Yes, Mega Blastoise is Quite Rare Indeed
As one of the most beloved starter Pokemon from Generation 1, Blastoise holds a special place in many trainers‘ hearts. The powerful Mega Evolved form of Blastoise is highly coveted both for its strength and its scarcity. So how rare is Mega Blastoise actually? Based on availability, value, and demand, Mega Blastoise stands out as one of the rarest Mega Evolutions in Pokemon Go.
An In-Depth Look at Mega Blastoise
Let‘s start with an overview of this mighty water turtle Pokemon. Mega Blastoise was first introduced in the Pokemon X and Y video games, and later added to Pokemon Go in September 2020. Visually, it gains extra cannons on its shell and arms, living up to its reputation as a heavy artillery tank.
As a pure Water-type Pokemon, Mega Blastoise has an advantage against Fire, Ground, and Rock types, but is vulnerable to Electric and Grass moves. With its Mega Evolution, Blastoise receives a huge stat boost:
| Stat | Base | Mega |
|---|---|---|
| HP | 79 | 79 |
| Attack | 83 | 261 |
| Defense | 100 | 211 |
| Sp. Attack | 85 | 105 |
| Sp. Defense | 105 | 135 |
| Speed | 78 | 78 |
| Total | 530 | 869 |
With a max CP of 3,941, Mega Blastoise sits near the top of the Mega chart in terms of raw strength. This compares favorably to other starters like Mega Venusaur at 3,698 CP and Mega Charizard X at 3,850 CP.
In addition to stats, Mega Blastoise gets a key ability – Mega Launcher. This powers up aura and pulse moves, making Hydro Cannon, Blastoise‘s exclusive charged move, incredibly deadly.
With its cannon-centric design and massive firepower, Mega Blastoise lives up to its reputation as the "Shellfish Pokemon". It excels as a attacker, able to dish out tremendous damage with water moves. It also provides a damage boost to any other Mega Evolved Pokemon on the team.
The Rarity of Finding Mega Blastoise
So what makes Mega Blastoise so rare and hard to obtain? For one, it has only been available a handful of times in Mega Raids.
Mega Blastoise Raid Appearances:
| Date | Duration |
|---|---|
| September 2020 | 5 days |
| November 2020 | 4 days |
| May 2021 | 6 days |
Many Pokemon Go players missed out on these raids and still have not captured their own Mega Blastoise. Those who did participate still likely need more Mega Energy to fully evolve their Blastoise.
Based on these brief windows, Mega Energy for Blastoise is in very high demand. Players need hundreds of energy to evolve just one Blastoise, which could take weeks of raiding.
The Pokemon Go Hub estimates Mega Blastoise will take about 2-3 weeks of daily raiding to earn enough energy. That requires a tremendous amount of time and raid passes.
As a benchmark, Mega Energy for Venusaur and Charizard is significantly easier to obtain since they have been in Mega Raids for over a year.
Making Mega Blastoise even more limited is the Shiny version. The Shiny Mega Blastoise is incredibly rare, with shiny rates estimated around 1 in 60 from Mega Raids. For comparison, normal Blastoise has a 1 in 500 shiny rate.
The Value of Mega Blastoise Pokemon Cards
Beyond the digital monsters, Mega Blastoise trading cards can be extremely valuable for collectors:
- A Mega Blastoise EX (XY Evolutions) sells for $16 to $30 mint and ungraded
- Graded Gem Mint 10 Mega Blastoise cards go for $200 to $300
- The Secret Rare Mega Blastoise EX (XY Steam Siege) ranges from $50 to $100 mint
- Older cards like Mega Blastoise EX (XY Furious Fists) trade for $30 to $60
| Card Condition | Avg Price |
|---|---|
| Mint, ungraded | $16-$30 |
| Gem Mint 10 grade | $200-$300 |
| Secret Rare Mint | $50-$100 |
These prices demonstrate the appeal of Mega Blastoise for Pokemon card collectors and investors. Like Charizard, the original starters hold nostalgic value.
Full disclosure – I recently bought an XY Evolutions Mega Blastoise EX for my personal collection. As a fan of Blastoise since playing Pokemon Red as a kid, it was a dream card!
Tips for Catching the Elusive Mega Blastoise
So you want to add this heavy artillery tank to your Pokemon Go roster? Here are my top tips for catching Mega Blastoise:
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Build a squad of Grass and Electric types – These types deal super effective damage against Water. Great options include Roserade, Electivire, Luxray, Venusaur.
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Know the best movesets – For Grass, Frenzy Plant and Leaf Blade are ideal. Electric moves like Wild Charge and Zap Cannon perform well too.
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Raid in groups – At 40,000+ CP, I‘d recommend 4-5 trainers minimum. Solo is very difficult.
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Use weather boost – Mega Blastoise is easier to beat and catch in Partly Cloudy weather due to the attack boost.
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Maximize Premier Balls – Do at least +3 damage and raid with friends to get 14-16 Premier balls.
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Golden Razz and Curveball – This combo gives the best catch odds. Aim those Great/Excellent throws!
Following these steps won‘t guarantee catching the mighty Mega Blastoise, but it will certainly help turn the odds in your favor. As a powerful Water-type attacker and an iconic Pokemon, the effort is well worth it!
In Conclusion
Mega Blastoise clearly lives up to its reputation and rarity. Between limited availability, high demand for Mega Energy, and strong PvE performance, this massive tank remains one of the most sought after Megas in Pokemon Go. For collectors, Mega Blastoise trading cards are also hot commodities. If you‘re lucky enough to have one, be sure to show it off! Hopefully these insights shed some light on why Mega Blastoise is so rare and special. Thanks for reading!