You’re standing there, phone buzzing in your palm, staring at two badges. One is deep obsidian. The other is a shimmering pearl. It’s the classic Unova dilemma, reborn. Choosing between the Pokemon Go choose black or white paths during the Sinnoh Tour or Global Go Fest events isn't just about your favorite color palette; it changes the very math of your gameplay. It’s a fork in the road. Pick wrong, and you might miss out on the specific legendary energy or encounter you’ve been grinding for all month.
Honestly, it’s a bit stressful. Niantic loves these binary choices because they force you to commit. You can’t have it both ways.
If you’re a veteran player, you remember the original DS games from 2010. Those games were about truth and ideals. In Pokemon Go, it’s mostly about Raids and specialized moves. The decision usually boils down to whether you want to focus on Reshiram and Mega Charizard energy or Zekrom and Mega Blastoise-adjacent perks, depending on the specific event's rotating rewards. Let’s break down the logic so you don't end up with "buyer's remorse" after clicking that confirm button.
The Core Differences Between the Paths
When you see the prompt to Pokemon Go choose black or white, the game is essentially asking you to prioritize one half of the Tao Trio. Historically, the "White" path aligns with Reshiram. The "Black" path aligns with Zekrom. But it’s never that simple with Niantic.
During the major Go Tour: Sinnoh events, for example, the choice was actually between Diamond and Pearl, but the concept remains identical for the Unova variants. You get a specific set of boosted spawns. You get a specific "guaranteed" move.
If you go with the White version (Reshiram focus), you’re usually looking at Fire-type dominance. Reshiram with Fusion Flare is a monster in Master League and a top-tier Raid attacker. If you go Black (Zekrom focus), you’re getting that Electric/Dragon powerhouse with Fusion Bolt. Both are elite. However, the "correct" choice depends entirely on your current roster. Do you lack a solid counter for Kyogre? Pick Black. Is your Fire-type team lacking behind a bunch of Flareons? White is your best friend.
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Why Reshiram Usually Wins for Generalists
Reshiram is often cited by experts like PokeBattler and GamePress as the slightly more "useful" legendary for the average player. Fire is a common weakness in high-level Raids. You’ll use a high-IV Reshiram way more often than you’ll use Zekrom. That’s just the reality of the current Raid rotation meta.
Special Moves and the "Legacy" Problem
Here is the kicker. These events are often the only way to get these legendaries with their signature moves without burning an Elite Charged TM. Those TMs are rare. They’re expensive. They’re annoying to get.
When you make the Pokemon Go choose black or white decision, you are essentially picking which Elite TM you want to "save."
- Fusion Flare (Reshiram): A high-damage, relatively efficient move that turns Reshiram into the king of Fire types.
- Fusion Bolt (Zekrom): An incredibly fast-charging Electric move that makes Zekrom a nightmare in the Master League meta.
If you already have a 100% IV Zekrom from three years ago, please, don’t pick the Black path. Pick White. Get the new hotness. Or vice versa. Look at your storage first. Seriously. Open the app, search "4*", and see what you actually need.
The Myth of "Better" Shiny Odds
Let's clear this up right now: choosing a path almost never increases your raw shiny rate across the board. It only increases the opportunities for specific shinies. If the White path features more Vulpix spawns and the Black path features more Blitzle, you'll naturally see more shiny Vulpix because you're encountering more of them. The 1/512 (or 1/64 for boosted events) remains the same. Don't let influencers convince you that one path is "luckier." It's just a distribution game.
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Understanding the Narrative Impact
In the original Gen 5 lore, N—the mysterious leader of Team Plasma—seeks a world where Pokemon are free. Your choice of dragon determined which side of the "Truth vs. Ideals" argument you landed on. In Pokemon Go, the "narrative" is mostly just Professor Willow or Rhi talking at you in text boxes you’ll probably skip.
But there’s a subtle psychological element. The community tends to split 50/50. If you have a local Raid group, ask them what they’re picking. If everyone in your town picks White, it might be harder to find people to trade you the Black-version exclusives later.
Don't Forget the Collection Challenge
Usually, these path choices are tied to a Collection Challenge. If you Pokemon Go choose black or white, you’ll get a medal associated with that choice. For some of us, that's the only thing that matters. The "completionist" itch is real.
If you are a hardcore medal collector, you might want to look at your previous medals. Did you pick the "Ruby" path during the Hoenn event? Maybe you want to stay "Team Red/White" for consistency. Or maybe you want to balance it out. There’s no gameplay benefit to this, but let’s be honest: we all care about how our profile looks.
The Master League Meta Check
If you play GBL (Go Battle League), the choice is much tighter.
Zekrom is a spicy pick in Master League because it resists Electric, Water, and Steel. It can wall a Melmetal or a Kyogre if played correctly.
Reshiram is a bit more of a glass cannon in PvP compared to the titans like Dialga, but Fusion Flare provides unshielded neutral damage that almost nothing wants to take.
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- Check your XL Candy count.
- If you have 296 XL Candies for Reshiram, pick Zekrom.
- If you have zero XL Candies for either, pick the one that fills a hole in your Raid lineup.
The "Version Exclusive" Spawns
Niantic often hides specific wild spawns behind these choices. In past events, the "Black" version might have attracted more "dark" themed Pokemon like Murkrow, Purrloin, or Pawniard. The "White" version leaned toward "light" or "natural" themes like Cottonee, Ponyta, or even Alolan Vulpix.
Check the official LeekDuck or Serebii infographics on the morning of the event. They usually have the "confirmed" spawn lists from players in New Zealand (shoutout to the beta testers of the world). If you see a Pokemon on the White list that you still need a shiny for, that’s your answer. Period.
Making the Final Call
Choosing between Pokemon Go choose black or white shouldn't feel like a chore, but in a game built on scarcity, it matters.
If you want the most "meta" relevant attacker for Raids: Pick White (Reshiram).
If you want a unique Electric powerhouse for PvP: Pick Black (Zekrom).
If you just want the coolest looking shiny: Pick whichever one you think looks better in neon green or pink.
Actionable Next Steps for the Event
Before you tap that screen and lock yourself in, do these three things:
- Audit your Legendary Storage: Use the search string
Reshiram & !3* & !4*to see how many "bad" ones you have. If you have a fleet of high-IV ones already, move to the other dragon. - Check your Mega Energy: Sometimes these paths reward Mega Energy for complementary types (like Mega Houndoom or Mega Manectric). Pick the path that helps you finish a Mega Evolution you haven't maxed out to Level 3 yet.
- Coordinate with a "Trade Buddy": Find a friend and have them pick the opposite path. This is the oldest trick in the Pokemon book. You catch the White exclusives, they catch the Black ones, and you trade at the end of the day to finish both Collection Challenges.
The choice is permanent for the duration of the event. There is no "undo" button. There is no "I changed my mind" support ticket. Once you see that badge pop up on your screen, you're committed to that path. So, take thirty seconds, look at your medals, look at your storage, and then make the call.
The Unova dragons are some of the most powerful entities in the game. Regardless of which path you take, you're getting access to top-tier utility. Just make sure you have enough Remote Raid passes and a charged power bank, because once the event starts, the path choice is only the beginning of the grind.