Tag Archives: in the wild

What Is Campfire In Pokémon GO, And Do I Need It?

Campfire very quietly started rolling out last week, and I noticed it when I saw a rather peculiar grey icon in-app near my Daily Adventure Incense.

I tapped on it. I was met with a black loading bar that didn’t seem to do anything, so I left my phone where it was for a couple of minutes. Then, when I looked at it again, I had a map displayed on my screen with PokéStops and Gyms laid out. So?

What Is Campfire?

Campfire is essentially a way for Pokémon GO players to socialize with their local community. It’s not just a social app, though. Right now, it’s most beneficial use is to help you find nearby players to fight Raids with you. Especially when primal raids like Kyogre and Groudon occur, it’s important that you have enough Trainers in your battle group to ensure Raid Boss defeat.

Should I Download Campfire?

If you’re looking to link up with other Trainers locally, Campfire is a great way to find nearby Trainer-hosted events that you can join. Additionally, the social aspect is great to keep all of your Pokémon GO communications in one place.

Personally, I haven’t downloaded Campfire yet—I have friends I see regularly who already play, so we’re typically able to play as we’d like without yearning for new friends. But, it might be useful for at least one of your friends to take one for the team, so that when your core group needs the extra help for a raid, they can light a Flare.

Campfire links up with other Niantic apps as well, so if you have more than just Pokémon GO, it might be worthwhile.

But for now, I’m okay just being able to see the nearby Flares within Pokémon GO, without needing all of the other features the full app has to offer.

Pokémon Types: Easy Ways To Remember Which Types Are Effective Against Others

Every Pokémon is assigned at least one type, which represent the attack moves they can effect against other Pokémon in battle. Each type will have its own strengths and weaknesses, and personally, I’m only able to remember so many of them, especially in time-sensitive situations, like swapping out my Pokémon to have the upper hand mid-battle.

So, I’ve compiled a list of memorization methods that I’ve learned to best keep track of type effectiveness without needing to pull up a chart. This might not cover every single Pokémon type, but it should cover enough ground to make most of your battling knowledge more effective.

Psychics Are Weak Against Common Fears

Correlation is causation. Fear plagues the mind, so for Psychic types, where the mind is central to their abilities, common fears like Bugs, Ghosts, and the Dark will be most effective against them.

Normies Can’t Fight

Think about it this way: if you live a normal, unbothered life, when faced with fight-or-flight, would you be able to fend off against a skilled fighter? Fighting types are most effective against Normal type Pokémon.

Water Breaks Down

The obvious one is Water putting out Fire. Water also erodes Rock, and affects crops by over-saturating the Ground.

Water Gets Controlled

Electric currents amplify using Water as the medium, and plants like Grass absorb water to grow. So, Water types would be weakest against these two types.

You Can’t Fight What You Can’t Touch

Fighting types can’t fly, so their attacks would not reach Flying types. Fighting types have their concentration compromised when it comes to cute and charming Fairy types and mind-puzzling Psychic types.

Fire Gets Smothered

To put out a fire, you need to smother its flame. Effectively, Water, Rocks, and Ground elements like dirt will do the job.

Steel Causes The Most Damage

Literally the hardest. Steel will break Ice, and generally, would break most Rocks.

Steel is also effective against Fairy types, and you’d have to know ancient lore to rationalize this: fairies cannot come in contact with metals like iron, because they will burn.

The Elements Affect Flight

If your plane flight is delayed, it’s usually because there’s a storm. So, Electric and Ice types are particularly effective.

That’s all I’ve got for now! How do you best remember Pokémon type effectiveness?