You're standing at a Power Spot, the purple energy is swirling, and you’ve finally caught that chunky, oversized Dynamax Bulbasaur. It looks cool. It looks menacing. But then you get into a Max Battle and realize your powerhouse is basically just hitting like a wet noodle because you haven't actually figured out how to unlock a Max Move in Pokemon Go. Honestly, the game doesn't make it super intuitive. It’s buried under a few layers of menus and requires a specific currency that Niantic really wants you to grind for every single day.
Dynamaxing isn't just a visual gimmick; it’s a mechanical shift that changed the meta for PvE (Player vs. Environment) encounters. If you want to take down those five-star Power Spot bosses, you can’t just rely on the default move the game hands you. You need to invest.
The Max Particle Grind is Real
Before you can even think about upgrades, you need Max Particles (MP). This is the lifeblood of the Dynamax system. You get them by visiting Power Spots or walking. You’ll see them on your nearby map—those jagged, purple crystalline structures that look a bit like gym stop hybrids.
Walking gives you a steady stream, but clicking on the Power Spots themselves is the fastest way to cap out. And yeah, there is a daily cap. You can't just farm 5,000 MP in one afternoon and call it a day. Niantic keeps us on a leash. Usually, you're looking at a limit of around 800 MP per day from world interactions, though special events sometimes nudge that number higher.
To actually see your progress, tap on a Dynamax-capable Pokemon in your storage. Scroll down past the standard Fast and Charged attacks. You’ll see a section specifically labeled Max Moves. This is where the magic (and the resource draining) happens. Every Dynamax Pokemon starts with one offensive Max Move based on its primary Fast Attack type. To unlock the others—Max Guard and Max Spirit—you have to pay the toll.
How to Unlock a Max Move in Pokemon Go: The Step-by-Step Reality
Let's get into the weeds of the menu.
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First, open your Pokemon storage. Look for the "Dynamax" filter or just search for "dynamax" in the search bar. Once you select your victim—let's say a Charmander—scroll down. You’ll see three slots. The first one is your primary attack. The second is Max Spirit, which heals your team. The third is Max Guard, which reduces incoming damage.
Unlocking these isn't free.
Max Spirit and Max Guard
To unlock these secondary moves, you need a combination of Max Particles and Candy. For a basic starter Pokemon, you're usually looking at 400 Max Particles and 50 Candy just to open the door. If you’re working with a pseudo-legendary or something rarer, the cost stays relatively consistent in terms of MP, but the Candy investment feels much heavier.
Tap the move you want to unlock. A confirmation screen pops up. Once you hit "Unlock," that move is permanently available whenever that specific Pokemon Dynamaxes in a battle. It’s important to note that you aren't just "buying" the move; you are also gaining the ability to level it up.
Leveling Up Your Moves
Leveling up is where the real power hides. A Level 1 Max Move is fine for a one-star Beldum raid. It won't cut it for the big leagues. Each move has three levels.
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- Level 1: The base unlock.
- Level 2: Increases damage or effect potency. Costs more MP and Candy (often XL Candy for higher tiers).
- Level 3: The ceiling. This requires a significant chunk of MP and a hefty amount of Candy XL.
If you’re wondering why your Max Spirit isn't healing much, it’s probably because it’s still sitting at Level 1. You’ve got to feed the beast.
Why Some Moves Are Locked or Missing
Sometimes you'll go to a Pokemon that should be able to Dynamax, but the Max Move section is totally missing. This is usually because only specific Pokemon caught through Power Spot encounters or special Research tasks can Dynamax. You can't just take your 100% IV Charizard from 2018 and teach it a Max Move. It’s a bummer, I know.
If the Pokemon doesn't have the "Dynamax" symbol next to its weight and height, it’s just a regular Pokemon. It will never see the inside of a Max Move menu.
Also, the type of your primary Max Move is dictated by your Fast Attack. If you change your Pokemon's Fast Attack using a Fast TM, the type of your Max Move will often switch to match it. This is crucial for type advantages. If you’re going up against a Steel-type boss, make sure your Max Move is Fire or Fighting-type before you waste your MP on the entry fee.
Strategy: What Should You Unlock First?
Don't just spend MP because you have it. That's a rookie move.
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Most players find that unlocking Max Spirit is a better second step than Max Guard. In the current Max Battle meta, being able to heal your teammates (and your other Pokemon in the lineup) is way more valuable than slightly reducing damage for a few seconds. Max Battles are often wars of attrition. If you can keep your HP up, you can outlast the boss.
Max Guard is very niche. Use it if you’re soloing a difficult three-star boss and you know a massive "charged" boss attack is coming, but otherwise, focus your resources on the offensive move first, then Spirit.
- Prioritize the Primary Attack: Get your main damage move to Level 2 as fast as possible.
- Unlock Max Spirit: Having the option to heal is a literal game-changer in group play.
- Save XL Candy: Don't waste XL Candy on a low-IV Dynamax Pokemon. Wait for a "Hundo" or at least a high-three-star before you push a Max Move to Level 3.
The Role of Candy and XL Candy
We need to talk about the cost. Leveling up Max Moves is arguably the biggest Candy sink Niantic has introduced in years. To max out all three moves on a single Pokemon, you are looking at hundreds of Candies and a significant pile of XL Candies.
This is why communal play is so important. When you finish a Max Battle, you can place your Pokemon at the Power Spot to earn Candy. This is a passive way to recoup some of those costs. The longer your Pokemon stays there helping other trainers, the more rewards you bring home. It’s sort of like the gym system, but with a more direct benefit to your move-unlocking goals.
Actionable Steps to Maximize Your Moves
Stop hoarding your Max Particles until they hit the cap. If you are at 1,000/1,000 MP, you are wasting every meter you walk and every Power Spot you spin.
- Check your MP every morning. If you’re near the cap, spend 400 on an unlock or an upgrade immediately.
- Focus on one "Generalist" first. A high-IV Dynamax Charizard or Metagross is a great candidate for move unlocking because they have broad utility.
- Daily Power Spot Run. Hit at least three Power Spots a day. This ensures you have enough "fuel" to keep unlocking moves for your roster.
- Sync your TMs. Before you upgrade a Max Move, make sure the Fast Attack on that Pokemon is the one you actually want to use. You don't want to power up a Normal-type Max Move if you actually need a Water-type one for an upcoming raid rotation.
Unlocking these moves changes the game from a simple tap-fest into something slightly more tactical. It’s a grind, sure, but seeing that "Max Spirit" pop and watching your health bar crawl back up during a tense boss fight makes the weeks of gathering Max Particles feel worth it. Get out there, hit the spots, and start upgrading.
Next Steps for Mastery
Identify your highest IV Dynamax Pokemon and check its current Max Particle cost for a Level 2 upgrade. If you have the Candy, prioritize upgrading the primary offensive move first to clear one-star and three-star Power Spots more efficiently. Once you have a solid attacker, start collecting Max Particles daily to unlock Max Spirit on your primary tank to increase your survivability in higher-tier encounters.