So I found out there are many going to this Sunday's EX Raid event, not sure exactly how many, but that's what I was told.
Do people in EX raids prefer to gather in large groups of 15-20 people or do they split into smaller groups? Can there be too many at an EX raid? And yeah I don't really expect to be accepted to the raid since I'm a complete stranger around there, but I'll ask whoever gathers there and hope they accept strangers too.
Split into smaller groups of the same team whenever possible. The smaller the group, the more likely you are to get the personal damage bonus for extra balls.
Mewtwo isn't actually that difficult. Group sizes of 6 to 8 seems to be a good sweet spot between ease of battle and the damage bonus, but you can do it with fewer if you feel confident of your fellow player's capabilities. Good Luck.
The thing to understand is that A) a lot of people don't have experience with EX-raids so they don't know how easy they are B) a lot of people don't actually plan for Ex-raids so their teams are questionable at best. (there was actually a Skarmony in my last Ex-raid that lasted 87s)
Given that information: large groups.
Casual players prefer the certainty of the win over trying to maximize their bonus.
Well if there are indeed as many as they say, then 20 of them would do the raid and then everyone else would be left outside. That would probably be anywhere from 1 to 3 people who won't be able to beat Mewtwo at all, and I'd be one of the outsiders in that case. So no, the bonus is not what's worrying me.
I don't really care how many balls I get or if any extras at all, I'd be happy to at least get the dex image and to participate at a raid with others, as I've never managed to raid with anyone. My cousin had to leave town before we'd even participate at one, and the other player I've met was in a hurry to go somewhere else so we never raided a Vaporeon because it was too far away.
The ones listed there. CP:
Houndoom 2273 (will level her up one more time tonight)
Banette 1871 (maxed for my level)
Dragonite 3309 (maxed for my level)
Shiftry 1246 (hoping to level her up a bit till Sunday)
Gyarados 1861
Rhydon 3065 (maxed for my level, but I don't know if I should replace her with Jolteon 2511 VS/D or Exeggutor 2708 E/SoB).
Most ppl are strangers, so don't worry. You'll be accepted. I've never seen any groups excluding random players, though my friend has encountered some snobbish players lately.
For your pokemon, I suggest not to power up anything on that list. Just join a big group and you'd still win. Catch a good mew2 and power up that mew2 instead.
Well, I hope there are some nice people here too. We just pass each other by and say nothing, even if we see we're POGO players. And when someone joins at a low tier raid, I just go on private and let them have it.
I can't be sure if they go with a big group or small ones, so might as well be prepared for both situations by leveling up what I have many candy for. If I do catch him, I'd have all the time in the world to power him up.
I'd say get there early, and try not to be too shy if there are other obvious PoGo players. They won't want to intentionally leave out any legitimate players. It doesn't take a very big group to win, so just show up a little early, let someone take charge (someone always does), and go with the flow. Higher level players will usually want to split up by team or whatever, and lower level players will want to be in bigger groups. Just make sure you get in one of them, even if it is the wrong team.
Once you win the raid, make every throw count. At the EX raids I've been to, the people who condescendingly talk beforehand about the "ridiculously high catch rate" are the ones who end up failing to catch the Mewtwo. Yes, it's a considerably higher catch rate than other legendaries, and even slightly higher than T-tar, but it is lower than Machamp or Alakazam or Gengar, and I've failed to catch all of those on occasion, even with a majority of golden razz great curveballs. No need to be overly nervous about it, but don't take it for granted either.
Good luck, I really hope to see a picture of your Mewtwo on Sunday.
"I don't really expect to be accepted to the raid since I'm a complete stranger around there, but I'll ask whoever gathers there and hope they accept strangers too."
I can't speak for every group, but the groups that I raid with, if you showed up and wanted to play, we'd accept you. And if the local groups weren't like that, I wouldn't be a part of them. So it's likely that you'll do fine, and maybe meet a few new players. Good luck, and here's hoping you catch a weather buffed 100% on your first ball.
I'm guess you've never been to lvl5 raid bosses raid, like Kyogre, Rayquaza etc??
In my city, there are all sorts of ppl. There are parents with kids, parents with teenagers, university students, working adults from 26yo up to 65yo. Sometimes I see ppl on wheelchairs coming for raids.
There's always someone that initiates the raid, asking, "Should we all get in now?" Or someone that asks if we should split in groups.
Just follow the lead.
Nope, never participated with anyone on a T4-T5. I once took a photo of a Kyogre sitting atop a famous monument here... nobody showed up during the entire hour.
The people here seem to also mostly go for solos, on low tiers. If I see them in a T1-T3 lobby where I'm in, I get out and let them have it and I go on private. The only player I've spoken to was attacking a Bayleef that I was also attacking. He was nice, also told me about how some are pretty strict on who they raid with, and that in some cases you'd have to be part of a What's App group (I don't want to join What's App though) for some raiders to consider you.
Most of the people I see here are probably in the 16-20 age bracket. My dad and I walk around while I chase for raids, and he'd play too if his phone were good enough. A cousin could have joined me in raiding but she had to leave the town before we got to do our first raid together.
In my community, we have people of both genders and all ages playing the game. I'm a 23 year old guy myself, and I used to think it was only a few nerds my age who grew up with pokemon and younger kids. Then I became part of the community when the raids started, and I found out we have a couple of women in their twenties, some middle aged men, a middle aged women playing with her son, a family of 5 who are all playing, two couples in their seventies who are all high level players, safe to say I was surprised. We always accept strangers in our groups, there is no discrimanation of any kind. I really don't believe you are the only adult in your town playing. Some people play by car, so maybe you just didn't notice them. Good luck on sunday, I hope to read your story on what happened :)
I know I'm not the only adult, because I've seen the lady who was probably in her mid 30s to early 40s and had her baby with her and was fighting a Quilava I was also fighting at a park. It's just that I don't see adults play often. All my friends left the country so I haven't had much socialization, unless keeping in touch online with friends counts.
Thank you, will post about it then.
Dont worry about beeing not accepted. I never heard of someone beeing excluded. Just be there in time!
It‘s a smart move to divide by colour. Lets say there are 14 blue trainers than it would be even better if they divide again in 2 groups to get more damage balls.
Thats theorie in real not necessarily the smartest makes the rules but the loudest...
You probably wont have it in your own hands anyway if u come as a stranger (your words). And they will automatically put u in a group or dont make groups or what ever.
But dont worry. The catch rate is really high. You‘ll get it anyway. Good luck
I wouldn't mind either way they go about it, but also they could say "Sorry, we don't have any more spots" after making a big group if they don't divide. And I don't know if they'd trust me since I've never spoken to any from my area, just one from another part of the town and he said some are strict in who they raid with.
Whether I catch Mewtwo or not, at least I'll have the image entry for him. Thanks.
If u are there in time that wont happen.
Lets make a worst case szenario with 21 trainers all know each other and plan not to split and you are the 21st trainer. Even than I‘m sure they are ready to make 2 groups if u ask them to. In the meantime everybody should know that 6-7 trainers (not even good ones) are enough to do it.
Pogo trainers are usually nice people dont be to shy to ask
I will ask, it's just that I don't know if our culture could influence how accepting they are. We don't talk to strangers normally (people think you're crazy if you bother to strike conversations with unknown people other than asking for the time or directions), POGO here is mostly considered a game for teens and kids, the non-players hate us, it might be a bit different than in other countries, and that's why I'm worried.
smaller groups. i've been to a couple and both were basically the same. they break up into color groups first . our last EX, we had 22 Instinct. so we broke up into 2 groups of 11. not sure how the other teams coordinated, but i know there were at least 5 groups that raided. kinda funny to see 5 different clumps of people standing around in a circle.
both of my EX raids were in a town 30 minutes away. i do not really know anyone there. i did not have any problems whatsoever . people are just excited to be doing an EX and they were more than willing to accept me into the group.
