Tips on getting the most out of May’s Pokemon Go Community Day in the Bay Area

May doesn’t have the most attractive Pokemon Go Community Day, but there’s still plenty of reasons to go out and explore.

Alolan Geodude, which has been shiny for a while, is a rare get, but after several events and a Pokemon Go Fest, longtime players have had plenty of chances to grab a shiny version. Now, this Community Day, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m May 21, gives players the best opportunity to obtain a variant of the Rock Pokemon. It’s a nice one to have with the shiny Alolan Geodude having a distinct golden color.

What’s even better is its exclusive Community Day move — Rollout, which is appearing for the first time in “Pokemon Go.” In PvP, this Fast Attack generates power quickly and it will compete with Volt Switch as the move you’ll want on Alolan Golem, a rock- and electric-type hybrid. Just a reminder, you’ll need to evolve Alolan Geodude to Alolan Golem before 4 p.m. May 21 to get it.

Overall, Alolan Geodude will be a Go Battle League play and it will be good in some formats. Rollout Alolan Golem has an advantage in Ultra League and is more of a sidegrade in Great League, according to an analysis by JRE47. Nevertheless, to avoid the fear of missing out, it’s best to catch at least a few good ones for each league, so you’ll be prepared. It could even be a good flex if you transfer a few shiny Alolan Geodude to Pokemon Home.

BEST PLACES TO PLAY
As for Bay Area places to spend Pokemon Go Community Day, the No. 1 spot is still Jack London Square in Oakland. It’s the only Niantic Activation site in Northern California. That means the company will staff it with giveaways for players. In previous Community Days, Niantic ambassadors gave away Pikachu cardboard visors, stickers and patches, but during April’s event, Niantic gave away codes that could be redeemed for free items.

On top of that, hundreds of players will descend on the area and fans will experience a festival-like atmosphere as players explore the waterfront path and lounge around benches and tables. Niantic fills the space with 16 temporary PokeStops so the spawn density is high. With plenty of places to eat and drink, it’s the best place to play and be around other trainers.

The biggest advantage for going to Jack London Square is that it will be lured up and players will unlock the group bonus that quadruples the stardust for each Pokemon caught for the Lure. If players tack on a Star Piece, that bonus can can reach some obscene levels.

San Francisco also has Virtual Activations in two spots: the Golden Gate Park botanical garden and Pier 39. Reports from players who attended these events say the bonus hasn’t been worth it but the areas are still a great place to play.

For college students, Niantic is collaborating with Prime Gaming and Prime Student for On-Campus Meet-ups. Trainers can pick up free Pokemon Go and Prime Gaming swag, according to Niantic. There are four places in California:

• University of California-Davis — UC Davis Memorial Union Quad
• University of California-Los Angeles — Bruin Plaza, in front of Ackerman Union
• University of California-San Diego — Middle of Sixth College Lawn (1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time)
• University of California-Santa Cruz — East Field (12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time)

BONUSES AND UPCOMING FEATURE
The bonuses this time around good. Players will have a chance to get triple Stardust and double candy for each catch. Lure modules and Incense will last three hours. In addition, players will have twice the chance of getting Geodude Candy XL from catches. Niantic is continuing the extra Special Trade bonus but it only lasts two hours after the event. Trades also cost 50% less Stardust so if you’ve been meaning to trade for that unregistered shiny legendary, now is the time to do it.

Lastly, don’t forget to take photos during the event, because it will net you up to five extra Alolan Geodude encounters.

If you’re thinking about buying some of the limited-time items, you should go with the special Research story: A Rock Road for $1. It’s the best value and completing the quest line will reward players with stardust, a Poffin, a Team Go Rocket Radar, Rare candy, a lure, 15 Ultra Balls, Geodude candy and encounters with the Pokemon of the day. On the other hand, the Community Day Box isn’t that appealing with the Elite Fast TM, one Lucky Egg, one Super Incubator and one Star Piece for 975 coins. Niantic also offers free box that will give players 30 Ultra Balls. That’s a life-saver if they run out of balls.