Now Fennekin Fever: A Guide to May's Pokemon Go Community Day 2023

May’s Community Day in Pokemon Go is just around the corner, and this time it’s Fennekin’s turn to shine. Community Day is a highly anticipated event where a specific Pokémon spawns more frequently, shiny rates are boosted, and exclusive moves are available, alongside various other bonuses.

Fennekin, the charming Fox Pokémon, brings excitement for two main reasons. Firstly, it introduces yet another shiny starter Pokémon into the world of Pokémon Go. Secondly, following Chespin’s Community Day in January, it strongly suggests that we can expect a Froakie Community Day before the year ends. However, let’s not upset Fennekin by diverting the focus towards a Water-type Pokémon. So, getting back on track, this Community Day event enriches the move pool of Delphox, Fennekin’s final evolution, by adding two new moves.

Apart from the featured Pokémon, this event presents an excellent opportunity to catch a Fennekin with perfect IV stats (100%). If you manage to achieve this feat, it’s advisable to familiarize yourself with Delphox’s optimal moveset for battles and raids.

Even if Fennekin doesn’t particularly excite you this month, there are several other bonuses to motivate you to get out and explore. One beloved bonus is the double catch Candy, which allows you to earn twice the amount of Candy when capturing Pokémon during the event.

Achieving a Fennekin with perfect IV stats in Pokémon Go becomes a realistic possibility during May’s Community Day.

When it comes to Fennekin, the CP values that correspond to perfect 15/15/15 stats are as follows:

Level 30 (maximum CP in the wild): 881 CP
Level 35 (maximum CP with weather boost): 954 CP

For simplicity’s sake, we adhere to these values since Fennekin’s wild CP aligns with your Trainer Level until you reach Level 30. However, if you are below Level 30, the CP values will differ.

Determining perfect stats in Pokémon Go depends on your intended usage for the Pokémon.

For Master League battles and raids, perfect stats entail having 15/15/15—essentially the best possible stats a Pokémon can have. On the other hand, achieving perfection in Great League and Ultra League requires a different approach. The goal is to have low attack stats in exchange for high defense, with the CP being as close to the league’s cap as possible.

If you plan to utilize Delphox in the Go Battle League, you’ll need to consider the following stats:

A perfect Great League Delphox is 0/11/14, reaching CP 1499 at Level 18.5.
A perfect Ultra League Delphox is 1/15/15, reaching CP 2493 at Level 30.5.
A perfect Master League Delphox is 15/15/15, reaching CP 3459 at Level 50.

During this Community Day, two new moves are added to the move pool of Delphox, Fennekin’s final evolution. If you evolve a Braixen into Delphox within the event window, it will learn the Charged move Blast Burn. Additionally, Mystical Fire quietly makes its way into the move pool. Acquiring Mystical Fire, however, requires the use of a Charged TM, so the choice ultimately depends on your preferences and efforts.

Blast Burn boasts 110 power for 50 energy, while Mystical Fire offers 60 power for 45 energy (subject to potential adjustments by Niantic). Mystical Fire not only deals damage but also reduces your opponent’s attack power. It’s worth noting that both moves provide Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) and serve as improvements over the current Fire-type move choice, Flame Charge.

Fennekin, the beloved Gen 6 Pokémon, has an intriguing evolution chart. It evolves into Braixen and further evolves into Delphox.

Throughout the entire Fennekin line, Fire type is prevalent, but Delphox brings an additional Psychic typing, making it the sole Fire/Psychic Pokémon in Pokémon Go (with the exception of Victini, which can be considered functionally the same). While it would have been amusing to make Harry Pupper jokes due to Delphox’s magical burning wand, it’s worth noting that baby foxes are referred to as kits or cubs. Perhaps the opportunity for such humor will arise in the future.

For those interested in delving deeper into the Fennekin line, here are the official Pokédex entries for each Pokémon:

Fennekin: Eating a twig energizes Fennekin, and its large ears release air hotter than 390 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 199 degrees Celsius for those outside the US).
Braixen: It carries a twig in its tail, which it sets on fire with the friction from its fur. This fiery twig becomes its weapon during battles.
Delphox: By gazing into the flame at the tip of its branch, Delphox achieves a focused state that allows it to gain insights into the future.

During May’s Community Day event, which runs from 2pm to 5pm local time, Fennekin enthusiasts will have three hours to gather as much Fennekin Candy as possible. Rest assured, you shouldn’t have a shortage of Candy after this playtime. However, if you have limited availability, utilizing Pinap Berries or Silver Pinap Berries will double the amount of Candy you earn from catching Fennekin. Additionally, consider having a Mega Evolved Fire-type Pokémon, such as Mega Charizard, Mega Blaziken, or Mega Houndoom, to aid you in your Community Day adventure.

Delphox, the Fire/Psychic-type Pokémon, has received a significant boost in its moveset, making it a more viable option in Go Battle League.

Previously, Delphox’s main drawback was its lackluster Fire-type Charged attack. However, with the addition of not one, but two new moves, Delphox now has the potential to make a substantial impact. Let’s take a look at its complete move pool:

Delphox Fast Moves:

Fire Spin (Fire)
Zen Headbutt (Psychic)
Scratch (Normal)

Delphox Charged Moves:

Fire Blast (Fire)
Psychic (Psychic)
Flamethrower (Fire)
Flame Charge (Fire)
Blast Burn (Fire)
Mystical Fire (Fire)

Based on this move pool, the recommended best moveset for Delphox consists of Fire Spin (Fast), Psychic (Charged), and Mystical Fire (Charged).

All three moves benefit from Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB). When it comes to the two new moves, it’s advisable to choose the weaker one, Mystical Fire, as it not only deals damage but also weakens the opponent. This strategic approach has proven to be more effective in winning battles.

However, it’s important to note that Delphox’s overall performance is still hindered by its average stats. Nevertheless, when utilizing the recommended moveset, here’s how Delphox fares in each league:

Great League: Delphox does not perform as strongly as Victini in this league, so it is not highly recommended. Nevertheless, if you choose to use Delphox, it can secure victories against Abomasnow, Alolan Ninetales, Lucario, Magnezone, and Steelix. On the flip side, it will face defeats against Scrafty, Togedemaru, Trevenant, Shadow Beedrill, and Vigoroth. It’s a mixed bag of results, and Delphox may not be the optimal choice here.

Ultra League: Delphox shines the most in this league and becomes one of the top 20 Fire-type Pokémon. Although still not as powerful as Victini, it has more favorable matchups. Expect victories against Genesect, Virizion, Lucario, Registeel, and Cobalion. However, it will face defeats against Gliscor, Charizard, Togedemaru, and Shadow Steelix.

Master League: Delphox’s stats are not sufficient for it to compete effectively in this league. Notable victories include Cobalion and Genesect, but it will lose to Lugia and Zacian.

Discovering and catching shiny Pokémon is one of the most exciting aspects of any Community Day event. These events not only increase the shiny rate for the featured Pokémon but also introduce new shiny forms into the game. In the case of Fennekin, Braixen, and Delphox, all three of them are making their shiny debut during this Community Day!

To encounter a shiny Pokémon, you can either come across one in the wild during a catch encounter or earn it as a reward for completing activities such as defeating a Raid boss, hatching an Egg, or finishing a research task. Shiny Pokémon are easily distinguishable by their different coloration, sparkling effects at the beginning of the encounter, and the shiny icon displayed next to their names.

Take a look at the shiny forms of Fennekin and Delphox below:

(Include the images provided by Reddit user YelloWool)

The shiny variations of these Pokémon are both unique and share similarities across their evolution line.

Shiny Fennekin undergoes a striking transformation, trading its yellow fur for a sleek silver coat, resembling a silver fox. The hair in its ears darkens slightly from orange to a deeper red shade, while the whites and eyes remain unchanged.

Shiny Braixen maintains the whites and the characteristic ear adornment, but its fur takes on a luscious shade of purple instead of the original grey. It’s an aesthetically pleasing shiny variant that has garnered appreciation from trainers.

Shiny Delphox draws inspiration from both its pre-evolved forms. It retains the whites but adopts the silver color from shiny Fennekin, while the browns incorporate the purple hue seen in shiny Braixen, albeit in a darker shade. The result is an impressive shiny form that many trainers are eager to add to their collection.

If you have a shiny Fennekin, it’s advisable to wait until after the event to evolve it. You’ll have a five-hour window (until 10 pm local time) to evolve it into a shiny Delphox and obtain the exclusive move Aura Sphere. This allows you to focus on catching multiple shiny Fennekin during the event and accumulating enough Candy without the added pressure of evolving them immediately. Remember to check the stats of your shiny Fennekin as well, as it may have perfect IVs, further enhancing its battle potential!

Additional Fennekin Community Day Bonuses

Braixen Community Days in Pokémon Go always come packed with exciting bonuses, and Fennekin Community Day is no exception.

While increased spawns and shiny rates are standard bonuses for every Community Day, there are also rotating additional bonuses that make each event unique. These include double or triple catch Candy, extra Stardust, or increased XP gains.

Here is a comprehensive list of the bonuses you can expect during Fennekin Community Day:

Increased spawns: Fennekin will be more plentiful in the wild.
Increased shiny rate: The chances of encountering a shiny Fennekin will be boosted.
Double catch Candy: Each successful catch will reward you with double the usual amount of Candy.
Double chance to receive Candy XL: Trainers at Level 31 and above will have an increased likelihood of obtaining Candy XL when catching Pokémon. This bonus stacks with the effects of an active Level 3 Mega Evolved Pokémon.
3-hour Incense duration (excluding Adventure Incense): Incense items will last for three hours, attracting Pokémon to your location.
3-hour Lure duration (excluding Golden Lures): Lure Modules will last for three hours, attracting Pokémon to Pokéstops.
Photobombs: Taking snapshots of your buddy Pokémon can result in surprise encounters with Fennekin. You can experience this photobomb up to five times during the event and earn progress towards your Cameraman medal.
Field Research: Spinning Pokéstops will grant you event-exclusive tasks, similar to previous Community Day events. Examples of tasks include “Catch 3 Fennekin” for rewards like Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Stardust, or a Fennekin encounter.
Special Research: For a fee of $1.00 (or the equivalent in your local currency), you can participate in the exclusive Fennekin Special Research story, titled “Fur and Flames.”
Stickers: Event-themed stickers can be obtained by spinning Pokéstops, opening Gifts, or purchasing them from the in-game shop.
Additional Special Trade: You can make one extra Special Trade, with a maximum of two for the day (until 10 pm local time).
Reduced Stardust cost for trades: The Stardust cost for trades will be halved (until 10 pm local time).
Exclusive move: Evolving Braixen during the event or within five hours afterward will grant your Delphox the Charged attack Blast Burn (until 10 pm local time).
New move: Delphox can learn the Charged attack Mystical Fire starting from the beginning of the event. To ensure a chance of learning this move, wait until after 10 pm local time. Note that there is still a possibility that a Charged TM may be required to obtain this move.
Fennekin raids: After the three-hour Community Day event concludes, Trainers will have the opportunity to participate in four-star Raid Battles featuring Fennekin. Defeating Fennekin will cause it to spawn in a 300m radius around the Gym for 30 minutes. Please note that Remote Raid Passes cannot be used for these raids, and the Fennekin encountered will have the increased shiny rate that applied during the three-hour Community Day window.