Raid boss shifts?
When Zapdos is off the shelf, do you think they will change up the raid bosses to a new set, or partially change them, to keep interest in raids up? I suspect so, but we'll see. Or will mew/mewtoo and/or the beasts and Ho-Oh be right behind the birds? Any guesses? Rampant speculation encouraged.
Answers
Yes, they need to solve the stardust problem. Maybe a mass power up item as a rare reward during raids, take you from 20 to 30 in one shot, equivalent to 75k dust and 66 candy, possibly only usable on one mon, or one type (poison, rock, whatever.) Grinding is getting old fast. And I'm less inclined to grind to find gen3 than I was for the first one.
Some good theories you put on paper. Earlier in the game I would have been more excited about more humdrum raids, but then I turned into a candy saver multiple hundreds of almost everything (except TT, Dr, Onix) I haven't matured into a super stardust saver just yet, I'm firmly in the "fishing for high level wilds" boat
Or, and hear me out on this, raid mon captures go above level 20, perhaps based on how successful the raid was (or how hard). I'd be interested in a level 30 Magikarp with top shelf IVs when I get enough candy to double evolve it. Then raiding everything would be useful to top players. Need more ice to hit D-nite? Do a Jynx or Cloyster raid, and bam, there you go, level 30 ice to build on.
Well, it was clear why they chose this bank of raid bosses. The first evo of the Gen2 starters and Magikarp for the kiddies (level 5-15) in tier 1, some rare (Muk, Weezing), some standalone (E-Buzz, Magmar), and Eggy for tier 2, useful fire (A-nine), fight (Machamp, finally available here), psychic (Zam) and ghost (Gengar), plus the three base Eeveloutions for tier 3, and the boss mon for tier 4 (T-Tar, Lax, Lapras, Rhydon, Gen1 Starter final forms). I could see shifting these around some, keeping some of the themes, maybe tier 1 would have Ivysaur, Wartortle and Charmelion, with Espeon and Umbreon in tier 3, etc. Surprised Dragonite wasn't in there, expect him soon in tier 4.
My other guess is that the legendaries will still be in the mix, but very rarely, like once a week over a 100 gym region. That way, when they pop up it's a big deal, and people come racing over to raid them, instead of every random gym having them often enough that the trainers aren't concentrated enough to win the raids.
Even better would be an announcement to all trainers within some radius that so-and-so will be the raid boss at Gym X (with ample parking and space) over a 3 hour window later that day. People could plan for it and meet up.
Even better would be an announcement to all trainers within some radius that so-and-so will be the raid boss at Gym X (with ample parking and space) over a 3 hour window later that day. People could plan for it and meet up.
That would be great, maybe even more than 3 hours notice in game (no FB or Discord needed). Some people - like me - don't have a single legendary yet although there are enough local players on all teams ... if they could only meet at the right time!