catching these Dynamax Pokémon is similar to catching any other Pokémon, and you’re able to use your own Poké Balls rather than just Premier Balls like raids. After catching a Dynamax Pokémon, you can see its Dynamax form on its page in the Pokémon list, where you can also upgrade its Max Moves using MP, Candy, and XL Candy.

There is no way as of yet to turn owned Pokémon into Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon.