How Rare is Keldeo in Pokémon GO?

Keldeo has an exceptionally low catch rate of just 3% – one of the absolute rarest Pokémon available in Pokémon GO. With limited availability and high demand from players, catching this elusive Mythical horse takes tremendous luck and effort. This comprehensive guide will break down everything you need to know about snagging this unique monster.

An Introduction to Keldeo

Before diving into specifics, let‘s look at Keldeo‘s background. Originating in the Unova region, Keldeo is classified as a Colt Pokémon and is the fourth member of the Swords of Justice legendaries – along with Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion.

Keldeo‘s appearance pulls inspiration from the mythical Qilin creature in Chinese mythology, giving it a regal unicorn-like look. It evolves from ordinary form to its Resolute form after learning the special move Secret Sword.

In the Pokémon franchise lore, only Keldeo can learn Secret Sword. This move allows it to transform and join its fellow Sword of Justice members. secretion and resolution combination.

Obtaining the Mythical Keldeo in Pokémon GO

As a Mythical Pokémon, Keldeo‘s availability has been extremely limited in Pokémon GO so far. It has only been obtainable via a paid Special Research story titled "Something Extraordinary".

You have to purchase access to the research story for $7.99 in order to encounter and catch Keldeo. This research ticket method has been the solitary way to get Keldeo in Pokémon GO since its release on October 10, 2022.

Mythical Pokémon like Keldeo are purposely restricted by Niantic to Special Research to keep them rare. Their elusiveness also incentivizes players to purchase research tickets whenever they become available.

The Difficulty of Catching Keldeo

Now onto the primary question – exactly how hard is it to catch Keldeo in Pokémon GO? To put it bluntly, the base catch rate for Keldeo is an extremely low 3%.

To give you an idea of how low that is, here are the base catch rates of other rare Pokémon for comparison:

• Legendary Pokémon (Entei, Raikou): 4%
• Other Mythicals (Celebi, Jirachi): 5%
• Pseudo-Legendaries (Dragonite, Tyranitar): 5%
• Ultra Beasts: 6%

So at 3%, Keldeo has one of the absolute lowest catch rates in the game, behind only the Lake Trio. This makes it insanely difficult to successfully capture, even with Golden Razz and Ultra Balls.

In fact, according to Pokémon GO catch rate calculators, even under ideal conditions (Ultra Ball, Golden Razz, Excellent Curveball throw), you only have a 1.5% chance of catching Keldeo on each attempt. Ouch.

And because Keldeo is constantly moving and attacking, consistently landing excellent curveball throws is itself a struggle. You‘ll likely have to make dozens of attempts just to have a decent shot at catching it.

Why Keldeo is So Rare

There are a few reasons why Keldeo is made to be so difficult to obtain:

• As a Mythical, it is meant to be elusive and exclusive to preserve its novelty. Even among Mythicals, Keldeo stands out for its abysmal 3% base catch rate.
• Having Keldeo only available via paid research incentivizes players to buy tickets in order to acquire rare Pokémon.
• Keldeo‘s strong moveset makes it highly desirable for competitive GO Battle League play. signature moves Hydro Pump and Sacred Sword give it an edge against common meta picks like Azumarill, Registeel, and Altaria.
• No shiny variant yet. Many Mythicals like Mew and Celebi have shiny versions now available. The eventual release of Shiny Keldeo will make it even more sought after.

Maximizing Your Keldeo Catch Chances

Because of the abnormally low base catch rate, you will need to optimize every factor possible to have a legitimate chance at catching Keldeo:

• Use Proper Counters: Focus on Ghost, Dark, Electric, Grass, or Fairy-types like Tyranitar, Raikou, and Togekiss since they resist Keldeo‘s moves.
• Maximize Ball/Berry Quantity: Bring at least 50-100 Ultra Balls and Golden Razz Berries minimum to have enough attempts. Nanab Berries may also help land throws.
• Circle Lock Excellence: Set the circle for easy Excellent throws and only release when Keldeo is attacking or idle to boost chances.
• Time Bonus Challenge: Try to maximize ball rewards from the bonus challenge by achieving every throw bonus possible. More Premier balls = more chances.
• Power Up Counters: Level 30+ counters will survive longer while dealing more damage to increase premier balls awarded.

Is Catching Keldeo Worth the Investment?

For most players, the resources required to catch Keldeo may not seem worthwhile. Between the $7.99 research ticket, low catch rate, and dozens of Golden Razz/Ultra Balls needed, catching Keldeo demands a heavy investment of time and items.

However, for Pokémon Go Battle League enthusiasts, obtaining a Keldeo can be well worth the effort. Keldeo‘s Secret Sword gives it the edge against common threats like Registeel, Azumarill, Altaria, and Giratina. As one player put it:

"It took me over 50 tries, 200 Ultra Balls, and 100 berries, but securing Keldeo was critical for my GO Battle team. Finally countering that pesky Altaria made the frustration worthwhile."

So in summary, unless you are an avid PVP battler, obtaining the Mythical Keldeo may not be worth the steep costs for most players. But for those dedicated to building their GO Battle League teams, Keldeo can provide a unique competitive edge.

I hope these tips help you on your quest to catch Keldeo. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions! And may the RNG gods be forever in your favor.