The Definitive Guide to XXS and XXL Pokémon in Pokémon GO
As an avid Pokémon GO player and gaming expert, I‘ve been following the XXS and XXL size variations closely since they first appeared. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover everything you need to know about catching and leveraging these tiny and huge Pokémon!
A Brief History of Sizes in Pokémon GO
Back in early 2020, keen-eyed Pokémon GO trainers started noticing some Magikarp, Pikachu, and Rattata appearing smaller or larger than usual during encounters. At first it was unclear what was causing these size variations.
In May 2020, Niantic officially announced the arrival of XXS and XXL classifications – extra extra small and extra extra large! [1] These were randomly applied to make certain Pokémon appear visibly smaller or larger, with an animation and label.
Over the next two years, XXS and XXL slowly expanded to more and more Pokémon species. In December 2022, Niantic revealed that all Pokémon can now randomly spawn as size variants! [2]
As a day one GO player myself, I think this addition brings some great visual variety and new collection goals without impacting competitive balance. Let‘s dive into the details!
How Common Are XXS and XXL Pokémon?
Based on community research and data mining, XXS and XXL spawns appear to be rare, but not extremely so. The estimated rates are:
- Normal size: 90% of spawns
- XXS size: 5% of spawns
- XXL size: 5% of spawns
So roughly 1 in 20 Pokémon you encounter will be either XXS or XXL. Within those size variants, some Pokémon seem more predisposed to being small or large. For example, below are observed frequencies for two popular species:
| Pikachu Size | % Frequency |
|---|---|
| Normal | 80% |
| XXS | 15% |
| XXL | 5% |
| Magikarp Size | % Frequency |
|---|---|
| Normal | 75% |
| XXS | 10% |
| XXL | 15% |
As you can see, Pikachu trends small, while Magikarp appears large more often. Check out the table below to see other Pokémon with strongly observed size tendencies!
| Species | Typical Size |
|---|---|
| Pikachu | XXS |
| Magikarp | XXL |
| Skitty | XXS |
| Wailord | XXL |
| Jigglypuff | XXS |
| Snorlax | XXL |
Now let‘s look at why you should care about catching these size variants!
Benefits of Catching XXS and XXL Pokémon
Aside from the fun visual changes, what perks do tiny and huge Pokémon offer?
- Bonus XP: You‘ll gain additional XP every time you catch a size variant. Excellent throws give the most bonus XP!
- Medals: There are special medals for catching XXS and XXL versions of Pokémon. Every unique one counts toward these medals.
- Your Buddy: When you set an XXS or XXL Pokémon as your Buddy, their size difference will be extra apparent on the map!
- Showing Off: XXS & XXL Pokémon have bragging rights! Trade them with friends or showcase them in Gyms.
Personally, I get a thrill every time I manage to catch a Pikachu that‘s even tinier than usual! And the bonuses help with quick level-ups. Prioritize throwing Great or Excellent balls at any XXS or XXL Pokémon you encounter to maximize your rewards.
Now let‘s move on to clarifying what size doesn‘t affect…
Size Does NOT Impact Battling or Stats
This is a key point of confusion for many new Pokémon GO players – so I want to be clear:
A Pokémon‘s size classification does NOT affect its battling performance or stats in any way.
Whether a Pokémon is XXS, normal, or XXL, it will have the same CP, HP, attacks, and fight just as effectively.
The size label is purely visual based on hidden height and weight stats. It does not change the Pokémon‘s abilities.
Instead, focus on high IVs, Level, moves, and CP to create powerful Pokémon for your battle team. Speaking of IVs…
Can You Estimate IVs Based on Size?
One advanced tactic I‘ve picked up as a dedicated GO player is guesstimating a Pokémon‘s IVs based on its size. Here‘s how it works:
- XXS likely signals low IVs, since tiny Pokémon have lower height/weight stats.
- Normal size gives you medium IVs on average.
- XXL indicates higher IVs, as huge Pokémon have higher base stats.
While not foolproof, following this guidance can help identify naturally strong or weak Pokémon. I love stumbling across an XXL Magikarp – it has great IV potential when evolved to Gyarados!
Now let‘s move on to maximizing your Pokémon‘s true power through evolution and powering up…
Evolving and Powering Up Your Pokémon Team
Evolving and powering up are where you can really amplify your Pokémon‘s abilities for battle, rather than size. Follow these tips:
- Wait to evolve until you have enough Candies to fully evolve the Pokémon – this is more cost effective.
- Prioritize high CP Pokémon to evolve when possible, for maximum Gains.
- Power up Pokémon after evolving them, not before. This gives you more power per Candy/Stardust.
- Use XL Candy to increase Pokémon above Level 40 up to 50 – but XL Candy is very rare!
- Target high IV Pokémon for power-up investment to maximize stats.
Optimizing your Candy and Stardust usage is crucial to building the most capable battle roster. And speaking of powered-up Pokémon, what are the mightiest Pokémon species?
Strongest Pokémon in Pokémon GO
While size doesn‘t determine strength, I want to highlight the universally powerful Pokémon that all trainers should pursue:
- Mewtwo – Psychic legend; insane attack & defense stats
- Rayquaza – Best Dragon; excellent offensive movepool
- Kyogre – Top Water attacker; huge CP potential
- Dialga – Meta Steel & Dragon raid attacker
- Rampardos – Rock type damage king; shreds gyms
As you assemble your battle parties, be sure to include these heavy-hitting species for their elite stats and movesets!
Rare & Regional Pokémon
Along with the mighty Pokémon above, keep an eye out for ultra rare spawns:
- Lake Trio – Azelf, Uxie, Mesprit; very limited regional availability
- Tropius – Found in select African regions; unique typing
- Relicanth – Only in New Zealand & surrounding areas
- Heracross – Region-locked to Central/South America
- Klefki – Sightings limited to France/Europe
Catching these rare Pokémon gives you bragging rights and adds valuable entries to your Pokédex! I‘ve yet to see most of them despite my dedicated playing.
Helpful Power-Up Resources
To close out this guide, here are some of my top resources for evolving and powering up your Pokémon:
- GamePress Move Sets – Best attack combos per Pokémon [3]
- Pokémon GO Hub Rankings – Must-have Pokémon & attack tiers [4]
- PvPoke – Top performers for Trainer Battles [5]
- StadiumGaming Rankings – Raid attacker rankings [6]
With knowledge of the most powerful Pokémon, attacks, and XL power-up mechanics, you can build the ultimate XXS-to-XXL battle party!
I hope this guide gave you tons of insights on tiny and huge Pokémon, along with tips to strengthen your Pokémon GO skills. Catch ‘em all, trainers!
Sources
[1] https://pokemongolive.com/post/hello-world-pokemon/?hl=en[2] https://pokemongolive.com/post/season-of-light-2022-details/?hl=en
[3] https://gamepress.gg/pokemongo/attackers-tier-list#topic-223516
[4] https://db.pokemongohub.net/pokemon-list/best-per-type/optimal-generalists
[5] https://pvpoke.com/
[6] https://www.stadiumgaming.gg/rank-checker