Is Galarian Zapdos Rare in Pokemon GO? An Extremely Hard Catch

The short answer is yes, Galarian Zapdos is extremely rare and difficult to catch in Pokemon GO. As an Electric/Fighting-type legendary only available for a limited time, its spawn rates are microscopic and its catch rate is abysmal. Let‘s dive into why veteran Pokemon GO trainers consider Galarian Zapdos one of the holy grails of rare catches.

Impossibly Low Spawn Rate

Galarian Zapdos‘ spawn rate is estimated to be somewhere around 0.05%. That means out of every 1000 Pokemon spawned by Daily Adventure Incense, only around 1 will be Galarian Zapdos. And incense is the only way it appears – it does not spawn in the wild.

To put this in perspective, Unown‘s spawn rate is estimated to be 0.018%, shiny Pokemon are around 1 in 500 (0.2%), and regional exclusives like Tauros in North America spawn about 0.35% of the time. Galarian Zapdos is multitudes rarer than even these super elusive species.

Microscopic Base Catch Rate of 0.3%

The average base catch rate for a legendary Pokemon is about 2%. Some examples:

• Mewtwo – 2%
• Zapdos – 2%
• Lugia – 2%
• Kyogre – 2%

Galarian Zapdos‘ base catch rate is a miniscule 0.3%. That‘s almost 7 times lower than a typical legendary. Trainers report needing 10+ attempts to catch it even with perfect Golden Razz Curveball throws.

Sky High Flee Rate of 90%

To make matters worse, Galarian Zapdos flees a massive 90% of the time after breaking out or being caught. So if you beat the 0.3% odds and catch it on the first ball, there‘s still a 90% chance it will flee and vanish. Ouch.

Combined with the 0.3% base catch rate, this gives Galarian Zapdos an estimated 99.97% chance of fleeing after each encounter. For context, even Abra only flees 50% of the time.

Available For a Limited Time Only

Galarian Zapdos made its debut in Pokemon GO on July 7, 2022. However, it will leave rotation once the Season of Go ends on September 1. That gives trainers only about 2 months to find this extremely rare Pokemon.

Once it‘s gone, we don‘t know when or if it will ever return. There‘s speculation Niantic may bring it back for special events or Go Battle League seasons, but nothing is guaranteed. This limited-time availability contributes to Galarian Zapdos‘ prestige and rarity.

Perfect For Go Battle League

So why go through the trouble of hunting this arduous legendary bird? Simply put, Galarian Zapdos is one of the best Fighting-type attackers in Pokemon GO.

Its unique Electric/Fighting typing gives it resistances and coverage completely different from the top Fighting legendaries like Machamp or Terrakion.

With excellent moves like Counter, Thunderous Kick, and Brave Bird, Galarian Zapdos excels in Go Battle League. It dominates common Steel-types that resist Fighting attacks while still boasting Fighting effectiveness against Dark, Rock, Normal, and Ice-types.

No other Pokemon can replicate this dual offensive coverage. So competitive PvP trainers are clamoring to add the prestigious Galarian Zapdos to their team.

Shiny Version Currently Unobtainable

Think Galarian Zapdos seems impossible to get already? We‘re just getting started.

The shiny variant of Galarian Zapdos is currently completely unobtainable in Pokemon GO. It has only been given out once as a guaranteed reward for reaching Rank 20 in the 2022 International Challenge March tournament.

Unless Niantic decides to distribute it again in the future, there are only a handful of shiny Galarian Zapdos‘ currently in existence. That makes it one of the rarest shinies ever in Pokemon GO.

How Other Rare Pokemon Compare

Let‘s look at some examples of other elusive Pokemon to put Galarian Zapdos‘ rarity into perspective:

• Unown – Estimated spawn rate of 0.018%
• Regional exclusives – Around 0.35% spawn rate in their region
• Shiny Legendary – Around 1 in 20 during raid events, or 0.3%-1%
• Shiny Feebas – During events, around 1 in 60 or 0.5%-1%
• Axew – Spawns in 10km eggs about 3% of the time

As you can see, Galarian Zapdos‘ ~0.05% spawn rate is multiple times rarer than even the most elusive species above. When combined with its 0.3% catch rate and 90% flee rate after breaking out, Galarian Zapdos stands in a tier of its own when it comes to rarity in Pokemon GO.

Tips For Catching This Extremely Elusive Bird

Now that we understand the daunting odds, let‘s go over some tips for trainers attempting to catch Galarian Zapdos before it leaves on September 1st:

• Use Daily Adventure Incense – This is the ONLY way Galarian Zapdos will spawn. Use the free daily incense every day if hunting for this legendary.

• Have Plenty of Balls – Bring at least 50 Ultra Balls and 50+ Golden Razz Berries minimum. You‘ll likely need a lot of attempts.

• Master Excellent Curveball Throws – Curveballs increase catch chance by 1.7x and Excellent throws by 1.8x. Combine both for your best shot.

• Patience! – Prepare for many, many escapes and flees. With catch rates this low, it may take dozens or hundreds of tries over many days. Don‘t get discouraged!

• Raid With Others – While you can‘t catch it in raids, raiding gives more premier balls to try catching after using Daily Incense. Raid with friends for maximum bonus balls!

• Pray to RNGesus – At the end of the day you need luck on your side. Say a prayer to the RNG gods and sacrifice your first-born if you have to!

One Trainer‘s Grueling Hunt For Galarian Zapdos

As a level 50 Pokemon GO trainer who loves hunting rare spawns, I was determined to add Galarian Zapdos to my collection. Over the past month I have been grinding Daily Adventure Incense nearly every day hoping to encounter this elusive legend.

It took 2 weeks before I finally saw my first Galarian Zapdos appear. Despite using Golden Razz and Excellent Curveball throws, it broke out and fled after my first throw. Disappointing but not unexpected given the tiny catch rates.

Over the next 2 weeks I encountered it 4 more times, each time fleeing after a few caught balls at most. At times I thought I was cursed!

But finally, on July 28th, on what was probably my 50th overall attempt, I finally caught Galarian Zapdos on a Great Curveball throw. I‘ll never forget watching it shake once…twice…three times before those glorious sparkles appeared.

The rush of euphoria from beating such monumental odds was something I‘ll never forget as a Pokemon trainer. It just goes to show with extreme patience and perseverance, even virtually impossible catches like Galarian Zapdos can become a reality.

So don‘t lose hope fellow trainers! I wish you the best of luck in your own Galarian Zapdos hunt. May the RNG gods be ever in your favor.

A Pokemon Master-Class Rarity

In summary, Galarian Zapdos represents the pinnacle of exclusive rare spawns in Pokemon GO. With its temporary availability, microscopic spawn rate, abysmal catch and flee rates, and prestige as a top-tier legendary for PvP, catching Galarian Zapdos requires skill, determination, and luck that few trainers possess.

Any player fortunate enough to add this magnificent dual-type bird to their roster earns their place among the Pokemon GO elite. Just be prepared for the catch challenge of a lifetime!