One of the more confounding and lesser known Pokemon, Meltan and its evolution Melmetal are some of the newest Mythical Pokemon added to the roster. While not currently available in generation nine, these two Pokemon remain relevant in the mobile game and spinoffs. Seen first and most prominently in Pokemon Go, these pure Steel types are often just as little known as their origin.
Being some of the lesser-known Mythical Pokemon presents quite a bit of mystery between both members of the Meltan line. Between obtaining these elusive Pokemon to obtaining their even rarer shinies, there are five things Pokemon fans should know about Meltan and Melmetal.
5 Shinies Available During Certain Times
Far And Few Between Events
For players wanting to hunt down shiny versions of Meltan and Melmetal, they'll have to keep up with the ever-changing Pokemon Go news cycle. Unlike mainline games, Pokemon Go shinies are not always guaranteed to exist in the game and are instead advertised as possible, and Meltan and Melmetal are especially tricky.
While both shiny Meltan and Melmetal exist in Pokemon Go, the shiny is only catchable during certain events and only during certain times. These specific times are often very rare, and usually months to years apart. Thankfully, for players with access to the Mystery Box, the upcoming anniversary event will offer shiny Meltan once more. Along with that, since Go Pokemon always features a shiny sparkle and sound when encountered, it's almost impossible to miss a shiny Meltan, especially since the rarer variant is distinct enough from the far lighter normal design.
4 Completely Exclusive To Go
Found In Regions Unknown
Unlike every other Pokemon in existence, which originates from a location within the Pokemon universe, Meltan and Melmetal have no regional Pokedex or region to call home. While many Pokemon aren't necessarily originally from the regions they first appeared in, Meltan literally comes from "Unknown Origins," which may in fact be the real world.
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Beyond Pokemon Go and HOME stating that the region for the Meltan line is unknown, it's somewhat implied that Meltan comes from the "real world" of Pokemon Go. Since Meltan was introduced and is only available in Go, and given the specific and continued lack of a home region, it seems that Meltan and Melmetal exist in some alternate version of reality.
3 Meltan Only Evolves In Go
Make Use Of Those Pinap Berries
Melmetal, the titanic evolution to Meltan, is more challenging to obtain than many other evolutions. With Meltan being the first Mythical Pokemon capable of evolution, the requirement for such a feat is drastically high. Unlike every other Pokemon, which can evolve in the mainline games without problems, Meltan can only evolve in Go with 400 candies.
Since it can be fairly easy to catch plenty of Meltan with one Mystery Box, all players really have to keep in mind when using the Box is using Pinap berries as much as possible. This effectively cuts the candy amount needed for Melmetal in half, and certainly saves time considering the cooldown aspect of the Mystery Box, making it functional every three days. Even then, saving up for a Melmetal is no quick task, but the hunt often feels faster when players try to find one with better or even perfect stats. Since spawns are practically guaranteed, finding a "Hundo" Meltan is only a matter of time.
2 Only Accessible Through Main-Game Connection
Connect To HOME Or The Let's Go Games
Accessing Meltan's Mystery Box at all in Go currently requires connecting Go to either Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee or to Pokemon HOME, making it unobtainable for players without the Nintendo Switch. For those with a Nintendo Switch, or access to one, actually obtaining Meltan is pretty straightforward.
Once the Go account has connected to either Let's Go or HOME, with a Pokemon deposited with either for best results, activating the Mystery Box is as easy as activating other kinds of incense. For mainline Pokemon players, getting Meltan is still incredibly easy, with practically no requirements to activate the Mystery Box on new accounts. Having enough Poke Balls and Pinap Berries to make full use of the Mystery Box, however, is another matter entirely.
1 Use The Mystery Box Well
Keep The Cooldown In Mind
Since the Mystery Box has a built-in cooldown, players should be aware of how to make the most of it, and how to keep it primed for the next case of use. Whether to ensure getting as many Meltan candies as possible or to try and get several shiny Meltan, knowing how the cooldown works and how to reset it is key.
Unlike the other incense and incense-type items in Pokemon Go, the Mystery Box has a three-day cooldown that only resets when the player connects their Go account to a main game and deposits a Pokemon. This is most convenient when sending Pokemon to HOME, though sending generation one Pokemon to the Let's Go games also counts. With the return of shiny Meltan on the horizon, it's important to have the Mystery Box prepped. Thankfully, during major events like the anniversary event, this cooldown time can drop down to one day, making it possible to catch Meltan every single day. Additionally, the Mystery Box acts like incense, meaning the ability to pause time with Dialga also affects this, getting even more time for Meltan outside the hour already provided.
Pokémon GO
- Released
- July 6, 2016
