[Can't Miss] Top 15 Rarest Pokémon in Pokémon Go

Remember when a wild Dragonite was the rarest thing in Pokémon GO? Those days are gone. In 2025, a wild Dragonite is just another Tuesday. The new definition of "rarity" isn't about Combat Power (CP). It's about exclusivity.

We are talking about glitches that lasted two minutes. Events that happened five years ago. And game mechanics that are designed to make you fail. I have analyzed the current meta to bring you the ultimate rarity tier list.

Tier 1: Top 6 Rarest Pokémon in Pokémon Go [The Impossible Collection]

These Pokémon are effectively unobtainable in the wild. You generally cannot catch them anymore. You have to trade for them.

1. Shiny Detective Pikachu (The 2019 Glitch)

Rarity Type: Unintended Glitch

This is the Holy Grail. In May 2019, Niantic released a Detective Pikachu via "Photobomb" encounters. It was shiny-locked. You literally could not get a shiny one.

Until the event ended. For a window of less than two minutes after the event finished, a server glitch occurred. If you claimed your encounter during that tiny window, the shiny lock turned off.

2. Armored Mewtwo

Rarity Type: License Restricted

This isn't just a costume. It has unique stats (higher Defense) and a completely different look based on the Mewtwo Strikes Back movie. It appeared in raids in 2019 and briefly in 2020. Since then? Radio silence.

Because it is a licensed movie tie-in, it faces legal hurdles that standard Legendaries do not. It hasn't been seen in 5 years.

3. Clone Pokémon (Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Pikachu)

Rarity Type: Event Exclusive

Released alongside Armored Mewtwo, these look like the clones from the first Pokémon movie. They feature distinct patterns (like tiger stripes on Charizard). Like Armored Mewtwo, they have been vaulted since 2020. They are much rarer than standard "Party Hat" Pikachus because they are treated as entirely unique forms.

4. Spiritomb

Rarity Type: Seasonal Lock

Spiritomb is the ghost of Halloween. Unlike other Ghost-types, Spiritomb does not spawn year-round. It is almost exclusively locked to the annual Halloween event in October. It usually requires completing a specific research line. It doesn't nest. It doesn't hatch from eggs.

5. Rotom (Mow, Frost, Fan Forms)

Rarity Type: Ticket Exclusive

You might have a standard Rotom. But do you have the Lawn Mower (Mow) or Fan form? Probably not. Niantic releases these specific forms one at a time, usually at in-person ticketed events like GO Fest Berlin or Seattle. If you didn't buy a ticket and fly to that city, you missed it.

6. Unown (? and ! Forms)

Rarity Type: Ultra-Exclusive Event Spawns

Most Unown letters (like A, B, C) are rare. But the "Punctuation" forms are on another level. The Question Mark (?) and Exclamation Point (!) forms typically only appear at huge, ticketed events like GO Fest. They almost never spawn in the wild. Even during Unown events, these two are often left out.

Tier 2: Top 5 Rarest Pokémon in Pokémon Go [The Grind Collection]

These are technically obtainable today. But the game mechanics make them incredibly difficult to secure.

7. Female Salandit & Salazzle

Rarity Type: Gender Locked/Egg Exclusive

Obtaining a Salazzle is a statistical nightmare. First, you must defeat a Team GO Rocket Leader to get a 12km "Strange" Egg. Second, you must hatch a Salandit (which is already rare).

Here is the kicker: The Salandit must be female to evolve. The gender ratio is 12.5% female, meaning 7 out of 8 hatches will be useless males.

8. Larvesta & Volcarona

Rarity Type: Low Hatch Rate/Candy Wall

Larvesta is locked behind the "Candy Wall". It has a hatch rate of less than 1%. It is arguably the hardest egg hatch in the game. But hatching one isn't enough. You need 400 Candy to evolve it into Volcarona. Since you can't catch them in the wild, you are stuck walking it as your buddy.

9. Zygarde (Complete Forme)

Rarity Type: Time Gated mechanic

This is the ultimate time-gate. To get the Complete Forme, you need 250 Zygarde Cells. You can only get these by walking "Routes." You are capped at finding about 3 cells per day. And they aren't guaranteed to spawn.

10. Gholdengo

Rarity Type: Hardware Locked

You need 999 Gimmighoul Coins to evolve this Pokémon. The only reliable way to get coins is by connecting your account to a Nintendo Switch (Scarlet/Violet) to get the "Coin Bag." If you don't have a Switch? You are out of luck. You have to rely on Golden Lure Modules from other players.

11. Frigibax & Baxcalibur

Rarity Type: Pseudo-Legendary Scarcity

Frigibax is the "Pseudo-Legendary" of the Paldea region (Gen 9). Think of it like Dratini in 2016. It is an extremely rare wild spawn and a tough hatch from 10km eggs. It hasn't had a Community Day yet, so candy is scarce and high-IV versions are prized.

Tier 3: Top 4 Rarest Pokémon in Pokémon Go [The Wild Hunt]

These Pokémons are catchable in Pokémon Go, but only if you travel, get insanely lucky, or use special tools such as TunesKit Location Changer.

12. Galarian Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres

Rarity Type: Flee Rate/Incense Exclusive

These birds break the rules. They only spawn when using the Daily Adventure Incense (blue incense). If you find one, get ready for heartbreak. Because the base catch rate is 0.3% (Lower than a standard Rattata), while the flee rate is 90%. They almost always run away after one ball.

13. The Lake Guardians (Azelf, Mesprit, Uxie)

Rarity Type: Regional Legendary/Wild Spawn

These are the only Legendaries that spawn in the wild. But the spawn rate is astronomically low. Most players have never seen one on their radar. Plus, they are region-locked: Azelf (Americas), Mesprit (Europe/Africa), and Uxie (Asia-Pacific)..

14. Sigilyph, Relicanth, Comfey, Klefki

Rarity Type: Hard-Lock Regionals

Some regionals never migrate. Unless you travel to their specific countries, these spots in your Pokédex will remain empty:

• Sigilyph: Egypt and Greece
• Relicanth: New Zealand
• Comfey: Hawaii
• Klefki: France

15. Vivillon (Ocean & Sandstorm Patterns)

Rarity Type: Social/Regional Grind

Vivillon has 18 patterns based on real-world regions. You obtain them by pinning postcards from friends. The Ocean (Hawaii) and Sandstorm (Middle East) patterns are notoriously difficult because there are very few active players in those regions to send gifts.

How to Catch Regionals Without Buying a Plane Ticket

Notice a pattern in Tier 3? Geography is the enemy. You can't easily fly to New Zealand just for a Relicanth. And you probably can't fly to Egypt for a Sigilyph next weekend. If you want to complete your Pokédex without spending thousands on airfare, there is a smarter way. Enter TunesKit Location Changer. This tool lets you change your GPS location to anywhere in the world. Instantly.

Here's how to use TunesKit Location Changer to increase rare Pokémon encounters.

Step 1 Launch TunesKit and Connect Your Device

First, download and install TunesKit Location Changer on your computer. It's available for both Windows and Mac. Launch the application and connect your phone to the computer via USB cable.

Follow the instructions on the interface to turn on the Developer Mode on your device. In the Game Mode section, choose Pokémon GO game.

Step 2Start to Change Location

After entering the map, you'll see 5 modes on the upper right corner of the program. Choose one such as Change Location to spoof your location. For example, if you're looking for rare region-exclusive Pokémon like Klefki, select the region where they spawn such as France.

Once you've selected your desired location, hit the Start Modifying button to teleport your device to that area.

Open Pokémon Go on your phone. The game will now believe that you are in the location you've selected, allowing you to encounter rare Pokémon from that area.

FAQs Related to Rarest Pokémon in Pokémon Go

Conclusion

Rarity in Pokémon GO isn't just about luck anymore. It's about tenure. If you played in 2019, you might have Armored Mewtwo. If you travel the world, you might have Sigilyph. But for the rest of us? We have to grind.

Whether you use tools like TunesKit Location Changer to grab those regionals or spend months walking routes for Zygarde, the hunt is what keeps us playing. Which of these rare Pokémon are you missing? Or do you actually own the elusive Shiny Detective Pikachu? Let me know in the comments below.