As many players predicted a few weeks ago, our latest Mega Evolution is Mega Ampharos.
This Electric/Dragon Type Pokemon is fairly unique, as it was actually the beginning of real Mega Evolution speculation in Pokemon Go. Back in April of 2018, Ampharos was a part of the original round of Community Days, and its special move for the event was Dragon Pulse: a Dragon Type move that seemed to hint at the fact that Mega Ampharos picks up a Dragon sub-typing. Some speculated that this was a sign that Mega Evolution was inevitable and coming soon, while others simply said it was a nod to what could be coming some day. More on Dragon Pulse in a moment; for now, let's take a look at Mega Ampharos in the Raid meta:
Image Source: The Comprehensive DPS/TDO Spreadsheet
It's actually quite solid. While it may seem a bit lack-luster when compared to monsters like Shadow Electivire, please keep in mind that these numbers aren't quite 100% accurate. This is because our calculations are looking at Mega Ampharos (and Mega Manectric by that same token) given its base stats. They also have the advantage of granting a flat 10% damage boost and a boost that raises their STAB types from 1.2x to 1.3x for their entire team while active. If we take this into account, here are the real numbers:
So how does Mega Ampharos stack up? Really well, in truth. It's definitely behind mega Manectric in terms of DPS, but by that same token it stays on the field for a fair amount of time longer. It also has the advantage of a Dragon sub-typing, granting it resistances to many common types that are frequently carried by the Water or Flying Types that Electric types are used for. So why is this good in the face of objectively better DPS? Because time on the field actually matters for Mega Evolutions.
By staying on the field for a longer period than Mega Manectric, it can spread its boosts longer, meaning the team as a whole can deal more damage over the course of the battle. Admittedly, this isn't a huge deal in most raids, but it can be useful in some scenarios.
Electric and Dragon Incense Day
In order to help us hopefully obtain a high IV Ampharos (and hopefully farm XL candy), Niantic has also announced an Electric/Dragon Type incense day!
| Start Time | End Time | Boosted Type |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00 a.m. local time | 1:00 p.m. local time | Electric |
| 1:00 p.m. local time | 2:00 p.m. local time | Dragon |
| 2:00 p.m. local time | 4:00 p.m. local time | Electric |
| 4:00 p.m. local time | 5:00 p.m. local time | Dragon |
Keep in mind that the Dragon hours also include Pokemon that have an evolution that gains Dragon Type, so Mareep will also spawn during those hours.
And with a call-back to the mention of Mareep's Community Day earlier, any Flaffy (Mareep's evolved form) evolved into an Ampharos during these hours will know its Elite Move, Dragon Pulse.
This... isn't the most exciting news, in truth. While Dragon Pulse is an okay move for Ampharos as a PvP option (reminder: Mega Evolutions still can't enter Go Battle League), it's virtually worthless in raids. Just use Mega Charizard X instead.
