Niantic released their new Pokemon Go Halloween event last night, providing new rewards and new research tasks.
And the – A Spooky Message – Pokemon Go challenge is currently one of the top bonuses players are trying to crack.
Many have already completed the tasks and unlocked the reward at the end, Spiritomb.
Spiritomb is just the latest Gen 4 Pokemon to be released and is only available to those who complete the new research tasks.
For those who are new to the game, Special Research is similar to Field Research but different in several ways.
Special Research cannot be obtained by spinning PokéStops but is something released by Niantic periodically.
Spiritomb is actually one of the first special research Pokemon that isn’t mythical but still requires some work to catch.
Trainers receive a reward for each Special Research task they complete, although, they only get to complete special research once.
The big prize is unlocking a Spiritomb encounter, as well as earning some candy for the ghost and dark type.
A Spooky Message comes in three parts, each part offering up rewards to the player.
A lot of the tasks are based around the number 10, 8 and 108, due to Spiritomb being made up of 108 spirits.
TASK 1 includes catching 10 Ghost-type Pokemon, making 8 Great Throws and using 108 berries to help catch Pokemon.
The good news is that feeding berries to Pokemon that runaway still count, so Trainers don’t have to worry about completing the catch.
Completing TASK 1 rewards players with 10 Pokeballs, 1080 Stardust, and 8 Silver Pinaps.
TASK 2 includes catching 10 Dark-type Pokemon, spinning 8 PokeStops you haven’t visited before and catching 108 Pokemon.
This is a pretty tough challenge as it means finding new PokeStops and finding 10 Dark-types, not an easy call.
Luckily, spawn rates of dark-types has been increased, so it’s worth doing this research during the Halloween event.
But players who have been playing Pokemon Go for a while may need to travel further afield to find those PokeStops they haven’t visited yet.
TASK 2 rewards are the same as TASK 1, with the added bonus of encountering Spiritomb.
The great news about TASK 3 is that it doesn’t actually include any challenges to complete.
Trainers simply need to catch Spiritomb and they will get to unlock the TASK 3 rewards automatically.
These include 18 Spiritomb candies and 1080 Stardust for the road.
Here are some of the other details from the latest Pokemon Go Halloween update, including a new raid boss and cosmetics to buy:
“Do you feel a change in the breeze? A chill down your spine? Pokémon GO Halloween is back for a spooky good time! Ghost-type and Dark-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region, such as Drifloon and Stunky, join in on the fun, which begins on October 23 at 1:00 p.m. PDT.
“And, because you can’t have tricks without any treats, Trainers will be able to earn double Candy for every Pokémon caught until November 1 at 1:00 p.m. PDT.
“During this event, it seems Professor Willow will need your help on some limited-time Special Research. He stumbled across an odd stone one day and has been experiencing strange happenings around his lab ever since!
“Could a Pokémon be causing this ruckus? Complete Special Research tasks and find out before whatever it is goes away! You’ll also be able to enjoy Field Research featuring Ghost-type and Dark-type Pokémon throughout the event.
“Plus, the Renegade Pokémon, Giratina, will make its first appearance in Raid Battles! This Ghost- and Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region has emerged from the Distortion World for an extended time, so challenge it before it leaves on November 20 at 1:00 p.m. PST!
“Feeling extra creepy and kooky? New avatar items featuring Ghost-type Pokémon are now available in the Style Shop! From a Drifloon Cap to a Gengar Backpack, you can show your love for these Pokémon all year round.”