Pokemon GO Legendary Heroes: Which Path To Choose? (Sword Or Shield)

The Pokemon GO Legendary Heroes event is here, and with its timed research comes a perilous dilemma: Should you take the Sword or Shield path? This choice doesn't just affect your Incense encounters, but it also gives you different research task rewards that are worth considering — particularly if your focus is primarily on PVP-viable teams.

Whatever your reason for tracking down certain Pokemon over others in the latest event of the Max Out season, below is everything you need to know to make an informed choice about which of the Sword and Shield Paths to take in Pokemon GO. This guide will go over the rarer shinies that you can potentially encounter during the event, as well as which creatures are the best for each of the main three PVP leagues.

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Pokemon GO: Max Out - All Featured & Exclusive Pokemon

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By  Grace Black

Should Players Choose The Sword Or Shield Path In Pokemon GO?

Much like the draw of 5-star raids being the chance to get a shiny Zacian, the path you choose in Pokemon GO could depend on which of the available creatures you want in its shiny form. Perhaps you have all the shiny Pokemon from the research in the Shield Path, but you don't have a shiny Swirlix from the Sword path? If so, your choice is relatively straightforward. You only have until October 1 at 8 PM local time to complete the timed research and find these Pokemon.

The rarer shinies in the Sword Path are likely Scraggy, Gothita, and Passimian, while the Shield Path's rare shinies are Solosis, Croagunk, and Oranguru. Larvitar and Deino were featured Pokemon in past Community Days, though these were quite some time ago, and thus they could be considered uncommon these days.

If you care about the Pokemon being shiny from the timed research, all six of the exclusive Pokémon in the research tasks are available in this form. However, Galarian Darumaka is the rarest one of the four as its debut event was furthest in the past. Each one has been a rare spawn or egg hatch with boosted odds.

Legendary Pokemon Incense spawns

Best PVP Pokemon In Sword Or Shield Path

Perhaps you don't care about shinies and instead wish for PVP-viable Pokemon to put onto your team? If you care about adding a new Dark-type Pokemon to your Great League team, go with the Shield Path. Mandibuzz is the #3 overall in the league currently, with an extremely effective combo of Snarl, Dark Pulse, and Aerial Ace.

Choosing this research gives you an encounter with a 3-star Vullaby if you reach the end, which could give you perfect PVP stats. It's also ranked #40 in the Ultra League. Out of the Incense spawns, the Shield Path's Oranguru is also viable in the Ultra League, as it's ranked #86 overall if it has Confusion, Brutal Swing, and Trailblaze.

That said, the best Pokemon in the Shield Path for the Master League is not as good as its Sword Path-based counterpart. Larvitar's final evolution, Tyranitar, is a decently ranked Master League choice, ranked #82 with the Smack Down, Brutal Swing, and Stone Edge move set. You can Mega Evolve Tyranitar as well, making it a more viable fighter than its regular form.

However, the Sword Path has Deino spawns, which evolves into Hydreigon. In the Master League, this Pokemon is ranked #34 with the move set Dragon Breath, Brutal Swing, and Flash Cannon.

Legendary Heroes Research Tasks & Rewards

• Step 1
  • Catch 8 Pokemon - Skwovet Encounter
    • Total Reward: 8 Pokeball, 800 XP, and 800 Stardust

Sword Path

• Step 2
  • Use 8 Berries to help catch Pokemon - Incense
  • Power up Pokemon 8 times - Koffing Encounter
  • Catch 8 Pokemon - 8 Great Ball
    • Total Rewards: Galarian Darumaka Encounter, 800 XP, and 800 Stardust

• Step 3
  • Explore 3km - 8 Razz Berry
  • Use an Incense - Deino Encounter
  • Catch 8 Pokemon - 8 Ultra Ball
    • Total Rewards: Rufflet Encounter, 800 XP, and 800 Stardust

Shield Path

• Step 2
  • Use 8 Berries to help catch Pokemon - Incense
  • Power up Pokemon 8 times - Koffing Encounter
  • Catch 8 Pokemon - 8 Great Ball
    • Total Rewards: Galarian Ponyta Encounter, 800 XP, and 800 Stardust

• Step 3
  • Explore 3km - 8 Razz Berry
  • Use an Incense - Larvitar Encounter
  • Catch 8 Pokemon - 8 Ultra Ball
    • Total Rewards: Vullaby Encounter, 800 XP, and 800 Stardust

Pokemon GO Legendary Heroes Catch challenges

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Pokémon GO

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Released

July 6, 2016

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Where to play

Close

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

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Developer(s)

Niantic

Publisher(s)

Niantic

Engine

Unity

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op

Cross-Platform Play

Yes

Cross Save

Yes

Franchise

Pokemon

Platform(s)

iOS, Android

Genre(s)

Augmented Reality, RPG

Platforms

ios, andriod

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