4. An Entertaining Raiding Adventure of Wins and Fails

An Entertaining Raiding Adventure of Wins and Fails

Written by Jameson (Rubiksguy) O'Connor

Hi there, fellow trainers!  Rubiksguy back again.  Today, I have a tale of a great experience, followed by many fails, and ending with a plea to Niantic, the company behind the fabulous game of Pokémon GO.  So let's get into it.

I started the day late, barely waking up in time after snoozing my alarm many times. But I had a 1:00 PM EX raid to get to (my 5th btw, with a 6th on the horizon).  I only had enough time to make my coffee and throw some microwave meatloaf down before I rushed out the door.  I made it in plenty of time, as we had to wait for more raiders to show up.  I led the group, and divided us into 2 raid teams, with Instinct and Valor on one, and with Mystic on their own, in order to help those teams earn more Premiere Balls (one raid squad had 6 members, and one had 8, IIRC).  Everything went great; I caught my friend's first Mewtwo, who wasn't feeling so comfortable with his throwing accuracy, and I even caught mine on a Pinap berry with plenty of balls to spare. Double candy!  Woot!

Right after the raid ended, I caught my 7 day Research Breakthrough Zapdos with perfect HP and DEF, and, as nearly everyone left the park, my buddy even surprised me with a nearly full box of donuts to take home; the remainder of what he had brought to that EX Raid to share. I suggested to my 2 friends that we should walk downtown and see if we could find anymore raids.  We left our cars and at about 1:30, headed downtown.

On the way, we engaged in some friendly banter about our hopes for the future of the game, as well as some inside jokes about how my friend has a 100% Machamp and I don't, even though I have caught nearly 50 Machamp raid bosses and over 600 Machop/Machoke/Machamp combined....Grrr.... As we walked, we saw a Machamp raid boss at the end of town.  It was a super easy 3 man takedown, and then we moved on to see if we could find any legendary raids.  Nothing.  After awhile, my friends say they need to go home, so I start walking them back to our EX raid spot where we all parked.  Then, as per usual, I checked the Discord chat channels to see if anyone posted any Legendary Latias raids...and saw the unexpected.

The post I read essentially said "Looks like Lugia is spawning".  What??  It was unbelievable, since Lugia hadn't been a raid boss for months, and we were expected to have Latias as our only Legendary Raid Boss option for several more weeks. However, this message came from the leader of our Discord group; a very reputable fellow.  I checked a popular source for news, PokemonGOHub, and nothing...but then the pictures started coming in, and had I checked the Pokémon accounts that I follow on twitter, I would have seen them posting about it as well.

Sure enough, without reason, Lugia was back, and I was stoked. As a young boy, I loved the concept of befriending Pokémon, and I would be lying if I said I didn't still wish that these wonderful Pocket Monsters were real.  I especially took notice when, in the Pokémon show, giant monsters or legendaries were befriended by Ash Ketchum, the main protagonist for 20 years and running, as I identified with him in some ways.  So when, in Pokémon the Movie 2000, the giant Lugia befriended Ash and helped save the day, I was full of love and happiness with this Pokémon especially.  I don't know why the other legendaries haven't taken up as much residence in my heart, but it is what it is.

After that explanation, I shouldn't have to expound on why I was over the moon that Lugia had returned, but I shall...Shiny Lugia IS a thing. I was committed to staying out until raids ended around sunset since the rumors had proven to be true.  However, with little news of Lugia raids hatching, I started heading home, and swung by my favorite cluster spawn on the way, after a 10 min drive. Then, as I was deciding if I would actually call it quits for the day, our Discord group posted a Lugia raid that had just spawned...downtown...where I just was. Needless to say, I posted that I was, "On my way!" and headed there immediately, calling my friend to see if she could tag along..sadly, she was working.

As I arrive at the raid, I notice that I'm the first, and only, one there, which isn't a good sign, but I'm not that worried, since there were still approximately 30 minutes left before the raid despawned.  Eventually, more trainers showed up, and we finally had 5 accounts to raid with.  Now, those that have battled Lugia in Pokémon Go know that is quite difficult to take down with small raid parties, as it has high HP and DEF stats, especially if you have low level trainers and not maxed out, ideal counters and move sets...not unlike our situation.  One was a sub level 30, underdeveloped account, and even I didn't have any 100% IV counters or a perfectly ideal Pokémon selection.

So, we waited for more.  I kept updating our Discord raid group with the time left on the raid, and there seemed to be some interest from 4 more trainers to come and help...but because of traffic, they wouldn't/didn't make it in time.  So, after waiting for 40 minutes, with only about 20 seconds left on the raid timer before despawn, our group of 5 accounts joined the raid...and it was CLOSE.  We got Lugia's health into the red section, but nevertheless, the raid battle timer ran out, and we got the "Time's Up!" message. After collecting our "participation award trophy" of 500 stardust we were greeted by the site of a normal gym; the Lugia raid had despawned. Little did I know at the time that this would be our one and only chance at my favorite legendary raid boss during this legendary wave, as it was later discovered to be a glitch or an accident on the company's end, possibly occurring as they switched out the special fighting type event raid bosses for the normal, pre-event set.

So, an equal amount bummed, salty, and hopeful for more Lugia attempts, I decided to keep my eyes out.  (Spoiler Alert: No more Lugia raids were found that night).  As 2 accounts left the Lugia raid, I head to another Legendary raid close by with the other members of our Lugia battle squad, plus one that met us there, for a total of 4 raiders, including myself.  Now, Latias may not be as difficult to down with small teams as Lugia is, but it still is a challenge, especially when it has Outrage, as this destroys it's best counters, like Rayquaza and Dragonite, who, as dragon types themselves, are weak to their own Dragon type attacks. This Latias, of course, had outrage. So, as I post for reinforcements, our group decides to give it a try.  We got even closer to beating it than we had Lugia, but regardless, our raid timer ran out and the game showed us our complimentary 500 stardust to try to cheer us up.  I posted again for reinforcements.  We tried again with the same team.  We did about the same.  So, with one final cry for help, I call my friend from earlier who lives nearby, and tell him to run to help us.  10 minutes left on the raid.  At 5 minutes left, we still haven't heard from him.  With 2 minutes to spare, I start thinking about where he will show up from, and how close he will physically be to joining the raid at that location.  With 1 minute till the raid disappears, I tell my other 3 friends I'll be right back as I try to find our soon to be raiding buddy.  In an effort to save time, I intended to tell him to start the raid as soon as he sees it.  Because the road curved, he didn't have to walk all the way up to us to engage the raid.

I check the raid lobby, but I don't rejoin...0 people in lobby. I walk/run out of range from the raid to get a better angle down the hill.  I don't see him...my holler produces no response.  I look back down at the game from the main map screen, and as I approach my friends without our expected raid buddy, I count off aloud the final seconds of the raid before despawn.  "2 seconds...1 second...and, gone!"

"He's here.  We're in the lobby.  Where are you, Jameson?"   

"What?"  I reply, "I didn't see him when I went to check"

"He must have joined the raid from the bottom of the hill", my fellow raider responded.

"Well, s**t" I say. "I left range of the raid to check on him".  I should have been checking the raid lobby count, I think to myself.  Damn.

"Well, we definitely can't do it without you, Jameson.  Everyone, leave the raid".

So, essentially, instead of getting our 5th raider that we needed, I managed to accidentally remove myself from the equation as we got a new 4th to replace me.  Great.  We totally could have beaten it too, I tell myself.

I start to see a trend of failure, but I'm still down when one of our bigger, finally-large-enough-to-actually-hopefully-take-down-a-legendary, group of 5 members suggest that we try another Latias nearby.  They decide to walk since it's close, and I drive.

Now, despite living in this city for several years, I've never claimed that I know my way around town all that well, but this time, as I could see the raid in the distance on the Pokémon GO map, I thought all was well, and I didn't ask for an actual Google Maps location to navigate to.  As you can probably tell by the way this story is going, I lost my way, and had to pull over, figure out where to go, and drive back the right way for a few more minutes once I got the location from my friend.  As I near his location, I pull over to find out that the raid is across a footbridge, and I was actually closer to it where I was earlier, and had even driven right past it on my way to where I was currently sitting.  With only minutes left on the raid, and odds of finding my way back in time to the right spot via car seemed dwindling, I decide to park in the most legal looking spot (it was fine, don't worry), and run across the footbridge full speed, yelling, "I'm coming!" to a group of young people on their phones that looked like my group, but...wasn't.  They were up the hill.  Oops.  With a phone that's laggy from overheating in the first decently warm summer day I've experienced this year, I find my group and yell for them to start the raid.  Only a minute or two to spare before it despawned.  Bad time for phone heat lag. It was clear to us that we wouldn't get a second chance once the raid battle actually started.  But, we thought, that would be fine, since we FINALLY had a team that was almost for sure strong and large enough to take down this freaking legendary Latias.  With our groups set, and butts sat in the shade, the giant "GO" text appears on the screen as the battle starts.  Phew.  We made it...but then...

"My game disconnected. I got kicked out", my other friend said.  What the...O.K. this is insane.  I quickly ask him for a raid timer before despawn, hoping that maybe we had enough time left to back out and restart with the full group, but I knew it was hopeless.  I had forgotten that the park we were at had kicked me out of a raid previously, and seemed to have trouble with cell service.  Oh well, our group of 4 tried our best, but was greeted with that annoying 500 stardust consolation prize at the end of the timer, nonetheless, and no Latias to throw Premiere Balls at.

With no new reports of Lugia raid sightings, and luck levels equivalent to those of broken horseshoes and delivery trucks full of shattered mirrors, my friends decided that it was time to call it quits.  I headed home as well, head hung low, defeated.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I was bummed, and disappointed.  Normally, I don't mind if I miss out on a legendary, but when you try so hard for 3 raids back to back to get a group that ends up being just 1 or 2 shy each time, with reports of other people potentially on their way, along with missing out on an accidental spawning of your favorite raid boss that hyped you up so much earlier that same day, end up being the one left out of a raid as you try to assure the 5th person arrives so there's enough people to barely beat that same raid that you accidentally missed out on in doing so, and when you finally, FINALLY, have all your ducks in a row, your raid group sorted and ready to kick ass, and a raid boss catch on the horizon, to have someone's cell service cut out, it can really take a toll.

But, I'm recovered now.  It is just a game after all, and I do already have 5 Lugia and several Latias in my collection.  Plus, this experience has lead to a great story for this blog and my writing class, so it wasn't an entire loss.  Starting the day with a Mewtwo and a Machamp catch was really nice too. And even though, after essentially wasting 3, I'm now under 10 Premium Raid Passes, I did just receive some PokéCoins for my recent birthday, so I'm good on that front.  

Now, the plea to Niantic that I promised.  My experience today has made my gears turn.  I know Niantic needs to make money. That's an obvious one.  And I support their system of how Raid Passes and Premium Raid Passes are handled, with one exception.  From tonight's experiences I can see that there should be a Raid Pass refund system in effect.  They implemented the 500 stardust reward regardless of winning or losing as a sort of solution, but I think they need to do more.

Pokémon has always been a game of creativity and trying to push the boundaries of what seems possible to "Be the very best, like no one ever was". Using a Pokémon that is weak to your opponent?  You'll be at a disadvantage and likely lose, but there is a thrill in trying and the possibility of success.  In Pokémon GO, some players find their kicks in trying to take down powerful Level 3, 4 or even 5 raid bosses with as few players as possible, and I think that should be encouraged.  In fact, probably my favorite thing to do in this game right now is to solo Level 3 Machamp raids, as after nearly a year of playing, I finally had my team powered up enough to do so, and it was a rush to finally succeed after so long!  

It is nice that once you use your Raid Pass, you can keep trying to beat that raid boss until it despawns, but I believe we need more.  In situations where you have a group of players together, trying their hardest to beat a boss, and can't find any reinforcements from their community despite their best efforts, I think it would be amazing for the morale of the players and contribute to the long term health of the game if Niantic would refund your Raid Pass if you don't beat the boss, or, alternatively, that the game would not consume your Raid Pass UNTIL you beat the boss. To balance people abusing this suggested system by using their Raid Passes on bosses with the intent to fail, receive their 500 stardust windfall, reuse that Raid Pass on another boss, and repeat, I would support Niantic taking away the 500 stardust compensation reward for losing, and even for winning, if that's what it would take for this system to be implemented (although I would still want special events to increase stardust rewards like we recently had with the amazing 3,500 stardust per raid fighting type event).

With the way the system is currently set up, your Raid Pass is used first thing to start the raid, and once used, you're good for the entire raid to try and try again, as I mentioned earlier, but that Raid Pass is gone for good, win or lose.  And since there is only one way to earn more PokéCoins in this game, and a slow one at that, the loss of a  Premium Raid Pass can take at least 2 days to regain your coins spent on said Pass.

To clarify, I'm still supportive of having the Raid Pass be spent so long as the battle is won, even if the raid boss flees, since while RNG does play some role, the skill of the player comes into play, and can be improved with practice. But with scare resources like stardust and candy for the best attackers in the game, very little can be done at the time if you simply need more bodies to fill the lobby to knock out a raid boss. 

If Niantic made this change, it would encourage players to try more raid battles that they normally might not attempt, just for the challenge of it. As well, players wouldn't be as upset at failing just because they didn't have enough interest in the raid from their community (or, even worse, actually not enough players nearby in extremely rural areas).  

Pokémon has always held a warm spot in my heart. I also love Pokémon GO.  Nothing else has given me the willpower to step outside and exercise without realizing it, walking and exploring miles a day, socializing and laughing with friends.  However, I hope that while my experiences, and pain, today provide entertainment for my readers, I also hope that Niantic takes note and considers my suggestions.  While I know this is unlikely to cause swift change, or any change at all, I believe that if we as players speak up about improvements that we believe should be made to the game, that the company will listen, as they have been proven to do in the past, and we, developers and players alike, can come together as one big loving community and make Pokémon GO, an already amazing game loved and played by millions, just that much better, and a damned good one.

Oh, and my story ends with me realizing, a few hours after arriving home, that I received my first sunburn of the year. Gotta dress better next time.  To be fair, what else did we expect from that raid luck today though?  Surely there had to be one more thing to go wrong to top it all off. Ha.  :)

In my first blog post, I recommend two YouTube Pokémon trainers that I find entertaining.  I also love watching these two.

Reversal. He makes entertaining vlog adventures, and covers Pokémon GO news.
https://www.youtube.com/user/ReversalKnD

StraightUpKnives. His upload schedule has been sparse as of late, but when he does make videos, no one beats his Top 5s and Top 10 Funny Pokémon Sightings or Lucky Pokémon Sightings videos.
https://www.youtube.com/user/StraightUpKnives